Traffic violators have been given time until Jan 15 to pay a flat-rate fine of 100 baht for all minor traffic offences committed in Bangkok as a "New Year gift" offered by the acting Metropolitan Police Bureau chief.
Pol Lt Gen Sanit Mahathaworn said on Tuesday evening the idea to offer discounts on the normal fine as a New Year's gift to the people was originally implemented by Lam Phak Chi police station in Nong Chok district, which began on Dec 15 and would end on Jan 15.
He thought the project was good public relations and moved to extend it to cover traffic lawbreakers across the capital. Metropolitan Police divisions 1-9, the Traffic Police Division and all 88 police stations in the city had been ordered to implement this policy.
Pol Lt Gen Sanit said people who were given tickets with a fine not over 500 baht and had their driving licences seized by police between Dec 21 and Jan 15 could pay 100 baht at the police station where issued the ticket to reclaim their document.
The discount was applied only for minor traffic violations that did not pose danger or cause traffic problems to the public such as driving without a licence, not wearing a crash hemet or failure to fasten a seat belt.
Pol Lt Gen Sanit said some legal experts had expressed concerns that the campaign may encourage people to pay less respect for the law and breach traffic regulations continuously.
He affirmed, however, police were fully enforcing the law against anyone found to have committed serious traffic offences and caused distress to the general public.