Thai drivers ignoring 11million traffic tickets

With drivers in Thailand currently ignoring more than 11 million traffic tickets, police are hastening efforts to link their online database with the Land Transport Department’s vehicle registration system.

Pol Lt Gen Kraiboon Suadsong, head of a police committee in charge of solving traffic snarls in Metropolitan Bangkok, said 13,515,036 traffic tickets had been issued this year as of October 7 and recorded in the Royal Thai Police Ticket Management System.

But only 2,338,968 of the drivers ticketed had paid their fines, leaving the rest – 83 per cent – in violation of the law.

Of the 13.5 million tickets, 2.31 million were issued on the spot, while the rest were mailed to drivers caught on camera violating traffic laws.

Kraiboon said no fines had been remitted for 1.33 million tickets issued on the spot and 9.838 million tickets mailed out.

Kraiboon said he had instructed the IT team of the Royal Thai Police to work out with the Land Transport Department to link the PTM and vehicle registration systems.

Motorists who do not pay their fines would be unable to renew their vehicle registration annually as required.

Copyright: The Nation/ Asia News Network