Huge increase in fines and jail terms for drivers without licenses

[Just1Voice]

If this passes, every traffic cop in Thailand will be shopping for new cars and houses, including my "cousin-in-law" who is a Lt in traffic division.
 

[Ks45672]

1 hour ago, Prairieboy said:

 

Now to enact the changes then to find someone to enforce them. (or will it simply open the door for more lucrative handouts to the BIB!)

The test itself is a joke 

Make them all pass a UK style test would go a long way to improve safer driving 

[cleverman]

Just now, Prairieboy said:

 

Now to enact the changes then to find someone to enforce them. (or will it simply open the door for more lucrative handouts to the BIB!)

No matter what Thailanddoes to improve things, there will always be the Thai haters finding some excuse to knock it. I feel sorry for you. Get on with your life, smell the roses occasionally.

[Thian]

1 hour ago, chopin2 said:

Does a counterfeit license at least give a discount? After all, those licenses are quite expensive now days, after the crackdowns.

Yup and they were so smart to get rid of the fake license-shop at KSR first....

[marko kok prong]

So reckon they will be stopping Mercs and beamers,or any other expensive imported car ?  "more an me jobs worth guv"

[pattayadgw]

The 'big house' is going to be very seriously overcrowded.... ?

[Small Joke]

1 hour ago, chrisinth said:

That will be a good indicator if and when the proposed amendments are approved and how it will affect the current situation.

 

It used to be up here (in Phits) that the reason no action was taken against underage/non-licensed kids on motorbikes by the police was the excuse that it was the only means of transport from their homes to their place of education. Always been a BS excuse anyway IMO.

It will go the way of the 'riding in pickups cargo trays' legislation.

They enforce useless moralistic laws with zeal,  and real game changing laws for three minutes,  then back down, when the serfs whine.  

[crazykopite]

I would think that a good 90% of Thais would have to go to prison because they would be unable to pay such heavy fines . Fines should be based on ones income and the ability to pay, 50, 000 is a lot of money in anyone’s books maybe they should look at points on the driver licence and once you hit 12 your banned from driving for a year

[robsamui]

Nobody here seems to have touched upon one vital point - the rationale behind the fines. It's because the gvt has "had enough" (though the article in Thai Rath doesn't say what they've has enough OF) , and wants to "improve the behavior" of road users (whatever that means).

 

So a rational guess at the bottom line - this is a move to improve driving standards and reduce road accidents.

 

Erm . . . scuse us Mr Government - but isn't this only going to work if you actually bother to teach all your new driving licence holders to drive? I mean, like with real driving lessons and a driving test which involves more than driving once round a carpark and backing up against the kerb?

What's that you say? Ah, yes, I understand. You're really sorry that you can't actually do that because first of all it would mean you'd have to come up with a proper driving test. Then all the bother of training testing and approving thousands of qualified driving instructors. And then you'd need to set up hundreds of regional driving test centers. Bummer.

 

Ah yes, of course - I see - and it's not just all the time, money and hassles . . . it's also that you just can't bear the thought of all the world knowing how many of your citizens will keep failing the test time and time again. Got it! 

 

No? That wouldn't happen? AH! Right! Because you'd tell the hundreds of new driving test inspectors to do what you do in the schools and not fail anyone. And so, really, it's best all round if you cut out all the middle bit about proper tests and just pass everyone to begin with?

Well, that seems like a solid plan to improve everyone's "behavior". Carry on.  Keep collecting the fines. Excellent work!

 

 

[Esso49]

4 hours ago, Wiggy said:

I was in an office supplies shop the other day and they had run out of larger-sized brown envelopes; I guess in anticipation of the above.

Actually there has been a run on the pack flat cardboard boxes

[losworld]

4 hours ago, AGareth2 said:

this could work out to be a nice earner for the boys

yeah but my guess is they will be able to use it extort money from farangs not having a valid motorbike license for instance... notice the "valid" license quote...

[losworld]

This will be another cash cow similar to the drinking and driving checkstops which have made the police more money than they can imagine while drunken bmw, motorbike and bus drivers roam freely... interestingly I watched a fully uniformed policeman step out of his shiny silver mercedes the other day... such savvy investors able to turn a 15000 baht salary into gold... 

[crazykopite]

2 hours ago, cleverman said:

No matter what Thailanddoes to improve things, there will always be the Thai haters finding some excuse to knock it. I feel sorry for you. Get on with your life, smell the roses occasionally.

I don’t think it comes down to as you call it Thai Haters it’s fact I for one don’t think it will improve anything what it will do is open another door for corruption in an already very strong corrupt country maybe you have not witnessed that yet but I certainly have and I am not talking just about policeman a few years ago I witnessed an elderly gentleman who was re applying to renew his extension of stay which was 100% correct been taken to the cash point machine by an immigration officer who then demanded 20;000 baht fortunately this elderly gentleman had a upper limit so he could only take out 10,000 baht the immigration officer took the money and then gave him back his passport with the required stamp in it , so please understand why there may well be some Thai Haters by the way I witnessed all this happening I attempted to intervene but was given a clear warning not to interfere thankfully this imo officer is no longer at that particular office .

[scorecard]

 

'They (the authorities) said that the behavior needs to change and the authorities have had enough'.

 

A sick joke - should read 'the authorities have admitted (with serious embarrassment and shame) they have failed for many decades to update the whole scenario of: driver education, issue of licenses and driver behavior.'

 

[Esso49]

4 minutes ago, crazykopite said:

I would think that a good 90% of Thais would have to go to prison because they would be unable to pay such heavy fines . Fines should be based on ones income and the ability to pay, 50, 000 is a lot of money in anyone’s books maybe they should look at points on the driver licence and once you hit 12 your banned from driving for a year

So how can they look at a drivers licence if they don't have one ?   Idiot school kids with irresponsible parents who are allowed to ride a bike illegally don't earn a wage so by your theory they shouldn't pay a fine !!!    You think 50,000 baht is a lot of money to some.   Well that may be true but the crazy illegal drivers here don't think twice when they hurt or maim an innocent person.

 

 I will say again and no licence then no bike-  crush it.  Exercise will do them good.  Under age illegal drivers - community service in their own and adjoining villages.  Allows them to do something worthwhile for the community.  Show them up for what they actually are.  Their Parents ( if they have any) jailed for for allowing such behavior.  Car drivers with no licence - cars confiscated and sold at auction with the drivers jailed for 3 months.   Insurance changed so it is the driver insured not the car.  No licence you can't get insurance so driving with no license and no insurance is 6 months jail. 

 

The licensing rules also need amending so that the minimum age for driving should rise to 20 for all vehicles and 25 for motorcycles over 150 cc. 

[Deli]

And Somchai who makes THB 10 k a month pays this fine ? How ?

Whilst he is the only earner, the family has no income when in an already overcrowded jail for 3 months ?

I don't see this happen and I hope it won't.

[Darkside Gray]

4 hours ago, BestB said:

Fines already have increased .

 

yesterday 1 staff was pulled over

 

1 no license 

2 rego expired

3 using Mobile phone

4 argue with police

 

4500 baht 

Deserved what he got just for the using the mobile phone should have been more.

[Aatsi]

In practice, however, this reform is likely only to foreigners ?

[maccastime]

So what about all the Thai school kids riding 2 or 3 up on a bike.

[Pattaya28]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

 

They said that the behavior needs to change and the authorities have had enough

LOL "had enough" 

enough "piss-taking"

[fimo]

I speak as resident in Pattaya about driving without driving license:

- Bike renters used to rent their bike to tourists without DL. Because of the past new law they dont do it anymore.

- The drivers I see without DL are only the 14yo boys driving in the Dark Side at more than 80km/h without helmet. They are the most dangereous drivers I can see ! They are even 100x more dangereous than drunken drivers ! If police can fine them, that would be a great improvement for safety.

[scorecard]

9 minutes ago, Aatsi said:

In practice, however, this reform is likely only to foreigners ?

I doubt that, Thai family and friends recently been ticketed, ticket stating 2.000Baht and 4,000Baht and same amounts had to be paid at police station to recover licenses. 

[Guderian]

This might be worth doing if the driver training (hah!) and driving test (double hah!) here were of a decent standard. As things stand Thais who don't have a licence aren't really missing much compared with Thais who've done the test and passed.

[easyozzi]

3 hours ago, Ks45672 said:

The test itself is a joke 

Make them all pass a UK style test would go a long way to improve safer driving 

When I did my test, there was a class of around thirty - six of whom were sleeping another 8-10 on cell phones, they should have been removed from the test centre and been refused to sit the test for 6-12mths.

There needs to be more on public roads tuition, a closed environment training circuit doesn't prepare people for real driving circumstances. You hardly ever see learner drivers out with a driving instructor.

Worst of all, they really need to clamp down on people jumping red lights - the driving standards around Chiang Mai are worsening by the year.

There are simply to many people dying needlessly on the roads here, give correct training and a proper driving test - if people cannot pass the test then they shouldn't be allowed on the roads in the first place. I also agree that anyone not having passed their test (without a license) - crush their car or bikes.

[Lupatria]

5 hours ago, darksidedog said:

Excellent. Now all that needs to be done is to actually implement and enforce this. Oh, and for more than three days please!

Are you aware what you are asking for? A nation with half of the cops on 'inactive posts' plus 8 mio. drivers with no license (estim. in other news reports) behind bars. The food vendors will take over all streets in Bangkok (newspeak: Khao San City). 

[ReMarKable]

3 hours ago, cleverman said:

No matter what Thailand does to improve things, there will always be the Thai haters finding some excuse to knock it. I feel sorry for you. Get on with your life, smell the roses occasionally.

I agree their are an inordinate number of Thai haters living here; but the abuse of power by government officials is extensive in many departments and by me an accepted fact of life here.  In my experience the police and immigration departments are full of people bilking the public for cash.  I think the daily life experience of cheating by Thais, particularly in government, is perhaps where the Thai belief that everyone lies and cheats came from.  This belief is apparent among Thais in immigration who are always trying to catch a foreigner in a lie by asking some obscure office  to confirm something the foreigner said. 

 

[masuk]

4 hours ago, stanleycoin said:

Bring it on. 

But don't forget to get the new police force to go with it.

Yup:   bring on the new THIP.    (Thai Highway Patrol).    

[dotpoom]

5 hours ago, Prairieboy said:

 

Now to enact the changes then to find someone to enforce them. (or will it simply open the door for more lucrative handouts to the BIB!)

More fantastic positive thinkers?

[brain150]

27 minutes ago, Esso49 said:

So how can they look at a drivers licence if they don't have one ?   Idiot school kids with irresponsible parents who are allowed to ride a bike illegally don't earn a wage so by your theory they shouldn't pay a fine !!!    You think 50,000 baht is a lot of money to some.   Well that may be true but the crazy illegal drivers here don't think twice when they hurt or maim an innocent person.

 

 I will say again and no licence then no bike-  crush it.  Exercise will do them good.  Under age illegal drivers - community service in their own and adjoining villages.  Allows them to do something worthwhile for the community.  Show them up for what they actually are.  Their Parents ( if they have any) jailed for for allowing such behavior.  Car drivers with no licence - cars confiscated and sold at auction with the drivers jailed for 3 months.   Insurance changed so it is the driver insured not the car.  No licence you can't get insurance so driving with no license and no insurance is 6 months jail. 

 

The licensing rules also need amending so that the minimum age for driving should rise to 20 for all vehicles and 25 for motorcycles over 150 cc. 

I have very rarely read a more brainwashed comment than this one !

 

Shows quite clear the [thought] superiority of a slave who needs all other slaves to be treated just like him because it's the only way he can bare the burden of his suffering existence.

 

The lave master has enough [of his thinking] and does not like what is happening !

Instead of making people who harm [and harm needs to be done or it cannot be a crime ... basic principle of the law itself !!!]others responsible for their actions they come up with fines nobody can ever pay and criminalize the people they fail to educate in responsibility and skills to make sure they can coexist in society !!!

 

Insanity at its best !!! And the willful slave will agree and request even higher penalties.

When laws lose any sense then society is bound to fail !!! And Thailand is very close to it !!!

Supresion only works to a certain point.

[Vacuum]

29 minutes ago, Deli said:

And Somchai who makes THB 10 k a month pays this fine ? How ?

Whilst he is the only earner, the family has no income when in an already overcrowded jail for 3 months ?

Not rocket science really. He could hold the Hong Thong/Lao Khao drinking for a few days, and use the saved money to get a DL. Problems solved, no fines.