Obey the traffic laws and we’ll get you dinner, police tell motorists

In a move that is bound to create laughs – if not ridicule – the metropolitan police chief has said that drivers who follow the traffic laws at New Year will be rewarded with some free rice.

Wear a helmet, do up your seatbelt, leave the phone off – any of these actions could result in a box of 300 grams of tasty Thai rice courtesy of the met, reports Daily News.

Chief Sanit Mahathavorn said that the force was supporting farmers by buying the rice and passing it on to good motorists. They have shelled out for 100 kilos of rice for 88 police stations, he said, and maids were busy divvying it up so officers are ready with the packs this week.

The great rice handout is one of four innovative projects. Another is a fine “amnesty”. Anyone who has had a fine and lost their license this year can go and pay it for the bargain basement fee of 100 baht flat rate. It is not for serious offences but for infractions like having faulty equipment, no helmet, using phones and the like.

In this way you can get your license back for the New Year for just 100 baht.

The met are also setting up 14 stations where people can get their vehicles checked and have a new tech project called “Police I lert U” for quicker reporting of traffic bottlenecks and accidents.

Sanit stressed that offences like drunk driving are serious and will be dealt with as such.

Thai Visa / Daily News

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