Starting September 20 - police cannot confiscate driving licenses

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Gaybutton
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Starting September 20 - police cannot confiscate driving licenses

Post by Gaybutton »

New Thai law starts September 20th in which police cannot confiscate your drivers license

By: Adam Judd

August 21, 2019

From September 20, a driver stopped for a traffic violation under Thailand’s new Land Traffic Act can no longer be asked to surrender his or her licence to the police.

However, the new law stipulates that drivers must carry a driving licence, a photocopy of the licence, or electronic information about the licence at all times and be able to show it to the police on request.

Thai PBS World reports that traffic police will still have the authority to hand out on-the-spot fines and when the driver is not present, such as in the case of illegal parking, a ticket may be left on the vehicle or posted to the registered address of the owner, along with evidence of the traffic violation.

https://thepattayanews.com/2019/08/21/n ... s-license/
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NOTE: The DLT QR app will work only if your driving license has a QR code. Older licenses don't have a QR code.
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Digital Driver’s Licenses Legal From September 20

By: Tappanai Boonbandit, Staff Reporter

August 21, 2019

BANGKOK — Drivers and motorcyclists will be allowed to pluck out their phones and show cops a digital driver’s license starting Sept. 20.

Physical licenses can be replaced with a digital copy when amendments to the Road Traffic Act become effective on Sept. 20, according to an internal police memo dated Aug. 19.

Valid replacements include digital licenses that can be obtained through the free DLT QR application, or physical photocopies. Police won’t recognize photos of licenses taken from a phone or camera though.

The police memo clarified earlier disagreements between police and transport officials over the validity of digital driver’s licenses.

On top of digitalization, the new law no longer allows cops to confiscate driver’s licenses when issuing traffic tickets, except when they believe the driver poses a danger to the public. It also allows traffic police to mail traffic tickets to offenders in the event that a ticket cannot be attached to a vehicle.

http://www.khaosodenglish.com/news/2019 ... from-sept/
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Re: Starting September 20 - police cannot confiscate driving licenses

Post by Dodger »

Gee...I can't recall this ever once happening to me.

They routinely confiscate money at those cash-in-carry roadblocks they set up, but a drivers license is really of very little value to them.
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Re: Starting September 20 - police cannot confiscate driving licenses

Post by Gaybutton »

Dodger wrote: Fri Aug 23, 2019 12:40 pm Gee...I can't recall this ever once happening to me.
It did happen to me once. Just my luck - the cop was honest. Instead of accepting money, he confiscated the driving license and made me go to pay the fine at the Pattaya police station. A total zoo. The place was mobbed with people waiting to pay their fines. I would have had to wait for hours, pay the fine, and then go back with the receipt to get my license back from the cop - if he would even have still been there.

Instead I went early the next morning. I was first in line. I paid the fine and apparently the cop turned in my license when he went off duty. The police station had it and returned it to me.
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Re: Starting September 20 - police cannot confiscate driving licenses

Post by Bangkokian »

I wonder if anyone has told the police.
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Re: Starting September 20 - police cannot confiscate driving licenses

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Bangkokian wrote: Fri Aug 23, 2019 3:17 pm I wonder if anyone has told the police.
I'm not sure that even matters. Any time I've driven my entire life, I always have my driving license with me. I see no reason to change that now. The only reason I would ever use that app would be if I somehow lose the license and need to show a driving license before I can replace the original.

Besides, in my own case I won't be able to use the app for another two years. That's when I'll have to renew my driving license. My current license is the old type that does not have a QR code.
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