Indian Motorbike Rider Arrested for Drunk Driving in Patong

[webfact]

Patong –An Indian motorbike rider was arrested in Patong for drunk driving on Tuesday early in the morning (April 2nd).

The Patong Police told the Phuket Express that they had set up a police checkpoint on the Taweewong Road. At 1:14 A.M., the suspect identified only as Rahil, 34, Indian national, was stopped at the checkpoint.

 

He was given an alcohol breath test that showed .80 milligrams percent of alcohol which was over the limit of .50. He was taken to Patong Police Station to face charges of drunk driving.

 

This was the second drunk foreign driver arrested in Patong this month. At least nine foreign drivers were arrested in Patong last month as seen below.

 

Patong Police have been especially focused on foreign drivers and tourists breaking Thai laws after a series of high profile cases of tourists and ex-pats behaving badly in Phuket and Thailand brought negative attention from local residents.

 

Full story: THE PHUKET EXPRESS 2024-04-03

 

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[flyingtlger]

8 minutes ago, webfact said:

This was the second drunk foreign driver arrested in Patong this month

Why the big deal?

[smedly]

come to pattaya, Thai or farang

 

pretty much anyone riding or driving  after 1.30am are drunk, few exceptions

 

but then the cop stopping you for DUI is ....................Finnish the sentence lol

[hotchilli]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

This was the second drunk foreign driver arrested in Patong this month. At least nine foreign drivers were arrested in Patong last month as seen below

Good heavens

[Sharp]

It's a problem when these 🤡s maim some innocent 

[brianthainess]

Phew at least everyone else on the road was sober.  

[digger70]

8 hours ago, webfact said:

Patong Police have been especially focused on foreign drivers and tourists breaking Thai laws after a series of high profile cases of tourists and ex-pats behaving badly in Phuket and Thailand brought negative attention from local residents.

 

What do the Natives think about the Drunken /Derelicts that Outnumber the  Foreigners ?

Oh, that's ok They are Local they don't know any better than Drink themselves to Death.

[Korat Kiwi]

Dammit and here I was waiting to see what model of Indian motorcycle.... 

 

It wasn't even a Harley! 

[KhunBENQ]

9 hours ago, flyingtlger said:

Why the big deal?

To make more xenophobic headlines.

Since the Swiss in Phuket kicking a woman there is massive finger pointing.

Foreigners are bad.

[richard_smith237]

9 minutes ago, KhunBENQ said:

To make more xenophobic headlines.

Since the Swiss in Phuket kicking a woman there is massive finger pointing.

Foreigners are bad.

 

Agreed... 

 

Arrest and deal with drunk drivers and riders....    But, as you point out, there appears to be a developing policy of 'specifically' targeting foreigners...    OR, perhaps its only the news interest that specifically mentions foreigners to attract views. 

 

The issue I take with any of these reports is that there is no mention or indication of a uniform policy to target all (foreign or Thai) and to penalise those guilty with equal disdain. 

 

My concern with all of this is the possibility of Thai's reading to things into this:

1) Potentially instigating an underlying dislike of foreigners for those Thai's who are otherwise completely neutral. 

2) Sending the message to Thai motorists that they are no longer a target for DUI as it is foreigners who are being targeted, this leading to greater risk as potentially more Thai's engage in driving while drunk as they are no longer fearful of consequences. 

 

 

Of course, thats what we 'can' read into it with these reports. 

I think whats really happening is that as just as there always has been, there are a handful of foreigners who get caught out for behaving like d!<ks....   the difference we see is the English language media in Thailand get hold of the information and its great for triggering clicks.

As far as rest of Thailand is concerned, nothing really changes at all. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[connda]

How many Thais were arrested for drunk driving on the same day - and never were reported in the news? 

[KhunBENQ]

One eye on the TV and the other on threads with posts from last 24h and find this:

• Two British Nationals Arrested for Illegally Working at Nightclub in Krabi
• Knife-wielding Portuguese lady refuses to pay taxi in Phuket (video)
• Illegal Russian Tour Guide Arrested in Thalang
• Indian Motorbike Rider Arrested for Drunk Driving in Patong
• Russian couple’s dine and dash attempt exposed in Phuket restaurant
• Rabid Russian assaults police team in Phuket after going berserk at a city centre hotel
• Foreigner condemned for driving car on Kamala Beach in Phuket
• Norwegian arrested for overstay in Cha Am as Immigration tackles visa violations
• Moroccan arrested for murder of Austrian DJ on Koh Pha-ngan
• Phuket police arrest Italian man for drink driving
• Australian Tourist in Coma After Wading into Pattaya Sea While High on Marijuana
• German and Canadian charged for illegal kung fu course
• Aussie arrested in Koh Pha Ngan after joyride on stolen motorcycle
• Russian Man Arrested for Drunk Driving in Patong

Most naming nationality.
Do this in Germany and you would be virtually stoned.

[richard_smith237]

1 hour ago, connda said:

How many Thais were arrested for drunk driving on the same day - and never were reported in the news? 

 

Thats the key issue here....  there is no interest in presenting 'balance' in the news...  

 

If the article had read... for example: 

On the same day in Patong, there were a total of 152 motorcyclist stopped by Police. 

90  Thai and 30 foreigners were not under the influence of alcohol and fully licensed, whereas 20 Thai's and 12 Foreigners were found to be over the influence and arrested. 

 

.... Then we could see the news being reported fairly... Singling out only foreigners is rather whiffy IMO.

 

It would be interesting to see true stats of Police Stops and arrests my nationality (or at least Non-Thai / Thai) so that transparency exists as to whether foreigners are being unfairly targeted and treated differently than Thai's. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[PETERTHEEATER]

12 hours ago, flyingtlger said:

Why the big deal?

They dislike US bikes, in particular Harleys and Indians. 😄

[NorthernRyland]

1 hour ago, KhunBENQ said:

One eye on the TV and the other on threads with posts from last 24h and find this:

• Two British Nationals Arrested for Illegally Working at Nightclub in Krabi
• Knife-wielding Portuguese lady refuses to pay taxi in Phuket (video)
• Illegal Russian Tour Guide Arrested in Thalang
• Indian Motorbike Rider Arrested for Drunk Driving in Patong
• Russian couple’s dine and dash attempt exposed in Phuket restaurant
• Rabid Russian assaults police team in Phuket after going berserk at a city centre hotel
• Foreigner condemned for driving car on Kamala Beach in Phuket
• Norwegian arrested for overstay in Cha Am as Immigration tackles visa violations
• Moroccan arrested for murder of Austrian DJ on Koh Pha-ngan
• Phuket police arrest Italian man for drink driving
• Australian Tourist in Coma After Wading into Pattaya Sea While High on Marijuana
• German and Canadian charged for illegal kung fu course
• Aussie arrested in Koh Pha Ngan after joyride on stolen motorcycle
• Russian Man Arrested for Drunk Driving in Patong

 

Only one nationality not mentioned. I wonder why.