April eyed for launch of driving licence points-deduction system
Thailand’s delayed points-deduction system for driving licences should finally be launched in April, said the Department of Land Transport (DLT) on Tuesday.
Drivers will start with 100 points on their licence, with deductions varying from 5 points to 35 points according to the seriousness of the traffic offence.
The licence will be suspended when points fall to 50 or below. Drivers must then undergo 2-5 hours of training per offence to restore their points and revalidate their licences.
However, the new system has sparked concern that driver-training facilities will be overwhelmed by demand from drivers who have had their licence suspended.
A 12-point demerit system was hailed as a potential cure for Thailand’s road carnage ahead of its original launch date in December 2019, but has been shelved for more than a year.
The new 100-point system is scheduled for launch on April 1.
However, transport operators have asked the DLT to postpone the measure for another year, so they can prepare and also recover from the impact of Covid-19 on goods traffic and passenger numbers.
DLT director-general Chirute Visalachitra said a meeting had been held to clarify the new driving points system for bus and truck operators.
After gathering public opinion, DLT expects to run driver-training courses from April 1 onward.