News Forum - Patong tourists charged after driving unregistered electric scooters

[Alex]

Last info I had from a little over a year ago (from electric bike shop on Samui) was you can only register an electric vehicle if it's motor is over 500 watts and can travel at least 45 kph. It's been that way for years. Here's a quote from another Thai Forum from 2014 "Obviously the law says,that bikes below 45 km/h speed and below 50cc (or 500 W) cannot be registered" From what I know you still cannot register a 49cc gas powered bike.

I have a 350 watt motorbike (looks like a small Click, not a bicycle) that tops out at 35 kph. I have asked, it cannot be registered or get 'normal' bike insurance even though it has an actual VIN. There are many e-bikes (fat tire or mountain bike types) that blow past those numbers and are not bothered by the police. I've driven through police checks dozens of times and have never been stopped, I also wear a helmet. If the reporter on this story had bothered to ask they might have found out if there's been any changes to the laws. I'd bet the police didn't know the laws or used this as an excuse to get some careless bully farang off the sidewalks.

FYI - one electric motorbike builder, Deco Green Energy, out of Bangkok only says this.

[Grant]

Just to be sure most peoples comments here seem to have not read this story correctly?

These scooters they were arrested for riding are stand up push scooters ?

Most people here seem to think they were riding sit down scooters?

The point most people are making is where do you stop on registering a stand up scooter or a push bike?

The other sarcasm comments are taken as serious by most and we see jest where people are asking why haven’t they arrested non seat belt wearing pick up riders?

No helmets on Motorbikes?

Speeding Thai drivers?

That’s the point!

why are they arresting a stand up foreigner on a scooter?

[Wanderer]

5 hours ago, Mynemesis said:

 

Pity the BIB don’t take such an interest in motorbike ridden on the pavement, no front or rear number plate etc etc.

Or people who can't spell losing. 

Sorry, sometimes I just can't help myself. 

[Guest1]

6 hours ago, Thaiger said:

Four tourists in Patong were charged with using unregistered and untaxed vehicles after they drove electric scooters near a beach resort.

Oh wait, isn't that the punchline for selling 'em? "No need to register".

And will that be the same for electric skateboards, trikes, wheel chairs, now? 

But in case they are going after unregistered vehicles, can they get rid of all the Quads, from public roads and ways? They are, last I checked, not even registerable or taxable! Aside that the heavy usage of old motor oil, every day for the chain, is giving a lot chances of environmental trouble, sooner or later.

[Guest1]

5 hours ago, Lawyers_Guns_and_Money said:

If these tourists rented these scooters from a business, wouldn't the responsibility of registration and tax fall on the business? How would a tourist be expected to know that the registration and taxes were in good standing? This aspect seems to be missing from the article. Although it does mention that an expat opened a rental shop, it does not connect that fact to the incident.

The same story with the green plated car, isn't it? There is a big need of money, on Phuket! Perhaps they expect the tourist numbers to go down? And have to be creative, till then?

[Guest1]

5 hours ago, Tim_Melb said:

I think there is a difference between a mobility scooter/trike (mobility aid) and an electric scooter (electric powered motor vehicle). 

Oh ya, if that "mobility device" is only "doing" up to 6 kph, mobility speed, perhaps.

Just who would buy them, then? Not many, right?

Even "quicker" wheelchairs are mostly in need of insurance and registration. 

[Guest1]

5 hours ago, Johnmc17 said:

They have to be Russian as I was there last week and everyone was Russian bar me

So, it is ok then?

[KaptainRob]

Australia & NZ were plagued by these LIME scooters and a few competitors >

[Khunmark]

23 minutes ago, KaptainRob said:

Australia & NZ were plagued by these LIME scooters and a few competitors >

https://live-production.wcms.abc-cdn.net.au/fd02acec0a4b12f98ffddb66e1272a46?impolicy=wcms_crop_resize&cropH=1065&cropW=1600&xPos=0&yPos=0&width=862&height=575

Pretty sure I can see Flinders street station in the background there. E-Scooters are a great concept, and they are easy to carry on public transport. However, they are the natural enemy of the pedestrian. Until roads are designed with e-scooters in mind, it’s hard to see how they’ll gain a foothold in the transport market.

[King Cotton]

35 minutes ago, KaptainRob said:

Australia & NZ were plagued by these LIME scooters and a few competitors >

https://live-production.wcms.abc-cdn.net.au/fd02acec0a4b12f98ffddb66e1272a46?impolicy=wcms_crop_resize&cropH=1065&cropW=1600&xPos=0&yPos=0&width=862&height=575

Great legs !

[Tim_Melb]

1 hour ago, Guest1 said:

Oh ya, if that "mobility device" is only "doing" up to 6 kph, mobility speed, perhaps.

Just who would buy them, then? Not many, right?

Even "quicker" wheelchairs are mostly in need of insurance and registration. 

What has that got to do with anything? You are trying to start an argument over nothing. You need to have a look at your attitude problems. 

[Alavan]

7 hours ago, Tim_Melb said:

I am curious where they would draw the line on this. There are a lot of people buying electric push bikes these days and these razor type electric scooters, are they recreational or transport. Certainly in many countries the rule is based on top speed and as such most of these electric push bikes are required to be registered and insured but still most aren't until the owners get fined. 

Correct, in my country electric push bikes with a maximum speed assistance to 25 km/h are free, the e-bikes who go faster (normally up to 40 km/h, but some are changed and reach 70km/h and more) need a license and insurrance.

[Guest1]

24 minutes ago, Tim_Melb said:

What has that got to do with anything? You are trying to start an argument over nothing. You need to have a look at your attitude problems. 

You are entitled to your opinion, dude.

I just put some fact to your obviously no knowledge, what the "electric trikes", available here, and "mobility aid" vehicles you mentioned, is separating: THE SPEED. Or, therefore, registration, usually! Maybe even a license needed.

The "electric trikes" here, as far I had the chance to see them, let's say in Big c or other outlets, or like these in "Pattaya News"

https://www.pattayamail.com/news/pattaya-seniors-turning-to-electric-trikes-331830

would need everywhere a registration, imho.

Just in Thailand, it is a gray zone (as stated in the article). Or was one? If we accept that the people in Patong got charged b/c of no registration? And only additional b/c of reckless driving? (Which I think is the true reason, anyway. I have not seen any police man on the island even looking at a electric scooter or trike, if passing! And NONE has/had a plate or such!)

And just because you don't like the answer, that is not my "attitude problem"

[Tim_Melb]

14 minutes ago, Guest1 said:

You are entitled to your opinion, dude.

I just put some fact to your obviously no knowledge, what the "electric trikes", available here, and "mobility aid" vehicles you mentioned, is separating: THE SPEED. Or, therefore, registration, usually! Maybe even a license needed.

The "electric trikes" here, as far I had the chance to see them, let's say in Big c or other outlets, or like these in "Pattaya News"

https://www.pattayamail.com/news/pattaya-seniors-turning-to-electric-trikes-331830

would need everywhere a registration, imho.

Just in Thailand, it is a gray zone (as stated in the article). Or was one? If we accept that the people in Patong got charged b/c of no registration? And only additional b/c of reckless driving? (Which I think is the true reason, anyway. I have not seen any police man on the island even looking at a electric scooter or trike, if passing! And NONE has/had a plate or such!)

And just because you don't like the answer, that is not my "attitude problem"

Hahaha it's a Gray area is it? Try reading the article you quoted which actually spells out the legal status very clearly and it's very similar to what it is in most other countries. The issue is where the vehicles concerned are recreational vehicles not mobility aids. In the case of the trike shown there are very specific rules that are listed in the article where the limit is an engine size of 59cc or 500w anything more powerful must be registered and anything smaller must not be driven on a public highway (on the road). 

[Grumpish]

Registration and licencing should be the owner's problem, unless they were rented as specifically not for use on the road. However, escooters have proved to be a serious nuisance just about everywhere, they always seem to be in the hands of idiots that think that riding them dangerously is obligatory - so I can believe the reckless driving charge.

[Stonker]

11 hours ago, JED1 said:

A few years ago I bought an electric trike for my father. I was told at the time that it was not possible to register it, but it was okay to use it locally. I would be interested to know if it is now possible to register electric trikes/motorcycles/scooters etc. I've yet to see one wearing a registration number in Rayong.

If he's registered as disabled, yes, for his personal use only.

If not, no.

[Mynemesis]

5 hours ago, Wanderer said:

Or people who can't spell losing. 

Sorry, sometimes I just can't help myself. 

Ah, the dreaded Grammar Police. The most hated posters on any forum.

If you follow me you will get many more opportunities as I have my own personal dictionary with its own spellings. Did someone give you a nudge to post. 

[Stonker]

11 hours ago, Lawyers_Guns_and_Money said:

If these tourists rented these scooters from a business, wouldn't the responsibility of registration and tax fall on the business? How would a tourist be expected to know that the registration and taxes were in good standing? This aspect seems to be missing from the article. Although it does mention that an expat opened a rental shop, it does not connect that fact to the incident.

That aspect may be missing from the article because according to the original article "none of the riders were able to provide any documentation relating to the vehicles" which makes it highly unlikely they'd rented them - but let's not let that stop you trying to excuse these tourists' stupidity.

[JamesR]

11 hours ago, Grant said:

Scooters?

You mean thousands of unregistered Thais with no helmets no seat belts sitting in pickups and speeding is ok , but a scooter user is very dangerous!!

Especially a tourist with money  

I don't mind if these tourists on scooters ride them on the road putting themselves in danger as long as they don't ride up and down the pavements (sidewalks) spoiling things for the rest of us. 

[Stonker]

10 hours ago, HolyCowCm said:

So how far will these Thai police push the law on their spur of the money grab minute determination of vehicles? Technically a bicyle is also a vehicle, and I am wondering what is really officially covered as written into the law other than gasoline/petrol propelled vehicles. Or is it a piece of the law that states anything as transportation rented by a business is subject to be regsitered and taxed?

If these 4 foreigners were a real danger to the public or an extreme nuisance then that's how they should have been fined, but the article says that 3 of them were arrested and so this seems way over the top. So other than a danger and nuisance to society, in this case it probably is looking like a money grab as should only be the renters who are responsible if it is in fact a real law that covers scooters and or bicylcles, skateboards, or let's go more extreme to surf boards and then going more far fetched to what next, running shoes or old people walkers, or even the family buffalo? Did they also get hit for not wearing helmets? Now there is a good one to fine them for.

But again we are in a place to where if you have a dart board at your establishment then it has to be listed, licensed and paid for or you may be on the negative side of the law. 

The laws are readily available and simple - most are illegal, but as long as people use them relatively safely, which the vast majority do, the police turn a blind eye unless people drive them dangerously.

That's clearly what happened here - stupid tourists behaving badly.

[Stonker]

3 hours ago, Tim_Melb said:

Hahaha it's a Gray area is it? Try reading the article you quoted which actually spells out the legal status very clearly and it's very similar to what it is in most other countries. The issue is where the vehicles concerned are recreational vehicles not mobility aids. In the case of the trike shown there are very specific rules that are listed in the article where the limit is an engine size of 59cc or 500w anything more powerful must be registered and anything smaller must not be driven on a public highway (on the road). 

The vast majority are illegal, but as the vast majority of those do no harm and use them sensibly the police generally turn a blind eye.

In this case they could probably have made more serious charges but I doubt that would have got the message across any better and the stupid tourists would have had a criminal record instead of just a minor misdemeanor. 

I'd suggest that in this case the police played it quite right.

 

[Stonker]

6 hours ago, Grant said:

Why are they arresting a stand up foreigner on a scooter?

Because the foreigners were driving them dangerously! They're illegal apart from in private areas, but unless you behave like a mong the police generally turn a blind eye. These four were clearly being a pain.

[Marc26]

We bought my MIL this scooter

To go to the market and a bit locally

 

She loves it!

 

 

[farangutan]

For some reason e scooters seem to bring out the idot in "some" people so I'm not surprised they got arrested if there being a menace to society 

[Wanderer]

9 hours ago, Mynemesis said:

Ah, the dreaded Grammar Police. The most hated posters on any forum.

If you follow me you will get many more opportunities as I have my own personal dictionary with its own spellings. Did someone give you a nudge to post. 

Nobody I'm afraid, just my own alcohol inflamed sensibilities.