POLICE ASK FOR PUBLIC HELP
Thailand's traffic police have asked for help in enforcing a law prohibiting drivers from talking on their mobile phones. They're asking member of the public to submit photos as evidence as part of a 'Golden Eye Traffic Policeman' project. When motorists come to renew their annual vehicle registration they will be given a ticket.
"Police Lt Col Phanu Kerdlarpphol did not say if these good Samaritans would be rewarded for participating in this project," according to The Nation. That was obviously the most important question in the mind of the Thai journalist writing this particular story. I think I could make a decent second income myself if a reward is on offer for pictures of drivers using phones whilst driving. That would be just the ones I take of my taxi driver from the back seat!
I am definitely in favour of this plan, however can you imagine the uproar if something like this was being suggested in the UK? Invasion of privacy springs to mind, not to mention vindictive use of Photoshop. Now there's an idea.
2 comments:
I doubt that the Thai masses would have any initiative to report their fellow citizens to the police. For one, the level of respect for law and authority is low, and for two, we live under an umbrella of fear--where life threatening grudges are not difficult to fall into. If I were marketing this plan, there's only one real thing to motivate the Thais as has been proven throughout history... Gold...yes gold, not baht, not diamonds, but gold...
Interesting post, thanks. I've actually tried myself to take some pictures that clearly show a driver using a phone AND the car registration plate. It's very difficult because so many cars here have tinted windscreens. You have to know what you're doing with a camera to get anything decent, so Mr or Mrs Thai with their camera phone or point-and-shoot isn't going to stand a chance.
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