Busted For Drink Driving

[turnip]

I mentioned this on another thread and someone suggested i start an OP.

So ...

I drank one bottle of leo, had some water, drove home. Got stopped in a police sting. I was 67mg, limit in Thailand is 50mgs, in the UK & US it's 80mgs (or 0.8). I was breathalised, which i've never seen or heard of before in this free land. Went to a jail for the night, had to find (via my girlfriend via the ATM via the 7-11) 10,000 bail money. Spent 6 hours in a hot cell with 25 other people (men and women). Went to court two days later. I got a 4k baht fine, 6 hours community service (which i do this friday) and a donation of half a liter of blood. If my blood is no good, as in if i have AIDS or the like, i have to do another 3 hours community service. Nice. I got 40 points on my thai driving license (80 poitns and you lose it), plus I'm on probabtion for 1 year. I have to see my probation officer (yes really) every 3 months for a year and if I violate parole or get stopped again over the limit (one beer), i go straight to jail for 1 month.

When i got my bail money back from the local cops they apologised - they said they'd just take money. Some rich Thai guys driving Fortuners wearing yellow shirts with fists full of baht got busted the same as me, the same fate.

Anyway, I was very unlucky, but be just be warned. 50mg's is one ######ing beer! Needless to say I cant even drink a beer and drive now.

Anyone want to buy a ford pickup?

[chinthee]

I mentioned this on another thread and someone suggested i start an OP.

So ...

I drank one bottle of leo, had some water, drove home. Got stopped in a police sting. I was 67mg, limit in Thailand is 50mgs, in the UK & US it's 80mgs (or 0.8). I was breathalised, which i've never seen or heard of before in this free land. Went to a jail for the night, had to find (via my girlfriend via the ATM via the 7-11) 10,000 bail money. Spent 6 hours in a hot cell with 25 other people (men and women). Went to court two days later. I got a 4k baht fine, 6 hours community service (which i do this friday) and a donation of half a liter of blood. If my blood is no good, as in if i have AIDS or the like, i have to do another 3 hours community service. Nice. I got 40 points on my thai driving license (80 poitns and you lose it), plus I'm on probabtion for 1 year. I have to see my probation officer (yes really) every 3 months for a year and if I violate parole or get stopped again over the limit (one beer), i go straight to jail for 1 month.

When i got my bail money back from the local cops they apologised - they said they'd just take money. Some rich Thai guys driving Fortuners wearing yellow shirts with fists full of baht got busted the same as me, the same fate.

Anyway, I was very unlucky, but be just be warned. 50mg's is one ######ing beer! Needless to say I cant even drink a beer and drive now.

Anyone want to buy a ford pickup?

turnip,

disturbing, but can you detail where this was and at what time of day or night please.

[mikethevigoman]

I mentioned this on another thread and someone suggested i start an OP.

So ...

I drank one bottle of leo, had some water, drove home. Got stopped in a police sting. I was 67mg, limit in Thailand is 50mgs, in the UK & US it's 80mgs (or 0.8). I was breathalised, which i've never seen or heard of before in this free land. Went to a jail for the night, had to find (via my girlfriend via the ATM via the 7-11) 10,000 bail money. Spent 6 hours in a hot cell with 25 other people (men and women). Went to court two days later. I got a 4k baht fine, 6 hours community service (which i do this friday) and a donation of half a liter of blood. If my blood is no good, as in if i have AIDS or the like, i have to do another 3 hours community service. Nice. I got 40 points on my thai driving license (80 poitns and you lose it), plus I'm on probabtion for 1 year. I have to see my probation officer (yes really) every 3 months for a year and if I violate parole or get stopped again over the limit (one beer), i go straight to jail for 1 month.

When i got my bail money back from the local cops they apologised - they said they'd just take money. Some rich Thai guys driving Fortuners wearing yellow shirts with fists full of baht got busted the same as me, the same fate.

Anyway, I was very unlucky, but be just be warned. 50mg's is one ######ing beer! Needless to say I cant even drink a beer and drive now.

Anyone want to buy a ford pickup?

where was this ?

[kratindaeng]

Are you residing in Thailand? Community service? Sounds like Bullshit to me, this guy isnt for real - TROLL

Edited May 30, 2007 by kratindaeng

[issanpaul]

I mentioned this on another thread and someone suggested i start an OP.

So ...

I drank one bottle of leo, had some water, drove home. Got stopped in a police sting. I was 67mg, limit in Thailand is 50mgs, in the UK & US it's 80mgs (or 0.8). I was breathalised, which i've never seen or heard of before in this free land. Went to a jail for the night, had to find (via my girlfriend via the ATM via the 7-11) 10,000 bail money. Spent 6 hours in a hot cell with 25 other people (men and women). Went to court two days later. I got a 4k baht fine, 6 hours community service (which i do this friday) and a donation of half a liter of blood. If my blood is no good, as in if i have AIDS or the like, i have to do another 3 hours community service. Nice. I got 40 points on my thai driving license (80 poitns and you lose it), plus I'm on probabtion for 1 year. I have to see my probation officer (yes really) every 3 months for a year and if I violate parole or get stopped again over the limit (one beer), i go straight to jail for 1 month.

When i got my bail money back from the local cops they apologised - they said they'd just take money. Some rich Thai guys driving Fortuners wearing yellow shirts with fists full of baht got busted the same as me, the same fate.

Anyway, I was very unlucky, but be just be warned. 50mg's is one ######ing beer! Needless to say I cant even drink a beer and drive now.

Anyone want to buy a ford p

ickup?

[issanpaul]

I mentioned this on another thread and someone suggested i start an OP.

So ...

I drank one bottle of leo, had some water, drove home. Got stopped in a police sting. I was 67mg, limit in Thailand is 50mgs, in the UK & US it's 80mgs (or 0.8). I was breathalised, which i've never seen or heard of before in this free land. Went to a jail for the night, had to find (via my girlfriend via the ATM via the 7-11) 10,000 bail money. Spent 6 hours in a hot cell with 25 other people (men and women). Went to court two days later. I got a 4k baht fine, 6 hours community service (which i do this friday) and a donation of half a liter of blood. If my blood is no good, as in if i have AIDS or the like, i have to do another 3 hours community service. Nice. I got 40 points on my thai driving license (80 poitns and you lose it), plus I'm on probabtion for 1 year. I have to see my probation officer (yes really) every 3 months for a year and if I violate parole or get stopped again over the limit (one beer), i go straight to jail for 1 month.

When i got my bail money back from the local cops they apologised - they said they'd just take money. Some rich Thai guys driving Fortuners wearing yellow shirts with fists full of baht got busted the same as me, the same fate.

Anyway, I was very unlucky, but be just be warned. 50mg's is one ######ing beer! Needless to say I cant even drink a beer and drive now.

Anyone want to buy a ford p

ickup?

you gotta be joking,ur ickup is a marked vehilcle

[qualtrough]

Points? Community Service? Is there an alternative Thailand I don't know of??

[Crossy]

Points? Community Service? Is there an alternative Thailand I don't know of??

Don't know about the 'points', but my Thai step-son got nicked for drink driving (he didn't have the tea-money) he got 24 hours community service (cleaning out khlongs).

[Strap]

Hmm

Reality check please ?

Are you for real or just looking to razzel a few expat drivers? Im going to half to ask if there is more to this story than your saying. I have seen many people , Thai, foreigners get pinched for 'drink driving' in bangkok and get there ticket and drive home

I also saw a guy smash his car into the concrete wall at the corner of sukhumvit soi 4 ( nana) with a cop stationed right there and he got out looked at the car and was let go in 5 mins.

come on what else happened that night?

[LivinLOS]

The UK limit is 40.. With 5 cautionary points. So you can still blow a 45 and get an instant caution. I once blew a 44 when I was a kid.. (or 35 and I blew a 39.. Cant remember)

So in the UK presumably you would now be getting a 12 - 24 month ban.. Fines.. Increased insurance costs.. Etc etc etc.

Edited May 31, 2007 by LivinLOS

[DrFisher]

This is a slap on the wrist compared to what would happen in Pennsylvania.

Edited May 31, 2007 by DrFisher

[LivinLOS]

BTW you say you gave a breath specimen.. Because people here seem to be confusing breath amounts with blood amounts..

The UK allows 35 micrograms of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath (or 80 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood).

So if you blew a 67 your nearly double UK levels.. or around 150 milligrams in blood at approx conversion rates. Thats 3 times the level allowed in most countries.

So did you have a blood test toxicology done or as you stated a breath test ??

[JimsKnight]

Sorry to burst your bubble but this is the biggest pile of tripe ever!

Yes the police do bust people for drink driving (Bangkok usually), but like its been mentioned, you pay a nice little fine and off you go. The bit about how if your blood is infected with something gets you punished further is fantasy land. What drugs are you taking?

Troll troll troll troll troll troll troll trolltrolltroll troll trolltrolltroll.....

[garp]

Why is everyone assuming this guy is a troll?

is it the fear of losing one of the things that makes Thailand such a wonderful place to live?

The ability to drink and drive.

I hope it's true.

Drink driving is one thing that can be stopped if the people have the will.

[Pomthai]

Part of that may be true, one of my Thai employees got the same probation thing, community service (think he was diggin holes and planting trees) and reporting every three months. Any indiscretion within a year would land him in Jail for one month. <-- That much probably is true. This was in Phuket BTW.

Never heard of a points system here and as far as being penalized further for having bad blood???? That just sounds stupid or a mis-communication. Maybe further penalties if higher amounts of alcohol were later found compared to the original breath test.

[JimsKnight]

That may be true for a thai person, but usually for the farang a slap on the wrist and a fine is the status quo, I've seen it and heard of it but not experienced it.

Somebody who has is a responsible drinker and can control a vehicle should not be screwed over. Someone who gets wasted and is driving like something off Deathrace 3000 should be hammered by the long arm of the law.

[bangkokrick]

I think that some of this may be true as i have a Thai friend who was stopped after drinking one bottle of beer. He was fined 35K baht and ordered to do 10 days community service in the local hospital. I have no reason to disbelieve his story.

[Maigo6]

If the Police start setting up road blocks in Pattaya and breath test all drivers, there will be gangs of Farangs planting trees and sweeping the roads doing their community service very shortly.................................

But as it is a criminal offence, I wonder if one could get deported and blacklisted?

All for one beer!!! I know that would make me a persistent offender in that case! Especially in Pattaya where there are no metered Taxis, only bleedin' Baht bus and motorcycle taxis.

[bkkjam]

Its true. I'm not farang or thai.

Got caught in Thong Lor in February. My level of alcohol was 72 units. Had dinner & a few Singhas with a friend.

Police didn't want money. Went to lock up, posted bail & went to court the next day. Paid fine & need to do community service.

[JimsKnight]

Jeez, glad I live up in the North where the rules are more feudal style and the beaurocracy hasn't taken over.

[cdnvic]

Sorry to burst your bubble but this is the biggest pile of tripe ever!

You really need to read the archives more

[Plus]

I once heard the same thing about the legal rules at the police station, the cops, however, were apprehensive about doing these awful things to fellow human beings.

Sometimes they have to, I guess.

By Thai calculations three little bottles should be over the limit.

[Amethyst]

3 hours community service. Nice.

Do u need work permit for this ? lol

[mr_hippo]

turnip, it may come as a complete surprise to you that the UK and US drink drinking laws do not apply in Thailand.

[samran]

I don't think it is a troll.

There has been increasing pressure within government over the always excessive annual road toll here in Thailand. This is in addition to the external pressure that comes about around NYE and Songkran.

You may even notice huge bill boards going up around the place, saying that the coppers will eventually get you. In addition to that, the local version of the anti drink/drive campaign has been around for a couple of years and the 'mao mai cup' mantra is slowly starting to work its way into the thai psych. No doubts there is a long way to go, but things are changing.

Indeedy doodie. If this is a sign of things to come, I'm a very happy man and father. I have very little sympathy for people getting behind the wheel with any alcohol in their blook. My thoughts on the topic....

Good work Thai police.

ps. In Australia...which probably has the strictest laws on this, as well as a public awareness campaign which has been going since the mid 70's, it is well know that to keep under the limit, you can have a maximium of 2 standard drinks in the first hour and then one every hour after that. AFAIK, a standard drink is equivelent to no more than 200ml of full strength (5% beer).

[BlackArtemis]

This is a slap on the wrist compared to what would happen in Pennsylvania.

True when I was home I used to bring a blanket and a pillow in the back of my car when I went to parties. Better to sleep there than get a DUI in PA...

[Clipped]

i got busted for DUI/DWI also... things you have to do:

1.Pay 4000 baht fine

2.Do community service (24 hours for me -6 hours per day)

3.Go to group meeting and check in...4 times in a year.

4.Blood donation gets you time off

Types of community service offered:

1.hospital work - folding sheets, stuffing envelopes, push wheelchairs, wash pans...if you have to do anything do this - its air conditioned

2.trash collection - side of road

3.corpse retrievel - with emergency response teams (Bo thek thung)

4.some more i cant remember

If you get arrested and the court date is the next day, dont waste your money on bail....if you get pinched on a friday definately bail yourself out...cops can take your atm card and get the money for you-they wont steal it.

a bond is 10% of bail...with a bond you do not get your money back after court....the thai word for the bail bondsman is - Nai Buggun

-----------------------------------------------------------------

they will put a 'D' on the back of your license and i asume 'D' is for drunk...lol

I drank 3 bottles of redwine in Pattaya and my lesbian friend drove back to bangkok (i was trying to convert her, as well as do something else to her) dropped herself off...and i was looking for something to eat and got snatched behind rca by the railroad tracks.

got pulled in with 3 other people. scores were 50,55,75

i blew a 196, the three of them didnt total me....i was drunk but had caught my snap... by then it was 4:30 am.

The group meetings im talking about are upwards of 500 drunk people in one room...its fun cuz evreryone is talking $hit about the cops.

The OP got off easy and he is no troll.....

[torrenova]

I think that some of this may be true as i have a Thai friend who was stopped after drinking one bottle of beer. He was fined 35K baht and ordered to do 10 days community service in the local hospital. I have no reason to disbelieve his story.

Sorry but how does the system of fines operate in Thailand. You cannot fine everyone Bt35,000 because some do not make that in one year.

[Tony Clifton]

It's the first time I hear about demerit points in Thailand.

[TopDogger]

I think that some of this may be true as i have a Thai friend who was stopped after drinking one bottle of beer. He was fined 35K baht and ordered to do 10 days community service in the local hospital. I have no reason to disbelieve his story.

Sorry but how does the system of fines operate in Thailand. You cannot fine everyone Bt35,000 because some do not make that in one year.

If there not making 35k in 1yr, its gonna be a nice car they get caught drink driving in!