PM slams brakes on traffic fine defaulters
By The Nation

 

 

Mixed reaction as Prayut uses Article 44 to bar registration of vehicles involved in violations until penalties paid

 

BANGKOK: -- PRIME MINISTER Prayut Chan-o-cha’s latest Article 44 order barring traffic-fine dodgers from renewing their annual vehicle registration has become another contentious issue for both critics and supporters.

 

With as many as 86 per cent of the 680,000 traffic tickets unpaid over the past seven months, authorities believed it is necessary for the premier to exercise his sweeping power to enforce the law on fine dodgers.

 

Supporters said the unique measure was required as vehicle owners would be forced to pay all fines for violation of traffic regulations before they could renew their annual vehicle registration.

 

In addition, the latest Article 44 order requires all vehicle passengers to fasten their seat belts while the vehicle is in motion.

 

 

Critics, however, said the premier’s sweeping power under Article 44 of the interim charter should not be used frequently and randomly as in this case where existing laws are adequate to achieve results.

 

According to the latest Article 44 order, traffic police officers will notify law-violating motorists that they have to pay a fine within 15 days of the tickets being issued. Such notices will be sent by post if violators are not present at the time of violations.

 

Police will then pass on the names of the violators who fail to pay fines on time to the local land transport office, which is responsible for renewing vehicle registrations annually.

 

By then, violators have another 30 days to pay the fines.

 

During this 30-day period, a document indicating a pending car-registration tax payment will be issued for motorists to carry. Unless the fines are settled, owners will not be able to renew their vehicle registration, effectively being barred from public roads.

 

Under the Article 44 order, the Department of Land Transport will get 5 per cent of each traffic fine and pass on the rest of the fine money to traffic police. The order also authorises traffic police to tow away or lock the wheels of vehicles parked in prohibited spots and vehicle owners must pay the cost of such actions as well as the vehicle parking cost if applicable.

 

Pol Lt-General Wittaya Prayongphun, the assistant national police chief, said only a few motorists paid their fines after receiving tickets for violation of traffic laws as evidenced by the latest statistics showing only 11 per cent of of the 680,000 fine tickets issued from September 2016 to the present were paid.

 

As a result, the country’s traffic laws and enforcement are not effective, prompting the government to turn to the new measure, which would be enforced in cooperation with land transport officials responsible for renewing vehicle registration.

 

In a related development, another order under Article 44 was also issued to improve the safety of vans used for public transportation.

The order, published in the Royal Gazette on Wednesday, authorised Land Transport Department officials to revoke or suspend the use of transport vans or the public transport licence for up to six months if anaccident stems from van driver exceeding legal speed limit, or the driver worked beyond the legal limit of driving hours; failure to prevent van driver from using the vehicle for illegal activities; failure to prevent van driver/fare collector from overcharging customers.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/news/national/30309980

 

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-03-23

So 86% of fines were unpaid and only 11% of fines were paid....

Hope I'm in the 3% bracket if I get fined :)

Only problem with this is 85% were hi-so folk who think they are above the law.

The PM has a new toy, article 44, and he waved it like a magic wand and for what?

to rehash and  regurgitate laws that are on the books already for years now,

those laws were enforced with a vigor and a zeal and than fizzled out

just like anything else that done in this country, half measures.....

more police presence on the roads, better enforcement of the traffic laws

more honest police who take pride in their job,

Shows the arrogance and disregard for the law, traffic laws in particular, many drivers have. See it in Bangkok everyday. Using phones,parking anywhere.Its the same story, without tough penalties nothing changes! Taking away licences and huge fines are the only way to deal with the arrogant classes!


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13 minutes ago, colinneil said:

Only problem with this is 85% were hi-so folk who think they are above the law.

They are above the law, at least that is what history tells us.  Also, unless the RTP start getting a cut of the revenue, nothing will change.

1 hour ago, ezzra said:

The PM has a new toy, article 44, and he waved it like a magic wand and for what?

to rehash and  regurgitate laws that are on the books already for years now,

those laws were enforced with a vigor and a zeal and than fizzled out

just like anything else that done in this country, half measures.....

more police presence on the roads, better enforcement of the traffic laws

more honest police who take pride in their job,

 

This is sadly the truth about things here. They seem to have lots of money for useless show boating but haven't invested into a national system to monitor every legal driver throughout the country with a touch of the button. Every time Section 44 is used it is a admission that a problem isn't being enforced. When will they wake up and smell the coffee.

Look at the list and there is nothing as to how to address the behavior of the driver/drivers,  driving is a privilege not a right. Changing that would be a good start.

Fines need to be collected 100%.best way is to ingrease the amount when stall on payment.

2 hours ago, colinneil said:

Only problem with this is 85% were hi-so folk who think they are above the law.

Stupid remark, that you havent thought through, how many HI SO's are there ?.. answer not that many. Its impossible for them to be responsible for 85% of the fines. Its the common people too who don't pay their fines. I would wager you that there are more common people not paying their fines then hi so

4 minutes ago, robblok said:

Stupid remark, that you havent thought through, how many HI SO's are there ?.. answer not that many. Its impossible for them to be responsible for 85% of the fines. Its the common people too who don't pay their fines. I would wager you that there are more common people not paying their fines then hi so

 

Stupid remark, that you havnt thought through.

When you just copy a comment that someone has written, and post it back to them, that is not a constructive debate... Its playground stuff :)

Edited March 23, 20179 yr by cornishcarlos

2 hours ago, ezzra said:

The PM has a new toy, article 44, and he waved it like a magic wand and for what?

to rehash and  regurgitate laws that are on the books already for years now,

those laws were enforced with a vigor and a zeal and than fizzled out

just like anything else that done in this country, half measures.....

more police presence on the roads, better enforcement of the traffic laws

more honest police who take pride in their job,

Stretching the point with honest,  however most are just like everyone else.

All the good unelected Prime Minister is doing is shoving the problem somewhere else, having no insurance and a license wont stop them from driving unlicensed vehicles.

He needs the money...money..money from the unpaid fines...gotta pay for those submarines

2 hours ago, shanesox said:

Shows the arrogance and disregard for the law, traffic laws in particular, many drivers have. See it in Bangkok everyday. Using phones,parking anywhere.Its the same story, without tough penalties nothing changes! Taking away licences and huge fines are the only way to deal with the arrogant classes!


Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

Many Western countries now use CCTV to read vehicle number plates.   If there are fines outstanding or the vehicle is not registered, or even if the driver is known to be unlicenced, the vehicle will more than likely be stopped in the next few km.

 

Then it's 'pay up time'.

 

It's the only way a lot of drivers are going to learn.  They want modern vehicles, modern highways, then they need to follow the law.

Edited March 23, 20179 yr by masuk
mis spelling

27 minutes ago, colinneil said:

Stupid remark, that you havnt thought through.

Of course i have thought it through.. I just doubt you have.. math is probably not something your good at. I rest my case.. can't argue with unschooled people. The idea that its probable that 86% of all electronic traffic tickets are caused by HISO's is just too stupid for words. Especially given how non HISO's drive.

Edited March 23, 20179 yr by robblok

Talk talk talk crackdown for 1 week and then back to normal

Land transport gets 5%, that's 50 baht out of a 1000 baht fine..more lucrative to take 300 under the table. Which is exactly what is going to happen, nice little teapot.

38 minutes ago, chainarong said:

All the good unelected Prime Minister is doing is shoving the problem somewhere else, having no insurance and a license wont stop them from driving unlicensed vehicles.

 

So what do you suggest?

If 86% don't pay their fines then maybe it's a good thing to enforce these measures as Thailand is ranked the 2^nd worst country regarding road fatalities, China has fallen from the throne to 3^rd  place while Thailand stayed on a 2^nd place and Libya is now ranked NO 1.... but they have a war going on that might affect the numbers too!

This is so pointless and doesn't address the fundamental problem - police incompetence.

 

Let's say I owned a bank. I loan people money and they're to pay me on the first day of the month every month until the loan is repaid. First day comes and 80%, etc, haven't paid any money. I give them a week, but they still haven't paid me any money back. I ask my staff "are you chasing them up on their loans?". To which they reply "No". I reply "Okay, I have a great idea. Harsher penalties for not paying back your debts. Continue sitting around doing nothing, guys. We will have a big news conference later with a catchy slogan and lots of pictures of us shaking our fingers in the air looking fed up"

 

 

30 minutes ago, robblok said:

Of course i have thought it through.. I just doubt you have.. math is probably not something your good at. I rest my case.. can't argue with unschooled people. The idea that its probable that 86% of all electronic traffic tickets are caused by HISO's is just too stupid for words. Especially given how non HISO's drive.

 

Maybe you need to increase the dose of your medication, not nice saying i am unschooled, because maths was my top subject.

6 minutes ago, scorecard said:

 

So what do you suggest?

Maybe like how they collect it in other countries?u get a fine then if not pay it within 6 weeks increase it with 20%.again if not pay another increase.If continue to avoid payment then a short jail sentence to pay the fines of with.This way more fines getting paid and vehicles remain insuranced.

1 minute ago, colinneil said:

Maybe you need to increase the dose of your medication, not nice saying i am unschooled, because maths was my top subject.

The truth hurts, you make a stupid statement, i point out it is stupid.. you come back calling me stupid while i was right.. that was when I called you unschooled because even when it was pointed out you were wrong you still did not admit it or accepted that you were wrong. 

 

Its just beyond comprehension that you would make such a remark that is so flawed and still hold on to it when its pointed out. That deserves a more tough remark. 

 

If you ever catch me making stupid remarks on construction and sticking to it even when its so obvious I am wrong you can call me out. However I never stick to my remarks on fields that I am obviously not good at. I accept then that i made a mistake. You don't.. that is a difference.

 

 

35 minutes ago, robblok said:

... Especially given how non HISO's drive. ...

How do you mean? Slower, in the near-side lanes around the speed limit and NOT flashing the headlights?

about time they actually did something to stop all the free loaders that simply refuse  to pay any fines. Hopefully this will also stop all the arrogant drivers that simply park where they want to as well, as for the seat belts, way past time, how many lives could be saved if the passengers were wearing them as has been proven in western countries that do enforce the seat belt laws.

 

Just now, NanLaew said:

How do you mean? Slower, in the near-side lanes around the speed limit and NOT flashing the headlights?

What i mean is that they drive as bad as the HISO's. Maybe you and I have a difference of opinion what a HISO is.. There are not many of those. 

 

Everyday when I am on the roads i see people breaking the speed limits doing crazy stuff going through red.. and guess what most are not HISO. Why.. because normal people outnumber the HISO's and they also break the trafficlaws.

 

As for the flashing headlight i see that from trucks to cheap cars.. not a HISO thing.

1 minute ago, seajae said:

about time they actually did something to stop all the free loaders that simply refuse  to pay any fines. Hopefully this will also stop all the arrogant drivers that simply park where they want to as well, as for the seat belts, way past time, how many lives could be saved if the passengers were wearing them as has been proven in western countries that do enforce the seat belt laws.

 

Yes lets hope this helps a bit.. who knows it might actually work if people are forced to pay their tickets.

12 minutes ago, robblok said:

The truth hurts, you make a stupid statement, i point out it is stupid.. you come back calling me stupid while i was right.. that was when I called you unschooled because even when it was pointed out you were wrong you still did not admit it or accepted that you were wrong. 

 

Its just beyond comprehension that you would make such a remark that is so flawed and still hold on to it when its pointed out. That deserves a more tough remark. 

 

If you ever catch me making stupid remarks on construction and sticking to it even when its so obvious I am wrong you can call me out. However I never stick to my remarks on fields that I am obviously not good at. I accept then that i made a mistake. You don't.. that is a difference.

 

 

 

7 minutes ago, robblok said:

What i mean is that they drive as bad as the HISO's. Maybe you and I have a difference of opinion what a HISO is.. There are not many of those. 

 

Everyday when I am on the roads i see people breaking the speed limits doing crazy stuff going through red.. and guess what most are not HISO. Why.. because normal people outnumber the HISO's and they also break the trafficlaws.

 

As for the flashing headlight i see that from trucks to cheap cars.. not a HISO thing.

Just pushing your buttons.

 

Hiso's by nature of their place in society don't get traffic tickets. They get free passes regardless of the consequences of their bad driving habits.

 

Since a huge proportion of those driving on Thailand's highways bought their driving licenses, the whole scheme of linking unpaid traffic tickets to just the vehicle is just a charade. They should link them directly to the driving license of the known, identified owner/operator of the vehicle and then do a check as to where and when they got that driving license.

 

But that would make their own look bad so yes, let's impound the car!.. while the miscreant and unqualified driver slips behind the wheel of another one.