A Night in the Thai Police Station

[richard_smith237]

7 minutes ago, MangoKorat said:

1 hour ago, Patong2021 said:

 provisional license holders

There is no provisional licence in Thailand.

 

Avoiding semantics - there is...   the 2 Year Temporary License (before we get the 5 year license).

[jts-khorat]

9 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

While I agree with your sentiment - the Ops BAC measurement was apparently equivalent to 0.027% BAC  - which places him a grey area of being over the limit for someone without a license (or a temp license), but well under the limit of someone on a full licence. 

 

As a comparison - the DUI limit in the UK is 35 micrograms of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath (0.08% BAC equivalent) - the Op was still under the UK DUI limit.

 

I am not in disagreement, that he was not much over the limit; and that the likely reason he was put in a cell was some kind of fee to be negotiated (which his wife seemingly boggled up badly).

 

However, he indeed did the crime, and that right after Songkran, where everybody knows the police are on the lookout for DUIs.

 

His treatment was not harsh, he had 15 friends "enduring" the same...

 

And I see the issue more from the viewpoint, that it is unlikely he will be a repeat offender (with wife, he likely will be a long-term resident, so carelessness with alcohol could endanger poeple later).

 

I think he got off lightly, learned a lesson and has a nice story to tell. All that for not sleeping well for a night is a steal.

[Hellfire]

9 minutes ago, Packer said:

Interesting report, thanks for the write up.

 

But you sound like a baby. 

 

Man up. 

 

If the 'Thai wife' allows you to. 

Although I don’t consider myself to be a tough, hardened man (for example, I avoided military service), the point of my post is not to complain or seek sympathy. Rather, it’s to warn others and, more importantly, to draw attention to the inhumanity of the supervisory structures we’ve created, such as the police and all kind of secret services, and the dangers associated with them. We are human beings, not sheep, who have no option but to silently endure humiliation.

[richard_smith237]

Just now, jts-khorat said:

I think he got off lightly, learned a lesson and has a nice story to tell. All that for not sleeping well for a night is a steal.

 

I think so...   We have other forum members on here who've admitted to regularly driving while stoned... others who brag about DUI after 14 beers...

 

They're the proper cockroaches...  This guy wasn't driving while drunk, he was merely over the lower limit for the Temp License.

 

 

[jts-khorat]

4 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

I think so...   We have other forum members on here who've admitted to regularly driving while stoned... others who brag about DUI after 14 beers...

 

They're the proper cockroaches...  This guy wasn't driving while drunk, he was merely over the lower limit for the Temp License.

 

Frankly, if I hear his whining about a little discomfort, I start to develop my own theory, why he was not let off with a smallish fee, but rather invited to do a few zzz on government property.

 

I do know -- unluckily from my own experience (one of those lessons that are not alawys cheap) -- that higher police can react quite unfriendly when questioned or put on the spot.

 

Well, at least he has us all now properly warned, that we will not fall into the clutches of Thai police unawares, so at least he did his good deed for the day. 😉

[Packer]

9 minutes ago, Hellfire said:

the inhumanity

 

The inhumanity?

 

Spend 24 hours as a displaced Gazan mother and come back to us. 

 

Your ego took a hit because for the first time in your over privileged life you were the black boy being barked at by simpletons. Then after 24 hours you went home and normal service was resumed. Give us a break. Having to sleep on a floor. Backpackers and squatters choose to do that for years. Barked at by simpletons, 14 hours a day businessmen pay $200 an hour for that. 

[norsurin]

U deserved what u get.I don't feel sorry for u at all.U dont have a driving license and ur over the limit for DUI.

The moral in ur case is: DON'T DRINK AND DRIVE..and about u it must be DONT EVEN DRIVE!!!

 

[Hellfire]

17 minutes ago, Packer said:

 

The inhumanity?

 

Spend 24 hours as a displaced Gazan mother and come back to us. 

 

Your ego took a hit because for the first time in your over privileged life you were the black boy being barked at by simpletons. Then after 24 hours you went home and normal service was resumed. Give us a break. Having to sleep on a floor. Backpackers and squatters choose to do that for years. Barked at by simpletons, 14 hours a day businessmen pay $200 an hour for that. 

Gazan mother? One of those who teaches her sons hatred the moment they begin to understand her words? Then, they go on to blow themselves up among innocent civilians. A pure case of evil.

My wish is for the world to become a more humane place—here and everywhere. You, on the other hand, seem to prefer taking care of the mythical "Gazan" mother—the one that exists only in your imagination.

[jts-khorat]

36 minutes ago, Hellfire said:

Although I don’t consider myself to be a tough, hardened man (for example, I avoided military service), the point of my post is not to complain or seek sympathy. Rather, it’s to warn others and, more importantly, to draw attention to the inhumanity of the supervisory structures we’ve created, such as the police and all kind of secret services, and the dangers associated with them. We are human beings, not sheep, who have no option but to silently endure humiliation.

 

12 minutes ago, Hellfire said:

Gazan mother? One of those who teaches hatred to her sons the moment they start to understand what she says? Then they go on blowing up themselves among innocent civilians. Pure evil case.

My wish is for the world to become a more humane place. Here and everywhere. You, on the other hand, seem to prefer taking care of the mythical "Gazan" mother—the one that exists only in your imagination.

 

From driving (slightly) inebriated to wholly unhinged talk. You sound completely crazy, are you high?

 

My advice: also do not drive.

[Hellfire]

3 minutes ago, jts-khorat said:

 

 

From driving (slightly) inebriated to wholly unhinged talk. You sound completely crazy, are you high?

 

My advice: also do not drive.

Are you a "Gazan father"? What exactly is "unhinged" in my words? 90% of Gazans are terrorism-producing medieval creatures sponsored by the bloody oil money. 

[Ralf001]

Shoulda paid the 20k, gone home with your wife and not have to go to court !

[bkk6060]

As a hater of drunk drivers, It sure seems they treated you fairly.  Whether you were over the limit or not, your decision to drive even if 2 beers is considered ¨impaired¨.  You made the decision to drink and drive and use poor judgement, hope you learned a lesson.  

[MangoKorat]

1 hour ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

Avoiding semantics - there is...   the 2 Year Temporary License (before we get the 5 year license).

Well that's not a provisional licence in the way that we know it - which is for learners.  To be able to drive on your own in Thailand, you need to have passed a test. Learners don't actually get a licence.

 

In addition, if I remember correctly, Thailand used to operate a licence exchange scheme - people from certain countries were allowed to have a Thai licence without taking a test provided they held a full licence in their home country subject to passing colour blindness and reaction tests. That was how I obtained my Thai licence.

 

My 5 year Thai licence expired during the Covid period and I haven't bothered renewing it yet because not being resident, I can use my UK licence and I don't want to go though all the palava of getting a residence certificate etc.  I am told that when I do renew it, I'll only get a 2 year one at first - so if provisional means learning, will I be considered as being a learner again for the ensuing 2 years?

[MangoKorat]

How the hell did we get on to Gazans? I thought this was about drink driving?

[MangoKorat]

25 minutes ago, Ralf001 said:

Shoulda paid the 20k, gone home with your wife and not have to go to court !

No, he shouldn't be helping perpetuate corruption, although I think he's been treated harshly, he shouldn't actually have been driving.

[save the frogs]

15 hours ago, Hellfire said:

Be careful—you really don't want to end up in jail here, even for just one day.

 

That's the point. That's exactly how they want people coming away from the experience to react.

The point is that the whole experience is meant to be a deterrent so you don't repeat the same behavior in the future. 

 

That's why they are rough around the edges, the cells are not comfortable, he yelled at your gf.

Police are not "dogs". They see a lot of horrible crimes and deaths on a daily basis.

 

They are genuinely just being rough around the edges to scare people off from repeating the offence. 

 

 

[JoseThailand]

3 hours ago, Hellfire said:

This definitely doesn’t apply to someone who drove a car after drinking a glass of vodka.

 

Ohh it does

[Ralf001]

45 minutes ago, MangoKorat said:

 although I think he's been treated harshly, he shouldn't actually have been driving.

 

Sounds like he was pissed up and mouthy.. hence the 20,000 "bail" offer was removed.

[Ben Zioner]

6 hours ago, Hellfire said:

When he saw my wife’s reluctance to turn me in, he started yelling at her, reminding her that I was a foreigner and that by defending me, she was betraying her country and her people.

IMO that's the most frightening part of the story.

[HighPriority]

5 hours ago, Patong2021 said:

 

You were not interrogated with electric shock, nor were you at a gulag and nor were you abused. You were  stopped as  a DUI and treated appropriately. You are now behaving as if you are some sort of entitled person. Take responsibility for your poor choices and learn from it. No one is going to feel particularly sorry for a DUI, considering the  amount of  hurt they needlessly cause.

To be fair to the OP, he did get locked up with “Asians” 😵‍💫

[faraday]

You'd been drinking & despite you living here, you don't have a Thai licence.

 

You appear strident in your attitude & accusatory towards the Police.

 

 

You denigrated the police & denigrated other Thai people who had - like you, also committed an offence. 

 

 Some might be - as mentioned earlier: " a bit rough round the edges"

 

Anytime I've had interactions many years ago, with the police here, for a parking fine or no helmet, I spoke in a polite, respectful & friendly way. They reciprocated.

 

At no time in your account of this DUI event, did you talk about being polite, apologetic or contrite 

 

They have a poor salary & have to deal with some horrible crimes & it seems that your situation was greatly exacerbated by your defensive & probably gruff attitude.

 

 

[Gottfrid]

6 hours ago, Hellfire said:

Yes, of course. Maybe they should subject all the arrested individuals and their companions to interrogation with electric shock. Your views are on the level of a guard at a Stalin's gulag camp. I wonder how people like you slipped into the 21st century—it's a mystery!

And you should consider yourself fairly treated and stop complaining. You had no reason to drive drunk.

[Tarteso]

8 hours ago, Hellfire said:

I was fined 10,000 baht

After all not a bad Ending .. 🤔

In US can range from $500 to $2,000 or more for a first offense. Penalties also include potential jail time..

[MalcolmB]

6 hours ago, Hellfire said:

For me personally, it was almost like being in torturous conditions. In fact, I was deprived of the ability to sleep.

You are sounding like a precious little snowflake now. 
Did expect special treatment and a bed with fresh linen while the locals slept on a dirty hard flaw.

Why don’t you have a license?

 

You broke the golden rule.

If you are going to have drink and drive, make sure you don’t get caught. 
 

Thank your lucky stars you were not raped in prison as many are.

 

One question, did they teach you a lesson? Will you do it again? Or have they put the fear into you?

[MalcolmB]

1 hour ago, Gottfrid said:

And you should consider yourself fairly treated and stop complaining. You had no reason to drive drunk.

The Thais have a new scheme for people caught driving drunk, a visit to the morgue.

Looks like he escaped that also. 

[josephbloggs]

6 hours ago, Hellfire said:

As I sat there that night, I thought to myself—if they catch a serial killer, they would place him in exactly the same room I was in. Me, drinking 10-20 grams of alcohol in excess, and him—killing dozens of people. It seemed like, for the system, there’s no difference. It’s either a 1 (violated the law) or a 0 (did not violate the law).

Do you think such an approach should be accepted in the 21st century? With all our knowledge of history, our technological superiority, and other so-called "civilizational achievements"? Are we really civilized, or are we just pretending to be?

Serial killers don't get sent home in the morning with a 10,000 slap on the wrist. You are sounding ridiculous.

[MalcolmB]

1 hour ago, HighPriority said:

To be fair to the OP, he did get locked up with “Asians” 😵‍💫

It could have been worse if it was Africa.

[josephbloggs]

5 hours ago, Hellfire said:

Are you a "Gazan father"? What exactly is "unhinged" in my words? 90% of Gazans are terrorism-producing medieval creatures sponsored by the bloody oil money. 

Now I wish they had kept you in that cell for longer.

[Cameroni]

Ukrainians are becoming a huge problem in Thailand. They get drunk, as they do in their homeland, and then drive around. That's disgraceful. People could have been killed.

 

Why not deport such people?

[jvs]

4 hours ago, MangoKorat said:

Well that's not a provisional licence in the way that we know it - which is for learners.  To be able to drive on your own in Thailand, you need to have passed a test. Learners don't actually get a licence.

 

In addition, if I remember correctly, Thailand used to operate a licence exchange scheme - people from certain countries were allowed to have a Thai licence without taking a test provided they held a full licence in their home country subject to passing colour blindness and reaction tests. That was how I obtained my Thai licence.

 

My 5 year Thai licence expired during the Covid period and I haven't bothered renewing it yet because not being resident, I can use my UK licence and I don't want to go though all the palava of getting a residence certificate etc.  I am told that when I do renew it, I'll only get a 2 year one at first - so if provisional means learning, will I be considered as being a learner again for the ensuing 2 years?

If you live here you are supposed to have a Thai DL.