Points system for traffic offences passes NLR - foreigners renting to get fines in the post

[NanLaew]

19 minutes ago, dcnx said:

And how they mail you a ticket when you don’t have a number plate on your vehicle?

 

Mine fell off around 6 months ago and I’m in no hurry to replace it. Loads of Thais don’t have number plates, especially new cars. 

Eventually, an indolent cop amy bail you up for noodle money for the missing plate. Then again, maybe you will drive around without one until you pop your clogs. In that case, well done. I remember how cool it was to be able to flaunt the laws like a boss. Embrace the Thainess while you can I guess.

[NanLaew]

7 hours ago, CGW said:

Yep! anyone that has been here any length of time knows that the "Private" ambulances - out to make money in the majority of cases, are recent additions to the roads, not like "My country" where the ambulances are either "government" sanctioned or from government hospitals - Big difference.

Sure the body snatchers will be happy with the new "laws"

Anyone that's been here any length of time knows that hospitals don't do ambulances that attend traffic accidents. A bit like the US in that regard where the privately-owned ambulances charge like raging bulls to take you to the ER. But unlike the US, most 'body snatchers' here are owned and operated by private foundations like Sawang Boriboon and when you're the unfortunate one seriously splattered on the highway, that's all you've got. But it's entirely up to you to decline the services of the first-responder and wait for one that has negotiated a more acceptable 'commission' with the same hospital. If your scruples afford you a bit longer before you bleed-out, well done indeed!

 

Oh yes, and the body snatchers in their souped up, racing pickups are not a recent addition and were here before farangs were bloody invented.

[BestB]

30 minutes ago, NanLaew said:

Anyone that's been here any length of time knows that hospitals don't do ambulances that attend traffic accidents. A bit like the US in that regard where the privately-owned ambulances charge like raging bulls to take you to the ER. But unlike the US, most 'body snatchers' here are owned and operated by private foundations like Sawang Boriboon and when you're the unfortunate one seriously splattered on the highway, that's all you've got. But it's entirely up to you to decline the services of the first-responder and wait for one that has negotiated a more acceptable 'commission' with the same hospital. If your scruples afford you a bit longer before you bleed-out, well done indeed!

 

Oh yes, and the body snatchers in their souped up, racing pickups are not a recent addition and were here before farangs were bloody invented.

Actually hospitals do have ambulances and do attend to accidents ifvictim has the money or insurance if victim or relatives call the hospital instead of free service 

[SAFETY FIRST]

5 hours ago, Father Fintan Stack said:

You must have missed the recent article where only abou 10% of fines are ever paid.

 

The Thais ignore them because?

 

Correct, there's no enforcement.

they do have enforcement.

 

you cannot renew your vehicle registration (tax & CTP).

 

This is a good way to force these lawbreakers to pay up.

[wilcopops]

3 hours ago, NanLaew said:

I have been kicking the can around Thailand's highways and byways for a tad over 40 years and it is a WHOLE LOT different now from back then when insurance was unknown (why pay for something that may never happen?) and the cops did find EVERY foreigner to be guilty regardless of what the brain-dead law local breaker in the other car did. The biggest changes over the past 3 to 5 years coincide with the roll out of cctv, the progressive linkage between paying fines and being able to pay road tax and traffic stops where you cannot bung the single cop a few reddies. Yes, there's still a slew of locals who don't have a driving license or a clue but their numbers are dwindling and pretty soon may be surpassed by the amount of foreign driving experts without a driving license or a clue.

 

The changes in the law mentioned in the OP are the first in almost as long as I have been flaunting them here! If you hang around here long enough, you will reap the benefits of these incremental but undeniably faster evolving changes. You may even get to post something positive about them as well but somehow I doubt you will.

I'v been "kicking the can" for 20 years and have covered 500,000 km...........I also understand road safety and these single issue isolated efforts have little or no real effect - the biggest change in Thai traffic is the sheer amount of it and the authorities neither design for it nor cope with it hence the constant increases in the road death ratios. A fixation on Bad drivers" - is basically their first mistake - there are no more bad drivers in Thailand than any other country - what Thailand fails to do is stop the idiots from being idiots and a points system that is non-functional which deals with matter AFTER they occur has only one merit and that is deterrent but as it won't work it isn't a very good deterrent.

[SAFETY FIRST]

14 minutes ago, wilcopops said:

the biggest change in Thai traffic is the sheer amount of it and the authorities neither design for it nor cope with it

you hit the nail on the head.

 

Imagine the roads that are FREE of the unlicensed, unregistered, untaxed, uninsured vehicles on our roads.

It would be BLISS, free of congestion, blockages and annoying drivers/riders.

 

Next time your out and about on the roads, just take a minute and see how many vehicles that are all the above.

they're easy to spot - no tax label, unroadworthy, noisy, panels hanging off - rusted etc.

[Torrens54]

On 2/23/2019 at 10:34 AM, phuketrichard said:

funny,  as i recall growing up in America, you started with zero points, get 12 and ur license was suspended, LOL

 

Lost my license a few times for  spinning wheels and drag racing

 

This is a DEMERIT Based system similar to what happens in Australia.

They obviously need to urgently figure out what to do about Foreign Visitors.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[wilcopops]

7 hours ago, SAFETY FIRST said:

you hit the nail on the head.

 

Imagine the roads that are FREE of the unlicensed, unregistered, untaxed, uninsured vehicles on our roads.

It would be BLISS, free of congestion, blockages and annoying drivers/riders.

 

Next time your out and about on the roads, just take a minute and see how many vehicles that are all the above.

they're easy to spot - no tax label, unroadworthy, noisy, panels hanging off - rusted etc.

Personal observation is pointless and yours totally ignores the volume of traffic caused by NEW vehicles both 2 and 4 wheeled.

The new legislation addresses only offences already committed so road safety has already been compromised at this point.

To have any effect it has to work as a deterrant but given the unpreparedness of police and infrastructure, this is unlikely ... therefore just another single issue idea doome to an ignominious fate of being sweot under the kreng jai carpet.

[stanleycoin]

9 hours ago, Torrens54 said:

This is a DEMERIT Based system similar to what happens in Australia.

They obviously need to urgently figure out what to do about Foreign Visitors.

 

They have made it very clear on that front.

Get as much money out there pocket, ASAP and get out ASAP, you Foreigner scum,  you make Thailand look no good. 

 

 

 

[essox essox]

On 2/23/2019 at 10:15 AM, KittenKong said:

Only one point deducted for going through a red light? Seems ridiculously lenient to me.

the difficulty is catching such a person.....I believe that there are NO cameras at lights could be wrong !!!

[dallen52]

On 2/24/2019 at 1:52 AM, sead said:

So I can drive through red light 12 times

Just drive down Beach road Pattaya,  and ignore every light and crossing (taxis do anyway.. exemption money) and that's your 12 points done...  ????????????

[bluesofa]

1 minute ago, dallen52 said:

Just drive down Beach road Pattaya,  and ignore every light and crossing (taxis do anyway.. exemption money) and that's your 12 points done...  ????????????

Is this going to become the newest craze in Thailand: In how many minutes can you manage to lose all 12 points on your licence?

 

[dallen52]

1 hour ago, essox essox said:

the difficulty is catching such a person.....I believe that there are NO cameras at lights could be wrong !!!

Not yet..

I don't think this backwater has woken up to the cash cow red light cameras are. 

 

Money for jam.

Don't even need a person to be there.

[dallen52]

Just now, Father Fintan Stack said:

Only if Thais pay the fines, which they don't / won't.

It was suggested that 800,000 unpaid fines are current in the LOS.

It would not surprise me...

[dallen52]

2 hours ago, Father Fintan Stack said:

Fines are not a deterrent as we can plainly see. 

 

There's also another issue where many cannot afford the 500thb fine and continue to break the law anyway.

 

The people have to fear the punishment and thus think hard about the consequences of their actions.

 

It should go something like this:

 

Caught speeding > Fine for offence /deduction of points from license > final notice for non-payment > License revoked > Caught driving with no license > Arrest > Lengthy driving ban > Caught driving again > Arrest > Lifetime ban > Caught driving again > Arrest > Court > Imprisonment. 

 

In the case of fines being paid before a driving ban then the license is returned. 

 

But we know that will never happen.

 

They will just ramp up the fines and ignore the letters as is the case now.

 

 

Time to bring in the Sheriff's. 

Works well overseas. 

Impound and seizing goods to the value of the fines.

 

 

[wilcopops]

This system is meant to be a DETERRENT ... well it isn't so it won't work ... end of.

[wilcopops]

16 hours ago, Father Fintan Stack said:

Fines are not a deterrent as we can plainly see. 

 

There's also another issue where many cannot afford the 500thb fine and continue to break the law anyway.

 

The people have to fear the punishment and thus think hard about the consequences of their actions.

 

It should go something like this:

 

Caught speeding > Fine for offence /deduction of points from license > final notice for non-payment > License revoked > Caught driving with no license > Arrest > Lengthy driving ban > Caught driving again > Arrest > Lifetime ban > Caught driving again > Arrest > Court > Imprisonment. 

 

In the case of fines being paid before a driving ban then the license is returned. 

 

But we know that will never happen.

 

They will just ramp up the fines and ignore the letters as is the case now.

 

 

This is a pointless as the original idea here....it does not take into account the reality of the road environment here in Thailand.

 

Putting forward single issue ways of dealing with a huge national disgrace is ignoring the complexity of a problem that has been ignored by successive Thai governments for decades and grown into an almost unsolvable mess. 

Single issues will NEVER solve this problem which requires a major national and holistic overhaul.