[george]

Govt getting strict with drunk drivers


BANGKOK: -- The government is imposing a strict law against drunk driving, under which violators will be arrested immediately and be subject to prosecution within 48 hours, a Bangkok seminar on road safety was told yesterday.

A mandatory fine of between Bt5,000 and Bt20,000 will also be imposed on convicted violators, along with the drivers' licence being suspended for six months or forever for repeat offenders, judge Prasong Mahaleetrakool said.

The law is currently being tried out at Bangkok's Thung Maha Mek police station, where drunkdriving violations are the most frequent. "The casualties from road accident in their jurisdiction is even higher than robberies or other crimes," Pol MajGeneral Anuchai Lekbamrung told the seminar.

The law will be strictly enforced during the holiday period. Each year, at least 12,000 people die and 100,000 get injured from road accidents, which costs the state around Bt240 billion. The Don't Drive Drunk foundation is concerned that the rate of road accidents would rise next year when liquor will become three times cheaper thanks to the Asean free trade agreement.


-- The Nation 2009-12-03

[mahtin]

Naturally I'm all for this.

Nor can I hide my interest in liquor becoming 3X cheaper

[PhilHarries]

I would love this to be the true face of the law but unfortunately money can, will and always has talked.

Also, what equipment are the BiB being provided with to enforce this ruling which is not new but just another of Thailand's unenforced laws.

[Spoonman]

So if I get pinched i'll only be looking at a fine of between 5k and 20k and a loss of licence, awesome........

In reality though, I bet if i get caught it will cost me significantly more.

[jamesjdaly]

..... along with the drivers' licence being suspended for six months or forever for repeat offenders.....

Yeah, right!! That'll stop some of the scummy vermin animals who drive on these roads!!

[cloudhopper]

As if not having a license would ever stop anyone from driving here.

[shaunoro]

So have they provided the BIB with breathalysers?
Or we still down to one unit at Din Daeng on a Saturday night.
I'm all for it.

Come on, is it April 1st. Booze going down in price.
It will never happen.

[sunny747]

it's true. one of my thai colleague got caught and he had to fine 20,000 baht plus one night in jail. he also have to do some community work like reading books for the blind etc......

what i'm afraid is the harassment by the police at night......

[yom07]

it's about time .....

[Thanh-BKK]

Hi..

I am all for this one, if they ever manage to pull it off.

However the cops will be way too busy harassing motorbikes for entirely made-up "offenses" so they won't have the time to check anyone for alcohol levels.

And even if they manage to catch a drunkard by chance (probably because he was on a motorbike) it will be the usual 200 Baht straight into the cop's pocket and he'll be on his merry way again.

regards

Thanh

[Chris Lawrence]

Enforce the helmet law. A lot of head injuries are more than likely in those figures. See so many people just coming off their bikes.

[barryofthailand]

This is now the norm in Korat. Every night their are numerous alcohol checkpoints with breathalyzers in hand. If over the .05 limit you are arrested and booked into jail, with a court hearing within 48 hrs.
Barry

[Zebo]

12000 a year, that is a truly astonishing figure, I hope they actually bother to apply the law rather than see it as another chance for a bribe.

This post has been edited by Zebo: 2009-12-03 17:53

[richieudon]

shaunoro, on 2009-12-03 18:42:49, said:

So have they provided the BIB with breathalysers?
Or we still down to one unit at Din Daeng on a Saturday night.
I'm all for it.

Come on, is it April 1st. Booze going down in price.
It will never happen.

Your'e wrong about the breathaliser. I got stopped and breathalised on FRIDAY night in Silom!

I'm all for booze being 3 times cheaper though. It's the 1st I've heard of that!!

[wimpy]

Gawd the cynics on this forum are so predictable and tiresome. Cheers to the BIB.

[crazyal]

i totally agree on strict laws for drunk driving. maybe now i won't drink and drive anymore....

[splodger]

confiscation of vehicle and 100 hours litter collecting,loss of non exsisting licence stupid

[fire and ice]

Quote

"The casualties from road accident in their jurisdiction is even higher than robberies or other crimes," Pol MajGeneral Anuchai Lekbamrung told the seminar.

What kind of stupid statement is this?

That's like saying "In Italy even more people speak Italian than English". As if its some kind of surprising fact.

Of course more people die or are injured in road accidents than other crimes! That's normal anywhere.

Even in nations with the safest roads the chances of a casualty in a road accident is about 1,000 times more likely than casualties from other crimes".

Talk about stating the bleeding obvious.

[JIP]

"The law is currently being tried out at Bangkok's Thung Maha Mek police station, where drunkdriving violations are the most frequent."

I love how in Thailand laws are always given a "test run" in certain places before making them... I don't know... "official" (?) everywhere. Why can't they just say, "No more drunk driving in Thailand!" Put a foot down and be done with it.

Instead, they institute this "No drunk driving here for now..." policy which, of course by dint of logic, means "Drunk driving is still okay everywhere else for now..."

No wonder people don't take laws like this seriously.

[splodger]

crazyal, on 2009-12-03 18:53:59, said:

i totally agree on strict laws for drunk driving. maybe now i won't drink and drive anymore....

i just won't drive

[Mitker]

my crackdown counter just melted..
but let's rather bet on how long this one will last. My bet: around 3 weeks.
But sincerely support the move if serious. Better late than never.

[atyclb]

All it takes is a single cop with a loved one maimed or killed as the result of drunk driving and he can have no problem arresting the person. I know drinking and driving seems to be humorous for some, but it kills and injuries many people. Alcoholics often lose control and are unable to realize they are incapable of driving.

[cinbkk]

"The law will be strictly enforced during the holiday period." So, what happens at other times?

And I can't yet work out what 3 times cheaper means....

[Brewsta]

cloudhopper, on 2009-12-03 18:37:39, said:

As if not having a license would ever stop anyone from driving here.

Shnot true....'ave gorra my lichensh here 'bouts, really....hic....ssshhh

brewstaNot



reegaardzzz

[manijohn]

shaunoro, on 2009-12-03 03:42:49, said:

So have they provided the BIB with breathalysers?
Or we still down to one unit at Din Daeng on a Saturday night.
I'm all for it.

Come on, is it April 1st. Booze going down in price.
It will never happen.

I got stopped outside of Pat Pong at 0100 hrs about a year ago and they had a hand held breathalyser. Unlike my girlfriend, I blew a zero. I also wanted to comment on the new fine. 5000 locals - - 20,000 farang ++