DUI in Thailand: RTP warned of possible 10 year prison terms

[webfact]

Picture: Daily News

 

Warnings from the Royal Thai Police about drinking and driving have once again fallen on deaf ears.

 

Stats from the Probation Department showed that with a large rise in New Year's Eve cases.

 

This came just hours after the RTP spokesman in Bangkok Pol Maj-Gen Yingyot Thepjamnong had warned his compatriots that the police would be on the lookout for DUI with checkpoints nationwide.

 

And the Maj-Gen warned the Thai population of heavy fines and prison terms. 

 

A first offence that doesn't result in an accident can see a driver fined 5,000 to 20,000 baht and lose their licence for at least 6 months. 

 

But causing accidents sees the driver jailed from 1-5 years and/or a fine of 20-100,000 baht or 2-6 years and 40-120,000 baht.

 

When a death is caused by a drunk driver the penalty is 3-10 years in prison and a fine of 60-200,000 baht. 

 

The probation department alone handled nearly 3,000 cases of DUI and driving while drugged up over three days of the holidays. 

 

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[hughrection]

2 minutes ago, webfact said:

A first offence that doesn't result in an accident can see a driver fined 5,000 to 20,000 baht and lose their licence for at least 6 months. 

and there lies the problem!

 

'Can see a driver' .......... envelope large enough - no chance.

[ThailandRyan]

Has anyone, other than a foreigner, ever been jailed here for DUI.  I know a man in Udon who has been stopped 3 times, and crashed once while UI of alcohol.  He paid a fine, paid the other folks off and is still driving.  Of course he is Thai and someone who has money.  Another friend, a foreigner in Chiang Mai was stopped at a checkpoint, tested, arrested, spent the night in jail, paid the 20k fine the next morning when sobered up, and returned to pick up his bike after paying a 5k impound fee from the police storage area the next day and he was never prosecuted or did he loose his license.

[worgeordie]

11 minutes ago, webfact said:

Maj-Gen warned the Thai population of heavy fines and prison terms. 

Threats but little action , that's why the numbers are rising , no deterrent.

regards worgeordie

[Henryford]

If they jailed Thais for DUI the jails would be overflowing.

[ikke1959]

Maybe start to check a whole year and not only Songkran and New Year.. Than people are getting used to it and with the real punishements i am sure it will work, but only 2 times a year checking is almost as much chance as winning in a lottery that you are caught

[ThailandRyan]

Try to stop the drivers while they are driving as in by doing actual patrol enforcement.  They, the RTP, have been taught the indicators to look for, and how to give field sobriety tests, but alas it is always just easier to do a checkpoint and have them blow in the PAS Device.

[robblok]

35 minutes ago, ThailandRyan said:

Has anyone, other than a foreigner, ever been jailed here for DUI.  I know a man in Udon who has been stopped 3 times, and crashed once while UI of alcohol.  He paid a fine, paid the other folks off and is still driving.  Of course he is Thai and someone who has money.  Another friend, a foreigner in Chiang Mai was stopped at a checkpoint, tested, arrested, spent the night in jail, paid the 20k fine the next morning when sobered up, and returned to pick up his bike after paying a 5k impound fee from the police storage area the next day and he was never prosecuted or did he loose his license.

I still think the foreigner at least learned his lesson. I mean 20k and then 5 k plus a night of jail. Not something that id want to happen to me. 

 

The Thai probably paid a lot too, but that is the problem. 

 

But both have not caused an accident so the max is around 20k.

[smedly]

deport and blacklist foreigners after they have been fined and jailed

[Dmaxdan]

What's the point of warnings.

Just implement tougher penalties and be done with it.

[bendejo]

48 minutes ago, ThailandRyan said:

Another friend, a foreigner in Chiang Mai was stopped at a checkpoint, tested, arrested, spent the night in jail, paid the 20k fine the next morning when sobered up, and returned to pick up his bike after paying a 5k impound

In general, this sounds like being busted for weed on Koh Phangan.  They lock the kid up, scare them shirtless for a few days, take them to court and make them sweat, and then told all will be well, just hand over ~$3,000 US.

 

 

[edwinchester]

Possible jailterm and loss of license. Absolutely laughable considering the recent change to drivers of public transport to a points system where they have to be convicted 4 times of DUI to lose their license.

[arick]

And what will happen to him? 

[thailand49]

A bit unfair?  Drinking and driving is an cultural epidemic here!  There is in general 365 days a year yet only enforced through the media 15-20 days a year in the form of smoke and mirror announcing scare measures set up on main road Under a big tent with everyone just so proud of themselves while the biggest offender are those who suppose to enforce and make up the rules. 

It is sad to jail those who are the product of their rules or lack of! 

[overherebc]

4 hours ago, Henryford said:

If they jailed Thais for DUI the jails would be overflowing.

And 50% of the traffic after 9pm would disappear.

[Marsupienemi]

4 hours ago, ThailandRyan said:

Has anyone, other than a foreigner, ever been jailed here for DUI.  I know a man in Udon who has been stopped 3 times, and crashed once while UI of alcohol.  He paid a fine, paid the other folks off and is still driving.  Of course he is Thai and someone who has money.  Another friend, a foreigner in Chiang Mai was stopped at a checkpoint, tested, arrested, spent the night in jail, paid the 20k fine the next morning when sobered up, and returned to pick up his bike after paying a 5k impound fee from the police storage area the next day and he was never prosecuted or did he loose his license.

I do. A French guy living in Sisaket. He went to spend a WE in Ubon and been caught at a checkpoint. Drunk. He went to the court. Told me you see the juge on a TV, you don't even go in the "room". This story is about 7 years ago. If I don't make any mystake, he had a fine and a probation. Being caught another time in the following 3 years and he would have been sent to jail. I don't remember the duration on the other hand and I do not want to give false info, but what I remember well is that he was very careful because the sentence was, around 2 years, something thing like that (the blood alcohol level to be taken into account).

[Spock]

1 hour ago, arick said:

And what will happen to him? 

How ridiculous that newsreaders have to wear a mask.

[Jack West Jr]

As Greta Thunberg succinctly put it : "Blah,blah,blah ! "

[farangroby]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

When a death is caused by a drunk driver the penalty is 3-10 years in prison and a fine of 60-200,000 baht. 

 

The probation department alone handled nearly 3,000 cases of DUI and driving while drugged up over three days of the holidays. 

So, for the red bull heir, do we have hopes that he will be sentenced to at least 20 years in prison? Drugged, murderer, fugitive, what more?
Sorry, I forgot who is him

 

[Ralf001]

4 hours ago, Henryford said:

If they jailed Thais for DUI the jails would be overflowing.

The jails are overflowing.

[hellohello123]

An increase in dui cases on nye=let's warn/beg people not to drink and drive on nye 

 

Thai logic at its best

[Andycoops]

They not only should have their licences revoked but their vehicles impounded too and that includes their own who are consistently blathered when behind the wheel.

[Road Warrior]

dreaming again !!!!!!  wont happen !!!  lose license !!!  no problem thais will still drive 

[RJRS1301]

Has someone opened a private prison to accommodate those convicted?

Perhaps realistic public education campaigne on driving and alcohol could assit in lower numbers.

Confiscation and destruction of vehicles of repeat offenders would assist in lowering recidivision 

[Chivas]

Make a jail sentence mandatory (worldwide) on the spot, car confiscated and watch the cases drop over 6 months as it gets plastered across social media of people jailed

 

Same with using a phone. Immediate confiscation of car or bike on the spot.

 

Fannying around with ifs buts maybe's sick grannies and buffalo's with 5 legs

 

Hit em hard bang em up. Job sorted. ????

Edited January 3, 2022 by Chivas

[vandeventer]

4 hours ago, ThailandRyan said:

Try to stop the drivers while they are driving as in by doing actual patrol enforcement.  They, the RTP, have been taught the indicators to look for, and how to give field sobriety tests, but alas it is always just easier to do a checkpoint and have them blow in the PAS Device.

They stopped doing check points where I live so the only way to catch the DUI is when they have a accident or when they hit a tree. With a 10 year jail term on the cards don't you think, they should be building a lot more jails. 

[Russell17au]

I would like to know where were all the police check points over the weekend? I drove from Khon Kaen to Kalison on Friday and back to Khon Kaen on Saturday afternoon and not one police checkpoint the whole time. How many DUI drivers on the road at those times? anyones guess.

[Tarteso]

Nonsenses..  No project or plan of Education at the schools, at the University.. nothing will change.

 

 

[hotchilli]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

A first offence that doesn't result in an accident can see a driver fined 5,000 to 20,000 baht and lose their licence for at least 6 months. 

 

But causing accidents sees the driver jailed from 1-5 years and/or a fine of 20-100,000 baht or 2-6 years and 40-120,000 baht.

 

When a death is caused by a drunk driver the penalty is 3-10 years in prison and a fine of 60-200,000 baht. 

Don't talk about it DO IT.

Immediately.

[hotchilli]

5 hours ago, Henryford said:

If they jailed Thais for DUI the jails would be overflowing.

1st DUI [no injuries] 6 months in an army boot camp, no visitation rights, vehicle is crushed.

Injuries or 2nd offence automatic one year in prison.

Death in any instance 10 years for manslaughter.

MANDATORY