The Royal Thai Police plan to early next year launch a driving licence points system, a form of electronic traffic ticketing aimed at improving driving discipline and curbing road accidents, after having already raised punishments for traffic violations.
From Jan 9, every driving licence holder will be given 12 points, which will be reduced if they are caught violating traffic rules, said Pol Maj Gen Ekkarat Limsangkat, chief of the Highway Police Division.
Breaking the speed limit, failing to stop for pedestrians at zebra crossings, eschewing a safety helmet, not fastening a seat belt, and speaking on the phone while driving are examples of misconduct that can lead to a one-point deduction, he said.
Running red lights or intentionally driving in the wrong direction -- for example on one-way streets -- will cause two points to be deducted, while illegal racing on a public street will lead to three points being cut, he said.
The maximum penalty of four points is tied to serious violations such as drink driving, he added.
A loss of all 12 points will result in the driver having their licence suspended for 90 days, he said, adding the deducted points will be restored 12 months from the time they are removed.
More details can be found at https://ptm.police.go.th/eTicket or via the government e-wallet application called Pao Tang, Pol Maj Gen Ekkarat said.
Prior to the launch of the new electronic ticketing system, a new regulation resulting in an automatic 90-day suspension of driving licence took effect on July 13.
Such suspensions will apply for violations that pose a serious risk of danger to the public, or when violators attempt to flee after causing damage to others or public property during a road accident, he said.
Driving without a licence, meanwhile, could lead to a three-month jail term and a maximum fine of 10,000 baht, he said.
The prison term for repeat offenders caught driving under the influence, for example, has been increased to two years, with the fine raised from 50,000 baht to 100,000 baht, he said.