New traffic tickets include English, allow appeals

[snoop1130]

New traffic tickets include English, allow appeals

By Suriya Patathayo 
The Nation

 

 

A new generation of traffic tickets about to be launched will include both Thai and English languages, along with a barcode to help in paying fines.

 

The new approach would also allow accused motorists to object to the officers’ charges and explain themselves within 15 days.

 

The new ticket would have a section for a police officer to record whether the accused agreed or not with the charges.

 

When an accused violator reported to a police investigator at the precinct to pay the fine or to proclaim innocence and object to the charges, the ticket would be revoked if the investigator were convinced, said Pol Lt-General Wittaya Prayongpan, acting advisor to the Royal Thai Police (RTP), on Monday.

 

Wittaya, who has overseen the new approach, said the Royal Gazette last Friday published the new designs for both the version to be manually filled out by officers and the version to be sent to violators’ homes via post. 

 

 

 

Until the new version of the ticket to be filled out by police officers is printed and in use in about 120 days, the officers will continue to write tickets with the old design, Wittaya said.

 

The new traffic tickets to be sent to the accused via post were now ready for use nationwide, he said. That version would include details of the accused motorists accumulated points to date for the 27 key traffic charges, so that the RTP could collect related statistics. 

 

Wittaya said that the new tickets would curb corruption and bribery issues concerning fines, while the details and statistics collected would be useful for police to develop strategies to reduce future road accidents.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/breakingnews/30324462

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-8-21

[ezflip]

Love the "or Competent Officials" bit at the top. Can have a field day with just that one alone.

[carlyai]

How can this possibly happen?

 

Sent from my SM-J700F using Tapatalk

 

 

 

 

[darksidedog]

I would like to know how this is going to work in practicality. Given that the nice policeman takes the keys to your bike when you get a ticket and doesn't give them back until you show the receipt. If you appeal, when do you get the keys back? Straight away, or after the 15 day period within which you have to explain yourself?

The last thing you want is your bike going to the compound. My son recently had his bike taken there as his passenger had no helmet and he didn't have enough cash on him to pay the fine. It cost me over 3,000 Baht to repair the damage the police caused in transporting it. Both mirrors and one brake lever broken, the heat shield on the exhaust ripped off, a smashed indicator and scratched and broken panels.

Edited August 21, 2017 by darksidedog

[coulson]

Makes sense since a large portion of them are issued to English speaking non natives.

As for appeal......bleh

[Get Real]

I guess they will write the ticket in thai anyway. So much for that. You will know what is supposed to be written on specific lines, but you will not know what is really written. Yep! Good idea.....

Edited August 21, 2017 by Get Real

[NUUM]

Ticket revoked...AKA settle in cash at the station...

[dotpoom]

We'er off again..... I myself think this is a very positive move in the right direction and fair dues to those who helped bring this about.

   But unfortunately, as I was reading the article I was thinking at the same time "how long will it take for the usual scoffers concerning anything Thai to find fault with it"... Not long at all as you can see.

    One person recently referred to certain people as " loosers". I would be seriously tempted to use that lable in situations such as this but I happen to believe that negativity of this magnitude is symbolic of a mental disfunction that suggests the affected have no control over it and therefore it's treatment that's required rather than pointless namecalling.

[hutchings1963]

Do i still get a ticket if i pay by brown envelope.

[ramrod711]

Wittaya said that the new tickets would curb corruption and bribery issues concerning fines, while the details and statistics collected would be useful for police to develop strategies to reduce future road accidents.

I hope it works, I think that any effort to cleanse the system is worth a try.

[jossthaifarang]

28 minutes ago, dotpoom said:

We'er off again..... I myself think this is a very positive move in the right direction and fair dues to those who helped bring this about.

   But unfortunately, as I was reading the article I was thinking at the same time "how long will it take for the usual scoffers concerning anything Thai to find fault with it"... Not long at all as you can see.

    One person recently referred to certain people as " loosers". I would be seriously tempted to use that lable in situations such as this but I happen to believe that negativity of this magnitude is symbolic of a mental disfunction that suggests the affected have no control over it and therefore it's treatment that's required rather than pointless namecalling.

I agree with you to some extent dotpoom, however It is apparent that you have never been stopped by a traffic officer, blatantly asking you for money on the spot in Thai because they cant speak English. 

 

Once you have experienced this multiple times, you too will begin to lose faith in the the Thai police system, as well as the idea that you would ever actually be able to appeal and ruling they come up with.

 

I'm pretty sure every one of the posters above have experience with these bandits.. The only way to appeal is the system that has been in place for countless years, 100/200 baht neatly folded under your licence when you hand it to them, maybe more depending on the offence..

[jossthaifarang]

30 minutes ago, hutchings1963 said:

Do i still get a ticket if i pay by brown envelope.

Brown envelopes will not be accepted, denominations of 50, 100, 500 and 1000 baht will gladly be accepted by 95% of the officers that stop you though.. 

 

PS: Visa and MasterCard are also not accepted..

[IamNoone88]

At least the standard of English on the ticket seems reasonable.  

[wvavin]

Their additional income would be greatly affected!

[anon467367354]

as a motorcyclist, here is my question regarding "Not keeping to the outermost left hand side lane" because they never state any statute which should make it easy to dispute.

 

Section 33 (500B)
[When driving, the driver shall keep to the left of the road and must not drive beyond the
middle of the roadway, except following situations:
a. there is obstruction on the road
b. the road is prescribed as one-way
c. the road width is less than 6m.
Section 34 (500B)
[If the road is divided into two or more traffic lanes in the same direction, the driver shall
keep to the outermost left-hand side lane. If the outermost left-hand side lane is a bus
lane, the driver shall keep close to the bus lane. Except following situations:
a. there is obstruction on the road
b. the road is prescribed as one-way
c. it is necessary to enter the correct lane upon approaching a junction
d. when overtaking another vehicle
e. when driving faster than vehicles in the left-hand side lane.
Section 35 (400-1000B)
The driver of a truck, passenger vehicle, motorcycle, vehicle of low speed or traveling at
lower speed than those of other vehicles moving in the same direction, shall keep to the
curbside of the roadway as close as possible.
If such a roadway is divided into two or more traffic lanes in the same direction or has a
bus lane specifically arranged on the left-hand side, the driver shall drive the vehicle in the
outermost left-hand side lane or close to the bus lane, as the case may be.
 

[cnx355]

13 hours ago, coulson said:

Makes sense since a large portion of them are issued to English speaking non natives.

As for appeal......bleh

And English is the Official Language used by the  ASEAN countries to communicate.

Edited August 22, 2017 by cnx355
correction

[hobobo]

13 hours ago, carlyai said:

How can this possibly happen?

 

Sent from my SM-J700F using Tapatalk

 

 

 

 

I can see myself appealing most of the time: "confusion over the applicable fine - if you pay now it's so much, if you pay at the station it may well be double or more!"

[robblok]

41 minutes ago, gr8fldanielle said:

as a motorcyclist, here is my question regarding "Not keeping to the outermost left hand side lane" because they never state any statute which should make it easy to dispute.

 

Section 33 (500B)
[When driving, the driver shall keep to the left of the road and must not drive beyond the
middle of the roadway, except following situations:
a. there is obstruction on the road
b. the road is prescribed as one-way
c. the road width is less than 6m.
Section 34 (500B)
[If the road is divided into two or more traffic lanes in the same direction, the driver shall
keep to the outermost left-hand side lane. If the outermost left-hand side lane is a bus
lane, the driver shall keep close to the bus lane. Except following situations:
a. there is obstruction on the road
b. the road is prescribed as one-way
c. it is necessary to enter the correct lane upon approaching a junction
d. when overtaking another vehicle
e. when driving faster than vehicles in the left-hand side lane.
Section 35 (400-1000B)
The driver of a truck, passenger vehicle, motorcycle, vehicle of low speed or traveling at
lower speed than those of other vehicles moving in the same direction, shall keep to the
curbside of the roadway as close as possible.
If such a roadway is divided into two or more traffic lanes in the same direction or has a
bus lane specifically arranged on the left-hand side, the driver shall drive the vehicle in the
outermost left-hand side lane or close to the bus lane, as the case may be.
 

Its section 35 that is the problem.. that overrules section 33 (that is how laws work first you get general  laws then it gets more specific). Section 35 states you always have to stay on the left side.. 

 

Yes I drive a motorcycle to big one and a small one I just accept the fines as I am not going to drive to the most left lane. Its a dangerous lane, buses and trucks cut you off.

[robblok]

I wish they made it possible to pay later or pay at a post office. Now my problem is not not wanting to pay but if I am somewhere unknown I have to find the police station to pay. You can't always pay the cop. 

[neeray]

It doesn't matter what the format of the new ticket is. If the officer chooses to settle in undeclared cash on the side of the road, the new ticket is neither here nor there. It has no effect on curbing corruption. It might even increase "cash settlements"  as the officer can avoid struggling with English that way. 

Nothing new. 

Next. 

[curlylekan]

I'd love to say this is a good step in the right direction. Sure, their will continue to be corruption, it's a human traits,  but if I look at everything that's been changing in the past few years, while I dislike some of it, I give the Thai government a lot of credit for the decency in recognizing progress is to be made in both domestic terms and international terms. In a general sense, this reminds me of the history behind some US Amendments.

 

I will love to see statistics after a few months showing how often the accused was able to recuse him or herself and receive a fair judgment.  

 

I look forward to reading more. 

[natway09]

It is all getting far too complicated. Just pay the bloody thing!!!!

[aslimversgwm]

2 hours ago, dotpoom said:

We'er off again..... I myself think this is a very positive move in the right direction and fair dues to those who helped bring this about.

   But unfortunately, as I was reading the article I was thinking at the same time "how long will it take for the usual scoffers concerning anything Thai to find fault with it"... Not long at all as you can see.

    One person recently referred to certain people as " loosers". I would be seriously tempted to use that lable in situations such as this but I happen to believe that negativity of this magnitude is symbolic of a mental disfunction that suggests the affected have no control over it and therefore it's treatment that's required rather than pointless namecalling.

Absolutely agree dotpoom. Some of the 'contributors' on here appear to be in need of psychiatric counselling st the very least!

[ttrd]

15 hours ago, darksidedog said:

I would like to know how this is going to work in practicality. Given that the nice policeman takes the keys to your bike when you get a ticket and doesn't give them back until you show the receipt. If you appeal, when do you get the keys back? Straight away, or after the 15 day period within which you have to explain yourself?

The last thing you want is your bike going to the compound. My son recently had his bike taken there as his passenger had no helmet and he didn't have enough cash on him to pay the fine. It cost me over 3,000 Baht to repair the damage the police caused in transporting it. Both mirrors and one brake lever broken, the heat shield on the exhaust ripped off, a smashed indicator and scratched and broken panels.

If so, it means you have the right to challenge them legally that it was done by "incompetent officials" meaning the ticket issued should be annulled....;)

[garbolino]

2 hours ago, gr8fldanielle said:

as a motorcyclist, here is my question regarding "Not keeping to the outermost left hand side lane" because they never state any statute which should make it easy to dispute.

 

Section 33 (500B)
[When driving, the driver shall keep to the left of the road and must not drive beyond the
middle of the roadway, except following situations:
a. there is obstruction on the road
b. the road is prescribed as one-way
c. the road width is less than 6m.
Section 34 (500B)
[If the road is divided into two or more traffic lanes in the same direction, the driver shall
keep to the outermost left-hand side lane. If the outermost left-hand side lane is a bus
lane, the driver shall keep close to the bus lane. Except following situations:
a. there is obstruction on the road
b. the road is prescribed as one-way
c. it is necessary to enter the correct lane upon approaching a junction
d. when overtaking another vehicle
e. when driving faster than vehicles in the left-hand side lane.
Section 35 (400-1000B)
The driver of a truck, passenger vehicle, motorcycle, vehicle of low speed or traveling at
lower speed than those of other vehicles moving in the same direction, shall keep to the
curbside of the roadway as close as possible.
If such a roadway is divided into two or more traffic lanes in the same direction or has a
bus lane specifically arranged on the left-hand side, the driver shall drive the vehicle in the
outermost left-hand side lane or close to the bus lane, as the case may be.
 

do you know that it is ILLEGAL to undertake....???!!!

[chuang]

Before the BIB issue you a ticket pass him 200 baht everything settled save all the trouble...

[pumpjack]

appeal ?     BS  .

just like the thai courts,  your guilty untill proven otherwise.   how many convictions win on appeal ? 

[anon467367354]

2 hours ago, robblok said:

Its section 35 that is the problem.. that overrules section 33 (that is how laws work first you get general  laws then it gets more specific). Section 35 states you always have to stay on the left side.. 

 

Yes I drive a motorcycle to big one and a small one I just accept the fines as I am not going to drive to the most left lane. Its a dangerous lane, buses and trucks cut you off.

how many 2 way roads do we actually drive on? 2 lane, 3 lane, 4 lane, they are all one way roads. I got stopped for being a about 2 inches over the center of just two lanes, and the right lane was for making a U-turn. It was also less than 6 meters wide. It's extortion plain and simple. If they officers lose their ability to make commissions by writing tickets, maybe they would actually enforce a real law. As of now, just keep targeting motorcycles, the poor people for the easy money. Not very royal of the Thai police if you ask me. As of yet, I have never paid a cop on the side of the road nor paid a full ticket price nor intend to unless I actually do something illegal and dangerous.

[phkauf]

Wow, I guess they didn't run into the same problems translating these as they did for the Boss's extradition request.

[bristolgeoff]

I got a ticket for no license on my scooter.cost 200 baht.after that I was careful to avoid the checkpoints so new tickets mean little to farangs who will get stopped often.the police know where to get the tea money from  appeals well you will never win