No lessons learned: Drink driving stats for New Year's Eve smash record for previous year by 66%

[webfact]

File photo: Daily News

 

Thailand's efforts to stop motorists from driving under the influence of alcohol are in tatters.

 

That's if figures released by the Probation Department are to be believed. 

 

Director Witthawan Suthonkhajit reported 1,723 cases of DUI on December 31st.

 

This was 66% worse than the same day in 2020. 

 

In addition 148 appeared in court for driving while drugged up.

 

The total for three days was 2,896 DUI and 480 drug driving cases. 

 

Ten cases of negligent driving were dealt with by the department.

 

Worst areas in Thailand for DUI were all in the north east with Chaiyaphum having 194 cases, Sakon Nakhon 159 and Buriram 157, reported Daily News. 

 

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Graphic: Daily News

[CelticBhoy]

In a few more days they will publish the weekly total then nothing will be done . . . 

until Songkhran when they will repeat the counting process for 7 days, publish the total . . . 

and nothing more will be heard until next New Year's shambles begins.

This has been the case for decades. All talk and no action.

[smedly]

pretty much everyone driving or riding in Pattaya after 8pm are very likely to be intoxicated and that includes both Thai and foreigners, it's not hard to figure out when you see bars packed with hundreds of motorbikes parked for hours and then they all disappear at closing time

 

the only way to stop it is zero tolerance 365 days a year - big fines - deport and blacklist foreigners and jail for repeat offenders and those that cause injury or death to others

[worgeordie]

I wonder what penalties those caught DUI faced , 

starting the points system off with a 100 points,

and getting 30 for DUI , you could get caught 3

times and still have 10 points left , even if you

did lose your license (if you had one)  ,a couple

of hours watching a video on how you should

drive, you get it back again, no wonder the numbers

are so high, there is no deterrent , the Government

is not really serious about stopping this problem.

regards Worgeordie 

[Enzian]

Is it possible that the stats have gone up because fewer people now have the disposable income to float a bribe?

[transam]

The drinkers don't care, cos if they get caught, it's not the end of the world for them.

No loss of licence, no insurance premium hike, can still drive on compulsory insurance, no huge fine. 

Plus, they have to be very unlucky to actually get caught. Road blocks are always in the same place, folk know how to dodge them...

 

[ThailandRyan]

16 minutes ago, CelticBhoy said:

In a few more days they will publish the weekly total then nothing will be done . . . 

until Songkhran when they will repeat the counting process for 7 days, publish the total . . . 

and nothing more will be heard until next New Year's shambles begins.

This has been the case for decades. All talk and no action.

Yes sir Talk is cheap, and they sure talk a good game and then never follow through.  Looks like the taxi fares are going up.  Win riders can now charge 30 baht to start and the Taxis will be starting at 48 baht.  That is a big increase and will surely keep those intoxicated from taking a ride home after partying up a storm, especially if they can get the few streets home.

[Willy Wombat]

You can’t fix stupid.

[losername]

4 hours ago, Enzian said:

Is it possible that the stats have gone up because fewer people now have the disposable income to float a bribe?

Also possible that, like Covid, more tests are being done.

[simple1]

5 hours ago, smedly said:

pretty much everyone driving or riding in Pattaya after 8pm are very likely to be intoxicated and that includes both Thai and foreigners, it's not hard to figure out when you see bars packed with hundreds of motorbikes parked for hours and then they all disappear at closing time

 

the only way to stop it is zero tolerance 365 days a year - big fines - deport and blacklist foreigners and jail for repeat offenders and those that cause injury or death to others

None of which be effective until endemic coruption by RTP is addressed.

[Tarteso]

They don’t learn. Simple like that  

Edited January 3, 2022 by Tarteso

[dlclark97]

What could you possibly have expected.  Many months have gone by with restricted places to buy/consume alcohol.  All was relaxed for the holiday season so it was off to the 7/11's and more.  Only motorized, properly equipped and patrolling police that stop the erratic driving (not just alcohol/drug related) will ever solve this problem.  Seems all to often that offenders who are caught get little more than a slap on the wrist for their behavior.  Bigger fines, jail time and maybe even confiscation of vehicles might get their attention.  Seems drugs and alcohol are ingrained in the Thai culture.

[KhunLA]

Got fired from a few jobs, though didn't stick around most long enough to get fired.

 

Fired from one, so HR guy could hire his nephew.  Was talking to my replacement, without realizing, and 'told me his Uncle hired him'....next thing I know, I'm in the office, and told work to slow, so I'm done.  Know that's false, but I was the newest hire, less than a week, so wouldn't stir up a fuss with other workers.

 

Fired from 2 other jobs, because I wasn't there ... out looking for better job ????   1 job, supervisor asked buddy working there, and he wasn't thinking, as thought the boss was a friend, 'where's LA' ... 'out looking for new job' ... 'tell him not to come back'????

 

Other one was, my boss so impressed with me, recommended me for top job, more senior people wanted and I got it.  When him & his boss flew down to tell me, I wasn't there and the place was a mess.  So he had to fire me to save face.  Hated doing it, but I asked if I could make a long distance call, after we got done our friendly chat.   "Hello, this is LA, I can start next week" .... he couldn't stop laughing.  Doubled my salary with that move.

[mrfill]

6 hours ago, smedly said:

pretty much everyone driving or riding in Pattaya after 8pm are very likely to be intoxicated and that includes both Thai and foreigners, it's not hard to figure out when you see bars packed with hundreds of motorbikes parked for hours and then they all disappear at closing time

 

the only way to stop it is zero tolerance 365 days a year - big fines - deport and blacklist foreigners and jail for repeat offenders and those that cause injury or death to others

That would make Thailand world leaders... in having 75% of their population in jail.

 

Do you work for a prison building company by any chance? ????

[overherebc]

32 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

Got fired from a few jobs, though didn't stick around most long enough to get fired.

 

Fired from one, so HR guy could hire his nephew.  Was talking to my replacement, without realizing, and 'told me his Uncle hired him'....next thing I know, I'm in the office, and told work to slow, so I'm done.  Know that's false, but I was the newest hire, less than a week, so wouldn't stir up a fuss with other workers.

 

Fired from 2 other jobs, because I wasn't there ... out looking for better job ????   1 job, supervisor asked buddy working there, and he wasn't thinking, as thought the boss was a friend, 'where's LA' ... 'out looking for new job' ... 'tell him not to come back'????

 

Other one was, my boss so impressed with me, recommended me for top job, more senior people wanted and I got it.  When him & his boss flew down to tell me, I wasn't there and the place was a mess.  So he had to fire me to save face.  Hated doing it, but I asked if I could make a long distance call, after we got done our friendly chat.   "Hello, this is LA, I can start next week" .... he couldn't stop laughing.  Doubled my salary with that move.

Were you drinking and driving at the time?

[Broken Record]

2 hours ago, Tarteso said:

They don’t learn. Simple like that  

About 1.5 Million DUI's in USA any given year, seems they don't learn either.

 

In the UK 85,000 convicted of Drink Driving in England and Wales alone, they just don't learn.

Nearly every Farang I know who drinks and has a motorbike or car drinks and drives in Thailand too.

They do it in countries where the penalties are harsh, you think they will not do it in Thailand ?

So it's not a them and us situation i.e. Thai's are bad and Farangs are good, they are humans, mostly, and humans drink and drive !

 

If they Deported and blacklisted Farangs drink driving, it would put an immediate stop to it

 

If a Thai was facing 20 years in Jail for drink driving, that would put a stop to it.

 

But it's not going to happen, so just like USA and UK, drivers will drink and drive, both Thai and Farang.  ( Of course no member of this forum would ever do it) I mean the rest !

 

 

Edited January 3, 2022 by Broken Record

[GreasyFingers]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

Worst areas in Thailand for DUI were all in the north east with Chaiyaphum having 194 cases, Sakon Nakhon 159 and Buriram 157, reported Daily News. 

They must have missed the Bangkok & Pattaya statistics, unless of course the RTP were not on the job there.

[Broken Record]

7 hours ago, worgeordie said:

I wonder what penalties those caught DUI faced , 

starting the points system off with a 100 points,

and getting 30 for DUI , you could get caught 3

times and still have 10 points left , even if you

did lose your license (if you had one)  ,a couple

of hours watching a video on how you should

drive, you get it back again, no wonder the numbers

are so high, there is no deterrent , the Government

is not really serious about stopping this problem.

regards Worgeordie 

Let's face it, not many countries are really serious about it. Or there would be a Zero Tolerance policy and massive repercussions, and that just won't happen in most countries.

[GreasyFingers]

8 minutes ago, Broken Record said:

Let's face it, not many countries are really serious about it. Or there would be a Zero Tolerance policy and massive repercussions, and that just won't happen in most countries.

The only reason that DUI was introduced was to pacify (or keep solvent) the insurance companies.

[PETERTHEEATER]

2 hours ago, KhunLA said:

Got fired from a few jobs, though didn't stick around most long enough to get fired.

 

Fired from one, so HR guy could hire his nephew.  Was talking to my replacement, without realizing, and 'told me his Uncle hired him'....next thing I know, I'm in the office, and told work to slow, so I'm done.  Know that's false, but I was the newest hire, less than a week, so wouldn't stir up a fuss with other workers.

 

Fired from 2 other jobs, because I wasn't there ... out looking for better job ????   1 job, supervisor asked buddy working there, and he wasn't thinking, as thought the boss was a friend, 'where's LA' ... 'out looking for new job' ... 'tell him not to come back'????

 

Other one was, my boss so impressed with me, recommended me for top job, more senior people wanted and I got it.  When him & his boss flew down to tell me, I wasn't there and the place was a mess.  So he had to fire me to save face.  Hated doing it, but I asked if I could make a long distance call, after we got done our friendly chat.   "Hello, this is LA, I can start next week" .... he couldn't stop laughing.  Doubled my salary with that move.

This post is in the wrong thread. MODS please move.

[PETERTHEEATER]

Ten cases of negligent driving were dealt with by the department.

 

????

[mancub]

"Ten cases of negligent driving were dealt with by the department."   

Meaning what ?...Granny fell out the back of the pick-up ?

 

 

[Foghorn]

I Had a Thai guy turn up at my house he was well intoxicated, I asked him where his wife was and he looked behind on motorbike and said she was on it when he left home , he lost her on the road and didn’t know , she was ok when he found her 

[Broken Record]

Obviously some controls are needed regarding DUI of a lot of drugs that impair, prescription drugs included.

 

Alcohol is socially acceptable even though it is responsible for so many deaths and social problems, violence etc, drinkers don't like to label it a drug, but it is a drug, a dangerous one at that.

 

It's so easy to have 2 beers, then wonder if you'll still be safe when you've had 3, had a big meal, maybe be alright with 4, maybe even 5, oh to hell with it, give me another, I'm not drunk, I'll be ok, I'll take the back roads etc etc etc......It's that kind of drug, it dehydrates you so even if you are drinking loads, you'll still wake up with a dry mouth, more please, I'm thirsty, tricky drug is Alcohol, more and more and more, then you are drunk and convinced you're ok, everybody can see you're drunk, but you convince yourself that you're not.

 

I've been there. 

Edited January 3, 2022 by Broken Record

[Broken Record]

13 minutes ago, Foghorn said:

I Had a Thai guy turn up at my house he was well intoxicated, I asked him where his wife was and he looked behind on motorbike and said she was on it when he left home , he lost her on the road and didn’t know , she was ok when he found her 

I done the same thing years ago.

[Ralf001]

2020 new years.

 

Was the country not locked down ?

 

[Broken Record]

2 minutes ago, Ralf001 said:

2020 new years.

 

Was the country not locked down ?

 

No

 

[Ralf001]

5 minutes ago, Broken Record said:

No

 

ohh ok.

 

I recall attending a party last year with friends at a house, had to park not outside the house and music that night was at a lower level to be discreet... as gatherings were not allowed.

 

Maybe Iam thinking another year.

[Broken Record]

15 minutes ago, Ralf001 said:

ohh ok.

 

I recall attending a party last year with friends at a house, had to park not outside the house and music that night was at a lower level to be discreet... as gatherings were not allowed.

 

Maybe Iam thinking another year.

There were restrictions, not a lockdown.

[natway09]

Until the Government gives the Transport Dept or RTP finance for mufti vehicles &

the energy to run them IN THE TRAFFIC watching what is happening nothing will change.

Roadblocks are a waste of time & resources as everone behaves themselves there.

Have a look at the roadrage after the roadblocks