Army will confiscate drink-drivers’ cars

By Jittraporn Senawongse 
The Nation

 

File photo

 

The Army will continue to enforce traffic measures during the upcoming New Year holiday that allow it to confiscate the vehicles of drink-drivers, Army commander in chief General Chalermchai Sitthisart said on Wednesday.

 

The measure was adopted a few years ago and had been proven to prevent accidents, he said. 

 

File photo

 

The Army became involved in traffic control by the order of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha under Article 44.

 

Tens of thousands of people are expected to leave Bangkok to return to their home provinces during the holiday period.

 

Under the measures, the vehicles will be kept in the province where drivers were arrested. The drivers, who will also be fined, will be allowed to get their vehicles back after the New Year holiday.

 

File photo

 

Chalermchai said soldiers would set up checkpoints in main and secondary roads during the festival that will start this weekend. They would cooperate with local authorities to facilitate traffic and provide safety for people.

 

Chalermchai said any vehicles seized would be parked in areas covered by security cameras to make sure they are there when the drivers return to retrieve them.

 

“Lessening the number of accidents does not depend on how strict the measures are, but instead relies on cooperation from the public. Families should warn their loved ones to be careful when they drive,” the Army chief said. 

 

Soldiers will also be assigned to provide safety at sites where people celebrate the New Year.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30334912

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-12-28

13 minutes ago, webfact said:

Army will confiscate drink-drivers’ cars

Good!

 

However, for this policy to be effective, it needs to be done fairly, consistently and apply to everybody. Unfortunately in Thailand the application of justice often wobbles and/or fails on these three points.

 

Stay safe everyone!

4 minutes ago, Samui Bodoh said:

Good!

 

However, for this policy to be effective, it needs to be done fairly, consistently and apply to everybody. Unfortunately in Thailand the application of justice often wobbles and/or fails on these three points.

 

Stay safe everyone!

It isn't good. The army granting themselves the right to enforce civil laws is the same as the army granting themselves the right to run the country: they have neither the expertise or the mandate to do so.

Seems they did not have any photos of "cars" for this article.,

Pity the country that needs it's army to stop drink driving, say a lot about

the usefulness and the quality of the police force.....

15 minutes ago, davehowden said:

Seems they did not have any photos of "cars" for this article.,

Just what I was thinking. And no army types in the pix, just rozzers. But if the army is going to enforce the laws because the fools in brown (FIBs - it's got a better ring to it than BIBs, doncha reckon?) are too gutless, then perhaps those accused of drink-driving should be tried in a military court. Just a thought.

 

 

Grasshopper....the longest journey begins with a single step

 

A troll post bragging about circumventing a road block has been removed.  

1 hour ago, baboon said:

It isn't good. The army granting themselves the right to enforce civil laws is the same as the army granting themselves the right to run the country: they have neither the expertise or the mandate to do so.

I can't argue with you; you are correct.

 

However, they gave themselves the power to enforce civil laws a while ago. So, in this situation, given that hundreds will die and thousands will be injured, I am willing to look the other way if it reduces the carnage.

 

Yes, I will freely admit it is a case of situational ethics, but I really, really hate drunk drivers. REALLY, REALLY hate them.

 

I'll march in the streets holding a placard after they are done; I promise!

 

Happy New Year and stay safe!

If the car is confiscated, how will the driver then get to where he/she was going and subsequently return to pick it up again. Dooooh.

11 minutes ago, wgdanson said:

If the car is confiscated, how will the driver then get to where he/she was going and subsequently return to pick it up again. Dooooh.

That's his problem.  You do the crime; you pay the fine.  The FIBs have patently failed year after year; anything that takes drunken idiots off the road is OK with me.

Repeat offenders should have their vehicles crushed.

All should,  have their  licence cancelled  on the spot as well for a minimum of 1 year, 

 

enforcing societies will to take the road driving experience as a privilege , not a right,

1 hour ago, Samui Bodoh said:

I can't argue with you; you are correct.

 

However, they gave themselves the power to enforce civil laws a while ago. So, in this situation, given that hundreds will die and thousands will be injured, I am willing to look the other way if it reduces the carnage.

 

Yes, I will freely admit it is a case of situational ethics, but I really, really hate drunk drivers. REALLY, REALLY hate them.

 

I'll march in the streets holding a placard after they are done; I promise!

 

Happy New Year and stay safe!

 

^^^That's it.  The army already is the authority in Thailand, illegitimate as their leader's power grab was/is.  In this case I'm hoping it will be a positive step since it's bound to get some of the drunk drivers off the roads so safer for all of us.  Now if they weren't going to return the vehicles after the holiday period it would be an outrage.  Since they say they will return them I can't fault them in this single case.

 

OTOH if this proves effective and actually reduces the percentage of accidents during this period get ready for all the bragging by narcissistic Little P and his luxury-watch fetish underlings.  It's like we're damned if it doesn't work and damned if it does.

4 hours ago, webfact said:

Army will confiscate drink-drivers’ cars

By Jittraporn Senawongse 
The Nation

 

that's a lot of cars

7 minutes ago, klauskunkel said:

that's a lot of cars

Yes, and before they can ride away on the bike, they must produce a helmet.

Roll on Jan 7 and more of the stuff that comes out of of the lower educated

1 hour ago, mikebell said:

That's his problem.  You do the crime; you pay the fine.  The FIBs have patently failed year after year; anything that takes drunken idiots off the road is OK with me.

Repeat offenders should have their vehicles crushed.

Exactly right. I got done for DUI 30+ yrs ago in Oz. I had to lock the car, hop in the back of the police car and off to the station. Breathalyzed, charged, put in the slammer and eventually driven home by the police about 2am. Then, had to inconvenience a friend later in the morning to drive me to pick up the car. If it had been stolen, too bad..my fault. If you had friends in the car, they had to find their own way home....their fault for going in the car with a drunk driver. Learnt my lesson!!!

4 hours ago, baboon said:

It isn't good. The army granting themselves the right to enforce civil laws is the same as the army granting themselves the right to run the country: they have neither the expertise or the mandate to do so.

The RTP may have the mandate but I have doubts about their "expertise" or their will. Having the Army do it is certainly not the worst case scenario. 

5 hours ago, webfact said:

Army will confiscate drink-drivers’ cars

Oooooh, now everybody in Thailand will quiver in fear 

2 minutes ago, MaxLee said:

Oooooh, now everybody in Thailand will quiver in fear 

 

Would you 'test' the Army's idea and tell all of us the results?   

4 hours ago, baboon said:

It isn't good. The army granting themselves the right to enforce civil laws is the same as the army granting themselves the right to run the country: they have neither the expertise or the mandate to do so.

 but far better than the police

4 hours ago, baboon said:

It isn't good. The army granting themselves the right to enforce civil laws is the same as the army granting themselves the right to run the country: they have neither the expertise or the mandate to do so.

Sounds they do a pretty good job.

4 hours ago, baboon said:

It isn't good. The army granting themselves the right to enforce civil laws is the same as the army granting themselves the right to run the country: they have neither the expertise or the mandate to do so.

You are forget who is the Boss in here....?

But i agree 

2 hours ago, wgdanson said:

If the car is confiscated, how will the driver then get to where he/she was going and subsequently return to pick it up again. Dooooh.

Don't worry.  You'll figure it out.  

15 minutes ago, MaxLee said:

Oooooh, now everybody in Thailand will quiver in fear 

One question.  What is a drink-driver?

 

2 hours ago, wgdanson said:

If the car is confiscated, how will the driver then get to where he/she was going and subsequently return to pick it up again. Dooooh.

tough titte    on the other hand dont drink and drive  simples eh ??

5 hours ago, baboon said:

It isn't good. The army granting themselves the right to enforce civil laws is the same as the army granting themselves the right to run the country: they have neither the expertise or the mandate to do so.

Since the police won't do their job i'm happy that the army does it.

cant get over those that put politics ahead of lives, then again there are those that simply cant help themselves, pretty pathetic really. Any way they stop drunk drivers/riders from killing others on the roads is good whether its the police or the army, at least the army has shown they are more reliable to enforce the laws than the police, utilizing them to remove the drunks on the roads is good sense. The only pity is the hopeless punishment for offenders, they should be jailed, lose their licence and cop big fines, they should not be able to drive their vehicles away after a few days to sober up, if they actually enforced laws the drivers would realize they will lose their rights to drive/ride for a long time and maybe be a bit more mindful about drinking and driving but here they know their chances of being caught/stopped are slim at best

2 hours ago, leeneeds said:

All should,  have their  licence cancelled  on the spot as well for a minimum of 1 year, 

quite a few don't have licences

Maybe  a lot of cars will hit the black market if the soldiers confiscate them like the last bunch of soldiers who stole all those army vehicles  and sold them Now i am asking why does Thailand even have a police force if the army has to do there job? Maybe all the police officers can go to the front line when a war breaks out