The Department of Land Transport reiterated a strict prohibition on collecting money from the public. It advised those with outstanding vehicle taxes not to pay yet but to submit an appeal first. Nearly 100,000 people have filed appeals involving more than 156,000 vehicles. Nakhon Ratchasima province leads with 11,800 appeals, far ahead of second-ranked Buriram with about 5,200 appeals. The main issue is age exceeding the allowed limit, prompting urgent rights verification.
Mr. Soraphong Paitoonpong, Director-General of the Department of Land Transport (DLT). He revealed that since the DLT opened for affected citizens to check vehicle registrations of all types and request appeals for the 2026 state welfare card from Friday, 17 July until today, 23 July, a total of 97,758 people have submitted appeals covering 156,430 vehicles. These include 132,233 motorcycles, 23,617 cars, and 580 other vehicle types.
The top reason for appeals is exceeding the age limit set, which is the leading cause among all applicants. Next are vehicles that have been deregistered, lost, sold but ownership not transferred, seized, or cases where names were fraudulently used to buy vehicles. The DLT will expedite data verification and coordinate with relevant agencies to ensure rights are considered promptly, transparently, and fairly, in line with government and Ministry of Transport policies to ensure all citizens can equally access state welfare rights.
Mr. Soraphong added that among the top 10 provinces with the highest number of appeals, Nakhon Ratchasima leads with about 11,800 appeals, clearly far ahead of second-ranked Buriram with approximately 5,200 appeals. This shows the area has a significantly higher volume of appeals than other provinces.
Sisaket ranks third with about 5,000 appeals, followed by Songkhla at approximately 4,700 appeals, Bangkok with about 4,500, Lopburi around 4,000, Nan about 3,900, Chiang Mai and Trang each with about 3,800 appeals. Phichit ranks tenth with roughly 3,600 appeals.
“I apologize to all citizens if there have been service shortcomings or delays due to the high volume of applicants. However, the DLT will strive to manage and expedite the process so that people receive their rights fully. I have also strictly instructed all officials to prohibit charging any fees for rights verification or appeal processing. Any instance of fee collection from the public will be dealt with under disciplinary regulations immediately,” Mr. Soraphong said.
Mr. Soraphong further stated that citizens with outstanding vehicle taxes, whether due to long-term non-use or other reasons, do not need to pay taxes immediately. They can submit appeals and provide statements with signatures to officials as evidence to support their rights’ consideration. This approach aims to prevent tax burdens from becoming obstacles to accessing welfare rights.
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