Police target teenagers on motorbikes
PHUKET: Police have launched a crackdown on traffic offenses, with particular focus on teenagers on motorbikes, Pol Col Kokiat Wongvorachart, Deputy Commander of the Provincial Police has announced.
During the crackdown, which is part of a national road safety campaign that will continue until December 31, police expect to make safety and ownership checks on more than 200,000 vehicles in Phuket in the first two months.
“All police stations in Phuket have already begun setting up safety inspection checkpoints and will continue to man them for at least two months. We expect to check 106,200 vehicles a month – that’s [a total of] 43% of the cars and motorbikes registered in Phuket,” Col Kokiat said.
He added that officers will be on the lookout for teenagers on stolen motorbikes, especially the popular Honda Wave model. “Most motorbike thieves in Phuket steal for parts to add to their own bike, or to sell to motorbike shops. They then dump the rest in tin mines,” he said.
If any child under 15 is caught riding a motorbike, officers will fine the owner of the bike for allowing a minor to drive it.
As for cars, Col Kokiat said, “Not many cars are stolen in Phuket. Some cases need deeper investigation because people sometimes report their cars as stolen just to claim the insurance. But it is very difficult to steal cars in Phuket because there is only one way out of the province, through the Tah Chat Chai checkpoint.”
He added that the success of the campaign will be assessed after September 30 in terms of the number of people charged and the number of accidents in Phuk
