Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha late last week invoked his special powers under Section 44 to suppress illegal street racing — a move that would have been unnecessary if police had done their job of enforcing the laws.
Illegal and reckless street racing is dangerous for participants and onlookers, and most important, for innocent motorists and bystanders. Death, injury and damage to property is the net result — more so when alcohol is involved.
However, we already have laws to control street racing, but for years the problem has continued, subsiding and re-emerging depending on police action or inaction.
But in late May, the Prayut government put illegal racing high on its agenda after the mass arrest of more than 400 motorcycle racers on Ratchaphruek Road in Thon Buri district. It was believed to be the country’s biggest street racing bust.
It’s sad and unfortunate that such powers need to be used when there are a number of laws readily available to punish the illegal drivers such as the penalty of revocation of their drivers’ licence.
Drivers are subject to more serious charges if illegal racing on public streets causes injury or death. This is not to mention the more severe penalty when drivers are under the influence of alcohol.
Prime Ministers Prayut’s use of Section 44 to tackle illegal street racing reflects authorities’ failure to enforce the relevant laws and regulations aimed at curbing dangerous driving.
While there will be those who say “it’s about time” and support the use of Section 44 to deal with the issue, questions remain regarding some aspects of the section’s implementation. For example, harsh penalties will be levied on shop owners who modify motorcycles involved in street racing.
These shops will be regarded as having assisted illegal road activities. The question is how can authorities prove that the modification of motorcycles always leads to illegal street racing?
The government hopes that harsher penalties on parents, whose children repeatedly take part in street racing, would deter teenagers from participating in this illegal activity.
Under the law, parents will also be subject to three months in jail and/or a fine up to 30,000 baht. But the fact is that many parents don’t have time to spend with their children because they are under pressure and preoccupied with the need to earn a living.
Without parental guidance, there will be teenagers who seek thrills or will be involved in risky behaviour.
Without proper parental guidance these teenagers could become involved in drug use, unprotected sexual activity or dangerous driving, most of which can be put down to peer pressure and a desire to fit in.
In an urban environment, many teenagers do not have their parents around and some choose to take part in illegal racing.
With inadequate facilities available for them to nurture their passion for speed, they choose illegal racing as a way of expressing their identity.
Harsher measures against parents, therefore, will not solve the problem at its core. Greater understanding and effort is needed to tackle the social issues and factors prompting illegal racing.
But at the same time, the government should ensure that police do their jobs. Police should enforce the law in a fair manner. Harsher penalties do not necessarily ensure fair and just implementation of the law.
As long as doubts remain about the fairness of law enforcement, harsher penalties could lead to further abuse.
Cut to free transport a miserly move
The decision to end free bus and train fares for the elderly and disabled is
penny-pinching at its meanest. While the economy is in a poor state, Transport Minister Prajin Juntong’s decision to charge some of society’s most vulnerable people, saving about 200 million baht, smacks of desperation.
An argument could be made that the free fares were only ever meant to be temporary, and it was about time the scheme ended. The government could equally claim they have taken a tough and unpopular decision for the wider social good. This is, after all, a government which does not have to worry about being elected and has repeatedly reminded us populism is a thing of the past.
Yet there is no doubt the decision will only hurt those in society who need the most support.
Since government support for the elderly and disabled amounts to a pittance, and the country’s infrastructure from pavements to skytrain networks fails to take their needs into account, it hardly counts as generous to allow them free passage on the country’s ageing bus and train networks.
The estimated savings, which annually would amount to 0.55% of what the military planned to spend on its postponed submarines, are hardly worth the harm.
It is true the economy has seen better days and the government’s coffers are running low, but surely these savings could have been found elsewhere.