New traffic tickets include English, allow appeals

[mikosan]

In truth, as has already been pointed out, this is a positive step in the right direction.  Whilst I appreciate that many ideas that emanate from the powers that be seem to be harebrained, this initiative does seem to have the makings of being a sensible one.  So lets distribute those new tickets countrywide, as soon as possible, issue them to all the local BiB and let's see how it goes.  Obviously, I an sceptical about a right of appeal, but many of us have dashcams now, well you do get a discount from your insurance for fitting one, so footage from one of those may help any 'appeal'.  We shall see.     

Edited August 22, 2017 by mikosan

[jojothai]

3 hours ago, jossthaifarang said:

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..

"the ticket would be revoked if the investigator were convinced"

I guess you just simply have to make the objection appealing.

TIT.

[LawrenceN]

I have never understood why police are allowed to adjudicate in this country. That should be done in a court of law. Barring that, the potential for corruption is always just below the surface.

[StevieAus]

A few months ago received a speeding fine by mail a relative had been driving the car

The response was that the owner is responsible for any fines in incurred cannot see the logic in that approach

In Australia if you recieve a fine by mail and you were not the driver you insert the drivers name and return

Now that is logical

[Antioc]

The bigger picture in this change is a genuine attempt by the Government to move people into the 21st Century.  English is essential if Thailand is to grow in a World that uses a common language.  However, the task is enormous, like trying to turn a Nimitz Class Aircraft carrier on a Nickel.  The inertia in Thai society is down to many things and the government has to consider the effects of change, the need to know English is slowly dawning on ordinary Thais while the educated folk are well aware of it.  By introducing English in as many areas as possible it is a way of introducing the ultimate requirement that the people actually learn to speak and comprehend the written text.

Whether it will alter the culture around "on the spot fines" or not is another issue.  That would have to dealt with internally by the authorities themselves.

 

[williamw921]

how will it stop corruption. If you get stopped by a cop for a traffic violation you pay him the tea money requested he pockets it. same same, new ticket or not

[Monomial]

2 hours ago, garbolino said:

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

 

I do not see anything in the road code which says passing on the left is illegal. If you know of something, please point it out.

 

What is clearly illegal in section 34 is driving in the right hand lane slower than the flow of traffic. So if you are getting passed on the left, you are in the wrong for being in the right hand lane. The guy passing on the left isn't doing anything illegal.

 

 

 

 

 

[sawadee1947]

I can't see the field for "negotiations" in order to fill in the agreed fine......

[Antioc]

Well that's where the authorities have to start acting.  The culture is embedded and will be hard to change.  I was pulled up in Germany some time ago by a Traffic Police Office and told that I had violated a road rule about 10 ks back.  Didn't recall a violation but paid up when he requested money.  He said "money or Court".  He didn't issue a receipt, extracted his SMG barrell and waved me on.  Could have been Thailand.

[Jip99]

3 minutes ago, Antioc said:

Well that's where the authorities have to start acting.  The culture is embedded and will be hard to change.  I was pulled up in Germany some time ago by a Traffic Police Office and told that I had violated a road rule about 10 ks back.  Didn't recall a violation but paid up when he requested money.  He said "money or Court".  He didn't issue a receipt, extracted his SMG barrell and waved me on.  Could have been Thailand.

 

 

I am am guessing that you might have paid more than 200 Baht ?

[Antioc]

Just now, Jip99 said:

 

 

I am am guessing that you might have paid more than 200 Baht ?

It certainly was more.  It cleaned me out of Dutch Guilder which was worth more them the DM.

[eddysmit]

4 hours ago, jossthaifarang said:

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..

I can agree with you on that one, I have driven from South to North East from Pattaya to both on many  occasions until my last rip off by the 'nice' friendly traffic police officers, never had a problem going always got problems about forty kls south side of Bangkok and the Express-way usually whilst on it, as I said the last time I did it was the last for me, first I was stopped with the usual road block/checkpoint just outside Bangkok's south side, I will not give you all the boring details except the one that must be obeyed accused my of speeding,lies, he went off and had words with someone and came back with another load of lies,anyway the fourth one did it because I was not carrying a copy for all my documentations new for me as I had the real ones with me, I gave in and gave him his 'coffee' money, knocked down to three hundred from the five, next on my trip I was stopped on the Express way by one on a motorbike, he came out with another fib and said I was on the express way last week and was speeding, I said no way could that have been so, the thing about it is I do know it's best not to ague and just pay up what with the blatant rip off a few hours before I was getting a bit fed up, and the air-con had decide to play up, what he did was he told me to go to a police station in Bang Na to pay my fine that was double he had said in the first place, as he was walking to his bike I asked him where about was it, he just walked away clutching my passport and driving license, I backed down and paid his 'coffee' fine, same trip on the bypass just outside Pattaya one jumped out in front of me waving me down I nearly hit him, I just drove on hoping no numbers was taken, I have missed those areas ever since and in five years have not had fine, been stopped by very courteous police officers but not fined.

[digger70]

Compedent Officials,Who are They How do we ID Them Do they have a Government Shield/Badge like the Cops ?Very Fishy smell on that one .

[Cheops]

32 minutes ago, Monomial said:

 

I do not see anything in the road code which says passing on the left is illegal. If you know of something, please point it out.

 

What is clearly illegal in section 34 is driving in the right hand lane slower than the flow of traffic. So if you are getting passed on the left, you are in the wrong for being in the right hand lane. The guy passing on the left isn't doing anything illegal.

 

 

 

 

 

So if I'm driving 120 in the right lane and I get passed by a motorcycle or car on the left lane, I'm in the wrong? 

 

Somehow I don't think so 

[rickudon]

Hmm, 7 years and only fined once, for missing number plate. Never been asked for money otherwise.

[Ossy]

6 hours ago, hutchings1963 said:

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

I'm sure, like always, that will depend on the officer . . . there must be some good ones out there.

 

If the barcode is 'to help in paying fines', then it must be a serialised barcode that will both identify an offender having paid the fine as well prevent a greedy cop from pocketing the fine and throwing his ticket in the ditch.

 

But, again, the success and honesty of the whole system, will depend on the quality of each police station's superintendent. Here's hoping that our good Gen Wittaya's initiative isn't just another mere PR stunt.

[soalbundy]

19 hours ago, coulson said:

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

As for appeal......bleh

They issue tickets?

[ujayujay]

7 hours ago, hutchings1963 said:

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

If you want give this to the wrong Person, you dont get only a Ticket, you go to Court for bribery. 

[SunsetT]

5 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.

.....AND you are so prone to being hit or hitting anyone and everything that decides to walk out, or run out, or pull out, or ignorantly stick their bonnet out in front of you from the left side!

Edited August 22, 2017 by SunsetT

[Jonmarleesco]

21 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

statistics collected would be useful for police to develop strategies to reduce future road accidents.

You need statistics to pinpoint unclear or ambiguous issues. There's nothing unclear or ambiguous about the causes of most accidents in LoS.

[Grumpy Duck]

I have not (yet) received a traffic ticket here, on 2 occasions I was stopped the first I made a wrong turn on my motorbike onto a tollroad onramp. I explained elderly falang lost in unfamilliar area he explained, it was a ฿2000 fine, and accepted ฿1000 then escourted me to where I was going. 

 

The second time I was stopped a few months ago at a daytime checkpoint, and the officer started writing me a ticket for not driving in the left lane, which was a mandatory left turn lane  and I was in the lane next to it. the ticket form looked just like the form here but was in blue ink. Even in thai/english. But he stopped writing and showed me it was a ฿500 baht fine. He took ฿1000 for tea money (as I had no smaller notes at the time) so it seems the new tickets have already been in use. 

Edited August 22, 2017 by Grumpy Duck
The dog ate it

[sead]

21 hours ago, ezflip said:

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

Theres always something isnt it. I would like to know how far that compentent meaning stretches. Does a schoolofficer count as competent official?

[sead]

The only way to stop bribes is to have All tickets/ fines paid electronically. If a police nowadays receives money you dont know if that was for a fine or hes cut to let it go. Its the right direction atleast.

[Khun Paul]

Biggest problem I forsee, is the educational ability of the Road Check  Police officer to actually read the ticket and tick the right boxes, they have little power of discretion and lateral thinking ability is also suspect. 

[tryasimight]

1 hour ago, Grumpy Duck said:

I have not (yet) received a traffic ticket here, on 2 occasions I was stopped the first I made a wrong turn on my motorbike onto a tollroad onramp. I explained elderly falang lost in unfamilliar area he explained, it was a ฿2000 fine, and accepted ฿1000 then escourted me to where I was going. 

 

The second time I was stopped a few months ago at a daytime checkpoint, and the officer started writing me a ticket for not driving in the left lane, which was a mandatory left turn lane  and I was in the lane next to it. the ticket form looked just like the form here but was in blue ink. Even in thai/english. But he stopped writing and showed me it was a ฿500 baht fine. He took ฿1000 for tea money (as I had no smaller notes at the time) so it seems the new tickets have already been in use. 

I guess you are now 'da man' for tea money.I suspect you will become very popular.

I'd recommend you start carrying smaller notes with you.

[tryasimight]

8 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.

It would be interesting if this was ever tested in court.

I can see logic in slower vehicles (as mentioned motorbikes, passenger vehicle etc) driving as close to the curb as possible.....but a motorbike (as opposed to the millions of scooters on the roads) is probably not the slow vehicle it was when the law was written. Far from it.

 

[wavemanwww]

I think it's a good start. Rather than the existing system where ticket books assuming are non accountable are written like same as writing one on toilet paper and no accountability as to where the fine money goes! Well done . Keep it up!

[robblok]

26 minutes ago, tryasimight said:

It would be interesting if this was ever tested in court.

I can see logic in slower vehicles (as mentioned motorbikes, passenger vehicle etc) driving as close to the curb as possible.....but a motorbike (as opposed to the millions of scooters on the roads) is probably not the slow vehicle it was when the law was written. Far from it.

 

Yea... keeping up with cars is not a problem... you can go much faster then the cars. But even the scooters can keep up with the cars on most roads. It should just be that slower vehicles.. so also the scooters that go to slow should stay left. But the law is the law.. i just pay the fines if needed.

[Grumpy Duck]

3 hours ago, tryasimight said:

I guess you are now 'da man' for tea money.I suspect you will become very popular.

I'd recommend you start carrying smaller notes with you.

555, I am carrying much less with the dollar so weak. 

[chama]

Disagree and suddenly you had drugs in your possession so you better agree, then good luck in court.