Harsher Penalties for "Drunk Driving and Repeat Offenders" Demanded

[webfact]

Thai Health Promotion Foundation (THPF) is calling for stricter penalties for "drunk driving and repeat offenders" in collaboration with eight organizations, urging the government to amend laws. They propose tougher punishments and improved technology to reduce road accidents sustainably.

 

At a recent event, "Two Years of Repeat Offenses in Drunk Driving and Law Enforcement in Thailand," Dr. Pairoj Saonuam of THPF highlighted the dangers of drunk driving, citing 284,253 deaths or injuries from 2019-2023, with economic losses of 370 billion baht.

 

During Songkran 2024, 207 drunk driving incidents were reported, underscoring the need for harsher penalties.

 

Their policy recommendations include short-term monitoring systems for offenses, medium-term tech enhancements like breathalyzers and fingerprint verification, and long-term legal amendments to increase penalties based on alcohol levels.

Mr. Surasit Silpongam of the Don't Drink and Drive Foundation emphasized the rising number of victims, while Dr. Chanin Chakkraphayotin suggested using Alcohol Interlock devices to prevent intoxicated drivers from starting their vehicles.

 

Major Pote Thapnadul of the Royal Thai Police stressed the need for improved tools and enforcement.

 

Lastly, Mr. Kosolwat Intujunyong from the Attorney General's Office pledged support for victims seeking justice and called for clear processes to prevent repeat offenders from escaping justice.

 

Image by jcomp on Freepik

 

-- 2024-09-12
 

 

Get the ASEAN NOW daily NEWSLETTER - Click HERE to subscribe

[motdaeng]

unfortunately it is very likely again only empty promises ... don't drink and drive!

[smedly]

the problem is getting police to do their job catching and prosecuting those insisting on driving while intoxicated, when people believe there is near zero risk of being caught they will continue

[ikke1959]

Another crackdown for a few days and than back to normal

[Tropicalevo]

2 hours ago, motdaeng said:

unfortunately it is very likely again only empty promises ... don't drink and drive!

I would add to that -

 

Don't drink, take drugs, or smoke weed and drive.

[dinsdale]

Harsher Penalties for "Drunk Driving and Repeat Offenders" Demanded

Higher bribes for police from "Drunk Driving and Repeat Offenders" Demanded

[Bert got kinky]

17 minutes ago, Tropicalevo said:

I would add to that -

 

Don't drink, take drugs, or smoke weed and drive.

 

Wow, you managed to fit in a negative about your beloved weed very early today, despite the story not even mentioning weed.

 

Why do you feel the need to demonize weed at every possible chance?

You are beginning to sound like a broken record.

 

 

[steven100]

wash ... rinse ...  repeat  

[Tropicalevo]

32 minutes ago, Bert got kinky said:

 

Wow, you managed to fit in a negative about your beloved weed very early today, despite the story not even mentioning weed.

 

Why do you feel the need to demonize weed at every possible chance?

You are beginning to sound like a broken record.

 

 

Stop feeling defensive about your habits and look at my comment again. (Maybe before you smoke?)

 

32 minutes ago, Bert got kinky said:

Don't drink, take drugs, or smoke weed and drive

 

I am not demonising anything.

The article is about the dangers of driving under the influence.

Yet, as always, ignorant folk think that alcohol is the only problem.

Drug driving (any mind-altering drugs) is dangerous.

It is now more common in some parts of the world than drink driving, yet most people think that drink driving is the only problem. It's not.

 

and today...

 

https://aseannow.com/topic/1337958-foreigner-steals-taxi-while-high-on-cannabis-crashes-into-lamp-post/

[MalcolmB]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

Their policy recommendations include short-term monitoring systems for offenses, medium-term tech enhancements like breathalyzers and fingerprint verification, and long-term legal amendments to increase penalties based on alcohol levels.

Or even teach people how to drive better.

 

My grandmother paid for me to do an advanced driving course when I first got my license. Very helpful as it teaches you how to really handle a car rather than just following road rules.

[MarkBR]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

Thai Health Promotion Foundation (THPF) is calling for stricter penalties for "drunk driving and repeat offenders" in collaboration with eight organizations, urging the government to amend laws. They propose tougher punishments and improved technology to reduce road accidents sustainably.

 

At a recent event, "Two Years of Repeat Offenses in Drunk Driving and Law Enforcement in Thailand," Dr. Pairoj Saonuam of THPF highlighted the dangers of drunk driving, citing 284,253 deaths or injuries from 2019-2023, with economic losses of 370 billion baht.

 

During Songkran 2024, 207 drunk driving incidents were reported, underscoring the need for harsher penalties.

 

Their policy recommendations include short-term monitoring systems for offenses, medium-term tech enhancements like breathalyzers and fingerprint verification, and long-term legal amendments to increase penalties based on alcohol levels.

Mr. Surasit Silpongam of the Don't Drink and Drive Foundation emphasized the rising number of victims, while Dr. Chanin Chakkraphayotin suggested using Alcohol Interlock devices to prevent intoxicated drivers from starting their vehicles.

 

Major Pote Thapnadul of the Royal Thai Police stressed the need for improved tools and enforcement.

 

Lastly, Mr. Kosolwat Intujunyong from the Attorney General's Office pledged support for victims seeking justice and called for clear processes to prevent repeat offenders from escaping justice.

 

Image by jcomp on Freepik

 

-- 2024-09-12
 

 

Get the ASEAN NOW daily NEWSLETTER - Click HERE to subscribe

Test for alcohol using breathalysers,  for those over the limit - First offense - fine a 1000 baht; Second offense - impound vehicle, only get it back after paying large fine; Third offense - jail.  Drunk drivers kill people & must NOT be allowed on the roads.

[Bert got kinky]

1 hour ago, Tropicalevo said:

Stop feeling defensive about your habits and look at my comment again. (Maybe before you smoke?)

 

 

I am not demonising anything.

The article is about the dangers of driving under the influence.

Yet, as always, ignorant folk think that alcohol is the only problem.

Drug driving (any mind-altering drugs) is dangerous.

It is now more common in some parts of the world than drink driving, yet most people think that drink driving is the only problem. It's not.

 

and today...

 

https://aseannow.com/topic/1337958-foreigner-steals-taxi-while-high-on-cannabis-crashes-into-lamp-post/

 

Stop feeling defensive about your habits and look at my comment again. (Maybe before you smoke?)

I have looked again and again, you are bringing up your favourite gripe without reason.

What is your problem with people smoking weed, why does this consume you so much that you go out of your way to show everyone how fickle and pathetic you are?

 

I am not demonising anything.

Yes you are and you are getting boring with the repetitiveness of your one man campaign.

 

The article is about the dangers of driving under the influence.

No it is not, it is about drink driving, it is even in the title, not one mention of ANY other substances.

Maybe you should put your breakfast bottle down and read the article again.

 

Yet, as always, ignorant folk think that alcohol is the only problem.

Nobody has said that.

Ignorant folk insert their own opposing views into a disagreement, just to fit to their agenda.

 

Drug driving (any mind-altering drugs) is dangerous.

It is now more common in some parts of the world than drink driving, yet most people think that drink driving is the only problem. It's not.

Aaaaaah, you managed to find a story of somebody crashing while under the influence of weed.

Do you think that I might be able to find any stories of drink drivers crashing?

Try searching again to understand why drink driving is a much bigger problem that DUI of weed.

 

it is now more common in some parts of the world than drink driving

Where, show the evidence.

Put up or shut up.

 

 

 

[Will B Good]

 

 

 

Nobody on yet to defend drinking driving......you know who you are!

[Zack61]

Perhaps a slap on both wrists might be a big enough deterrent 

[keystonecoppers2]

 

 

                             I think that the loss/cost of 370 Billions is one of the reason here. 

                             And having (or implementing)  Alkohol Interlock devices have been 

                             around in Europe for at least 20 -30  years.

                             As usual, Thailand is WAY behind the rest of the world and will always be.

                             I`m out driving every day, sometimes it only take me 30 seconds to see the

                             first idiot on the road. Intoxicated or not, I don`t know, they just don`t know

                             how to drive properly anyway.

                             Just look at the renewal of a licence : 1,5 -2 hours and you are good to go!

                             The whole system needs an overhaul, which will never happen.

 

                                        Cheers!

[hotchilli]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

Thai Health Promotion Foundation (THPF) is calling for stricter penalties for "drunk driving and repeat offenders" in collaboration with eight organizations, urging the government to amend laws. They propose tougher punishments and improved technology to reduce road accidents sustainably.

1st DUI one year mandatory

2nd offence 5 years mandatory

3rd offence 10 years mandatory

and so on.

[Ralf001]

Jeeez it already costs me 20k per time, Surely thats enough.

[richard_smith237]

3 hours ago, MalcolmB said:

Or even teach people how to drive better.

 

My grandmother paid for me to do an advanced driving course when I first got my license. Very helpful as it teaches you how to really handle a car rather than just following road rules.

 

And gives you the false sense of belief that you are not impaired while driving drunk...  

 

 

[richard_smith237]

6 hours ago, smedly said:

the problem is getting police to do their job catching and prosecuting those insisting on driving while intoxicated, when people believe there is near zero risk of being caught they will continue

 

... and if / when the Police do catch someone, actually go through the process of prosecuting them rather than accepting the bribe and allowing the very same driver they've caught for being drunk then continue to drive and go and kill someone !!!... 

 

 

 

[Marco51]

6 hours ago, smedly said:

the problem is getting police to do their job catching and prosecuting those insisting on driving while intoxicated, when people believe there is near zero risk of being caught they will continue

sentence should stop after "job" period.

[renaissanc]

Solution: Announce that first-time offenders will clean sewers daily for 1 year. Second-time++ offenders will clean sewers daily for (5) years.  Their vehicle will be sold to pay for their food expenses. Something like that anyway.

[shackleton]

It's like going round a circle 😱

Same thing said every year about drink driving alcohol drugs speeding  what ever 

More heavy police  enforcement fines and so on nothing changes but the number of  accidents increase plus injuries deaths 😢 

 

 

 

[VBF]

4 hours ago, Tropicalevo said:

Stop feeling defensive about your habits and look at my comment again. (Maybe before you smoke?)

 

 

I am not demonising anything.

The article is about the dangers of driving under the influence.

Yet, as always, ignorant folk think that alcohol is the only problem.

Drug driving (any mind-altering drugs) is dangerous.

It is now more common in some parts of the world than drink driving, yet most people think that drink driving is the only problem. It's not.

 

and today...

 

https://aseannow.com/topic/1337958-foreigner-steals-taxi-while-high-on-cannabis-crashes-into-lamp-post/

In some countries, UK for example, the police may routinely do a "drugs wipe" in the same way as they run an alcohol (breathalyser) test when a driver is stopped after an offence is committed, and always after being involved in an accident.  The "drugs wipe" tests for cannabis and cocaine and if you fail either test, you're arrested there and then.

 

Furthermore the concept of "drunk driving and repeat offenders" is ridiculous. Again in UK, if you're convicted of drink or drug driving, there's a mandatory driving ban even after a first offence.  Basically being without your vehicle for 6 or 12 month should make you think long and hard about your future behaviour when you get your licence back, to say nothing of the financial impact.

 

I have nothing against alcohol (I like a drink or 3) nor anything against recreational drugs even though i'm not much of an enthusiast. Either or both for consenting adults, I say, however i detest people who use either and then drive or ride a vehicle. I don't care who you are, your mental powers are affected to some degree.

[thailand49]

Not happening ever based on current setup!  

[nakhonandy]

Enact similar penalties to those in the west.

And the big one.

 

Ensure the police do their jobs!

[J Branche]

So as others have said harsher penalties and lack of enforcement are pretty useless.

 

Better to do the basic education like if you consume X alcoholic drinks in X amount of time you need to stop drinking X time before getting behind the wheel.

[motdaeng]

20 minutes ago, J Branche said:

So as others have said harsher penalties and lack of enforcement are pretty useless.

 

Better to do the basic education like if you consume X alcoholic drinks in X amount of time you need to stop drinking X time before getting behind the wheel.

 

i often hear suggestions for better education and training to address DUI issues.

for example, finland has an excellent education system, but without strict enforcement

of laws by the police, many finns would do as they please and don't care. (finns like to drink ...)

 

my conclusion for thailand is that better education won't help (it's already being done with many training videos);

the only effective solution is the strict enforcement of the laws with harsh penalties ! which won't happen, as we all know ...

 

[itsari]

2 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

And gives you the false sense of belief that you are not impaired while driving drunk...  

 

 

I was learning advanced driving technique while living in Australia.

A measurement of distance to drive was measured by how many cans one consumed .

Don't drink and drive as you spill too much.

If double vision impairs your driving close one eye.

[Luuk Chaai]

9 hours ago, Tropicalevo said:

I would add to that -

 

 

just learn how to drive    ..... would be a great start !

[AustinRacing]

15 hours ago, smedly said:

the problem is getting police to do their job catching and prosecuting those insisting on driving while intoxicated, when people believe there is near zero risk of being caught they will continue

What if a great deal of drunk drivers are actually police or government officials?