Drink driving cases smash the 5,000 barrier in five New Year days - Isaan is the worst

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Drink driving cases smash the 5,000 barrier in five New Year days - Isaan is the worst

 

Picture: INN

 

INN reported that 5,000 people had been arrested nationwide for drink driving in the first of the five so called seven deadly days of New Year. 

 

This applied to the period of December 27th to December 31st. 

 

Worst provinces were Mahasarakam with 187, followed by Surin with 186 and Sakon Nakhon with 175.

 

These are all provinces in Thailand's north-eastern "Isaan" region. 

 

Prasarn Mahaleetrakun of the Department of Probation said these 5,000 cases would lead to court action and probation. 

 

In addition 66 people had been tagged nationwide with the EM or electronic monitoring devices. 

 

Drivers thus tagged would have to observe a curfew at home between the hours of 10pm to 4am for the next 15 days. If they broke the curfew an SMS would sound leading to their arrest. 

 

Furthermore, they must undergo four training sessions about driving over the next year as well as complete 24 hours of community service. 

 

Source: INN

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2019-01-02

[Patong2]

Sadly I think they could have got 5000 over the limit in Patong alone.

Sad to watch them stagger down to motorbikes and clamber on.

Some Deity must have heard our prayers as we ever saw any accidents but lots of Ambulance sirens

 

[darksidedog]

Where do they get their numbers from? On Dec 29th, it was reported over 21,000 in a day had been arrested.

 

On Friday alone, 21,383 drunk drivers were arrested, she said.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/breakingnews/30361331

The sad fact remains that the amount of people drink driving is a national disgrace. As we know all too well, those nicked represent merely the tip of the iceberg, with many more having got away with it. The punishment clearly needs to be far more punitive than currently, as around 40% of the fatalities have been alchohol related. This carnage really needs to be reduced and drink driving is a very good place to start.

[akirasan]

I live on the border of Surin and Sisaket and any given day you will see motorcyclists wobbling around drunk

7 minutes ago, darksidedog said:

Where do they get their numbers from? On Dec 29th, it was reported over 21,000 in a day had been arrested.

 

On Friday alone, 21,383 drunk drivers were arrested, she said.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/breakingnews/30361331

5,000 were arrested. The others were fined 200 thb and were asked very nicely not to do it again. 

[worgeordie]

Just 5,000 I think that figure  would mean the Police where not doing

their jobs.

regards worgeordie

[scorecard]

And no comments about cancellation / confiscation of driving license.

[chainarong]

It's not as though the good people of Issan have anything to celebrate about, just the reverse.

[trainman34014]

Been here twelve years and no matter what ANY Government says or tries to do things just get worse, even allowing for all the 'doctored' figures that are produced.

 

This a Nation of Law Breakers which has been allowed to ride roughshod over a useless 'Police Force' with its own interests of being a 'Money Collection Agency' rather than upholding the law.

[bristolgeoff]

I had a small wager with a friend cm would top the tree this year.looks like I may lose to issan anyway it will be high after 7 days

[KhunBENQ]

Taking into account that likely the majority of people going to and from Isan, the absolute numbers are not a big surprise.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

49 minutes ago, darksidedog said:

Where do they get their numbers from? On Dec 29th, it was reported over 21,000 in a day had been arrested.

 

On Friday alone, 21,383 drunk drivers were arrested, she said.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/breakingnews/30361331

The sad fact remains that the amount of people drink driving is a national disgrace. As we know all too well, those nicked represent merely the tip of the iceberg, with many more having got away with it. The punishment clearly needs to be far more punitive than currently, as around 40% of the fatalities have been alchohol related. This carnage really needs to be reduced and drink driving is a very good place to start.

 

I noticed that discrepancy also... a huge one!!!! 5,000 over 5 days here vs 25,000 over two days in the prior report???

 

Either the news media or the authorities are playing funny business with the drunken driving arrest stats.

 

[Lupatria]

Well by now I'm used to the fact that responsibility is not a part of Thainess. To me news about the number of daily fatal accidents on Thailand's roads seems to be as import as to hear that my neighbor watered his plants.

However, maybe it's time for the rigger of these figures to publicise the number of innocent victims of these drunk idiots, who even died, or become crippled weeks after the carnage, because all the morons watching a drunk starting his/her car should learn by now: "See the corpse, and the kid in the wheelchair? THIS COULD BE YOU! 

[Oziex1]

After the 7 days things return to normal, no bracelets, no regular updates on carnage, no promises to reduce the death toll.

Just brake failures, mayhem and carnage as usual. 

[eggers]

Ridiculous!! 5000!! Should be more than triple or quadruple that number!!! ..

Licence cancelled for at least 12 mths above limit .05 first offence, second offence loose licence 4 -5 yrs or permanent loss ???

Also, increase penalties about motor cycles (highest deaths & injuries to cyclists) no licence, speeding, more that 1 pillion passenger, no helmets!!

Gov't & Police need to get serious!! Soft peddling done nothing to reduce tolls; increase all penalties, cos' current penalties have little or no affect!! 

[1337markus]

6 hours ago, scorecard said:

And no comments about cancellation / confiscation of driving license.

You cant cancel or confiscate a document they dont have. <deleted>.

[Seano88]

57 minutes ago, akirasan said:

I live on the border of Surin and Sisaket and any given day you will see motorcyclists wobbling around drunk

5,000 were arrested. The others were fined 200 thb and were asked very nicely not to do it again. 

Sounds about right. 

I don't drink drive but every time without fail iv been stopped by the police even if I genuinely haven't done anything wrong I just pay 100 to save time of messing about. 

[outsider]

Do the authorities really not see this as a huge joke - reporting statistics day in, day out, for seven days, instead of proactive and affirmative action in reducing road accidents and fatalities - every day, all year? Geez... there's brain-dead, and then there is Thai authority.

[prakhonchai nick]

1 minute ago, Seano88 said:

Sounds about right. 

I don't drink drive but every time without fail iv been stopped by the police even if I genuinely haven't done anything wrong I just pay 100 to save time of messing about. 

Foolish.........I am the opposite. I waste their time, make them try and prove my alleged wrongdoing and WIN everytime.

[overherebc]

27 minutes ago, Lupatria said:

Well by now I'm used to the fact that responsibility is not a part of Thainess. To me news about the number of daily fatal accidents on Thailand's roads seems to be as import as to hear that my neighbor watered his plants.

However, maybe it's time for the rigger of these figures to publicise the number of innocent victims of these drunk idiots, who even died, or become crippled weeks after the carnage, because all the morons watching a drunk starting his/her car should learn by now: "See the corpse, and the kid in the wheelchair? THIS COULD BE YOU! 

Like you I've been here a long time and if somdone wants to go out and kill himself drunk in a car or on a bike I really couldn't care less, but, it's the innocent victims that are the ones to care about.

Not so long ago a friend of a friend, expat, left a local bar, drunk got in his pick up and killed himself only, when my friend told me about it all I said was serves the Cupid Stunt right. Seems I'm now classed as having a bad attitude. Guess how much I care about that.

[chrisinth]

This habit they have about 'monitoring' only the high traffic periods for statistics should be extended to 365 days instead of the normal 7 days here and there.

 

Perhaps then, the penny will drop that 'normal' days are not that far removed from the figures they conjure up for the busy periods and they can figure out that something drastic needs to be done. Like yesterday.

 

Truthfully, I believe that these police checkpoints actually add to the accident figures by causing bottlenecks. Once released from the bottleneck, the drivers think it is their right to speedup to make up the time they were kept waiting. Just my little observation. 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

5 hours ago, 1337markus said:

You cant cancel or confiscate a document they dont have. <deleted>.

 

It's worth noting that the large majority of the reported crashes (I won't misuse the term to say "accidents") here are involving motorcycles, speeding and/or drinking. And I'd imagine, it's the motorcycle driving folks who probably by far are the highest non-DL-possessing group.

 

I don't mean just not carrying the DL in their possession. I mean, driving motorcycles without ever having qualified for or obtained a legal DL here.

 

My wife doesn't drink alcohol at all and doesn't speed. And yet, she went home over new year to visit her family. She also never has been taught how to drive or tested for or obtained a DL. So when I asked her how she was getting around her home town to do shopping and such, she replied, driving the family's motorcycle, of course. The fact she's never been issued a DL apparently never even entered her mind as an impediment. I gather, typical Thai mentality when it comes to driving.

 

[bbbbooboo]

hmmm.....congratulations Thailand..... next year 10,000( ..... Ermm...this isn’t serious in case someone thinks it is)

[arithai12]

25 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

My wife doesn't drink alcohol at all and doesn't speed. And yet, she went home over new year to visit her family. She also never has been taught how to drive or tested for or obtained a DL. So when I asked her how she was getting around her home town to do shopping and such, she replied, driving the family's motorcycle, of course. The fact she's never been issued a DL apparently never even entered her mind as an impediment. I gather, typical Thai mentality when it comes to driving.

 

You should know that in Thailand having a piece of plastic that says "Motorcycle Driver's Licence" with a little picture on the side does not mean that the owner can drive any better than those who don't have it. Sadly, your wife has a point.

 

[phantomfiddler]

A meaningless number relating only to how much testing they are doing. Now they see it as a huge revenue earner, and the number will keep rising.

[mike787]

5000, 10,000, 100,000...Does anyone real think the amount of death it matters??  Honestly??? does anyone pay attention (including Thais) to really do something more proactive as in stop it?? Really think about it.  It's all wasted time and energy...just like my observation poster here...nothing matters, because if it "really" mattered to anyone on earth they would change it....happy New year everyone....so sad...

[Pattaya28]

5000 drunks caught.

How many were not caught ?

300 dead.

Again, these stats don't add up.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

10 minutes ago, arithai12 said:

You should know that in Thailand having a piece of plastic that says "Motorcycle Driver's Licence" with a little picture on the side does not mean that the owner can drive any better than those who don't have it. Sadly, your wife has a point.

 

 

As miserable as Thailand's DL training and testing program is, surely, people who've gone thru that process probably have to be, on average, somewhat better prepared than those who've never had any training or preparation at all.  They surely can't be any worse....

[Khun Paul]

$ sessions of driving training will mean diddly squat considering in mosat European countries drivers are actually taught. Here they explain the rudiments the rest as they say is in ther lap of the gods. AND who is going to teach these sessions.....surely not the Police they also have no clue how to drive . 

[theguyfromanotherforum]

Drink driving?

[tigerfeet]

1 hour ago, scorecard said:

And no comments about cancellation / confiscation of driving license.

how can you take a licence ?they have to have one .and the truck/car is probably in the wife name with no insurance tax or lights or brakes .no easy fix i am afraid.would take 2 generations if they start now.just my out look on it having lived in he north of thailand for 8 years .