Report Drive Drunk, Lose Your Car: Thailand’s OAG Pushes Tough New Proposal

[webfact]

File photo courtesy of Facebook Pattaya News

 

A bold new initiative by the Office of the Attorney-General (OAG) might see drunk drivers losing more than just their licence – their cars could be seized too! Renowned legal academic Pokpong Srisanit from Thammasat University has thrown his weight behind these newly introduced guidelines, suggesting that those who drive under the influence demonstrate a blatant disregard for public safety, warranting such stringent measures.

 

Mr Pokpong, dean of the Faculty of Law, asserts that confiscation is justified when there’s clear intent to break the law. Driving over the legal alcohol limit clearly falls into this category, he explains, making violators eligible for asset forfeiture.

 

However, he cautions that such stringent actions should only apply to serious or repeated offences, similar to laws in France where vehicle seizure is reserved for repeat offenders or where accidents result in severe consequences.

 

Consistency is the magic word for meaningful deterrence, according to Mr Pokpong. He warns that without unwavering enforcement, these measures could fail, potentially muddied by corruption. To bolster transparency, he urges mandatory use of police cameras at checkpoints.

 

In a twist, car owners unknowingly lending their vehicles to intoxicated drivers could reclaim them, but knowingly enabling such behaviour would mean losing the vehicle for good.

 

Complementing this, Deputy Government Spokesman Karom Phonpornklang emphasises the need for prosecutors to charge offenders under Section 43 of the Land Traffic Act, for reckless driving.

 

Harsh words indeed, but they might just be what’s needed to jolt drivers into staying off the road when they've had one too many. In a noteworthy step, Thailand's judicial system aims at reducing fatalities by hitting offenders where it hurts – their cherished cars.

 

The move decisively shifts focus to preventing future incidents by ensuring serious consequences for taking such dangerous risks. While the proposal is receiving praise for its potential impact, only time and consistent enforcement will determine its true effectiveness.

 

  Adapted by ASEAN Now from Bangkok Post 2025-06-16

 

 

[quake]

Hey a good news thread.

Go for it. 

[blaze master]

If only it was that simple. Many cases will never get past the roadside payoff. 

 

The corrupt police force needs attended to first. 

[Geoffggi]

I really do hope this goes for motorcycle riders also

[save the frogs]

Great idea.

And Ducati guys doing wheelies too. 

 

 

 

 

[seajae]

hahahahahaha, this would see probably half or more of cars removed, what they need to do is get the machines that turn cars into a metal box/cube  at the check points, watching their cars squashed might make the idiots realize what they have done

[motdaeng]

31 minutes ago, seajae said:

hahahahahaha, this would see probably half or more of cars removed, what they need to do is get the machines that turn cars into a metal box/cube  at the check points, watching their cars squashed might make the idiots realize what they have done

 

that would be a good thing ...

 

people who think they have the right to drink and drive are arrogant, selfish, and reckless. i support making the penalties much tougher!

(a long time ago, a good friend of mine, he was only 17 years old, was killed by a such pice of <deleted>, a drunk driver ...)

 

[thesetat]

In the US. If you are drunk driving, you get arrested and taken to jail and your car gets towed away into storage until you can pay to get it out. That is a daily fee compounded to store your car at an impound yard which can be very expensive if you are unable to get out of jail for your offenses. 

Thailand seeks to take and sell your car for this? I do not see how they can do this, especially when you might not own the car and simply loaned it to someone who drove and drank without your knowledge. 

Thailand needs to follow suit with laws that protect the legal drivers. Arrest those and confiscate their vehicles for driving without a license or for drunk driving or even reckless or careless driving. But they also need to prosecute those people as well. not just ask for an envelope hidden from cameras. 

[henryford1958]

Ha ha no chance, there would be no cars left on the road

[SAFETY FIRST]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

 their cars could be seized too!

Please, don't take mine, it's a chick magnet. 

 

[Patong2021]

55 minutes ago, seajae said:

hahahahahaha, this would see probably half or more of cars removed, what they need to do is get the machines that turn cars into a metal box/cube  at the check points, watching their cars squashed might make the idiots realize what they have done

 

You assume they own the vehicles. The last estimate I saw for private passenger vehicles subject to loans/financing/leasing was 80%.

That means that the leasing company or bank or third part funder is going to incur a financial loss price because the borrower will not have the funds to satisfy the debt iif thee vehicle is taken. Do you think Kasikorn or  SCB or others would not object?

[Gottfrid]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

suggesting that those who drive under the influence demonstrate a blatant disregard for public safety, warranting such stringent measures.

I don´t understand! What stringent measures? All developed countries stop and arrest drunk drivers and impound their cars. It´s only Thailand and a few other countries that let off with a fine and let a drunk driver on his way home in/on the same vehicle.

And that comment, comes from Renowned legal academic Pokpong Srisanit from Thammasat University. There is no end to the the low level of the brain trust.

[BritManToo]

1 hour ago, thesetat said:

In the US. If you are drunk driving, you get arrested and taken to jail and your car gets towed away into storage until you can pay to get it out. That is a daily fee compounded to store your car at an impound yard which can be very expensive if you are unable to get out of jail for your offenses. 

Thailand seeks to take and sell your car for this? I do not see how they can do this, especially when you might not own the car and simply loaned it to someone who drove and drank without your knowledge. 

Thailand needs to follow suit with laws that protect the legal drivers. Arrest those and confiscate their vehicles for driving without a license or for drunk driving or even reckless or careless driving. But they also need to prosecute those people as well. not just ask for an envelope hidden from cameras. 

Most cars in Thailand are owned by a bank or finance company.

[roo860]

53 minutes ago, SAFETY FIRST said:

Please, don't take mine, it's a chick magnet. 

 

Ok Skip, just needs a number plate!

[motdaeng]

1 hour ago, BritManToo said:

Most cars in Thailand are owned by a bank or finance company.

 

but they would lose their down payment and all the monthly payments they've already made ...!

i think that alone will hurt the drunk driver, but what's going to hurt even more is the loss of face ...

 

maybe the car finance industry and the government will find a way to create a win-win solution for them ... 

[BritManToo]

33 minutes ago, motdaeng said:

 

but they would lose their down payment and all the monthly payments they've already made ...!

i think that alone will hurt the drunk driver, but what's going to hurt even more is the loss of face ...

 

maybe the car finance industry and the government will find a way to create a win-win solution for them ... 

But have you looked at the number of Thais advertising on marketplace to give their cars away (you take over the repayments)?

[MalcolmB]

The police never pull me over in my Benz anyway.

Always get waved through.

[scorecard]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

File photo courtesy of Facebook Pattaya News

 

A bold new initiative by the Office of the Attorney-General (OAG) might see drunk drivers losing more than just their licence – their cars could be seized too! Renowned legal academic Pokpong Srisanit from Thammasat University has thrown his weight behind these newly introduced guidelines, suggesting that those who drive under the influence demonstrate a blatant disregard for public safety, warranting such stringent measures.

 

Mr Pokpong, dean of the Faculty of Law, asserts that confiscation is justified when there’s clear intent to break the law. Driving over the legal alcohol limit clearly falls into this category, he explains, making violators eligible for asset forfeiture.

 

However, he cautions that such stringent actions should only apply to serious or repeated offences, similar to laws in France where vehicle seizure is reserved for repeat offenders or where accidents result in severe consequences.

 

Consistency is the magic word for meaningful deterrence, according to Mr Pokpong. He warns that without unwavering enforcement, these measures could fail, potentially muddied by corruption. To bolster transparency, he urges mandatory use of police cameras at checkpoints.

 

In a twist, car owners unknowingly lending their vehicles to intoxicated drivers could reclaim them, but knowingly enabling such behaviour would mean losing the vehicle for good.

 

Complementing this, Deputy Government Spokesman Karom Phonpornklang emphasises the need for prosecutors to charge offenders under Section 43 of the Land Traffic Act, for reckless driving.

 

Harsh words indeed, but they might just be what’s needed to jolt drivers into staying off the road when they've had one too many. In a noteworthy step, Thailand's judicial system aims at reducing fatalities by hitting offenders where it hurts – their cherished cars.

 

The move decisively shifts focus to preventing future incidents by ensuring serious consequences for taking such dangerous risks. While the proposal is receiving praise for its potential impact, only time and consistent enforcement will determine its true effectiveness.

 

  Adapted by ASEAN Now from Bangkok Post 2025-06-16

 

 

 

In some states in Australia, seriously over the state limit or second drunk driving offense brings compulsory 30 days jail and compulsory loss of license for 12 months. 

Third offense compulsory jail for one year, compulsory permanent loss of license,  renewal of license not possible ever.

[connda]

It will never happen.  Why.

First - the two tiered enforcement.  Special people would get special treatment.
Second - for the same reason that driving down a one-way street the wrong way only gets you a 500 THB fine.  Fines are revenue generators, not sanctions. 

[connda]

1 hour ago, Gottfrid said:

I don´t understand! What stringent measures? All developed countries stop and arrest drunk drivers and impound their cars. It´s only Thailand and a few other countries that let off with a fine and let a drunk driver on his way home in/on the same vehicle.

Yep.

[BritManToo]

14 minutes ago, scorecard said:

In some states in Australia, seriously over the state limit or second drunk driving offense brings compulsory 30 days jail and compulsory loss of license for 12 months. 

Third offense compulsory jail for one year, compulsory permanent loss of license,  renewal of license not possible ever.

To be fair, Australia was once our jail, and you could be sent there for stealing a loaf of bread, so not much change really.

[scorecard]

4 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

To be fair, Australia was once our jail, and you could be sent there for stealing a loaf of bread, so not much change really.

OK, but also true Australians at large (200+ years after Australia being a penal colony for the UK) are serious about such matters and expect the various governments to install serious laws about such subjects.

 

From my knowledge the most serious is Japan. Japanese citizens are very very serious about 'don't drive after consuming alcohol'.

 

I was there on a 2 year work project about 15 years ago. An engineer from Australia joined our team. He insisted on socializing with the Japanese team he was leading.

 

The first time he took his team to a pub (actually a karaoke) after work he got drunk, he had a company issue car, he insisted on driving home, the most senior Japanese man in the team confiscated his car keys and a couple of others drove him home. Next morning at the office the senior western manager scolded him strongly. 

 

A week later he took his wife to a restaurant for a family celebration. Driving home he was stopped by a Japanese police patrol. He was breathalyzed and was well over the limit. He was held at the police station.

 

Female English speaking officer was quickly organized and took the wife home and stayed with the wife until next morning.

 

Early next morning a senior Japanese police officer called the company and advised that the foreigner would be deported the same day for the drunk driving offence.

 

Police also called the female officer (at the wife's rented house) and told her to inform the Australian wife her visa would be cancelled within 24 hrs., and instructed the officer to help the wife pack all their belongings ready for going to the Kansai airport by midday that day. 

 

Early afternoon they flew out, returned to Australia.

[newbee2022]

I pray it will come 🙏

[daveAustin]

Well, they should probably be impounded and crushed... the cars that is. The thing is, since DUI is utterly endemic here, the lawmakers will also get caught out. Alright, the 'd'you know who I am' line would get many bypassed, but the likes of Chiang Mai where it is quite tight would catch a few of them out.

[daveAustin]

12 minutes ago, newbee2022 said:

I pray it will come 🙏

Careful what you wish for. Ok, drunks shouldn't be on the road--cars that is, I'd never drive under the influence, but bikes aren't such a huge issue? If you kill yourself, it doesn't really matter. 😋

I would just be careful of the let's-make-everything-normal-and-cosy here, because all of a sudden you're in your boring country again.

[Ralf001]

20 minutes ago, newbee2022 said:

I pray it will come 🙏

Me too, but it wont.