Out for blood: Phuket Police to use hospital tests to confirm drunk driver charges

[soi3eddie]

2 hours ago, Airbagwill said:

Checkpoints don't work especially in Thailand as the police are not trained in how where and when to use them - they actually are more of a traffic hazard than a safety tool.

Agreed, I recently finished a tour of northern Thailand by Motorcycle. Mae Hong Son Loop, Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai. Starting and finishing in Bangkok. We must have passed at least 60-80 checkpoints. Some checkpoints were on divided highways on fast downhill stretches just after bends. Riding conservatively at 70-90kmh it was often a surprise as no warning signs until on the backed up traffic (and we only road during daylight). 3 lanes into one. Crazy of the police to mount these checkpoints in such dangerous locations. Easy to see how a sleepy truck driver could run into the back up and cause carnage.

[Airbagwill]

46 minutes ago, digger70 said:

That would be easy No fines  ,Just impose a prison sentence. Pick them Up Lock them Up.

I think this would present problems too. 

Sweden had (or has) a system of locking up DD offenders and ended up with half the prison population population being DUI convicts.

Do you really think the Thai system could cope?

furthermore you have to get a conviction and the Thai legal system is certainly incapable of delivering that in a consistent and egalitarian manner

[007 RED]

A couple of questions:

 

Will a doctor withdraw blood from a conscious person who has not given their consent to such a procedure?  My understanding is that they won’t unless it’s a matter of life or death.  Normally the doctor/hospital needs the person’s consent before undertaking such a procedure.

 

Who is going to pay the hospital bill, suspect or police?  Again, my understanding is that most, if not all, private hospitals need proof of ability to pay e.g. insurance or credit card, before they start even booking a person in. 

 

So, if the suspect refuses to give consent for blood to be taken, or to pay the hospital bill, what then? No blood test = walk or possibly stagger free?

[ThailandRyan]

2 minutes ago, 007 RED said:

A couple of questions:

 

Will a doctor withdraw blood from a conscious person who has not given their consent to such a procedure?  My understanding is that they won’t unless it’s a matter of life or death.  Normally the doctor/hospital needs the person’s consent before undertaking such a procedure.

 

Who is going to pay the hospital bill, suspect or police?  Again, my understanding is that most, if not all, private hospitals need proof of ability to pay e.g. insurance or credit card, before they start even booking a person in. 

 

So, if the suspect refuses to give consent for blood to be taken, or to pay the hospital bill, what then? No blood test = walk or possibly stagger free?

In the US, the local district attorney's office foots the bill for the hospital blood test, not sure the Thai government is going to be doing that.

[Puzzler]

I believe that the first step should be for people to have to pass a much more stringent driving test. The actual competence of drivers is, generally, very low...

Of course, the police also need to be both trained and honest too  (it's nice to dream)....

[metisdead]

An off topic trolling post has been removed. 

[micmichd]

3 hours ago, 007 RED said:

A couple of questions:

 

Will a doctor withdraw blood from a conscious person who has not given their consent to such a procedure?  My understanding is that they won’t unless it’s a matter of life or death.  Normally the doctor/hospital needs the person’s consent before undertaking such a procedure.

 

Who is going to pay the hospital bill, suspect or police?  Again, my understanding is that most, if not all, private hospitals need proof of ability to pay e.g. insurance or credit card, before they start even booking a person in. 

 

So, if the suspect refuses to give consent for blood to be taken, or to pay the hospital bill, what then? No blood test = walk or possibly stagger free?

Monkey House, at your own expense, and vehicle confiscated. 

Regardless of whether you're Thai or Farang. 

 

(Pattaya Dark Side) 

[mikosan]

8 hours ago, NanLaew said:

Makes sense. I don't know of many other countries that prosecute solely on the breath alcohol test. Most require a blood test to confirm exceeding the legal intoxication limits or otherwise. In most sensible nations, any refusal to provide a blood sample is an automatic prosecution for DUI/DWI with additional penalties.

Which just goes to show how little you know.  They have been using a Lion Intoximeter, or whatever it's called, in the UK for the last 30 years or so. Not a blood test, a breath test at the station.

[kiwikeith]

12 hours ago, madmitch said:

I'm not sure whether this means that breathalysers are not going to be used at all, and it would be typical if they did stop them. A positive test followed by a cop shop/hospital visit should be the norm, negative tests let go.

 

New scenario would be to stop anyone, tell thm they are suspected of drinking and would therefore be spending several hours at the local hospital......however this procedure could be overlooked for a small donation!

 

Let's see.

Times are tough, no falangs to stop, no trips to the jewellery stores, no underage set up, no money to collect from bars, just stop the locals and don't test them just fine them for other things, no need to waste paper on tickets, keep it simple. 

Good idea. 

[RocketDog]

20 hours ago, lust said:

And? Did you not do your due diligence and research before deciding on moving here? Thailand is soooo much more dangerous than my home country. And I LOVE it.

Just goes to show that love is blind. 

[RocketDog]

21 hours ago, NanLaew said:

Makes sense. I don't know of many other countries that prosecute solely on the breath alcohol test. Most require a blood test to confirm exceeding the legal intoxication limits or otherwise. In most sensible nations, any refusal to provide a blood sample is an automatic prosecution for DUI/DWI with additional penalties.

In America if you think you're below the legal limit you can demand a hospital blood test. However, when the irritated cops escort you into the hospital you may suffer unfortunate falls and collisions with walls and doors and you pay for the test yourself. 

[stouricks]

20 hours ago, lust said:

And? Did you not do your due diligence and research before deciding on moving here? Thailand is soooo much more dangerous than my home country. And I LOVE it.

Until that drunk trucker hits you head-on. Will you still love it ?

[ThailandRyan]

5 minutes ago, stouricks said:

Until that drunk trucker hits you head-on. Will you still love it ?

You live one day at a time, enjoying it to it's fullest, so that when the reaper comes calling then it was worth it. Thai's believe that when it is your time to go then you go, no way to alter your life.

[KKr]

21 hours ago, Airbagwill said:

Then the fact that the police have to use a hospital to get an accurate CAILBRATED measurement of alcohol shows that after all these years they still don't have a modern effective system of even detecting drunk drivers let alone prosecuting them.

A good measure that weeds out any attempts at extorting money and allegedly manipulating test equipment as people said used to be the case in a place I stayed before.

The nurse in hospital there, 3 a.m. , came back to the waiting area shouting something to the effect of ‘which idiot took that foreigner here’ as I had 3.5 permille of 5 allowed. 
worth doing the math ????

[lust]

1 hour ago, stouricks said:

Until that drunk trucker hits you head-on. Will you still love it ?

Again. If you’re worried about that, your home country has severe punishments for drunk drivers. So what brought you here? You should stay where it’s safe! I strongly recommend anyone who just criticizes Thailand should go home. You will be much happier with nanny state laws. 

[digger70]

20 hours ago, Airbagwill said:

I think this would present problems too. 

Sweden had (or has) a system of locking up DD offenders and ended up with half the prison population population being DUI convicts.

Do you really think the Thai system could cope?

furthermore you have to get a conviction and the Thai legal system is certainly incapable of delivering that in a consistent and egalitarian manner

Things could change ,building more Jails and get the Juristic system running a bit better .

They could get a Million Offenders off the road very quick.

[Airbagwill]

2 minutes ago, digger70 said:

Things could change ,building more Jails and get the Juristic system running a bit better .

They could get a Million Offenders off the road very quick.

Really? - I think your experience of Thailand is a bit sheltered.

Edited October 11, 2020 by Airbagwill

[digger70]

4 minutes ago, Airbagwill said:

Really? - I think your experience of Thailand is a bit sheltered.

Why's that? Stop thinking and Read what's posted

I said things could change, I didn't say they Are changed or Going to be Changed .Right!

[Airbagwill]

57 minutes ago, digger70 said:

Why's that? Stop thinking and Read what's posted

I said things could change, I didn't say they Are changed or Going to be Changed .Right!

OK - move your goal posts - or saying the "bleeding" obvious" - can't see the point. for replying to my post like that.

"Stop thinking" that sums up the attitude of most of the posts on this thread.

...it's a hugely unconstructive conversation because people don't know the they don't know what they are talking about.

Edited October 11, 2020 by Airbagwill

[Airbagwill]

1 hour ago, digger70 said:

Things could change ,building more Jails and get the Juristic system running a bit better .

They could get a Million Offenders off the road very quick.

They only way things can seriously change is with a change to a democratic government.

 

No government ;like the present one is ever going to allow an independent judicial system or embrace modern health and safety theories.

You can see by the way they build roads design and engineer them - they includes the design of road/rail crossings, that they have no will to change. They will acknowledge the deaths but secretly don't believe or understand the science.

Without a democracy it is very hard to get people into jobs they actually merit.....they really on graft nepotism etc and that results in second-rate people in high position.

[stouricks]

2 hours ago, lust said:

Again. If you’re worried about that, your home country has severe punishments for drunk drivers. So what brought you here? You should stay where it’s safe! I strongly recommend anyone who just criticizes Thailand should go home. You will be much happier with nanny state laws. 

This must be one of the craziest replies I have ever seen on T Visa.

Yes, my country does have severe punishments for drink driving, but that's no good if the pi55head has just killed you and your wife and children.

Do YOU drink & drive lust?

[lust]

1 hour ago, stouricks said:

This must be one of the craziest replies I have ever seen on T Visa.

Yes, my country does have severe punishments for drink driving, but that's no good if the pi55head has just killed you and your wife and children.

Do YOU drink & drive lust?

But you’re missing the point. Stay where it’s safe. Don’t move to a country with one of the highest driving fatality rates and then complain about how dangerous it is here and how the police don’t do their job. 
 

Also, I don’t drink. 

[metisdead]

An insulting post has been removed. 

[NanLaew]

20 hours ago, mikosan said:

Which just goes to show how little you know.  They have been using a Lion Intoximeter, or whatever it's called, in the UK for the last 30 years or so. Not a blood test, a breath test at the station.

Since I left the UK in the late seventies, I am sure there's been many, many changes. My father was policemen when the glass tubes and yellow crystals of the first Dräger Alcotest were all the rage.

 

Did you know that the intoxicated British driver lost his legal right to insist on a doctor-administered blood test only about 11 years ago?

 

Thought not.

[hotchilli]

On 10/10/2020 at 12:39 PM, rooster59 said:

Out for blood: Phuket Police to use hospital tests to confirm drunk driver charges

Should have been doing this for years already.

[wavodavo]

In Australia if over the limit (.05) after a roadside test you are taken to the nearest police station and tested again on the Breathalzer machine and if still over you will be fined. you can challenge it in court. If a driver is unable to supply a breath sample due to injury a  blood sample is taken in Hospital.

[NanLaew]

Reading briefly into the history of alcohol breath testing versus blood testing, the main reason the UK legislated against blood testing was the abuse by drunk drivers who, having blown positive, would decline to blow and have to wait a few hours before a medically supervised blood sample could be drawn and tested. By that time, most miscreants were back below the borderline and released. It was a huge waste of police effort and tax payers money to have this loophole so it was closed and as mentioned earlier, unless physically or medically unable to use a breathalyzer, prosecution is based on those test results only.

 

With the new Thai police chief suspending breath testing on the highways in lieu of blood testing in hospitals, it seems that Thailand is going through the same learning curve as the UK. Maybe that's what happens in countries where there's a lack of law enforcement and a lack of a tax paying public.