Transport Ministry: Old Traffic Fines Exempt From New Vehicle Tax Rule
Outstanding traffic fines issued before August 1 will not prevent vehicle tax renewal under Thailand's new enforcement rule, the Transport Ministry clarified, affecting 16 million existing citations.
The Department of Land Transport has clarified that unpaid traffic fines will not block vehicle tax renewal starting August 1. Director-general Saraphong Paithoonyapongs announced that the 16 million existing traffic citations will not be included in the new enforcement framework established through a memorandum between the National Police Office and the Department of Land Transport under Section 141 of the Traffic Act. Vehicle tax renewal decisions will only consider violations occurring from August 1, 2569 onwards, excluding any prior offenses. The administrative process, subject to the Administrative Court's procedures, takes more than 90 days to complete. "From August 1, outstanding traffic fines will not be factored into vehicle tax renewal eligibility, since violations from that date onward take over 90 days to reach the Department of Land Transport, during which police must send two warning notices," the director-general stated, dismissing reports claiming the new rule would retroactively apply to old fines.
