Phuket City Traffic Police Inspector Lt Col Rungrit Rattanapagdee led 20 officers at the checkpoint, set up on Thepkrasattri Rd, in Rassada.
In total, 40 motorists and 17 passengers were fined for not wearing a helmet while riding a motorbike, four drivers were caught not wearing seat belts and 11 were caught operating a vehicle without a driver’s license.
Several other motorists were fined for other moving violations.
“Motorbike drivers caught not wearing helmets were fined B500 each, while the passengers were fined B1,000. Those found driving without a permit were fined B300 each,” Lt Col Rungrit said.
The Christmas Eve crackdown is to promote road safety and reduce the number of accidents during holiday season, Col Rungrit explained.
“Officers are to stop any drivers for any suspicious activity,” he said.
“They are checking for drunk driving and to make sure motorists and passengers wear helmets and/or seat belts, because many people will be on the roads in and out of Phuket during the holidays.”
Col Rungrit added that officers will not be overzealous in making arrests for drunk driving.
“One driver tested only .03 BAC for alcohol, so he was free to go.” he said. In Thailand, the legal limit is 0.05 BAC.
“We will also take this opportunity to tackle crime and keep a look out for any criminals who might take advantage of this time of year,” Col Rungrit said.