F430murci

Don't drink and drive and calibration won't be an issue.

Naiive statement. And nowhere did I use the word "calibration". You introduced that word to make a straw man argument, as if the only thing that could go wrong was a small error in the absolute level. There is no guarantee that someone who hasn't touched a drop might not be found guilty with an incorrectly maintained device.

A blood test is the only thing I would trust in Thailand.

I introduced the word calibration because breathalyzer accuracy is dependent upon calibration. If calibrated correctly, they are very accurate. I can assure you that no way anyone will blow a .08 or .10 without having "touched a drop." Yeah, mas spec/gas chromograhpy is always most reliable way to find anything in someone's blood stream, but hardly necessary for alcohol content. I think even Thais could get BAC from a breathalzer correct. Just blow in straw. Sheez, the cops running these things is small rural USA communities are far from rocket scientist . . . Now Thais doing stuff like HGN at road side would make a bit concerned . . . Again, don't drink and drive and you will be good and won't have to worry about calibration.

My previous statement stands. There are many ways to have errors, up to an including malicious intent, which could cause someone who had not touched a drop to register incorrectly. Calibration is only a small subset of this.

The law should include the ability to demand a blood test. Without that safeguard, I don't support giving this kind of authority to the Thai police.

I would be more concerned about planting drugs. If they are out to get you, they can just drop a few pills in your car . . . Much easier and they can keep your car then. They could also just frame you for some other crime you did not commit if you want to be paranoid about it and think they are just out to get you. Perhaps you can request a blood test at your cost if you get framed for DUI and have not drank a drop . . . Otherwise, I guess cops just need to take your word at face value if you say you have not been drinking, but don't trust their breathalzer. I just see why they are going to go through trouble to frame someone for something minor like DUI when they can really burn you if they want. Heck, they could just say you failed it without even giving it to you in the first place so it does not matter if you agreed to it or not if they just want to get you.

Because I may not necessarily trust the police breathalyzer unit. I would happily submit to a blood test at a nearby hospital, but how can I trust a breath test? Given the meagre budgets of police departments, how can we know the unit is properly maintained and accurate?

It comes down to trust, and there are many who legitimately don't trust the police enough to take a test on the side of the road. Even in most states in the US, people are allowed to refuse a breath test if they agree to a blood or urine test, and the police there are trusted. Of course, they do have to wait in a cell at the police station until those results come back, but since some don't trust the equipment, they opt for a blood test so there can be no doubt.

Given the history of corruption within the police department in Thailand, giving them any kind of power like this is worrying. As much as I detest drunk drivers, the police are not honest enough to get this kind of authority without adequate safeguards. There should be a provision in the law for people stopped to demand an independent blood test at a nearby hospital, and for the police to be responsible for restitution if their equipment is found to be faulty.

Don't drink and drive and calibration won't be an issue.

Naiive statement. And nowhere did I use the word "calibration". You introduced that word to make a straw man argument, as if the only thing that could go wrong was a small error in the absolute level. There is no guarantee that someone who hasn't touched a drop might not be found guilty with an incorrectly maintained device.

A blood test is the only thing I would trust in Thailand.

I introduced the word calibration because breathalyzer accuracy is dependent upon calibration. If calibrated correctly, they are very accurate. I can assure you that no way anyone will blow a .08 or .10 without having "touched a drop." Yeah, mas spec/gas chromograhpy is always most reliable way to find anything in someone's blood stream, but hardly necessary for alcohol content. I think even Thais could get BAC from a breathalzer correct. Just blow in straw. Sheez, the cops running these things is small rural USA communities are far from rocket scientist . . . Now Thais doing stuff like HGN at road side would make a bit concerned . . . Again, don't drink and drive and you will be good and won't have to worry about calibration.

You can take a lawyer out of Dubai, but you cannot take the Dubai out of a lawyer.

" to detain suspicious motorists who refuse to take a breath test without a sound reason."

So basically someone stone cold sober can be told to take a breath test,

with no other valid reason given, and if they think that is just nuts, they can be detained.

How long? Where? What mechanism gets them un-detained?

I'm not against stopping drunk drivers at all,

but there seems to be some stuff not written in to this, that leaves it too open ended.

Why would someone that is not drunk want to refuse a breath test?

They have had random breath tests in Australia for years. It is an excellent way to reduce drunk drivers. If drunk drivers can refuse breath tests, how do you stop them?

Sent from my shoe phone

Because I may not necessarily trust the police breathalyzer unit. I would happily submit to a blood test at a nearby hospital, but how can I trust a breath test? Given the meagre budgets of police departments, how can we know the unit is properly maintained and accurate?

It comes down to trust, and there are many who legitimately don't trust the police enough to take a test on the side of the road. Even in most states in the US, people are allowed to refuse a breath test if they agree to a blood or urine test, and the police there are trusted. Of course, they do have to wait in a cell at the police station until those results come back, but since some don't trust the equipment, they opt for a blood test so there can be no doubt.

Given the history of corruption within the police department in Thailand, giving them any kind of power like this is worrying. As much as I detest drunk drivers, the police are not honest enough to get this kind of authority without adequate safeguards. There should be a provision in the law for people stopped to demand an independent blood test at a nearby hospital, and for the police to be responsible for restitution if their equipment is found to be faulty.

Don't drink and drive and calibration won't be an issue.

And I don't think that anyone can walk into 90% of the hospitals in The US without any proof of ability to pay, and expect to be treated... In Australia if you turn up in an ambulance, in an emergency, you would probably be OK...

Looks like you have never been in a US hospital and seen the homeless who turn up wanting a night in bed .... for you grasshopper --->>

Even if they know you are not a citizen/resident entitled to medicare???

Yep, won't turn anyone away.

Muhairy just another crooked Dubai lawyer. Dubai quickly became a large international banking hub for a reason. Not sure I would believe anything a Muktar Abdul had to say either.

Yum, dinner at a restaruant near you.

Great in theory, but majority of Westerns I know with means, even though spending long vacations in Thailand for 20 or more years, have become pretty fed up with many issues of late and are looking to other destinations. Thailand tends to attract bargain tourist, a bit like Cancun Mexico. High rollers will opt to Hawaii, Fiji, Tahiti, Caribean Islands, French Riveria, and other popular destinations inside USA.