Huge increase in fines and jail terms for drivers without licenses

[Basil B]

6 hours ago, ThreeEyedRaven said:

That will slow the bike rental people down a bit. I suspect very few will want to rent a bike with no license with those sort of fines.

Doubt it, not unless the law makes the vehicles owners responsible for checking renters licences, (and that would not prevent vehicles being rented by 3rd parties).

 

Should do as in the UK, "Impound" for no insurance (if driver licence not valid then insurance not valid).

 

Having to pay fine to collect rented vehicles from the police compound will hit the renters hard.

[donmeurett]

How about fines for those who rent cars or motorcycles to those who do not have a drivers license.? Who determines what the fine is? The cop? it says up to 50,000 Baht. 

 

[jgarbo]

6 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 

Well, obviously #4 was the problem. Never argue, agree to everything, then forget what it was. Trick for young playeers. 

[sawadee1947]

6 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!)

No no, I saw PM already at a check point. Or was it fake news?

[BobbyL]

17 minutes ago, Father Fintan Stack said:

The problem is cultural and will not be solved by raising the fines to levels that are astronomical for the plebs that the Police aren't scared of pulling over to try and extort.

 

Those that can afford those sort of fines will be allowed to continue unhindered as the Police will be scared.

 

No fines will be levied against those that when pulled over 'know someone' or pull rank.

 

Licenses as others have stated mean nothing without proper driver training.

 

It will be business as usual for the incompetents in brown and it will mean more money flowing into their pockets. 

 

Call me cynical but this appears to be a payday for the Police who have been mostly sidelined and taken a hit in the pocket since the Army have taken over control. Just before the election too.

 

 

Can't disagree with any of that. 

[scorecard]

27 minutes ago, Sir Dude said:

Despite the toughening of the law in this case being a good idea, it is pretty meaningless unless enforced well so that Thais actually bother to follow it. For example, when there is a major holiday you always read about that nationally, over like 5 days,  of approx 75,000 drivers being stopped at check points being unable to produce a license...I mean, come on! The average Thai's apathy and general belief that they are somehow special with rules/laws only being for other people is going to be a tough one to reign in on something like this.

Sure but moving people apathy and attitudes to laws and common sense should have started decades ago but didn't.

 

Got to start somewhere / sometimes, today would be good. 

 

But what needs to also happen immediately is reform of the rtp to gain massive improvements in policy professionalism and focus and massively reduce corruption. Plus automatic jail for police caught in any form of corruption or bribery with a non-police monitoring process. 

 

Good luck needed all round. 

 

[oyster]

6 hours ago, transam said:

So all the parents that give the zillion under age  kids the keys to bikes to go to school on are now going to be in deep shit, including cops...?

In the bans where many live in isolated areas, many kids go to school on mcycles...but they all go at 7.00 when there is little or no traffic. The police are well aware of this and road checks start at 9.00 and usually finish at 12.00 Kids then return around 17.00. Thai police unlike USA & UK work with their communities.

[trianglechoke]

You know, regular driving standards would reduce the carnage.... Getting a license won't increase driving skills..... Also..... SURELY if someone drops 5 grand in the policeman/woman's hands there is no way they say no.

Reduce the carnage yes..... But issuing a license won't magically put skills in people's heads.

 

I want to be positive..... But this is silly for what it is trying to achieve. You want them to get a License ... Confiscate the bike till they get 1

[Spidey]

Just now, oyster said:

In the bans where many live in isolated areas, many kids go to school on mcycles...but they all go at 7.00 when there is little or no traffic. The police are well aware of this and road checks start at 9.00 and usually finish at 12.00 Kids then return around 17.00. Thai police unlike USA & UK work with their communities.

In Thailand, it's legal for a 14 year old to use a motorbike specifically for travelling to and returning from school.

[kannot]

6 hours ago, Dmaxdan said:

Why not go the whole hog and slap 200,000 baht fines and/or long term jail sentences on all the drink drivers caught every year, many of whom won't have a license. 

Why  not  just shoot them all dead...............at  birth, to save a whole lotta  time and  effort?

[bluesofa]

2 minutes ago, Spidey said:

In Thailand, it's legal for a 14 year old to use a motorbike specifically for travelling to and returning from school.

I'm interested in this exception to the law. Where does it state this? Does it also state they do not need a licence?

 

What about the minimum third party insurance - how will that be valid without a licence and being under-age?

 

From the discussion in another forum, it's 15 years old in order to ride up to a 110cc motorbike:

https://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/1050606-minimum-age-to-ride-a-motorbike/

[Spidey]

1 minute ago, bluesofa said:

I'm interested in this exception to the law. Where does it state this? Does it also state they do not need a licence?

 

What about the minimum third party insurance - how will that be valid without a licence and being under-age?

 

From the discussion in another forum, it's 15 years old in order to ride up to a 110cc motorbike:

https://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/1050606-minimum-age-to-ride-a-motorbike/

Sorry, no idea, just one of those useless pieces of information floating around in my head.

[BestB]

30 minutes ago, jgarbo said:

Well, obviously #4 was the problem. Never argue, agree to everything, then forget what it was. Trick for young playeers. 

No idea champ, was not there , and never seen people being fined for “arguing “ also unsure how much for each one.

 

she thought 2500 baht , went to  pay turns out 4500 baht 

 

she claims and I believe her, she was not talking on the phone but checking time.

[Garry]

7 hours ago, transam said:

So all the parents that give the zillion under age  kids the keys to bikes to go to school on are now going to be in deep shit, including cops...?

Had similar thoughts myself 

[marqus12]

Finally, they will be able to make holidays in Thailand as expensive as in Dubai !
A tourist after two weeks here will reach the airport in underpants only

 and with a passport in a trembling hand  !

[mehrdad]

And what about peoples with buying a drivers licenses????? 

I know some people with buy a driver license about 2000 or only 3000 baht!!!! And i know one people ,,buy a driver license with one bottle whisky !!!! ?

[bluesofa]

7 minutes ago, BestB said:

{snipped}

she claims and I believe her, she was not talking on the phone but checking time.

I'm not arguing as to whether she was/wasn't talking on the phone, but I'm sure even in Thailand(?) the law must pretty pedantic on using a mobile phone while driving - irrespective of the reason.

Will she now now be fitting a clock on the instrument panel?

 

[Tony Hanscomb]

So more pocket money for the police farce. 

[cookieqw]

so you have a licence and are driving a pick-up truck full of people in the back      no  fine  ???

[bluesofa]

6 minutes ago, mehrdad said:

And what about peoples with buying a drivers licenses????? 

I know some people with buy a driver license about 2000 or only 3000 baht!!!! And i know one people ,,buy a driver license with one bottle whisky !!!! ?

Is that a buy-one-get-one-free offer? A licence to drink and drive.

I must look out for that the next time I go to buy some alcohol, see if the offer is still running.

 

[connda]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

This would mean drivers without licenses could now be fined up to 50,000 baht and go to jail for three months. The previous penalty was a 1,000 baht slap on the wrist and a possible jail term of one month.

The problem with the people making this stuff up is that have absolutely no concept of a 'middle-ground.'  Their pendulums are either set to one extreme or the other: 1000 THB fine or less (no deterrence value) or 50,000 THB and 3 months in jail (ludicrous because most individuals couldn't pay the fine so the jails would be pack to extreme overflowing with those convicted of driving without a license - suddenly their isn't enough people working because a huggeee percentage of the population is in jail - which means it will never happen).  Somewhere in the middle is the solution, but then comes the issue of - enforcement. ?  That's a whole other fish to fry. 

[brian2f2f]

7 hours ago, madmitch said:

Sounds good but only with the following provisos:

 

1. It's enforced

2. No "negotiations" with the police

3. Same law for all, regardless of nationality, class or position

 

Any chance of this happening?

I see number 3 being the easiest to come true. But the rest feels far fetched and more of a dream. 

[cookieqw]

1 hour ago, Basil B said:

Doubt it, not unless the law makes the vehicles owners responsible for checking renters licences, (and that would not prevent vehicles being rented by 3rd parties).

 

Should do as in the UK, "Impound" for no insurance (if driver licence not valid then insurance not valid).

 

Having to pay fine to collect rented vehicles from the police compound will hit the renters hard.

they have to do that now   3000baht to collect

[Wim1954]

7 hours ago, AGareth2 said:

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

And what about of the million kids belle the age of getting a drivers licence ?

[connda]

7 hours ago, Small Joke said:

Snowballs chance in hell. 

I saw one of those shimmering Chiang Mai Highway Patrol cars on the weekend. And it wasn't even parked outside the Duangtawan Hotel during the governors lunch hour,  it was on the streets.  

Maybe it was going for it's annual lube and service... 

 

They're only used for escorting VIPs so they must be kept nice and shiny.

[cookieqw]

rural communities generally are not subject to mainstream laws,  unlike rural communities in the UK  who are. 

[kentrot]

That should last about as long as the 100,000 baht fine for smoking on the beach.

That fine was quickly reduced and now I see it being ignored totally.

Back to basics. 

 

"Crackdown" seems to refer more to the back of someone's low-riding pants than any affirmative action.

[cookieqw]

2 hours ago, NextStationBangkok said:

What is free for drivers without a car like me ? ?

well you dont get fined for jay walking for one 555

[bluesofa]

2 minutes ago, cookieqw said:

1 hour ago, Basil B said:

Doubt it, not unless the law makes the vehicles owners responsible for checking renters licences, (and that would not prevent vehicles being rented by 3rd parties).

Should do as in the UK, "Impound" for no insurance (if driver licence not valid then insurance not valid).

Having to pay fine to collect rented vehicles from the police compound will hit the renters hard.

they have to do that now   3000baht to collect

I would guess that renters would add a "deposit" to the vehicle hire cost to cover this, if they knew the person renting had no licence?

I don't know for certain, but that would seem the way around it to me.

 

 

[Media1]

Bla bla never going to happen. They don't have 50k and you don't have enough jails to house millions. What about the school kids. Kick them into the BKK HILTON LOL