See on the Thai news about not being allowed to use phones in cars, wonder if it also applies to motorsai? Must be more dangerous riding one handed with a phone stuck to the ear.
If it is policed with as much vigour as wearing helmets or no smoking in bars and restaurants it will be wonderful, right?
phones in cars
Applies to motorbikes as well. There were a number of people (hundred odd) stopped in BKK yesterday for breaking the law and quite a few were stationary at a red traffic light. So, obviously you're breaking the law if using a mobile whilst in control of a motor vehicle. You don't have to be moving:
CELLPHONE USE BAN
115 drivers caught on first day
Metropolitan Police yesterday stopped 115 motorists in Bangkok for violating the ban on using mobile phones while driving, in the first nine hours after it took effect. Traffic police spotted most violators waiting in their vehicles at red lights.
All admitted they were guilty, said Pol Maj-Gen Panu Kerdlarbpol, deputy Metropolitan Police chief in charge of traffic affairs.
Pol Maj-Gen Panu said traffic police from 88 police stations around Bangkok monitored motorists between 5am and 3pm yesterday, and found 115 people who violated the ban.
Pol Maj-Gen Panu said the number of offenders was highest in the jurisdiction of Metropolitan Police Division 1, which supervises Government House, parliament, Ratchadamnoen avenue, Sam Sen, Phaya Thai, and Huai Khwang.
Traffic police from the division stopped 44 violators, followed by 23 in Division 5 (Lumpini, Thong Lor and Bang Na), and 17 in Division 4 (Hua Mak, Lat Phrao and Chokechai). The officers did not issue tickets to offenders but only warned them about the ban.
Traffic police at the Klong Toey intersection also spotted the driver of a six-wheeled truck talking on his mobile phone without using a hands-free device, on footage from a closed-circuit camera. He will get a warning letter, and a copy of his picture from the footage.
Metropolitan Police will begin fining motorists violating the mobile phone ban from May 20 onwards.
Meanwhile, city traffic police yesterday admitted that despite being equipped with digital still and video cameras, they were unable to get pictures of many drivers who had violated the ban.
Pol Lt-Col Sarayut Junnawat, deputy traffic superintendent of Tha Rua police station, said his station used video cameras but was still trying to find the best spots for capturing clear footage of drivers found breaching the ban.
Pol Lt-Col Pitipong Butpiam, deputy traffic superintendent of Chokchai police station, said that even with 50 cameras his staff could not take any clear still photos of drivers violating the ban because most vehicles were running at high speeds while the drivers were chatting on the phone.
Bangkok Post 9th May 2008.
CELLPHONE USE BAN
115 drivers caught on first day
Metropolitan Police yesterday stopped 115 motorists in Bangkok for violating the ban on using mobile phones while driving, in the first nine hours after it took effect. Traffic police spotted most violators waiting in their vehicles at red lights.
All admitted they were guilty, said Pol Maj-Gen Panu Kerdlarbpol, deputy Metropolitan Police chief in charge of traffic affairs.
Pol Maj-Gen Panu said traffic police from 88 police stations around Bangkok monitored motorists between 5am and 3pm yesterday, and found 115 people who violated the ban.
Pol Maj-Gen Panu said the number of offenders was highest in the jurisdiction of Metropolitan Police Division 1, which supervises Government House, parliament, Ratchadamnoen avenue, Sam Sen, Phaya Thai, and Huai Khwang.
Traffic police from the division stopped 44 violators, followed by 23 in Division 5 (Lumpini, Thong Lor and Bang Na), and 17 in Division 4 (Hua Mak, Lat Phrao and Chokechai). The officers did not issue tickets to offenders but only warned them about the ban.
Traffic police at the Klong Toey intersection also spotted the driver of a six-wheeled truck talking on his mobile phone without using a hands-free device, on footage from a closed-circuit camera. He will get a warning letter, and a copy of his picture from the footage.
Metropolitan Police will begin fining motorists violating the mobile phone ban from May 20 onwards.
Meanwhile, city traffic police yesterday admitted that despite being equipped with digital still and video cameras, they were unable to get pictures of many drivers who had violated the ban.
Pol Lt-Col Sarayut Junnawat, deputy traffic superintendent of Tha Rua police station, said his station used video cameras but was still trying to find the best spots for capturing clear footage of drivers found breaching the ban.
Pol Lt-Col Pitipong Butpiam, deputy traffic superintendent of Chokchai police station, said that even with 50 cameras his staff could not take any clear still photos of drivers violating the ban because most vehicles were running at high speeds while the drivers were chatting on the phone.
Bangkok Post 9th May 2008.
If you were cynical you might consider that they might have erased the image for a contribution to their welfare fund.Meanwhile, city traffic police yesterday admitted that despite being equipped with digital still and video cameras, they were unable to get pictures of many drivers who had violated the ban.
I, for one, applaud the fact that they're actually beginning to clamp down on mobile phone usage while driving. It annoys me to see people slow down and start to weave all over the road.
When I first started driving here in Bangkok almost fifteen years ago, there were no such laws, but I still found it difficult to talk while driving, so when I saw a hand-free speakerphone kit for the Nokia 'brick' I had it installed. It worked great for years. When I changed phones I got the earpiece attachment that still left your hands free.
Maybe it's not so bad if you have an automatic, but I still get annoyed when I see someone holding a phone to his or her (usually her) ear and driving.
Right.
Rant over.
Time for a beer.
When I first started driving here in Bangkok almost fifteen years ago, there were no such laws, but I still found it difficult to talk while driving, so when I saw a hand-free speakerphone kit for the Nokia 'brick' I had it installed. It worked great for years. When I changed phones I got the earpiece attachment that still left your hands free.
Maybe it's not so bad if you have an automatic, but I still get annoyed when I see someone holding a phone to his or her (usually her) ear and driving.
Right.
Rant over.
Time for a beer.
วินเชนท์
I also applaud the ban having had a bike with 4 people on it (2 using phones) slam into the side of a car in which I was a passenger recently .Cheeky gits wanted money of course,despite it clearly being their fault,as did the waste of oxygen policeman they involved .No luck for them on both counts .Thankfully nobody hurt badly .
It also gives me an excuse not to have to turn down the stereo and put down my beer and cigarette whilst driving .
Crazy 88
It also gives me an excuse not to have to turn down the stereo and put down my beer and cigarette whilst driving .
Crazy 88
About time this was controlled a bit. Saftey education is all but absent here. Maybe just that apathy rules when it comes to these sort of things, abstract thought is required, can't have that!
Sorry, clicked the submit button twice in short succession.
Sorry, clicked the submit button twice in short succession.
Last edited by Spitfire on Sun May 11, 2008 11:10 pm, edited 1 time in total.
It will go the helmet route soon if not already
Going into town then don helmet. If leaving town remove helmet
As an aside what is the ruling in BK if you are wearing a turban?
On the mobile front surely an earpiece receiver is almost undectable
Going into town then don helmet. If leaving town remove helmet
As an aside what is the ruling in BK if you are wearing a turban?
On the mobile front surely an earpiece receiver is almost undectable
RICHARD OF LOXLEY
It’s none of my business what people say and think of me. I am what I am and do what I do. I expect nothing and accept everything. It makes life so much easier.
It’s none of my business what people say and think of me. I am what I am and do what I do. I expect nothing and accept everything. It makes life so much easier.
BarryS, you can get a bluetooth headset for the Nokia, about 500 baht or so.
Richard, the earpiece is an acceptable form of hands-free device, and probably one of the cheapest. The problem with that was that I almost always pulled the earpieces out by turning my head while driving that I finally got a (non-bluetooth) wired hands-free that works through the existing car speakers installed in the car.
I'm wondering when they'll finally see fit to ban those LCD TVs that reside on the front dashboard of many cars I've seen...
Richard, the earpiece is an acceptable form of hands-free device, and probably one of the cheapest. The problem with that was that I almost always pulled the earpieces out by turning my head while driving that I finally got a (non-bluetooth) wired hands-free that works through the existing car speakers installed in the car.
I'm wondering when they'll finally see fit to ban those LCD TVs that reside on the front dashboard of many cars I've seen...
วินเชนท์
I driven many miles using handfree in the UK
The only problem islack of concentration
I missed my turnoff on the M4 several times because I was on the phone
The only problem islack of concentration
I missed my turnoff on the M4 several times because I was on the phone
RICHARD OF LOXLEY
It’s none of my business what people say and think of me. I am what I am and do what I do. I expect nothing and accept everything. It makes life so much easier.
It’s none of my business what people say and think of me. I am what I am and do what I do. I expect nothing and accept everything. It makes life so much easier.
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barrys
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Hi VincentD,
Thanks for that - but I already have the Bluetooth earpiece and it drives me mad having that on all the time.
I'd much prefer your other option of the wired hands-free system through the existing speakers and a microphone fitted to the door column like I used to have in Germany years ago.
Any idea where I can get one here, anybody, please?
Thanks for that - but I already have the Bluetooth earpiece and it drives me mad having that on all the time.
I'd much prefer your other option of the wired hands-free system through the existing speakers and a microphone fitted to the door column like I used to have in Germany years ago.
Any idea where I can get one here, anybody, please?