Officials eye stores selling alcohol to those under-age in bid to reduce drink driving

[webfact]

Officials eye stores selling alcohol to those under-age in bid to reduce drink driving

 

 

Authorities are targeting retailers and convenience stores which sell alcohol to those under age with the threat of legal action, as the death toll for the first three days of the seven-day dangerous New Year travel period climbed to 159 on Sunday.

 

Blaming drunk driving for a majority of the road accidents, mostly involving motorcycles, Pol Lt-Gen Damrongsak Kittiprapat, assistant national police chief and spokesman of the Centre to Prevent and Reduce Road Accidents during the New Year’s Festival, said today that many of the drunk drivers involved in accidents were under 20, prompting the centre to order officials to tighten up on the sale of alcohol to youths and to take legal action against violators.

 

He also said officials have been told to enforce the use of safety belts in all cars and the wearing of crash helmets by those on motorcycles.

 

Full story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/officials-eye-stores-selling-alcohol-to-those-under-age-in-bid-to-reduce-drink-driving/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2019-12-30

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[BritManToo]

I'll take my Lao Kao in an empty 'Red Bull' bottle please.

How could they possibly stop the 'Mom and Pop' stores from selling this?

[edwinchester]

On my trip to visit friends yesterday we passed through many checkpoints as did countless helmetless motorcycle riders. Didn't see one of them stopped.

The whole 'safety effort' at New Year is an absolute farce and seems set-up to give those sat in the roadside tents a week of overtime and little else.

[ParkerN]

They don't have the first glimmering of an idea how to stop it, snd every year at this time, we are confronted by the results of their continuing incompetence. And they're too arrogant to learn from foreign countries where there is less incompetence and where the programs actually achieve something other than an increase i road-kill.

 

If I were a Thai, I'd feel embarrassed at all this. But then I suppose if I were a Thai I'd be hide-bound by their culture and limited by a catastophically low IQ. I'd think Thais lead the world and I wouldn't give a toss about the copious evidence to the contrary.

 

And as for seat belts and motorcycle crash-hats, nobody's listening and nobody will get prosecuted or fired for ignoring or failing to enforce the law. Thai culture is at the root of it. Again.

 

C'est la vie.

[AhFarangJa]

What a farce this 7 day crackdown is. Why do they not concentrate instead on the thousands upon thousands of underage riders, young riders with no licences, no helmets, no experience, no money...........Oh, I think I just found the answer to my own question........

[darksidedog]

If they were to crackdown on seatbelts, helmets and drink driving the whole year round, people might start to get the message. We have our hopelessly incompetent, tea money collecting farce of a police force to blame for the complete disregard Thais have for road laws and safety. Hoping to "fix it" with a 7 day effort is beyond stupidity.

 

 

[anterian]

As many don't have licences punishing them by suspending their licence will not work and those who did get a licence suspended would simply drive without one.

 

[RichardColeman]

Imagine the carnage if their was no crackdown effort. No, sorry, daft point, it would probably be the same 

[30la]

You are not really able to do your homework properly, go to school again and pay more attention!
Many stores that sell alcohol drinks are not registered stores, what do you do with those?

[thailand49]

Sadly, it will take a lot more than keeping an eye!

 

First, early drinking is embedded into their culture. The parents do it and their parent did it before them. The system is broken, thinking is backward with their leaders!  At major stores certain hours you have alcohol sections roped off yet you can walk into a 7/11 and obtain what you need with any noticed that you need to be a certain age or show I.D. to buy.

 

If that fails you can go inside any local neighborhood  mini mart and get anything you need!  Thai household you see kids starting to drink as early as 10 years old the parents don't say a thing it is like a passage to man and women hood for them to smoke and drink in front as if it is normal no one ever taught them it sets a bad example.

 

Whenever there is any celebration they drink until there every drops is gone, that is when everyone goes on without anything ever being said sleep it off for a bit before getting on the road, being responsible doesn't seem to register. It shouldn't be surprising they can't come up with a simple solution.

 

Especially when you throw the biggest yearly party of them all and make the biggest exception that don't worry just be happy until you die!  SONGKRAN you want to see underage driving example! 

[mickey rat]

Perhaps officials could also eye children driving without license and not wearing crash helmet. Selling alcohol to children should be a criminal offense period. 

[unamazedloso]

No idea! Punishment works people!! If your too scared to enforce law where can i get a work permit? But it aint my country or people as ive had brought to my attention may times even though ive spent over half my life in this country so i couldn't careless. Drink more i say! Clear some traffic and look stupid while your at it. Ill stay home with the popcorn.

[Neeranam]

When school security guards allow the kiss to drive cars and motorcycles inside it says a lot. One guy at my daughters school killed someone when driving a car. He was 14.

[hotchilli]

19 hours ago, darksidedog said:

If they were to crackdown on seatbelts, helmets and drink driving the whole year round, people might start to get the message. We have our hopelessly incompetent, tea money collecting farce of a police force to blame for the complete disregard Thais have for road laws and safety. Hoping to "fix it" with a 7 day effort is beyond stupidity.

 

 

They don't want to stop it for two reasons:

1: Thais don't want restrictions imposed on their freedom to do what they want on the roads.

They are happy with the way things are, on the road for no money in training or safety equipment.

2: The government will not challenge the populous as they are votes, and they will not rock the boat.

Don't expect any change this year or next or the year after that!

[HHTel]

49 minutes ago, mickey rat said:

Perhaps officials could also eye children driving without license and not wearing crash helmet. Selling alcohol to children should be a criminal offense period. 

All three are already offences.  But, in Thailand enforcement doesn't really exist.

[HHTel]

9 minutes ago, hotchilli said:

2: The government will not challenge the populous as they are votes,

Since when did votes count for anything.  Elections here are rigged for the required outcome.

[Guderian]

Surely, it's OK as long as they drive slowly!

[DJ54]

Worries me out here in countryside and small town young children riding motorcycles.  Yesterday two older ladies and a boy driving looked no older than 10. 

 

The fear is little real driving experiences and youngsters take risk..

i did at 15-1/2 (licensed)....   The Moto is like a paid babysitter/ get 

the kid out of my hair device. .... dangerous and we won’t go into

the learning responsibility side...

[Road Warrior]

Thailand needs the BRITISH POLICE to educate the THE THAI COPS  how to treat these major problems  

[Jimbo2014]

Why do they always choose the least effective measures in this country then say they are doing something.  This is the equivalent of shooting water from drones to tackle the pollution crisis.  Insanity in practice.

[wealthychef]

21 hours ago, webfact said:

officials have been told to enforce the use of safety belts in all cars and the wearing of crash helmets by those on motorcycles.

 

How about cracking down on bribery?  You can't enforce any of these laws with a corrupt police force.  I see people without helmets all day long.  The only ones who might get pulled over for that would be people that look like they can afford to bribe the cops.  I pass a checkpoint every night, the police wave every Thai by, most of them do not have driver licenses, and they pull me over every time, literally, because I'm white.  I have a license so i don't have to bribe them, but you know they are looking for a bribe, that's why they stop me.  $$$$

[wealthychef]

Oh I just thought of a solution!  Thailand could buy helmets for every Thai person in Bangkok!  Then raise the salaries of the police so they don't need bribes.  Then fire any cop that takes a bribe.  In that order.  The money would come from taxes on the wealthy elites.  Problem solved.  But I am a guest here, so my personal solution is to buy a helmet, get a driver license, and smile when I am stopped at every checkpoint.  "Sorry I no drink."  

[EvetsKram]

21 hours ago, AhFarangJa said:

What a farce this 7 day crackdown is. Why do they not concentrate instead on the thousands upon thousands of underage riders, young riders with no licences, no helmets, no experience, no money...........Oh, I think I just found the answer to my own question........

A few days ago the claim was that majority of those dead were aged over 50, now they say it's kids.  It's Thai attitudes & behaviours on the road that kills

[Fred white]

Threatening them with legal action there should be no threats it should be cut and dryed sell to underage loose your license go to jail run stings like they do in the US of course that would mean the cops would have to work ????

[Fred white]

2 hours ago, Road Warrior said:

Thailand needs the BRITISH POLICE to educate the THE THAI COPS  how to treat these major problems  

Or the US

[Moonlover]

An incident I witnessed last Songran was a 14 year old, with his younger sister on the pillion, riding to the the local store to buy a bottle of Hong Thong for their dad. (presumably)

 

They were riding (without helmets) their dad's Suzuki R15 who just happens to be a Master Sergeant in the Thai Military Police. With parental discipline like that, what hope is there for any improvement on the roads.

[Chongalulu]

23 hours ago, BritManToo said:

I'll take my Lao Kao in an empty 'Red Bull' bottle please.

How could they possibly stop the 'Mom and Pop' stores from selling this?

Officials pretend they are doing something about it,the police pretend to enforce it and the great unwashed pretend it helps. Everybody happy! ???? 

[Chongalulu]

2 hours ago, wealthychef said:

Oh I just thought of a solution!  Thailand could buy helmets for every Thai person in Bangkok!  Then raise the salaries of the police so they don't need bribes.  Then fire any cop that takes a bribe.  In that order.  The money would come from taxes on the wealthy elites.  Problem solved.  But I am a guest here, so my personal solution is to buy a helmet, get a driver license, and smile when I am stopped at every checkpoint.  "Sorry I no drink."  

I wear a full face Arai helmet and protective motorcycle gloves on a fairly new machine with everything visibly working. I’m never stopped.

[Yadon Toploy]

If they gave just half the effort they give to chasing foreigners on overstay then they might have a chance.

 

Incompetent, bumbling, buffoons.

[Yadon Toploy]

2 hours ago, Road Warrior said:

Thailand needs the BRITISH POLICE to educate the THE THAI COPS  how to treat these major problems  

Education won't work.

 

It's a cultural problem, unfortunately.