Motorists who lost their licence plates while driving through floodwaters are searching for them, with photographs of hundreds of recovered plates posted on social media by police stations and district offices.
There is no official figure for the number of licence plates lost in the floods almost a month ago, but the number could be more than 1,000, judging from photographs posted on social media.
Several police stations and district offices have posted photographs of the plates they collected after the flooding, enabling motorists to check whether theirs have been found and contact the authorities to arrange their retrieval.
A number of online platforms have also been set up to help reunite motorists with their lost plates.
One such platform, FindMyPlate, enables people who find licence plates to upload photographs and information about where they found them. Vehicle owners can search the database by plate number and province.
Other online platforms and social media groups have also been used to report lost plates and help return them to their owners.
With many motorists unable to recover their original plates, the Department of Land Transport (DLT) has announced measures to make it easier for flood-affected vehicle owners to obtain replacements.
Under the latest measure, which is in effect until November 30th, motorists can apply for replacement plates at any land transport office nationwide. They can use a copy of their vehicle registration book, if available, or their original national ID card otherwise.
A replacement licence plate costs 100 baht each, plus a 5-baht application fee. Replacing both front and rear plates therefore costs 205 baht.
Vehicle owners do not need to file a police report when applying for a replacement plate due to loss. If someone else applies on their behalf, a power of attorney is required.
The DLT is advising motorists not to make their own replacement plates, as licence plates must conform to the format prescribed by law. The use of an improperly made plate can result in a fine of up to 2,000 baht.
The department also urges motorists to comply with the relevant procedures when replacing lost plates.
By Marisa Chimprabha
