Motorists who refuse to pay their traffic fines could face arrest under the latest measure ordered by the Royal Thai Police (RTP).
Under the new measure, which takes immediate effect, motorists who fail to settle their fines before the deadline will receive a warning.
If they continue to avoid paying the fines, an arrest warrant will be issued, according to Pol Maj Gen Jirasan Kaewsaeng-ek, deputy commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Bureau (MPB).
The measure was launched after many motorists were found to have failed to pay their outstanding fines and carried on violating traffic rules. As such, Pol Maj Gen Jirasan said, the MPB decided to take a tough stand.
The measure, he added, would compel motorists to be more disciplined drivers and also help improve road safety.
Explaining the details of the new measure, Pol Maj Gen Jirasan said after motorists are issued a traffic violation ticket, either on the spot or by mail, they are given a specific period of time to pay the fine.
If the motorists fail to pay the fine before the deadline, the police would mail them a written warning within 15 days of the deadline.
The motorists are then given another 15 days to pay the fine. They have the option of paying electronically via the Krungthai Bank, through counter services at convenience stores, by mail or at police stations nationwide.
Failure to settle the fine after the warning would result in the motorists being served with up to two summonses by police.
If the motorists do not respond to the two summonses, the police will ask a court to issue an arrest warrant, the deputy commissioner said.
The motorists will be charged with avoiding fines, which is punishable by fines of up to 1,000 baht.
Pol Maj Gen Jirasan said that once an arrest warrant is issued, the motorists are subject to arrest anywhere in the kingdom. If they are travelling out of the country, the police can apprehend them at the airport.
The offence will be listed in their criminal record, which could hurt their credit score and employment prospects.
It would also make it harder for them to carry out certain legal transactions, the deputy commissioner said.
Motorists can check for any outstanding fines by accessing .