Traffic fines reduced to 100 Baht as 'New Year gift'

[webfact]

Traffic Fines Reduced to 100 Baht as 'New Year Gift'
By Chayanit Itthipongmaetee
Staff Reporter


An undated photo of a traffic police officer writing a fine. Photo: “We Love Police Checkpoints.” / Facebook

BANGKOK — 88 police stations in Bangkok will reduce traffic tickets to 100 baht starting today until next month.

Billed as a “New Year gift” to the public, Bangkok police commander Lt. Gen. Sanit Mahatavorn told Manager Online that the promotion is meant to clear a massive backlog of overdue fines.

Under Thai traffic laws, motorists are expected to pay fines within seven days, and driving licenses cannot be renewed unless all fines have been paid first. However, since there is no serious repercussion for overdue fines, many motorists simply chose not to pay the fines for months, if not years.

Full story: http://www.khaosodenglish.com/detail.php?newsid=1450786935&typecate=06&section=


-- Khaosod English 2015-12-23

[webfact]

TRAFFIC LAW
New Year ‘gift’ for minor traffic offenders
JESSADA CHANTHARAK,
MARY BRADLEY
THE NATION



BANGKOK: -- IN THIS New Year holiday, traffic lawbreakers in Bangkok will have a chance to wipe the slate clean of petty traffic violations until January 15.

The New Year "gift" was announced by acting Metropolitan Police Bureau chief Pol Lt-General Sanit Mahathaworn yesterday.

He said he had instructed 88 precincts under the Metropolitan Police Area 1-9, as well as the Traffic Police Command, to allow motorists to pay a flat rate of Bt100 for eligible traffic tickets.

Such a project - following a previous innovation by the Metropolitan Police Area 3's Lam Pha Chi Police Station - would be applicable only to traffic offences punishable by a fine of less than Bt1,000.

These include offences such as not wearing a helmet, driving a damaged vehicle, failing to present a driver's licence and failing to wear a seatbelt.

It wouldn't apply to offences deemed to cause trouble for others - such as parking in a prohibited area, driving on a footpath or drink driving, he said.

To counter legal worries that the project will make people disregard traffic laws, Sanit said police had carefully considered the offences applicable for the project. Officers will require offenders to sign an agreement promising not to commit the same offences again. He also insisted that police did not only seek to make money from arrests.

Earlier this week, deputy police chief Pol General Pongsapat Pongcharoen invited Thais to join the "Fak ban wai kub tam ruad" (Leaving Houses to Police Care) project before travelling during the New Year holidays. The project - for which people could apply at any precinct near their home free-of-charge - will run for 15 days from December 23 until January 6, Pongsapat said. The project includes a mobile phone application called "Police I lert u" to provide homeowners updates regarding the safety of their houses and employed an "electronic patrolling police" system, he said.

The system includes three elements: first, a patrol checks on the participants' homes and registers their visit by scanning a QR code at the residence; then the data is sent to the homeowner via the mobile phone application; and lastly the Line chat application is used to send pictures of the home's condition to the owner. Patrols were initially scheduled for every two or three hours.

The project - started in 2001 and implemented during New Year and Songkran holidays - saw 4,110 householders join last New Year.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/New-Year-gift-for-minor-traffic-offenders-30275479.html


-- The Nation 2015-12-23

[berybert]

Let us look after your house. We can guarantee 100% your valuables will not be stolen by criminals. We will take them as soon as you leave.

RTP protecting people and places.

[aussiesteve63]

So one day they state there getting tough on motorists to reduce fatalities this New Year and the next there saying there reducing fines for no helmet and no seat belt, these are the things that kill people. They should do what they do in Western Australia and have the fines doubled over the holiday period as a disincentive to disobey traffic rules.

[Bluespunk]

"It wouldn't apply to offences deemed to cause trouble for others - such as parking in a prohibited area, driving on a footpath"

Driving on the footpath is illegal? Really? I thought it was accepted practice.

[AlexRRR]

So one day they state there getting tough on motorists to reduce fatalities this New Year and the next there saying there reducing fines for no helmet and no seat belt, these are the things that kill people. They should do what they do in Western Australia and have the fines doubled over the holiday period as a disincentive to disobey traffic rules.

How about clapping wheels until the fine is payed.

[NongKhaiKid]

Sign an agreement not to commit the same offences again and the BIB expect this to be honoured ? !

[Basil B]

I am sure this will help reduce Thailand appalling road traffic casualty statistics...

[Seastallion]

So, if the disincentive to not pay a fine is the inability to renew a driver's license, how does a ticket for driving without a license cause any incentive to pay the fine?

Driving without a license should be an arrest offense and a criminal offense.

It's good to lower the fines in an attempt to get offenders to pay. A sort of semi-amnesty. In fact, fines should be lowered permamantly, but handed out more regularly and consistently. The country would have safer roads and more money in the coffers.

[Bluespunk]

So one day they state there getting tough on motorists to reduce fatalities this New Year and the next there saying there reducing fines for no helmet and no seat belt, these are the things that kill people. They should do what they do in Western Australia and have the fines doubled over the holiday period as a disincentive to disobey traffic rules.

How about clapping wheels until the fine is payed.[attachment=356201:ImageUploadedByThaivisa Connect1450824710.478545.jp

Saw this in BKK a few months back, she wasn't going anywhere.

She's not clapping hard enough I guess. ;-)

[Don Mega]

How does this "gift" help with clearing already overdue unpaid fines ?

They should be tripling the fines to help these retards respect the road rules.

Edited December 22, 2015 by Don Mega

[AngelHeather]

Come on down people, break the law on New Year's Eve ....avail of this promotion. Lmaooooo

[captspectre]

how about reducing barfines too?

sign an agreement "not" to do it again? how about the previous offenses? when oh when will this country graduate from the third world tier? if they had computers that worked, when the Police gave out a ticket they could do what the rest of the modern world does, check out the persons driving record for past offenses! then confiscate the car or motorcy! but they do not have the capability to even check for a license much less traffic offenses!

[Oziex1]

So one day they state there getting tough on motorists to reduce fatalities this New Year and the next there saying there reducing fines for no helmet and no seat belt, these are the things that kill people. They should do what they do in Western Australia and have the fines doubled over the holiday period as a disincentive to disobey traffic rules.

I'm in Perth, I'm not aware of the fines being doubled only the demerit points from your license. Anyway I get the gist as it shows a confused and ineffective method of controlling traffic infringements and ultimately road fatalities.

[jacko45k]

How about reintroducing the sale of alcohol at gas-station shops as well!

Considering the state of driving in this country, making infringements less punitive is mind-numbing.

[whatproblem]

Only in Thailand would something so stupid like this happen,wonder why they are a 3rd world country.

Helps keep the population down with high road death rates I suppose

Edited December 23, 2015 by whatproblem

[halloween]

I once stopped 2 BIB on a bike to report a crime (petrol theft) in commission. The couldn't help because they were "on patrol".

[Ks45672]

How about reintroducing the sale of alcohol at gas-station shops as well!

Considering the state of driving in this country, making infringements less punitive is mind-numbing.

That's already illegal, a place that sell gas/petroleum is not allowed to sell alcohol as well, been like that for many years now

[jacko45k]

How about reintroducing the sale of alcohol at gas-station shops as well!

Considering the state of driving in this country, making infringements less punitive is mind-numbing.

That's already illegal, a place that sell gas/petroleum is not allowed to sell alcohol as well, been like that for many years now

Get some more coffee pal.

[Gsxrnz]

It could be worse. They could have given away a free toaster with every fine. And let's face it, we wouldn't be surprised if they did.

[Gsxrnz]

How about reintroducing the sale of alcohol at gas-station shops as well!

Considering the state of driving in this country, making infringements less punitive is mind-numbing.

That's already illegal, a place that sell gas/petroleum is not allowed to sell alcohol as well, been like that for many years now

Jacko had his sarcasm button on. You missed it.

[allan michaud]

So one day they state there getting tough on motorists to reduce fatalities this New Year and the next there saying there reducing fines for no helmet and no seat belt, these are the things that kill people. They should do what they do in Western Australia and have the fines doubled over the holiday period as a disincentive to disobey traffic rules.

Third most deadly roads on the planet and they do this. It beggars belief.

[tom21]

the PM ordered all government dept to give people a new year present and this is the one from the police

[ezzra]

What a lame idea, it's like giving catre blanch to all drunks to go on drink and drive/ride...

I'm waiting for the amnesty announcements for all murderess, rapists and drug barons

out of jail... Gee, of all the nice gestures the government can do for it's people they come

up with this stupid and unnecessary idea....

[mancub]

"He also insisted that police did not only seek to make money from arrests."

Now why would Metropolitan Police Bureau chief Pol Lt-General Sanit Mahathaworn deem it necessary to say this ???

[steveyinasia]

Let us look after your house. We can guarantee 100% your valuables will not be stolen by criminals. We will take them as soon as you leave.

RTP protecting people and places.

Who in their right mind would have RTP checking an empty house. I would be expecting RTP to setup a "preorder site" for household items and then go looking at their new supply chain.

[oneday]

Second worse traffic fatalities in the world and they want to make it less painful to drive like dangerous idiots.

Why am I not surprised.

[biplanebluey]

So one day they state there getting tough on motorists to reduce fatalities this New Year and the next there saying there reducing fines for no helmet and no seat belt, these are the things that kill people. They should do what they do in Western Australia and have the fines doubled over the holiday period as a disincentive to disobey traffic rules.

Read it again buddy------ seat belts are NOT included in the amnesty

[Time Traveller]

A gift to encourage people to break the law !

Wouldn't a gift be better police for the whole year and stopping corrupt officers from demanding 200 baht fines on made up breaches of traffic laws?

Gift? - what a frekin joke these crooked cops are

[masuk]

So one day they state there getting tough on motorists to reduce fatalities this New Year and the next there saying there reducing fines for no helmet and no seat belt, these are the things that kill people. They should do what they do in Western Australia and have the fines doubled over the holiday period as a disincentive to disobey traffic rules.

Not only the fines have been doubled. So have the demerit points. 9 points gone and you're on the buses for a year. Using a phone and/or texting while driving attracts a $340 fine.

It never ceases to amaze me, seeing folk on motorbikes here, driving with one hand while texting.

I'd have thought a nice Christmas gift to the people of Thailand would be preserving a few hundred lives here over the crazy season.