New traffic law to empower police to suspend car use

The Royal Thai Police has proposed an amendment to the land traffic law to empower traffic police to suspend the use of the vehicle in case of traffic offence and traffic ticket is issued but is ignored and left unpaid.

This was revealed by Pol Lt-Gen Prawuthi Thavornsiri, spokesperson of the Royal Thai Police.

He said the amendment to the traffic law has already been put forward to the National Legislative Assembly for consideration.

Once it is approved and comes into force, the law would help enhance discipline of motorists, reduce arguments between motorists and traffic police, and address traffic problems.

He said at present there are 400-500 hot spots in Bangkok where motorists regularly break traffic rules including riding motorbike crossing flyovers which is not allowed, and parking at restricted areas.

In case of these violations and traffic tickets are issued, the amended law allows traffic police to suspend the use of a vehicle if motorist repeats the same offence within one year or fails to pay traffic ticket.

The spokesman said under the amended version of the traffic law, traffic police will have three channels to send a ticket to a motorist for a traffic offence.

Police can attach the ticket on the vehicle, hand it over to the law offender right on the spot, or send it via mail service.

He said in the ticket, it will state a timeframe for which the motorist or car owner is required to pay the fine.

If violator fails to pay the ticket within the timeframe, police will be able to suspend the use of the vehicle.

The owner of the vehicle then will not be able to renew the annual car registration at the Land Transport Department and use of vehicle beb suspended until traffic ticket is paid, he said.

Payment of the tickets could be made at convenient store or other channels to be determined by the police chief, he said.

Thai PBS

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