Pattaya police get tough on licences: Fines for tourists AND rental companies AND confiscation of vehicle

[Arkady]

Whatever the justifications cited and the fact that millions of locals also drive cars and motorcycles unlicensed and uninsured, this is good news and very much in the interests of tourists to protect them from themselves. Most have no motorcycle license at home and little or no experience of driving two wheelers, particularly in third world countries. 

 

I hope this will be enforced nationwide and particularly in mountainous islands like Phuket, Samui, Tao and Phangan which are death traps for tourist motorcyclists. The embassy staffs that have to deal with the bereaved  relatives will be hugely relieved, if this happens.

[newnative]

25 minutes ago, essox essox said:

this is a list of fines for motoring offences....note the fine for NO LICENCE.....seems like police can charge what ever they want....I would have thought an increase in a fine MUST be passed by law courts....BUT no I forgot we in thailand !!

 

No license plate – B400 
Running a red light – B300 
Reckless driving – B400 
Illegal U-turn – B400 
Blocking traffic – B200 
Operating an illegal vehicle – B1,000 
Parking in a non-parking area – B200 
No vehicle insurance – B600 
Driving against the flow of traffic – B200 
No helmet (Passenger & Driver) – B200 
No driver’s license – B400 
No owner’s registration – B400 
Overdue vehicle tax – B400 
Using a vehicle which makes noise louder than the prescribed limit – B1,000

 

They all need a couple zeros added to the end of the amounts.

[PremiumLane]

3 hours ago, Emster23 said:

Is the "anti nanny state" brigade sleeping in today?

Ironically, the ones who moan about the 'nanny state' in the West, usually love stuff like this in Thailand

[newnative]

24 minutes ago, thaibreaker said:

What about jail time? Is one year good for you? Lets get these criminals in prison yea.

Yea.

[moe666]

A few months ago stopped off at a local book store and a America couple were asking the clerk for a map of the Semong Loop. They kept askin if it was safe I chimed in and said yes it is no problem at all. They kept asking is it safe I finally ask them do you ride in America, do you have a motorcycle at home, well no we do not. I cut back in then it isn't safe for you to ride, you will have a problem getting out of town, do not rent a bike. I paid my bill and left a few minutes later they walked out without there map.

[Arkady]

 

39 minutes ago, djdubuque said:

To drive or lease a car in Thailand as a tourist or visitor it is necessary to have either a Thai driving licence or a valid foreign driving licence with a photograph. The foreign licence must either be in English, or be accompanied by an official translation into English or Thai. The licence needs to have been issued by a country that has a treaty with the Thai government allowing the mutual acceptance of driving licences.  Most countries, including Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the UK and the USA have this agreement with Thailand under the 1949 Geneva Convention on Road Traffic or the 1968 Vienna Convention on Road Traffic.  Those in doubt should contact their embassy/consulate for advice.

 

So if this is the law how is it that Pattaya Police can change it to require a IDL?  It's all about the Baht

I believe that an IDL is in compliance with all of that. But one thing to note is that Thailand only ratified the original 1949 convention which means that an IDL is only valid in Thailand for the first 3 months of its life. A Thai insurance company pointed this out to me and I didn’t believe it at first but checked and found it was correct. The insurance company got fed up with my foreign staff using IDLs to make car insurance claims and warned they would no longer pay if the foreigner didn’t have either a Thai license or an IDL less than 3 months old.

[ebean001]

14 hours ago, MunkyBoogar said:

But are they also going to fine Thai citizens 1000B for driving without a license? That would be a Negatory Ghostrider!

 

 

Do you know what a thai person needs to do to get driver's license? It is not easy and very time consuming.

[Arkady]

40 minutes ago, essox essox said:

this is a list of fines for motoring offences....note the fine for NO LICENCE.....seems like police can charge what ever they want....I would have thought an increase in a fine MUST be passed by law courts....BUT no I forgot we in thailand !!

 

No license plate – B400 
Running a red light – B300 
Reckless driving – B400 
Illegal U-turn – B400 
Blocking traffic – B200 
Operating an illegal vehicle – B1,000 
Parking in a non-parking area – B200 
No vehicle insurance – B600 
Driving against the flow of traffic – B200 
No helmet (Passenger & Driver) – B200 
No driver’s license – B400 
No owner’s registration – B400 
Overdue vehicle tax – B400 
Using a vehicle which makes noise louder than the prescribed limit – B1,000

 

 

It seems he added the fines for driving without license and driving uninsured to get to B1,000 which fair enough because insurance is invalidated without a license, even the article didn’t explain the maths.

[Destiny1990]

Why not fine every bike rental shop 100,000 bht in case they out rent bikes to foreigners without an international bike license?

That fix the problem but maybe they don’t want to fix it.. also remove all parked unrented  rental company bikes from public streets 

 

[thhMan]

At least we know one thing as fact...

They will be too lazy and/or corrupt tp enforce the law as its written

[toofarnorth]

.......................many tourists do not know the highway code '  Pah !

'Rules of engagement ' more like.  Never mind Patts. is a long way from me.

[Peterw42]

2 minutes ago, Destiny1990 said:

Why not fine every bike rental shop 100,000 bht in case they out rent bikes to foreigners without an international bike license?

That fix the problem but maybe they don’t want to fix it.. also remove all parked unrented  rental company bikes from public streets 

 

People will just get their Thai GF or friend with a license to rent the bike. They are already renting a bike with no license, why not get a friend to rent it for you.

[essox essox]

just how many thais KNOW THE HIGHWAY CODE???

[essox essox]

22 minutes ago, ebean001 said:

Do you know what a thai person needs to do to get driver's license? It is not easy and very time consuming.

they pay for a licence SIMPLE AS THAT

[thaibeachlovers]

14 hours ago, Thaiwrath said:

Does ANY Thai know the highway code ?  I don't think so.

The topic isn't about locals. It's about rental companies hiring vehicles to tourists that should not be driving on Thai roads.

I think they should also have to have insurance to ride or drive, and same penalty applies. For sure, having their vehicle confiscated will make companies get their act together.

 

[thaibeachlovers]

13 hours ago, nakhonandy said:

Interesting, I imagine the majority of tourists renting bikes have no valid motorbike license.

 

This will hit the hire companies hard, IF enforced.

I hope so. For starters they don't offer proper insurance, and they scam renters for small damage that don't cost what they demand to fix ( if they even fix it ).

Most of those cowboy rental companies SHOULD go out of business.

[jackdd]

24 minutes ago, Arkady said:

 

I believe that an IDL is in compliance with all of that. But one thing to note is that Thailand only ratified the original 1949 convention which means that an IDL is only valid in Thailand for the first 3 months of its life. A Thai insurance company pointed this out to me and I didn’t believe it at first but checked and found it was correct. The insurance company got fed up with my foreign staff using IDLs to make car insurance claims and warned they would no longer pay if the foreigner didn’t have either a Thai license or an IDL less than 3 months old.

An IDL is also only valid as long as you are living (have residency) in your home country. The 3 months is not the age of the IDL, but it's only valid for 3 months in the country from your arrival (for people who stay here on a tourist visa it's obviously no problem, because they have to leave after 90 days anyway).

So for people who stay here on a tourist visa an IDL is fine, others should get a Thai license.

[Happyman58]

4 hours ago, catman20 said:

im surprised at you post ! did you not know you CANT  teach stupid ? 

 

 

 

 

One thing the police should make sure off and warn the tourists after they get there rented cars or bikes is that most Thai drivers don't know the road rules or break the rules often because they have an ineffective police force who cant enforce the rules. In other words KEEP YOUR EYES OUT FOR ALL THE IDIOT THAI DRIVERS

[moogradod]

27 minutes ago, Arkady said:

 

I believe that an IDL is in compliance with all of that. But one thing to note is that Thailand only ratified the original 1949 convention which means that an IDL is only valid in Thailand for the first 3 months of its life.

Then you cannot rent a car longer than 3 months. How about people being here with a METV ? This rule is most probably not applied. An IDL is valid for 3 years. This would as well mean that you would need to apply for a new IDL in your home country all the time just prior entering Thailand if you would like to rent a car. Not even sure if my home country would issue a new IDL every year when the old one is still valid. There must be something wrong with that or it is actually on paper dating from 1949 but officially ignored nowadays.

[jackdd]

1 minute ago, moogradod said:

Then you cannot rent a car longer than 3 months. How about people being here with a METV ? This rule is most probably not applied. An IDL is valid for 3 years. This would as well mean that you would need to apply for a new IDL in your home country all the time just prior entering Thailand if you would like to rent a car. Not even sure if my home country would issue a new IDL every year when the old one is still valid. There must be something wrong with that or it is actually on paper dating from 1949 but officially ignored nowadays.

Valid for 3 months when you enter Thailand. Leave Thailand, enter again, it's valid for 3 months again. (If you have residency in your home country)

[fimo]

14 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

This is disgusting.... 'if Tourists' - 1000baht fines & Confiscation of the Bike...

That's a bad a transalation.

That special fine if for the people who are renting motorbike AND can't provide an international (motorbike) licence A to their renter. 99% of them are tourists of course.

 

Very few "tourists" have the proper driving licence in their own country, they'll need to provide the licence A, not the A1.

Category A1 = Motorcycles with a cubic capacity not exceeding 125 cm³ and a power not exceeding 11 kW (light motorcycles)

[Peterw42]

6 minutes ago, moogradod said:

Then you cannot rent a car longer than 3 months. How about people being here with a METV ? This rule is most probably not applied. An IDL is valid for 3 years. This would as well mean that you would need to apply for a new IDL in your home country all the time just prior entering Thailand if you would like to rent a car. Not even sure if my home country would issue a new IDL every year when the old one is still valid. There must be something wrong with that or it is actually on paper dating from 1949 but officially ignored nowadays.

Its in the Thai traffic act, after 90 days (long stay visa/extension) you are required to get a Thai license. Nothing to do with IDP validity. If you come and go less than 90days then the IDP is valid up to 90 days each stay. Stay longer than 90 days and IDP is no longer valid in thailand.

[Destiny1990]

27 minutes ago, Peterw42 said:

People will just get their Thai GF or friend with a license to rent the bike. They are already renting a bike with no license, why not get a friend to rent it for you.

Most tourists dont have such local friends  who will have to be stupid enough to rent for the tourists bikes?? in case of theft or accidents the local would then have the problem. Most tourists would just nolonger to rent a bike!

maybe u rent for me a bike in ur name i promise take good care of it duhhh.

[Bill Miller]

15 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

People on temporary stay in the kingdom can take their home country licence and a certified copy of that from their embassy or consulate in Thailand to the Department of Land Transport to get a Thai licence, said the report. 

Anybody have experience with this?

[Expatthailover]

15 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

This is disgusting.... 'if Tourists' - 1000baht fines & Confiscation of the Bike... 

 

So what about Thai's riding without a license? This is nothing more than the police creating an easy target, a money maker... Its clumsy, its xenophobic, it stinks... 

 

 

IF the announcement was that if anyone is caught driving without a licence they would face a 1000baht (or more would be better) and confiscation of the bike....  it would be much better... but as it is, unbalanced penalty stinks... 

 

I'll trump your xenophobic with paranoid

[2008bangkok]

This is a good step in the right direction, While alot of posters have been wailing about Thais v tourists with no licenses. its a different circumstances. 

Letting a tourist rent a bike knowing they dont have a license is wrong. Just like the renters renting out bikes without insurance (or thats what they tell tourists) because they can get more money than it costs to fix.

Everybody should have Thai license because without it they shouldn't be driving on the roads. I highly doubt you can rent a nike or car in western country with no license and if you did you be in trouble if caught.

[farcanell]

15 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

the reason for the change is that many tourists don't know the highway code and have not had any training leading to accidents.

??? im thinking that if you took your home country road laws and removed most of the safety stuff, you’d be right there with thai standards.... so... farang to safe, stop at red light. Must go go go.

 

lol.... and training? Well... I wonder how much training those dead thai teen racers had.

 

totally absurd reasoning.... and were the hell are the posters who deny thailand has different rules for Thais vs farangs

[farcanell]

12 minutes ago, Expatthailover said:

I'll trump your xenophobic with paranoid

Ah... here’s one... lol

im thinking the statement should be.... “I’ll trump your paranoia with xenophobia”

[Rimmer]

Some off topic and troll posts have been removed, topic is about:

Pattaya police get tough on licences: Fines for tourists AND rental companies AND confiscation of vehicle

 

Note the words TOURISTS and RENTAL COMPANIES   further off topic posts will be removed without notification

 

 

[Thaidream]

Took a drive to Pattaya yesterday to visit a friend-   have my own truck and Bangkok registration where I live-  This morning made a turn down Pattaya Klang- police checkpoint- immediately stopped me- looked at the registration in the window and waved me thru.  Saw no Thai vehicles being stopped.  He had no reason to stop me- I didn't change lanes; go through a red light etc. i certainly had my license and insurance.  So this means every foreigner driving a vehicle or a passenger car/truck will be stopped at check points to determine if they are driving a rental vehicle?  Absolute nonsense and discriminatory  to the  max.

 

Goodbye Pattaya- I won't be back