Police are pushing for a drivers' licence points system in their latest effort to improve the standards of driving and promote road safety.
The proposed amendment to the road traffic law was unveiled Friday following a meeting of the national committee on the prevention of road accidents chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwon.
Pol Maj Gen Ekkarak Limsangkat, commander of Special Branch Police 3, said the amendment draft has been examined by the Council for State and is to be forwarded to the cabinet for consideration.
Under the points system, motorists committing traffic offences will have points deducted and be suspended from driving for a certain period when the points are used up.
The suspension period will be longer for motorists who continue to commit traffic offences. They will eventually lose their right to drive if their records fail to improve, Pol Maj Gen Ekkarak said.
Motorists will have 12 points each when the system is put into operation. A system will be developed to update police on how many points a driver has or has lost at any given time.
One point is deducted for offences such as not wearing seat belts or crash helmets. Two points are deducted for running a red light or driving in the wrong direction, while three points are deducted for driving under the influence of alcohol or narcotics and hit-and-run.
The points deducted will be reinstated after a period of 12 months.
"We believe this measure will help promote traffic discipline which is key to cutting accidents and death tolls and injuries," he said.
Pol Maj Gen Ekkarak said traffic violators who fail to pay fines will see their points deducted further. For example, a speeding offence sees one point deducted. However, the offender will have an extra point deducted if they fail to pay the fine.
"Under the draft amendment, there is no need to seize people's driving licences," he said.
Meanwhile, a social advocacy network led by Kreaumat Srijan Friday urged the Royal Thai Police to roll out measures to prevent casualties due to alcohol consumption during the Songkran holiday in the middle of next month.