Alcohol, drugs and driving continue to wreak havoc on Thailand’s roads

[webfact]

Alcohol, drugs and driving continue to wreak havoc on Thailand’s roads

By THE NATION

 

Somsak Thepsuthin

 

Justice Minister Somsak Thepsuthin said on Monday (December 30) that his ministry had joined with other government agencies including the Office of Narcotics Control Board (ONCB) in conducting random checks on 1,545 drivers of the coaches and vans transporting holidaymakers over the New Year festival, and found 5 of them had used narcotics.

 

In addition, Somsak revealed that there were 4,452 drunk driving cases in 2019, an increase over the 2,944 cases in 2018. Thirty-six of them were repeat offenders. “After this, we will be even stricter in controlling drunk driving as well as increasing the penalty and introducing new measures to handle repeat offenders” he added.

 

“Drunk driving causeds a lot of damage to others” he said. “Although the government has increased its campaigns, offenders appear not to worry about driving after a few drinks.”

 

The ministry will conduct narcotics use in drivers around the clock and will also be checking those driving coaches and vans travelling back to Bangkok after the festival.

 

Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30380011

 

-- © Copyright The Nation Thailand 2019-12-31

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[pixelaoffy]

Severe penalties and making these criminals see the result of their actions (if they survive ). Is the only way !   That will be when hell freezes over 

[keith101]

Unless they are prepared to do it 24/7 nothing will ever change including BIB doing they're job as well .

[Vacuum]

26 minutes ago, webfact said:

random checks on 1,545 drivers of the coaches and vans transporting holidaymakers over the New Year festival, and found 5 of them had used narcotics

Nothing to write home about...

[Misterwhisper]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

",,,offenders appear not to worry about driving after a few drinks.”

And this is exactly the key issue, Mr. Somsak, particularly as far as repeat offenders are concerned.

 

I personally witnessed last year that a stone drunk driver was let back into his vehicle to drive home after he had handed over a few hundred baht.

 

He got off very cheaply... and he is going to do it again. 

[legend49]

Why they keep telling us news thats repeatable for a decade now I dont know. Time to throw a six on the dice and move forward to fixing the issues.

[RotBenz8888]

Haven't the "drive slow when you're drunk" campaign made any results yet? It's a big step for Somchai and a giant leap for Thai people.

[klauskunkel]

23 hours ago, webfact said:

offenders appear not to worry about driving after a few drinks

They don't, huh?... committee time... 

[Yadon Toploy]

It's the drivers that wreak havoc, many of them under the influence of alcohol and drugs.

 

Start taking responsibility for your actions you silly children.

[rabas]

Living proof that everyone can drive better than locals. This is from the US.

 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9v5LD493Kc4

 

[mike787]

Welcome to the Thunderdome.....You WILL be killed when or on a Thai road.  

[ChrisY1]

"there were 4,452 drunk driving cases in 2019,"

With a real police force, there would likely be 10 times more drunks detected

[30la]

On 12/31/2019 at 10:32 AM, webfact said:

Justice Minister Somsak Thepsuthin said on Monday (December 30) that his ministry had joined with other government agencies including the Office of Narcotics Control Board (ONCB) in conducting random checks on 1,545 drivers of the coaches and vans transporting holidaymakers over the New Year festival, and found 5 of them had used narcotics.

Only 5?
The rest of them probably had the bundle ready!

[Airbagwill]

39 minutes ago, mike787 said:

Welcome to the Thunderdome.....You WILL be killed when or on a Thai road.  

Can you please publish the source of those graphs.

[30la]

Do you know how many of your cops drive when drunk?
Do you know how many of your cops are alcoholic?
Do you know how many of your cops driving around without a helmet or without a safety belt?
The policeman is a figure to be taken as an example, the Thai do it!

[hotchilli]

On 12/31/2019 at 10:32 AM, webfact said:

Alcohol, drugs and driving continue to wreak havoc on Thailand’s roads

That should read: Lack of driving skills fueled by alcohol and drugs continue to plague Thailands road year-round!

[Chazar]

On 12/31/2019 at 10:32 AM, webfact said:

Alcohol, drugs and driving continue to wreak havoc on Thailand’s roads

Everyday for the last 20-30  years..............should be the title

[sawadee1947]

On 12/31/2019 at 4:32 AM, webfact said:

Drunk driving causeds a lot of damage to others”

Really??? Wow, what a wise man ????

[PETERTHEEATER]

Afterthis, we will be even stricter in controlling drunk driving..........

 

????

[Andycoops]

On 12/31/2019 at 10:43 AM, keith101 said:

Unless they are prepared to do it 24/7 nothing will ever change including BIB doing they're job as well .

Correct.

A once a year campaign is useless as we all know.

Let's face it.

Thai life is cheap.

If the hi-so mob lost a few it would change but they wouldn't be seen on a m/c in any case. 

[Artisi]

6 hours ago, mike787 said:

Welcome to the Thunderdome.....You WILL be killed when or on a Thai road.  

Didn't realise that Thailand and Koh Samui were separate countries ????

[ParkerN]

I'm really surprised that the increase in prosecutions (which is what I think they mean when saying 'cases') from 2944 in 2018 to 4452 in 2019 wasn't credited to enhanced departmental efficiency rather than increased drinking.

 

Astonished actually - that's a trick missed, someone best tell the good Minister.

 

5 Cases out of 1545 drug checks is only 0.32% That doesn't seem very high, in fact if I had that rate of productivity in a key KPI like that, I think I would expect to be replaced sharpish. Not providing a terribly good service to the Thai people perhaps?

 

[RichardColeman]

On 12/31/2019 at 10:32 AM, webfact said:

Somsak revealed that there were 4,452 drunk driving cases in 2019, an increase over the 2,944 cases in 2018

UP 50% - Boy somebody really needs to be classed as a first class failure and sacked immediately

[transam]

Will we see "moved to inactive posts".mentioned..????

[Justgrazing]

On 12/31/2019 at 3:32 AM, webfact said:

addition, Somsak revealed that there were 4,452 drunk driving cases in 2019, an increase over the 2,944 cases in 2018. Thirty-six of them were repeat offenders. “After this, we will be even stricter in controlling drunk driving as well as increasing the penalty and introducing new measures to handle repeat offenders” he added

Obviously the message is getting thru' with 1500 more nicked this year over last and 36 suffering no regrets syndrome by doing it all again .. Give it a bit more strictness Chief .. its bound to work .. not .. 

[transam]

4 hours ago, hotchilli said:

That should read: Lack of driving skills fueled by alcohol and drugs continue to plague Thailands road year-round!

Think it more to do with police absence.....????

[ParkerN]

36 cases in 4452 were repeat offenders? That's 0.83%

 

Sorry, I just don't believe a word of it. How many cases were 'not proceeded with' after cash changed hands?

 

 

Edited January 1, 2020 by ParkerN

[hotchilli]

13 minutes ago, transam said:

Think it more to do with police absence.....????

I think it's more to with "Oppositional defiant disorder (ODD)" a child affliction which in Thailand seems to continue into adulthood !

[Airbagwill]

1 hour ago, Artisi said:

Didn't realise that Thailand and Koh Samui were separate countries ????

The poster seems unable to say where these stats come from. Without a source they are just a pretty picture.

 

I have long suspected Samui to be an RTA hotspot but know of no reliable data sources for this.....and this suspect is just a made up graph.

Edited January 1, 2020 by Airbagwill

[Almer]

8 hours ago, ChrisY1 said:

"there were 4,452 drunk driving cases in 2019,"

With a real police force, there would likely be 10 times more drunks detected

You are into the Thai way of thinking, with more consistent policing there would be 10 times less, why, because there is no reason not to drink and drive.