Leaving drink driving cases up to the police just isn't right, says key official

[webfact]

Leaving drink driving cases up to the police just isn't right, says key official

 

Picture: Daily News

 

The head of the Thai anti drink driving foundation has said that leaving drink driving cases up to the discretion of the police force is allowing guilty people to get away with the crime.

 

In an article headlined "No breath test=No justice" Dr Thaejing Siripanich said that the police must process all cases without question.

 

Problems exist at present because of funding for the breath tests. With the 40 million baht yearly cost falling on the police sometimes drunk drivers get away with it because of police reluctance to pay for the tests.

 

Dr Thaejing did not directly mention the possibility of corruption.

 

He wants to see the police do their job - in every case involving injury.

 

His foundation are seeking ways for the government to take on the burden of paying for the tests that cost between 500 and 1,000 baht a time.

 

They are proposing that it be mandatory for drink driving tests in all accidents that involve injury.

 

Daily News - that have been conducting a widespread campaign to improve safety on the roads - said that 200-300,000 people were injured each year on the roads.

 

They did not specify how many of these were alcohol related.

 

Source: Daily News

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2018-07-03

[Vacuum]

13 minutes ago, webfact said:

Dr Thaejing did not directly mention the possibility of corruption

But that was what he meant.

Edited July 3, 2018 by Vacuum

[tracker1]

His foundation are seeking ways for the government to take on the burden of paying for the tests that cost between 500 and 1,000 baht a time.Make the fines more then the tests. Everyone knows Thailand has it's own rules. Baht again most know how to beat the system !

Edited July 3, 2018 by tracker1

[smedly]

I like what this guy is hinting at but the reality is that it is the job of the police to enforce the law, I believe what he is getting at is this.

 

The Thai police are incapable of policing by any definition, they are solely responsible for the huge carnage on Thai roads (now the worst in the world - how's that for a hub) and are in need of serious reform. But that is not going to happen because they are a powerful group and would rather things stayed as they are enabling them to make huge sums of money for doing very little. 

[seajae]

in every accident the drivers/riders involved should be tested(breathalyzer), if readings are over the limits then they should be taken for blood tests at their cost(part of the fine). Trouble is  that its a lot easier for the police to simply accept a big back hander to let them go, after all, in Thailand money rules

[DoctorG]

If they are reluctant to do it at accidents, then there is no way they would ever set up Random Breath Testing (RBT) points along roads.

[bkk6060]

4 hours ago, smedly said:

 

 

The Thai police are incapable of policing by any definition, they are solely responsible for the huge carnage on Thai roads (now the worst in the world - how's that for a hub) and are in need of serious reform. But that is not going to happen because they are a powerful group and would rather things stayed as they are enabling them to make huge sums of money for doing very little. 

What a naive comment.

People cause accidents, not the cops.

People decide to drive drunk, not the cops.

The cops are not "solely responsible"...

[trainman34014]

People are not being 'allowed to get away with it'....they are paying to 'get away with it'.

 

Ten years ago i lived in a Village with a main road passing through it and once or twice a week after 10pm the Cops would set up a complete road block and stop everyone in both directions for about an hour or so.    During that time they would catch more than 30 drivers or more over the limit and none of them would be arrested, just have varying amounts of money taken from them, depending on how drunk they were but all without exception were sent on their way regardless of the condition they were in.   I knew two of the Cops who did this job and asked them why they let all the drunk drivers go and they said....''Because we want them to come back again the same next time and give us more money'' !    Police or not Police in the way we understand the description to mean ?.....you decide.

[Jonmarleesco]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

His foundation are seeking ways for the government to take on the burden of paying for the tests that cost between 500 and 1,000 baht a time.

The government, courtesy of the taxpayer, IS paying for the tests. Who does he suppose funds the RTP? 

[Jonmarleesco]

33 minutes ago, bkk6060 said:

What a naive comment.

People cause accidents, not the cops.

People decide to drive drunk, not the cops.

The cops are not "solely responsible"...

The RTP doesn't enforce the law often enough. I'm sure you're aware of that. 

[johnny49r]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

He wants to see the police do their job - in every case involving injury.

OK so the police only need to do their job if an accident happens that results in injury. Good plan!

Edited July 3, 2018 by johnny49r
More to the point

[losername]

8 hours ago, webfact said:

He wants to see the police do their job - in every case involving injury.

 

8 hours ago, webfact said:

They are proposing that it be mandatory for drink driving tests in all accidents that involve injury.

By the time someone has been injured it is too late.  Must catch these people before they kill or injure someone.  

[NoshowJones]

6 hours ago, seajae said:

in every accident the drivers/riders involved should be tested(breathalyzer), if readings are over the limits then they should be taken for blood tests at their cost(part of the fine). Trouble is  that its a lot easier for the police to simply accept a big back hander to let them go, after all, in Thailand money rules

Money rules in nearly every country, but the Thais don't have the education or the brains to keep it under the table. pun intended.

[oldlakey]

5 hours ago, DoctorG said:

If they are reluctant to do it at accidents, then there is no way they would ever set up Random Breath Testing (RBT) points along roads.

I really cant understand why not when you consider the possibilities  

The bonus would be that nobody has to die 

[connda]

Or if you're important, say like the head of a medical department, you simply tell them where they can put their drink driving testing machine and they follow your orders to the tee.  The whole concept is corruption on the half-shell covered in Thai Baht Bolognese. 

[oldlakey]

4 hours ago, trainman34014 said:

People are not being 'allowed to get away with it'....they are paying to 'get away with it'.

 

Ten years ago i lived in a Village with a main road passing through it and once or twice a week after 10pm the Cops would set up a complete road block and stop everyone in both directions for about an hour or so.    During that time they would catch more than 30 drivers or more over the limit and none of them would be arrested, just have varying amounts of money taken from them, depending on how drunk they were but all without exception were sent on their way regardless of the condition they were in.   I knew two of the Cops who did this job and asked them why they let all the drunk drivers go and they said....''Because we want them to come back again the same next time and give us more money'' !    Police or not Police in the way we understand the description to mean ?.....you decide.

Thanks 

[300sd]

I'd say, leaving any case up to the police isn't right. 

[gaff]

10 hours ago, seajae said:

in every accident the drivers/riders involved should be tested(breathalyzer), if readings are over the limits then they should be taken for blood tests at their cost(part of the fine). Trouble is  that its a lot easier for the police to simply accept a big back hander to let them go, after all, in Thailand money rules

 

Let them legalize weed first ! Then people will quit drinking !

 

 

[Curmudgeon1]

7 hours ago, DoctorG said:

If they are reluctant to do it at accidents, then there is no way they would ever set up Random Breath Testing (RBT) points along roads.

Really... they do it in Pattaya all the time. 

[snowgard]

14 hours ago, tracker1 said:

His foundation are seeking ways for the government to take on the burden of paying for the tests that cost between 500 and 1,000 baht a time. .........

Is material procurement a restricted Thai job? A small plastic cap costs 500-1.000 THB? What is going on in this country? Maybe they Police General make a talk to Lazada and reduce the cost of 500-1.000 THB for one check direct for around 80% and give the drivers a nice and helpful tester:

https://www.lazada.co.th/catalog/?_keyori=ss&from=input&page=1&q=alcohol breath test&sort=priceasc&spm=a2o4m.home.search.go.1125719cZXyqvv

 

[DoctorG]

10 hours ago, Curmudgeon1 said:

Really... they do it in Pattaya all the time. 

I can only react to what is written in the OP ie that they cannot afford the expense of doing a lot of testing.