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Phuket underpass checkpoint scoops up dozens of motorists
Phuket Gazette


A total of 25 people were fined for not wearing a helmet, while five were arrested for using the underpass on a motorbike. Photo: Kongleaphy Keam

PHUKET: -- More than 40 motorists were fined in a span of two hours at a checkpoint at the northbound exit of the Darasamuth Underpass next to Central Festival Phuket yesterday.

“This is part of the push by the Phuket governor and the Phuket Provincial Police commander to better enforce traffic laws on the island as a way to reduce the number of accidents and deaths,” said Capt Siripong Wongsanpet of the Wichit Traffic Police.

A total of five motorbike drivers were fined for using the underpass, while nine were arrested for making an illegal u-turn at the mouth of the underpass. Each was charged the maximum penalty of 1,000 baht.

“Making a u-turn at the entrance and exit of the underpass is exceptionally dangerous. We’ve put up dividers to try and stop people, but clearly they continue to ignore the law,” said Capt Siripong.

Full story: http://www.phuketgazette.net/phuket-news/Phuket-underpass-checkpoint-scoops-dozens-motorists/63159?desktopversion#ad-image-0


-- Phuket Gazette 2016-02-16

[LivinginKata]

1,000 baht fines - good. That might make an impression.

[sunnyjim5]

1,000 baht fines - good. That might make an impression.

A 1000Bht fine would amount to OVER three days pay for many Thai people.

[WitawatWatawit]

Quote:

“This is part of the push by the Phuket governor and the Phuket Provincial Police commander to better enforce traffic laws on the island as a way to reduce the number of accidents and deaths,” said Capt Siripong Wongsanpet of the Wichit Traffic Police.

And this guy made it to the rank of captain. !!!

[LivinginKata]

1,000 baht fines - good. That might make an impression.

A 1000Bht fine would amount to OVER three days pay for many Thai people.

Good - that will make an impression .... might even stop them breaking the road traffic rules ..

[NamKangMan]

1,000 baht fines - good. That might make an impression.

You are assuming they can, and will, pay.

[Tomtomtom69]

1,000 baht fines - good. That might make an impression.

You are assuming they can, and will, pay.

How about if they don't pay their bikes will be impounded? That's what happens in Vietnam, which by the way is way poorer than Thailand.

Anyone who can afford to buy a bike can afford to pay a 1000 Baht fine. Thailand isn't that poor anymore. Even poor people can come up with 200,000 Baht sin sods if they get married, why is everyone making Thailand out to be a poor man's paradise, full of the poorest of the poor who can't even come up with a lousy 1000 Baht (about A$40 or US$28)?

Thailand is a middle income country - notice the number of shopping malls going up and that 99% of patrons at "expensive" ice cream shops like Swensens, where you can blow 179 Baht for a simple ice cream are all Thai?! Notice that 20% of Thais own a car? These are not poor people! Many Thais have more savings than many western people.

A 1000 Baht fine will make a difference, but in the overall scheme of things it's NOTHING. Enforcement of traffic laws here is a joke, although it has improved vastly over the last few years.

Edited February 16, 2016 by Tomtomtom69

[NamKangMan]

1,000 baht fines - good. That might make an impression.

You are assuming they can, and will, pay.

How about if they don't pay their bikes will be impounded? That's what happens in Vietnam, which by the way is way poorer than Thailand.

Anyone who can afford to buy a bike can afford to pay a 1000 Baht fine. Thailand isn't that poor anymore. Even poor people can come up with 200,000 Baht sin sods if they get married, why is everyone making Thailand out to be a poor man's paradise, full of the poorest of the poor who can't even come up with a lousy 1000 Baht (about A$40 or US$28)?

Thailand is a middle income country - notice the number of shopping malls going up and that 99% of patrons at "expensive" ice cream shops like Swensens, where you can blow 179 Baht for a simple ice cream are all Thai?! Notice that 20% of Thais own a car? These are not poor people! Many Thais have more savings than many western people.

A 1000 Baht fine will make a difference, but in the overall scheme of things it's NOTHING. Enforcement of traffic laws here is a joke, although it has improved vastly over the last few years.

I agree, impound their bikes, and auction them off after 60 days. I've seen the checkpoints in Vietnam with the small trucks getting bikes loaded onto them. They are held as security for the fine.

1000 baht is around 3 days minimum wage. Given Thai's are usually paid monthly, 1000 baht is approximately 10% of their salary.

Thailand has an extremely high amount of household debt. Many of the Thai's that you classify as "middle income" are in debt up to their eye balls. The high car ownership came after the big Bangkok floods and the refund of tax on new cars. Many Thai's were given car loans, and Thailand's car manufacturing industry was revived. Many of these loans are still being paid off today. There has also been many repossessions.

I have no problem with the 1000 baht fine. I simply make the point that if the fine amount is too high, and it's debatable if 1000 baht is, than the fine has no effect. A 1000 baht fine may be the same as a 10,000 baht fine to many here - offenders simply can't afford to pay it.

On the subject of Thailand's wealth, have you been to the villages up north? No electric, no running water, no windows, no sealed roads etc etc? Not all Thai's enjoy the benefits the tourist areas have.

Edited February 16, 2016 by NamKangMan

[LivinginKata]

<snip>

I have no problem with the 1000 baht fine. I simply make the point that if the fine amount is too high, and it's debatable if 1000 baht is, than the fine has no effect. A 1000 baht fine may be the same as a 10,000 baht fine to many here - offenders simply can't afford to pay it.

On the subject of Thailand's wealth, have you been to the villages up north? No electric, no running water, no windows, no sealed roads etc etc? Not all Thai's enjoy the benefits the tourist areas have.

First para ... 1,000 baht fine will have a huge effect. Confiscate the bike if not pay the fine ... would really make an impact on road safety.

2nd para ... you are going way off the topic of police check points in Phuket ...

[Nobb]

True breaking news report. I did not read about any action against drugs, prostitution or the high rise of accidents in Phuket. The Gov. does not want to make the Mafia mad!

[stevenl]

True breaking news report. I did not read about any action against drugs, prostitution or the high rise of accidents in Phuket. The Gov. does not want to make the Mafia mad!

Drugs: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/895223-police-bust-two-suspects-in-b5mn-meth-deal/

Accidents: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/895373-phuket-underpass-checkpoint-scoops-up-dozens-of-motorists/

[eisfeld]

I applaud this but what really is needed is far more random busts everywhere. Send groups of two police officers around the island and let them fine everyone riding without a helmet, everyone parking in the road where no parking is allowed and so on.

And especially fine people running red lights.

If they can't pay, impound their bike/car and give it back when they paid up. Charge 100/1000 THB (bike/car) parking fee per month while impounded up to a maximum of one year after which it will be auctioned off.

That more result in significant revenue for the police department plus get people in line with the law after a while.

[CarolJadzia]

Well done for trying. But enforcing laws in such a manner does little to improve road safety.

[bearpolar]

it was done in the middle of the day, most people doing the uturns are doing them at 7-9am and 3-6pm

so this wont help, mostly tourists at those hours.

at around 8 am there's at least one illegal uturn every 20seconds

[tomyumchai]

1,000 baht fines - good. That might make an impression.

You are assuming they can, and will, pay.

How about if they don't pay their bikes will be impounded? That's what happens in Vietnam, which by the way is way poorer than Thailand.

Anyone who can afford to buy a bike can afford to pay a 1000 Baht fine. Thailand isn't that poor anymore. Even poor people can come up with 200,000 Baht sin sods if they get married, why is everyone making Thailand out to be a poor man's paradise, full of the poorest of the poor who can't even come up with a lousy 1000 Baht (about A$40 or US$28)?

Thailand is a middle income country - notice the number of shopping malls going up and that 99% of patrons at "expensive" ice cream shops like Swensens, where you can blow 179 Baht for a simple ice cream are all Thai?! Notice that 20% of Thais own a car? These are not poor people! Many Thais have more savings than many western people.

A 1000 Baht fine will make a difference, but in the overall scheme of things it's NOTHING. Enforcement of traffic laws here is a joke, although it has improved vastly over the last few years.

I agree, impound their bikes, and auction them off after 60 days. I've seen the checkpoints in Vietnam with the small trucks getting bikes loaded onto them. They are held as security for the fine.

1000 baht is around 3 days minimum wage. Given Thai's are usually paid monthly, 1000 baht is approximately 10% of their salary.

Thailand has an extremely high amount of household debt. Many of the Thai's that you classify as "middle income" are in debt up to their eye balls. The high car ownership came after the big Bangkok floods and the refund of tax on new cars. Many Thai's were given car loans, and Thailand's car manufacturing industry was revived. Many of these loans are still being paid off today. There has also been many repossessions.

I have no problem with the 1000 baht fine. I simply make the point that if the fine amount is too high, and it's debatable if 1000 baht is, than the fine has no effect. A 1000 baht fine may be the same as a 10,000 baht fine to many here - offenders simply can't afford to pay it.

On the subject of Thailand's wealth, have you been to the villages up north? No electric, no running water, no windows, no sealed roads etc etc? Not all Thai's enjoy the benefits the tourist areas have.

i doubt the poor 'oop north would want to venture down to phuket unless they were earning good money in which case they can afford to pay and learn not to do it again

[Dap]

1,000 baht fines - good. That might make an impression.

A 1000Bht fine would amount to OVER three days pay for many Thai people.

Although the penalty may seem a bit harsh to you, I'll bet it's

an effective incentive to not repeat said infraction of the law

[Transporter]

1,000 baht fines - good. That might make an impression.

You are assuming they can, and will, pay.

How about if they don't pay their bikes will be impounded? That's what happens in Vietnam, which by the way is way poorer than Thailand.

Anyone who can afford to buy a bike can afford to pay a 1000 Baht fine. Thailand isn't that poor anymore. Even poor people can come up with 200,000 Baht sin sods if they get married, why is everyone making Thailand out to be a poor man's paradise, full of the poorest of the poor who can't even come up with a lousy 1000 Baht (about A$40 or US$28)?

Thailand is a middle income country - notice the number of shopping malls going up and that 99% of patrons at "expensive" ice cream shops like Swensens, where you can blow 179 Baht for a simple ice cream are all Thai?! Notice that 20% of Thais own a car? These are not poor people! Many Thais have more savings than many western people.

A 1000 Baht fine will make a difference, but in the overall scheme of things it's NOTHING. Enforcement of traffic laws here is a joke, although it has improved vastly over the last few years.

Most of the customers in the shopping malls are from Laos, Thai people only go to look around as they simply cannot afford to buy. It is so bad that Central Plaza now give priority parking to Laos customers. I wont shop there at all now as I have no need and disagree with their policies.

[stevenl]

1,000 baht fines - good. That might make an impression.

You are assuming they can, and will, pay.

How about if they don't pay their bikes will be impounded? That's what happens in Vietnam, which by the way is way poorer than Thailand.

Anyone who can afford to buy a bike can afford to pay a 1000 Baht fine. Thailand isn't that poor anymore. Even poor people can come up with 200,000 Baht sin sods if they get married, why is everyone making Thailand out to be a poor man's paradise, full of the poorest of the poor who can't even come up with a lousy 1000 Baht (about A$40 or US$28)?

Thailand is a middle income country - notice the number of shopping malls going up and that 99% of patrons at "expensive" ice cream shops like Swensens, where you can blow 179 Baht for a simple ice cream are all Thai?! Notice that 20% of Thais own a car? These are not poor people! Many Thais have more savings than many western people.

A 1000 Baht fine will make a difference, but in the overall scheme of things it's NOTHING. Enforcement of traffic laws here is a joke, although it has improved vastly over the last few years.

Most of the customers in the shopping malls are from Laos, Thai people only go to look around as they simply cannot afford to buy. It is so bad that Central Plaza now give priority parking to Laos customers. I wont shop there at all now as I have no need and disagree with their policies.

Not that many Laotians here.

[eisfeld]

Most of the customers in the shopping malls are from Laos, Thai people only go to look around as they simply cannot afford to buy. It is so bad that Central Plaza now give priority parking to Laos customers. I wont shop there at all now as I have no need and disagree with their policies.

I don't know what you are talking about but it certainly is not Phuket, which this topic/subforum is about.

[swerver]

1,000 baht fines - good. That might make an impression.

A 1000Bht fine would amount to OVER three days pay for many Thai people.

Good - that will make an impression .... might even stop them breaking the road traffic rules ..

IMPOSSIBLE.

Lets be honest, Traffic Police in Thailand have an absolute impossible task trying for Thais and also Farangs to follow road rules and regulations.

Lets take the example of the country road along which I started to live over 20-years ago. I said Country Road. Today it has turned into a 4-lanes speedway connecting RR-7 and Hiway 331 serving Bovine Industrial Area and Amata Industrial Area.

The 4-lanes were at the start divided by double double yellow lines with hash marks in between, meaning ABSOLUTELY no crossing from either side. Thais and Farangs alike seems to regard this yellow lines painting as Artwork to make the road look attractive. In the morning there is the shift change bus and car traffic going to work and after that there is the bus and car traffic of the shift going home well during these times the Thai circus is in full swing, three- and at time times four -lanes in one direction

Traffic control tried several ways to keep the idiots in their two lanes. I see now they finally have come to the idea I said should have been part of the four lane construction to make it a divided 4-lane road by construction a reinforced concrete barrier in the middle. This barrier MUST be the full length of this road but by looking at the barrier construction in process it

looks like it will be Thai style, half assed, meaning not the full length of the road.

[TheKnave]

Someone explain to me, seriously, why motorbikes are not allowed to use the underpass.

Thank you.

[Valentine]

All this talk about impounding motorbikes. I always thought the police kept the keys until you paid the fine. A bit like parking fines. The wheel lock does not come off until the fine is paid.

[Khon Kaen Dave]

The RTB did a good job?? Of course they did.How much tea money changed hands over that time period? They dont want safe drivers wearing crash helmets and obeying the rules about u turns,because this is their daily bread.And, also this is about their level of policing.The cant,don't know how to investigate anything more.Its easy money for them,I'm surprised that no one was arrested for drugs,that the driver didn't know he had.If,all of a sudden,every body obeyed the rules of the road,what would these brave boys do?Even less than they do now.when you see these 'rescue' ambulances screaming to the scene of an accident,they aren't thinking about saving a life.They are thinking about getting there quickly so they can dip the pockets and nick a bit of tom that the person maybe wearing,before the police do.But if the people on tv want to believe anything else Then welcome to fairy land.

[Tomtomtom69]

1,000 baht fines - good. That might make an impression.

You are assuming they can, and will, pay.

How about if they don't pay their bikes will be impounded? That's what happens in Vietnam, which by the way is way poorer than Thailand.

Anyone who can afford to buy a bike can afford to pay a 1000 Baht fine. Thailand isn't that poor anymore. Even poor people can come up with 200,000 Baht sin sods if they get married, why is everyone making Thailand out to be a poor man's paradise, full of the poorest of the poor who can't even come up with a lousy 1000 Baht (about A$40 or US$28)?

Thailand is a middle income country - notice the number of shopping malls going up and that 99% of patrons at "expensive" ice cream shops like Swensens, where you can blow 179 Baht for a simple ice cream are all Thai?! Notice that 20% of Thais own a car? These are not poor people! Many Thais have more savings than many western people.

A 1000 Baht fine will make a difference, but in the overall scheme of things it's NOTHING. Enforcement of traffic laws here is a joke, although it has improved vastly over the last few years.

I agree, impound their bikes, and auction them off after 60 days. I've seen the checkpoints in Vietnam with the small trucks getting bikes loaded onto them. They are held as security for the fine.

1000 baht is around 3 days minimum wage. Given Thai's are usually paid monthly, 1000 baht is approximately 10% of their salary.

Thailand has an extremely high amount of household debt. Many of the Thai's that you classify as "middle income" are in debt up to their eye balls. The high car ownership came after the big Bangkok floods and the refund of tax on new cars. Many Thai's were given car loans, and Thailand's car manufacturing industry was revived. Many of these loans are still being paid off today. There has also been many repossessions.

I have no problem with the 1000 baht fine. I simply make the point that if the fine amount is too high, and it's debatable if 1000 baht is, than the fine has no effect. A 1000 baht fine may be the same as a 10,000 baht fine to many here - offenders simply can't afford to pay it.

On the subject of Thailand's wealth, have you been to the villages up north? No electric, no running water, no windows, no sealed roads etc etc? Not all Thai's enjoy the benefits the tourist areas have.

Westerners also have just as much debt as many Thais do. 1000 Baht is no biggie for most Thais, except the klong dwellers such as the Muslim communities in parts of Bangkok perhaps.

If enforced consistently, it may have an impact. Very few Thais only make 10,000 a month (unless they work casual or part-time) - the minimum wage is 300 Baht per day and many companies are paying even their Burmese and Cambodian staff more than 300 a day - more like 350-400. Even a semi-skilled worker will already be making 15,000-18,000 a month, so 1000 Baht is only 1/15-1/18th of their monthly salary. Sure, it's not a tiny amount but 1000 Baht if only sporadically handed out will make almost 0 impact for most traffic offenders, unless their bikes are impounded or auctioned off if they can't pay the fines.

As for your comparison of villages up north, I have been everywhere in Thailand even to the remotest parts of the country. There are VERY FEW places with no electricity or running water, even Phob Phra in Tak province right on the border with Myanmar has running water and electricity, Umphang is similar, perhaps some of the hill tribes are in a more precarious situation as are the non-Thai [burmese] refugee residents of the Mae La refugee camp north of Mae Sot, but none of these people are representative of your average rural Thais. As a good Thai friend told me about 2 years ago - electricity is virtually everywhere in Thailand now; if you try to sell a hand-operated piece of machinery there's no market for it, Thailand isn't that poor anymore.

Tourist areas have nothing to do with it. Khon Kaen, Udon Thani, Nakorn Sawan, Nakorn Ratchasima, Tak, Surat Thani, Chiang Mai, Bangkok (outside of the tourist areas) are all mostly middle class. Sure slum areas exist here and there in these cities but probably not much more than 10-20% of all residents in any given Thai city would be in this category.

A dirt poor person wouldn't be able to afford a motorcycle in the first place and would be catching the bus, or maybe even walking.

[Tomtomtom69]

1,000 baht fines - good. That might make an impression.

You are assuming they can, and will, pay.

How about if they don't pay their bikes will be impounded? That's what happens in Vietnam, which by the way is way poorer than Thailand.

Anyone who can afford to buy a bike can afford to pay a 1000 Baht fine. Thailand isn't that poor anymore. Even poor people can come up with 200,000 Baht sin sods if they get married, why is everyone making Thailand out to be a poor man's paradise, full of the poorest of the poor who can't even come up with a lousy 1000 Baht (about A$40 or US$28)?

Thailand is a middle income country - notice the number of shopping malls going up and that 99% of patrons at "expensive" ice cream shops like Swensens, where you can blow 179 Baht for a simple ice cream are all Thai?! Notice that 20% of Thais own a car? These are not poor people! Many Thais have more savings than many western people.

A 1000 Baht fine will make a difference, but in the overall scheme of things it's NOTHING. Enforcement of traffic laws here is a joke, although it has improved vastly over the last few years.

Most of the customers in the shopping malls are from Laos, Thai people only go to look around as they simply cannot afford to buy. It is so bad that Central Plaza now give priority parking to Laos customers. I wont shop there at all now as I have no need and disagree with their policies.

At Central Plaza Udon Thani perhaps (certainly NOT Phuket, where there may be one Lao car every 6 months), where I have been many times and driven both my Thai car and a Lao rental car to. I did NOT receive any special parking privileges for driving a Lao car, it just so happens that shopping in Laos is &lt;deleted&gt; and therefore most Lao with a bit of money to blow still drive down to Nong Khai, Udon or occasionally Khon Kaen for shopping as there is nothing of the sort available in Vientiane. The new Rimping supermarket on the outskirts of VTE and the Chinese shopping mall Vientiane Plaza near the morning market completed last year are both a joke compared to even a run of the mill supermarket in Thailand, although Rimping is pretty decent it's just one supermarket and Tops/Tesco/Big C still have far more to offer.

[stevenl]

You are assuming they can, and will, pay.

How about if they don't pay their bikes will be impounded? That's what happens in Vietnam, which by the way is way poorer than Thailand.

Anyone who can afford to buy a bike can afford to pay a 1000 Baht fine. Thailand isn't that poor anymore. Even poor people can come up with 200,000 Baht sin sods if they get married, why is everyone making Thailand out to be a poor man's paradise, full of the poorest of the poor who can't even come up with a lousy 1000 Baht (about A$40 or US$28)?

Thailand is a middle income country - notice the number of shopping malls going up and that 99% of patrons at "expensive" ice cream shops like Swensens, where you can blow 179 Baht for a simple ice cream are all Thai?! Notice that 20% of Thais own a car? These are not poor people! Many Thais have more savings than many western people.

A 1000 Baht fine will make a difference, but in the overall scheme of things it's NOTHING. Enforcement of traffic laws here is a joke, although it has improved vastly over the last few years.

I agree, impound their bikes, and auction them off after 60 days. I've seen the checkpoints in Vietnam with the small trucks getting bikes loaded onto them. They are held as security for the fine.

1000 baht is around 3 days minimum wage. Given Thai's are usually paid monthly, 1000 baht is approximately 10% of their salary.

Thailand has an extremely high amount of household debt. Many of the Thai's that you classify as "middle income" are in debt up to their eye balls. The high car ownership came after the big Bangkok floods and the refund of tax on new cars. Many Thai's were given car loans, and Thailand's car manufacturing industry was revived. Many of these loans are still being paid off today. There has also been many repossessions.

I have no problem with the 1000 baht fine. I simply make the point that if the fine amount is too high, and it's debatable if 1000 baht is, than the fine has no effect. A 1000 baht fine may be the same as a 10,000 baht fine to many here - offenders simply can't afford to pay it.

On the subject of Thailand's wealth, have you been to the villages up north? No electric, no running water, no windows, no sealed roads etc etc? Not all Thai's enjoy the benefits the tourist areas have.

Westerners also have just as much debt as many Thais do. 1000 Baht is no biggie for most Thais, except the klong dwellers such as the Muslim communities in parts of Bangkok perhaps.

If enforced consistently, it may have an impact. Very few Thais only make 10,000 a month (unless they work casual or part-time) - the minimum wage is 300 Baht per day and many companies are paying even their Burmese and Cambodian staff more than 300 a day - more like 350-400. Even a semi-skilled worker will already be making 15,000-18,000 a month, so 1000 Baht is only 1/15-1/18th of their monthly salary. Sure, it's not a tiny amount but 1000 Baht if only sporadically handed out will make almost 0 impact for most traffic offenders, unless their bikes are impounded or auctioned off if they can't pay the fines.

As for your comparison of villages up north, I have been everywhere in Thailand even to the remotest parts of the country. There are VERY FEW places with no electricity or running water, even Phob Phra in Tak province right on the border with Myanmar has running water and electricity, Umphang is similar, perhaps some of the hill tribes are in a more precarious situation as are the non-Thai [burmese] refugee residents of the Mae La refugee camp north of Mae Sot, but none of these people are representative of your average rural Thais. As a good Thai friend told me about 2 years ago - electricity is virtually everywhere in Thailand now; if you try to sell a hand-operated piece of machinery there's no market for it, Thailand isn't that poor anymore.

Tourist areas have nothing to do with it. Khon Kaen, Udon Thani, Nakorn Sawan, Nakorn Ratchasima, Tak, Surat Thani, Chiang Mai, Bangkok (outside of the tourist areas) are all mostly middle class. Sure slum areas exist here and there in these cities but probably not much more than 10-20% of all residents in any given Thai city would be in this category.

A dirt poor person wouldn't be able to afford a motorcycle in the first place and would be catching the bus, or maybe even walking.

"Very few Thais only make 10,000 a month"

Sorry, you clearly have no clue. Many make less, far less.

[NamKangMan]

@ Tomtomtom69

I dispute the earnings figures you have posted.

I know quite a few legitimate Thai staff that earn no where near the money you mention.

By the time they pay their own bills here, and send money to their family, there is very little left, and probably not enough to pay a 1000 baht traffic fine.

By the way, Udon Thani etc are not "villages" and a lot more people live in those "slums" than you think.

[NamKangMan]

@ tomyumchai

Do you have any idea how many northerners are working on Phuket? There are thousands in legitimate, and other, employment here.

[NamKangMan]

Anyway, I am all for anything that increases road safety on Phuket.

It's interesting that many have been fined 500 baht for an assault, whilst others are being fined 1000 baht for breaching a traffic law.

[LivinginKata]

Anyway, I am all for anything that increases road safety on Phuket.

It's interesting that many have been fined 500 baht for an assault, whilst others are being fined 1000 baht for breaching a traffic law.

Just shows how screwed up the Thai judicial system is ....

I suppose the fines used to be in line with low paid Thais.