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

[arick]

7 hours ago, Geoffggi said:

I really do hope this goes for motorcycle riders also

I live in a small district in rural Thailand and even the local police has 50 motorcycles outside the station

[Peterphuket]

3 hours ago, BritManToo said:

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

Or my gf,

After all the hassle here in LOS to sell my car, I have already decided to put each successor car in her name, also with reaching a certain age it is easier for her.

[kiwikeith]

4 hours 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. 

If you lent your car to someone and they got caught drunk, how could they prove you knew the person would drive it drunk, so they will get the vehicle back, but if your the owner then you will loose it driving  as a repeat offender. 

In NZ the Police take the vehicle if your caught drunk , since this has happened not many offenders now just the odd fool.

Pubs provide vans to take people to venues and take them home free.

[Ken444]

How can you loose what you don't own ?

[hotchilli]

9 hours ago, webfact said:

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.

Do it, and make it mandatory... time the madness stopped

[OldmanJ]

I gotta see it to believe it.There's to many corrupt people out there for this to work,a few thousand baht under the table so to speak and on your way.

It can't hurt give it a go but there will be cars left everywhere because some just don't understand.

[Ralf001]

4 minutes ago, Ken444 said:

How can you loose what you don't own ?

Police may take the car but not the repayments !

[n8sail]

For westerners or 'unconnected' Thais with nice vehicles, this would be really scary.  Crooked cop at a checkpoint likes your car.  Makes paperwork that says you were drunk, takes your car.

 

What are you going to do about it?  Get a lawyer?  Better have a lot of time and deep pockets.

[Ralf001]

1 minute ago, n8sail said:

For westerners or 'unconnected' Thais with nice vehicles, this would be really scary.  Crooked cop at a checkpoint likes your car.  Makes paperwork that says you were drunk, takes your car.

 

What are you going to do about it?  Get a lawyer?  Better have a lot of time and deep pockets.

 

Be interesting to see how a falsified breath reading stands up in court.

 

BTW it wont be the policeman taking the vehicle, it will be the courts.

[n8sail]

1 minute ago, Ralf001 said:

 

Be interesting to see how a falsified breath reading stands up in court.

 

BTW it wont be the policeman taking the vehicle, it will be the courts.

For sure, and likely auctioned as they do with vehicles confiscated for other crimes.  But one could imagine it would be very easy for someone to follow the car through the system and make sure it goes for the 'right price' when the time comes.

Breathalyzer readings in the other direction make it through courts all the time, at least in the USA.  Usually for poor calibration certification or some such detail that a well-paid lawyer can sniff out.  I imagine a breathalyzer calibration technician making 500 baht a day would happily make the machine look to show more than it should for a 1000 baht note.  Crazier things have certainly happened for inspection/calibration of equipment in this country  :)

[Ralf001]

1 minute ago, n8sail said:

For sure, and likely auctioned as they do with vehicles confiscated for other crimes.  But one could imagine it would be very easy for someone to follow the car through the system and make sure it goes for the 'right price' when the time comes.

Breathalyzer readings in the other direction make it through courts all the time, at least in the USA.  Usually for poor calibration certification or some such detail that a well-paid lawyer can sniff out.  I imagine a breathalyzer calibration technician making 500 baht a day would happily make the machine look to show more than it should for a 1000 baht note.  Crazier things have certainly happened for inspection/calibration of equipment in this country  🙂

 

Still a huge stretch.

blowing over the limit roadside has you taken to produce a formal sample, that can be roadside tent or at the police station.

If you still feel you are being stooged insist on a blood sample test.

If it does make it to court and the judge orders your vehicle to be seized... that policeman has paid off a lot of people to buy your car at auction.

 

[watchcat]

9 hours ago, webfact said:

A bold new initiative by the Office of the Attorney-General (OAG) might see drunk drivers losing more than just their licence – their cars

 

Will this work if the driver asks the officer if he or she knows whom he is?

[G Rex]

Definitely would be a step in the right direction - but alas - I fear this is just more hot air.

 

BTW - how is the mandatory child seats in cars going?

 

I have not seen a single child restraint seat in a vehicle in the Kanchanaburi area .

The reluctance  to wear seat belts is another issue here.... 

[spidermike007]

I think it's a great concept when it applies to repeat offenders, and it could be seen as a deterrent, the likes of which are which are sorely lacking here, but I doubt that it will ever be implemented. Law enforcement here is so weak, the police are so feeble, and if this law is implemented I fear will be highly selective and the worst type of people will get away with it, and the people that are the least deserving of the punishment will be harassed. 

[richard_smith237]

1 hour ago, daveAustin said:

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.

 

Flawed comment...   have a drink motorcyclist smash in your car and enjoy the inconvenience while its of the road getting repaired.

And possible, extra cost of a hire car while yours is being fixed.

 

Or worse, a drunk motorcyclist suicides themself while your wife is driving, hits her car...  she she's it all, blood, brains, splatter - why should she have to live with that because some ayhole wanted to drink drive ?

 

 

Its just like the 'helmet' argument - just because someone might be on a motorcycle - it des not make this this victimless.

 

 

[n8sail]

13 minutes ago, Ralf001 said:

 

Still a huge stretch.

blowing over the limit roadside has you taken to produce a formal sample, that can be roadside tent or at the police station.

If you still feel you are being stooged insist on a blood sample test.

If it does make it to court and the judge orders your vehicle to be seized... that policeman has paid off a lot of people to buy your car at auction.

 

 

Of course a stretch, but not impossible.

Police officers getting cars through seizure and auctioning:  See Joe Ferrari.

Inspection and report falsification?  See SAO building collapse.  They'd have made off with hundreds of millions of baht between them if the quake didn't happen.

[Ralf001]

2 minutes ago, n8sail said:

 

Of course a stretch, but not impossible.

Police officers getting cars through seizure and auctioning:  See Joe Ferrari.

Inspection and report falsification?  See SAO building collapse.  They'd have made off with hundreds of millions of baht between them if the quake didn't happen.

 

And what sort of car are you driving that a policeman would desire to go this route ?

 

[richard_smith237]

Just now, spidermike007 said:

I think it's a great concept when it applies to repeat offenders, and it could be seen as a deterrent, the likes of which are which are sorely lacking here, but I doubt that it will ever be implemented. Law enforcement here is so weak, the police are so feeble, and if this law is implemented I fear will be highly selective and the worst type of people will get away with it, and the people that are the least deserving of the punishment will be harassed. 

 

The concept is great, but there is too much legal framework to make this apply, plus the logistical nightmare of confiscating so many cars.

 

Best Option has always been: Unwavering commitment to enforcing existing laws:

- Drunk Drivers are processed and charged - no 'flexibility' - placed in holding until bail can be paid.

- Drunk Drivers cars are impounded until they can 'pay' to have them recovered.

- Court date set and 'real' fines and license penalty points applied according to severity.

- Repeat offenders lose their license. 

- Driving without a lincense  (current penalty of 1000 baht is too low new proposal 50,000 baht fine)

 

 

As far as vehicle confiscation - the legalities are too complex: 

- Who owns the car ?

- Is it a dual use car (i.e parter also uses the car)

- Is it on finance etc

 

- Impounding / storing the car until bail is paid and a 'sober driver' can collect is the way to go here I think. 

 

And.. NO !!...   drivers cannot pay the DUI fine and then drive on, thats just outrageous...   The on the spot graft has to be stopped.

 

 

[Chongalulu]

6 hours 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

Especially if they are required to remain behind the wheel too... 💀 

[bbbbooboo]

hmm… could be a lot of car less thais next Songkhran  holiday, but it’s not going to happen is it ? 

 

[Coxy]

I seem to remember this being brought up about 5 years ago and as usual nothing happened 

[2long]

I wonder how it would work when the culprit has money and a nice German car.

No way a lowly traffic cops will take that.

#anotherpipedream

[Ralf001]

16 minutes ago, 2long said:

I wonder how it would work when the culprit has money and a nice German car.

No way a lowly traffic cops will take that.

#anotherpipedream

N8sail seems to think the traffic cop will falsify the breath reading and take the car.

[Sydebolle]

Well, well, seeing is believing. I personally rather opt for the situation, where the "beer money" just got much more expensive. The drunk Somchai then still has the choice; get the car impounded/sold off ..... or it is negotiation time with the BIB 😉

Nice try! 

[jcmj]

I think that anyone that has been drinking and driving and in an accident definitely needs to have their car or motorbike taken away. The others impounded and fined the first time and fined and vehicle taken away the 2nd time. Unfortunately they don’t patrol the roads for drunk drivers. We shall wait and see. 

[Quentin Zen]

I just had my 9th bottle of Lao Khao.  come get me

 

 

[WDSmart]

I think this would be a good rule. And I see if the drunk driver is not the owner of the car, and the owner is not with them and unaware they are driving drunk, the owner can reclaim the vehicle. 

[Look Chang]

I have tried to find a sober girlfriend with a driving license to accompany me when I do a bar tour but that's no easy so I prefer to drive a rented car . . . 

[Ray60]

5 hours 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 ... 

that would be illegal, they can keep the car until you sober or you paid the fine. If they really want to enforce it, then nobody who intends to drive home after dinner and a few drinks (not drunk) will ever buy a new car again for themselves or their Thai wives. Another blow to the car industry, the tax uncertainty has already stopped many Farangs to send money over to Thailand to buy new cars.

[nakhonandy]

A good idea for a 2nd offence I believe.

1st offence, heavy fine.