Top cop: Absolutely no DUI - but we'll go easy on riding in pick-ups at Songkran

 

Image: Daily News

 

Thailand's deputy commissioner of police has said that the force will come down hard on drink drivers at the upcoming Songkran celebration in April. 

 

But he has said that his men will go easy on revelers traveling in the back of pick-ups if it is "appropriate and not dangerous".

 

Meanwhile water splashers everywhere can expect wide ranging alcohol bans. 

 

Pol Gen Srivara Ransibrahmanakul was speaking after conducting a video conference call with his men nationwide on the subject of what to do at Songkran between 13th and 16th of April.

 

Top of his list was drink drivers. He said that those who drink and cause accidents should not just be charged with negligent driving but have everything thrown at them as the law will allow. 

 

He called for charges of "extreme carelessness" to be added. 

 

He called for "stringent measures" with the highest fines for DUI and the issuing of electronic monitoring (EM) bracelets for those with 150 mg of alcohol in their systems. 

 

But for people playing Songkran he was more conciliatory saying that his men should act like last year. People can travel in pick-ups to play water fights but their behavior should be monitored for "appropriateness and danger". 

 

He also referred to areas set aside for water fights. He said that no alcohol should be sold in those areas at all and there should be a blanket ban on bringing alcohol into those areas. 

 

He said that officers from the Interior Ministry and other agencies would help the police with this. 

 

He promised more checkpoints nationwide to help reduce accidents and said that three roads or sections of roads would have a ban on ten wheel trucks and up.

 

These roads are: 

1. Mitraphap (Friendship) Highway between Thap Kwang and Klong Phai.
2. Route 304 Prachinburi to Nakorn Ratchasima.
3. Aranyaprathet to Nang Rong. 

 

This will comprise 117 kilometers where large trucks will be banned from 11th to 17th April. Trucks wanting special dispensation to use the said routes must apply to the police in advance of the holidays.

 

He added that last year there were problems with gas tankers using forbidden routes with drivers claiming they hadn't heard of the ban. 

 

Gen Srivara promised better information campaigns this year to address that problem. 

 

Source: Daily News

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2019-03-09

 

Is it to hard for them to check drink drivers all 365 days a year or is it just major holidays that they like to do ?

I remember when Songkran was a rather gentle festival.  If you were elderly, people would ask if it was OK to pour a wee bit of water on your hand or arm.  Times change.

1 minute ago, Damrongsak said:

I remember when Songkran was a rather gentle festival.  If you were elderly, people would ask if it was OK to pour a wee bit of water on your hand or arm.  Times change.

Welcome to 21st century. The more you say no the more water you get.

 

and ultimate prize is to get you in the eyes when you riding to make sure you come off the bike. 

 

And my my all time favourite if someone has a dog to make sure to annoy the dog as much as possible , even more so if it’s a pit bull or a bully. I swear one day I will let mine off the chain and see how much fun then it would be 

The most hopeful outcome will be still being alive after its finished then????

38 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

People can travel in pick-ups to play water fights but their behavior should be monitored for "appropriateness and danger".

It's not water playing people in pick ups that are dangerous, its the people on roadsides that throws buckets of ice-cold water in the face of passing motorcycles.

49 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

have everything thrown at them as the law will allow. 

If you gonna throw something, i suggest you throw the lunatics in prison.

 

51 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

But he has said that his men will go easy on revelers traveling in the back of pick-ups if it is "appropriate and not dangerous".

Come on, it's ALWAYS dangerous.

The law is the law; making exceptions is what causes lack of clarity and problems.

A troll post and the replies have been removed. 

Always plenty of talk.....never any positive action though

Just now, petermik said:

Always plenty of talk.....never any positive action though

Errr- READ THE ARTICLE.

 

Damned of they do, damned if they don't in Thaigeezer's eyes.

 

19 minutes ago, MichaelJohn said:

The law is the law; making exceptions is what causes lack of clarity and problems.

I'm pretty sure western cops are allowed to use 'discretion' as well from my experience.

57 minutes ago, Vacuum said:

It's not water playing people in pick ups that are dangerous, its the people on roadsides that throws buckets of ice-cold water in the face of passing motorcycles.

I remember I did that before, they were furious.

Yawn. Booze will be sold as always, everyone will be hammered, as always, and the police will do nothing outside of a few checkpoints around the country, as always.

 

The carnage will continue, as always.

 

Welcome to Groundhog Day.

SUSHI. Stock up stay home inside.

2 hours ago, Psimbo said:

I'm pretty sure western cops are allowed to use 'discretion' as well from my experience.

But, unlike here, there are limits for discretion.

And the room for discretion does not involve alcohol in your system while driving.

3 hours ago, rooster59 said:

He said that those who drink and cause accidents should not just be charged with negligent driving but have everything thrown at them as the law will allow. 

Sounds good, but what about the ones who drink but don't cause accidents?

songkran is a giant safety release valve. they get to vent all the emotions held hostage and sort of experience the getting wet part of swimming.

Damn Farangs, they should just kill all of us!

Wake up Sir.

The law should be enforced everyday,,,,, that is your job.

Like stopping the motorbikes riding on the footpath going the wrong way down a one way street

which they do now with impunity & I am the ars......... who gets in their way

You are a joke

5 hours ago, rooster59 said:

Thailand's deputy commissioner of police has said that the force will come down hard on drink drivers at the upcoming Songkran celebration in April. 

 

So the force will come down easy (or not at all) on other non-festive days then. Yeah, it's the season again. The season where law enforcement in Thailand draws a big fat black line under the phrase 'Look how immensely daft we all are!'

its the imbeciles that throw water in the eyes of motorcyclists

that are most harmful

Standing in the middle of the road and hold out the hand and think you stop a car in 80km/h is never smart.

good - fill the jails...

Top cop admitting to not doing his job.

Hope people die and hold him personally accountable.

 

Ban alcohol and wasting water and throw buckets of ganja. Just a suggestion...?

5 hours ago, rooster59 said:

But he has said that his men will go easy on revelers traveling in the back of pick-ups if it is "appropriate and not dangerous".

He just caused a few dozen more deaths with this comment.

Worst <deleted> holiday in the history of holidays. I cant stand Songkran. 

5 hours ago, BestB said:

Welcome to 21st century. The more you say no the more water you get.

 

and ultimate prize is to get you in the eyes when you riding to make sure you come off the bike. 

 

And my my all time favourite if someone has a dog to make sure to annoy the dog as much as possible , even more so if it’s a pit bull or a bully. I swear one day I will let mine off the chain and see how much fun then it would be 

"get you in the eyes when you riding to make sure you come off the bike." Often containing a large amount of washing up liquid!  

5 hours ago, Vacuum said:

It's not water playing people in pick ups that are dangerous, its the people on roadsides that throws buckets of ice-cold water in the face of passing motorcycles.

???  Do you want to have warm, I hot, I or boiled water, please?? 

5 hours ago, Vacuum said:

It's not water playing people in pick ups that are dangerous, its the people on roadsides that throws buckets of ice-cold water in the face of passing motorcycles.

I don’t mind the ice cold water as much as the actual lumps of ice still in the damn water.... but your 100% right in regards the need to crack down on this dangerous behavior.

6 hours ago, rooster59 said:

But he has said that his men will go easy on revelers traveling in the back of pick-ups if it is "appropriate and not dangerous".

Have these guys been trained by the Keystone Cops or a special secret force developed by Benny Hill?