Drunken Driving Amendments

[marshbags]

From yesterdays B.Post.

General news >> Wednesday January 17, 2007

Quote:-

ROAD SAFETY / LAND TRAFFIC ACT AMENDMENTS

Penalties stiffen for drunk drivers

The cabinet yesterday approved harsher punishment for motorists convicted of drunk driving, including losing their licence. Amendments to the Land Traffic Act, which since 1979 has dealt with drink-driving offences, were approved to impose fines up to 200,000 baht and jail terms up to 10 years for violators who had caused road accidents.

The existing law had proven ''inappropriate and inconsistent'' to properly deal with the current situation, said government spokesman Yongyuth Maiyalarp.

The amended law will give officials more power to deal with the rising number of drunk drivers by empowering courts to more easily suspend or cancel drivers' licences, he said.

Unquote.

please go to the following url for the complete artcle:-

http://www.bangkokpost.com/170107_News/17Jan2007_news13.php

O.K. , let,s get the cynics out the way by the first observation

We know that " Passing Thai Law " is one thing and implimenting it is another.

But.... at least the offences are to be given a more respectable punishment guide line instead of the meaningless ones that where passed for previous offenders.

Just maybe these harsher penalties will hopefully act as a deterrent and an educator in the coming months should they be / are implimented as the new law lays it out.

More realistic laws in keeping with the seriousness of the offence related outcomes, loss of life along with the many very tragically effected victims have been applied.

For me they do not go far enough, i,d give anyone over the legal limit a charge equal to the death and carnage they cause and the inflicting consequences via being in charge of using a lethal weapon to commit murder where loss of life is the outcome ect. ect. and accordingly.

No excuses what so ever and no paying off the application of the laws they break.

The victims should now be compensated as a seperate issue and not as a method of circumventing the law.

Especially in the case of the more " influencial / puyai." who think poor life is a commodity to be bought at will like a bit of meaningless, materialistic shopping.

marshbags

P.S.

Apologies if this is duplicated somewhere i cannot find and if so can this be moved to wherever.

Edited January 18, 2007 by marshbags

[ZZZ]

Death penalty for drunk driving:

"A 23-year-old former college student, Nattapong Raksapong, was sentenced to death by a court in northeastern Thailand on Wednesday on several charges related to a 2004 drunk driving rampage in which four people were killed, four injured and five vehicles damaged.

"This is a historic verdict and should set a precedent in cases of drunken drivers who kill innocent people on the roads," said Surasit Silapangam of the Don't Drink and Drive Foundation.

He said that drunken driving was involved in some 80 percent of the more than 14,500 deaths and 1.08 million injuries on Thailand's roads last year.

While intoxicated, Nattapong first struck a motorcycle, sped away and then crashed into two other motorcycles while driving a six-wheel truck in the northeastern province of Mahasarakham. He tried to flee but crashed into a truck."

[cdnvic]

Death penalty for drunk driving:

"A 23-year-old former college student, Nattapong Raksapong, was sentenced to death by a court in northeastern Thailand on Wednesday on several charges related to a 2004 drunk driving rampage in which four people were killed, four injured and five vehicles damaged.

"This is a historic verdict and should set a precedent in cases of drunken drivers who kill innocent people on the roads," said Surasit Silapangam of the Don't Drink and Drive Foundation.

He said that drunken driving was involved in some 80 percent of the more than 14,500 deaths and 1.08 million injuries on Thailand's roads last year.

While intoxicated, Nattapong first struck a motorcycle, sped away and then crashed into two other motorcycles while driving a six-wheel truck in the northeastern province of Mahasarakham. He tried to flee but crashed into a truck."

You have a source for this?

[marshbags]

Death penalty for drunk driving:

"A 23-year-old former college student, Nattapong Raksapong, was sentenced to death by a court in northeastern Thailand on Wednesday on several charges related to a 2004 drunk driving rampage in which four people were killed, four injured and five vehicles damaged.

"This is a historic verdict and should set a precedent in cases of drunken drivers who kill innocent people on the roads," said Surasit Silapangam of the Don't Drink and Drive Foundation.

He said that drunken driving was involved in some 80 percent of the more than 14,500 deaths and 1.08 million injuries on Thailand's roads last year.

While intoxicated, Nattapong first struck a motorcycle, sped away and then crashed into two other motorcycles while driving a six-wheel truck in the northeastern province of Mahasarakham. He tried to flee but crashed into a truck."

You have a source for this?

Got the following from Google for you C.V. to back ZZZ,s post up.

First to give it a bit of balance a U.K. reference albeit brief.

Death sentence for drunk driver

Evening Standard (London), Sep 1, 2005

A DRUNK-DRIVER has been sentenced to death for a 2004 rampage on Thailand's roads that left four people dead, four injured and caused damage to five vehicles. Nattapong Raksapong, 23, first hit a motorbike before driving away and later crashing into two other motorbikes, while driving a six-wheel truck. He tried to drive away but crashed into a truck and was arrested.

Also believe it or not Listed on a certain Thai forum:-

Courtesy of T.Visa / George the following was O.P,d from the Nation:-

url http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?sh...=43664&st=0

2005-08-31 23:29:27 Post #1

Platinum Member

Group: Admin

Posts: 15,070

Joined: 2002-11-20

From: BKK & Hong Kong

Member No.: 128

Drunk driver sentenced to death

MAHA SARAKHAM: -- The Provincial Court Wednesday sentenced a 23yearold man to death after his drunk driving killed four people and injured four others.

Nattapong Raksapong turned pale and fell to his knees when the verdict was read. None of his relatives were in court to hear the verdict.

Four police officers had to help Nattapong walk out of the courtroom.

The court found Nattapong guilty of deliberate murder, causing injuries, damaging property and breaking traffic laws.

The court said it found no merit in commuting the sentence.

Nattapong has 30 days to lodge the appeal.

"He has our sympathy, but we believe he deserves capital punishment for what he has done," said a relative of Nattapong, who asked not to be named.

He said all Nattapong's relatives were fed up with his behaviour.

On March 12, Nattapong drank five bottles of liquor and stole a six-wheel truck from his adopted father. He later hit eight people in four separate accidents.

His victims included seven students who were about to take the national university entrance examination.

The four who died were killed instantly.

Nattapong was finally arrested when he crashed into a pickup, leaving its driver dead at the scene.

--The Nation 2005-08-31

Unquote.

Post 25 by one of our popular members " S.J. " is on par with my observations on the comparisons of justice " Thai style " along with the blatant inequalities.

As in this case............................

Pu Yia = community service. Less priviledged = death sentence.

If i may take it a step further and part quote my O.P. / B.Post article.

Quote:-

The existing law had proven ''inappropriate and inconsistent'' to properly deal with the current situation, said government spokesman Yongyuth Maiyalarp.

The amended law will give officials more power to deal with the rising number of drunk drivers by empowering courts to more easily suspend or cancel drivers' licences, he said.

''If motorists kill someone, they will be sent to jail for three to 10 years, be fined between 60,000 and 200,000 baht, and their driving licences will be cancelled,'' Mr Yongyuth said.

Unquote.

On paper at least it would seem they are at long last getting to grips with the inconsistencies and i also note it says......................................

Will be sent to jail for 3 to 10 years, ( along with what would be a token fine to the Pu Yai ) but at least they get the jail term min. 3 years which according to this reads as a minimum sentence for ALL offenders.

In addition, although perhaps not really much of an inconvenience

( as Thais can easily get a new one, unless there is some sort of national register to access in all cases on applying for a licence and strict implimentations. )

marshbags

P.S.

I wonder what posters at the time of George,s O.P. taken from google, think of the new proposals and the mention of inappropriate / inconsistant sentencing.

Indeed present members as well taking into account the relevance of such an amendment being implemented ????????

Also any updates on the fate of the convicted driver ??????

Edited January 19, 2007 by marshbags

[marshbags]

From yesterdays B.Post.

General news >> Wednesday January 17, 2007

Quote:-

ROAD SAFETY / LAND TRAFFIC ACT AMENDMENTS

Penalties stiffen for drunk drivers

The cabinet yesterday approved harsher punishment for motorists convicted of drunk driving, including losing their licence. Amendments to the Land Traffic Act, which since 1979 has dealt with drink-driving offences, were approved to impose fines up to 200,000 baht and jail terms up to 10 years for violators who had caused road accidents.

The existing law had proven ''inappropriate and inconsistent'' to properly deal with the current situation, said government spokesman Yongyuth Maiyalarp.

The amended law will give officials more power to deal with the rising number of drunk drivers by empowering courts to more easily suspend or cancel drivers' licences, he said.

Unquote.

please go to the following url for the complete artcle:-

http://www.bangkokpost.com/170107_News/17Jan2007_news13.php

O.K. , let,s get the cynics out the way by the first observation

We know that " Passing Thai Law " is one thing and implimenting it is another.

But.... at least the offences are to be given a more respectable punishment guide line instead of the meaningless ones that where passed for previous offenders.

Just maybe these harsher penalties will hopefully act as a deterrent and an educator in the coming months should they be / are implimented as the new law lays it out.

More realistic laws in keeping with the seriousness of the offence related outcomes, loss of life along with the many very tragically effected victims have been applied.

For me they do not go far enough, i,d give anyone over the legal limit a charge equal to the death and carnage they cause and the inflicting consequences via being in charge of using a lethal weapon to commit murder where loss of life is the outcome ect. ect. and accordingly.

No excuses what so ever and no paying off the application of the laws they break.

The victims should now be compensated as a seperate issue and not as a method of circumventing the law.

Especially in the case of the more " influencial / puyai." who think poor life is a commodity to be bought at will like a bit of meaningless, materialistic shopping.

marshbags

P.S.

Apologies if this is duplicated somewhere i cannot find and if so can this be moved to wherever.

Could i respectfully ask that this thread be closed as i,ve just found a duplicated one by ZZZ on url:-

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?ac...18&t=101863

Apologies for the oversight.

marshbags