BANGKOK, THAILAND – A nationwide Nida survey found broad public support for Thailand’s tougher traffic penalties enforced since 1 April, but many respondents viewed the new speeding fine as excessive.
Survey shows backing for tougher rules
The National Institute of Development Administration (Nida) canvassed public opinion on newly tightened penalties for key traffic offences. The poll followed a decision by the police to enforce these sanctions from 1 April without additional warning notices.
Researchers conducted the telephone survey nationwide on 7 and 8 April, covering 1,310 people. Across many offences, approval for the stricter regime was clear, but attitudes towards penalties for speed were markedly more critical.
Reckless driving: strong approval for harsh penalties
For reckless driving, 74.66% of respondents supported a fine of 5,000 to 20,000 baht and/or up to one year in jail. A further 12.67% considered the new punishment too lenient, while 11.60% thought it too severe.
This indicated especially strong backing for high penalties in this area. The results also suggested that a significant portion of the public expected even stricter sanctions for reckless behaviour on the roads.
Drink-driving: broad support, many want tougher sanctions
In cases of driving under the influence of alcohol – also subject to a 5,000 to 20,000 baht fine and/or up to one year in prison – 70.38% backed the new penalty level. Another 20.38% viewed it as too mild and 8.86% as too harsh.
The figures showed that most people accepted the tougher approach to drink-driving. At the same time, about one in five respondents wanted even stronger consequences, while a smaller group remained doubtful about the severity of the punishment.
Seat belts and helmets: majority support with notable criticism
For failing to wear a seat belt, which carried a fine of up to 2,000 baht, 60.15% agreed with the penalty. However, 35.04% regarded the fine as too high and 4.66% said it should be higher.
When it came to not wearing a motorcycle helmet, also punishable by a fine of up to 2,000 baht, 55.57% called the sanction appropriate. In contrast, 38.70% considered it too harsh, and 5.50% said it was too low.
Both protective measures therefore remained in majority approval territory but with strikingly high levels of rejection. The responses on helmets in particular showed that many respondents viewed the sanction as disproportionate.
Crosswalks and wrong-way driving: support with reservations
Drivers who failed to stop for pedestrians at zebra crossings faced a fine of 4,000 baht. In the survey, 60.08% supported this amount, while 28.09% judged it too high and 11.68% too low.
For driving against the flow of traffic, which could be punished with a fine of up to 2,000 baht, 58.40% said the penalty was appropriate. Another 26.41% felt it was too low, and 14.96% thought it was too high.
Overall, the results pointed to fundamental support for tougher action against dangerous behaviour. At the same time, a notable minority in each case wanted penalties adjusted in the opposite direction, either upwards or downwards.
Licences, phones and red lights: accepted but often seen as too strict
For failing to present a driving licence, which could lead to a fine of up to 1,000 baht and possible jail time of up to one month, 58.24% expressed approval. However, 35.34% saw this sanction as too harsh and 5.89% as too mild.
Use of a phone without a hands-free system, punishable by a fine of up to 4,000 baht, won support from 55.11% of respondents. In this category, 34.73% felt the penalty was too severe, while 9.85% wanted it increased.
Running a red light, also subject to a fine of up to 4,000 baht, was considered appropriate by 54.28%. By contrast, 35.88% regarded the fine as too high and 9.69% preferred a higher penalty.
Taken together, these findings showed that a majority accepted the stricter line on documentation, phone use and traffic signals. Yet skepticism about the level of fines remained substantial across several offences.
Speeding: only offence where most say fine is too high
For exceeding the speed limit, which carried a fine of up to 4,000 baht, 54.43% of respondents said the amount was too high. Only 40.69% agreed with the penalty level, and 4.58% saw it as too low.
This made speeding the only offence in the survey where disapproval of the fine outweighed support. The results suggested that while stricter sanctions on the roads were broadly welcomed, measures targeting speed met with noticeably less acceptance among the public.
“Are the new penalties in Thailand, in your view, a necessary step towards greater road safety – or is enforcement too aggressive for certain offences?”
said Bangkok Post, inviting readers to share their opinions.
“Tell us in the comments which violations you believe should be punished most consistently, and where you would rather rely on education instead of penalties. What experiences have you personally had in Thai road traffic?”
said Bangkok Post, calling for feedback from road users.