The Royal Thai Police announced it plans to launch a driver’s license points system early next year, hoping to improve driver discipline and curb dangerous driving causing accidents.
The points system is set to function as a form of electronic traffic tickets. It reportedly responds to an increase in penalties for traffic violations.
Highway Police Division’s chief Pol Maj Gen Ekkarat Limsangkat said each license holder would receive 12 points from January 9 the following year. Drivers will lose one or two points each time they violate traffic regulations.
Infractions that can result in a one-point reduction include exceeding the legal speed limit, failing to stop for pedestrians at zebra crossings, forgoing a safety helmet, failing to secure a seat belt, and using a phone while driving.
Those who run red lights or drive in the wrong direction, such as on one-way streets, may lose two points. Unlawful racing on a public roadway will result in a three-point loss while the maximum penalty, a four-point cut, would punish severe violations like drunk driving, he said.
Any driver who misses 12 points will face a driver’s license suspension for at least 90 days. According to Pol Maj Gen Ekkarat, the deducted points will be restored one year after they are completely removed.
For more information, people can check https://ptm.police.go.th/
On July 13, shortly before the new electronic ticketing system was launched, a new regulation came into effect that punishes people with infractions that put the public at high risk with an automatic 90-day suspension of their driver’s license.
Under the new regulation, offenders can also face driver’s license suspension if they attempt to flee after causing damage to other people or public property after a traffic accident, Pol Maj Gen Ekkerat added.
Those who drive without a license can be punished with a three-month jail term and are subject to a 10,000-baht fine. Offenders caught driving under the influence can go to prison for up to two years or pay an increased fine from 50,000 to 100,000 baht.
