Drink-driving made up over 94% of probation cases in Thailand's first five days of Songkran, with Chiang Mai recording the highest number. From April 10 to 14, 2026, the Probation Department processed 3,961 cases, of which 3,726 involved drink-driving. This high percentage highlights the ongoing concerns about road safety during the holiday period.

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Pol Capt Piya Raksakul, director-general of the Probation Department, emphasized efforts to enforce road safety with the campaign “Drive safely, slow down, reduce accidents.” In addition to drink-driving, there were 230 cases of drug-impaired driving, four reckless driving cases, and one street-racing case during this period.

On April 14 alone, 667 cases entered the probation system, with drink-driving accounting for 97.5% of these cases, despite fewer reports due to closed courts. The department's proactive measures included community service for offenders and educational sessions on traffic laws and penalties.

Looking forward, the department encourages the public to adhere to safe driving practices, especially when returning home after Songkran. The goal is to reduce road accidents and ensure safer travel during the holiday.

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  Adapted by ASEAN Now · The Nation · 15 Apr 2026

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15 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Drink-driving made up over 94% of probation cases in Thailand's first five days of Songkran, with Chiang Mai recording the highest number. From April 10 to 14, 2026, the Probation Department processed 3,961 cases, of which 3,726 involved drink-driving. This high percentage highlights the ongoing concerns about road safety during the holiday period.

DUI equals a mandatory 6 months in jail... time to get tough

I get the feeling that the police aren't really sincere about ending DUI. I don't mean stopping bikes and cars to extort the odd hundred baht but actually confiscating vehicles once the drivers fail a breathalyzer test.

I understand their possible feeling that they don't want to spoil the Songkran holiday for a family, but they would be doing the family a favor by preventing a possible fatal accident. Moreover, the majority of deaths are motorcyclists who should be rounded up and held so they don't die.

"Looking forward, the department encourages the public to adhere to safe driving practices, especially when returning home after Songkran."

Fat chance of that happening here if you take into account the average drivers habits.

6 months first offender is stiff and could mean losing a job.

I tend to go withe graduated system.

1. Slightly impaired park the car boot it 24 hours.

Over the limit step 1 and order to appear in front of judge.

Let the courts issue the penalties.

Oh yeah no helmet confiscate and fine. Get bike back when you get a helmet.

No license or insurance confiscate period.

...A Pretty Stark Reminder Of How 'An Herb Of Recreational Use' Was Duly Outlawed...(?)

Who'd have thunk it?

It seems the driving public aren't connecting the dots linking risky behaviour and consequences. Maybe it's time to have the authirities accountable for inaction.

2 hours ago, kingstonkid said:

6 months first offender is stiff and could mean losing a job.

I tend to go withe graduated system.

1. Slightly impaired park the car boot it 24 hours.

Over the limit step 1 and order to appear in front of judge.

Let the courts issue the penalties.

Oh yeah no helmet confiscate and fine. Get bike back when you get a helmet.

No license or insurance confiscate period.

Respectfully disagree.

In UK (and other countries I believe) getting caught "Drunk in charge of a motor vehicle" results in a mandatory 12 months ban, a stiff fine and the points stay on your licence for 10 years for even a first offence.

What I think you're missing is that anyone who is old enough to drive SHOULD be old enough to understand the implications and possible outcome of driving drunk which is that you are likely to cause massive hurt to other innocent road users.

That, IMO, is what makes drunk driving stand out from other motoring offences. If you choose not to use helmets or seat belts, it's YOU who suffers - that's YOUR decision.

Drunk driving, not so.

Do Thai people generally have a conception of alcoholism as most western people do?

I have had discussions with Thais that seem not to be aware of a difference between social drinking and alcohol dependence, binging, or unhealthy use of alcohol of any kind.

When I have discussed the subject with Thai people they say things like, "No problem with a few drinks, a few drinks are nice". Seeming to be unaware that certain people are unable to stop at a few.

Here is part of problem! 94% drink and drive get busted 94% probation!🤣= Zero = no improvement year after year!

29 minutes ago, thailand49 said:

Here is part of problem! 94% drink and drive get busted 94% probation!🤣= Zero = no improvement year after year!

Aww.... c'mon - its Songkran - have some 'Nham-Jai'... after all - they can't afford the fines...

8 hours ago, Hotchilli123 said:

DUI equals a mandatory 6 months in jail... time to get tough

What a silly comment.

Have you been drinking alone at home again?🙃🙃

46 minutes ago, Lucky Bones said:

8 hours ago, Hotchilli123 said:

DUI equals a mandatory 6 months in jail... time to get tough

What a silly comment.

Have you been drinking alone at home again?🙃🙃

I think thats a 'sarcastic' smiley - indicating you don't really mean what you state - but anyway...

Fatalities attributed to DUI in Thailand.

2023 - ~5,500 deaths - ~28%

2022 - ~5,400 deaths - ~27%

2021 - ~5,200 deaths - ~26%

2020 - ~5,000 deaths - ~25%

2019 - ~5,600 deaths - ~29%

And in the UK

2023 - ~300 deaths - ~18%

With that in mind - it would appear that 'stronger measures' can significantly reduce the impact of DUI but the comparison is blurred by the higher motorcycle use in Thailand, and also lack of helmet and seatbelt usage.

Education, driving standards, attitudes and road engineering are still a primary facet of the disproportionately high number of road deaths...

... Education - lack of road driving eduction / lack of risk awareness (education again)

... Attitudes - idiots speeding while drunk on a motorcycle without a helmet etc

... Engineering - lamp-posts immovable objects etc in the 'line of fire' when something does go wrong its more catastrohic.

... But, one of the underlying facets of these high road fatality stats particularly when it comes to DUI is the absense of enforcement - each year 5000+ families have lost a loved one, a bread winner and for what ?...

... because people don't want to take moto-taxi, baht bus or whatever transport is available - there needs to be a whole cultural shift in both attitudes and enforcement - or improvements to those who need protection from themselves will not evolve.

People say they moved away from the nanny-state - but this is where the nanny state saves lives - it means children grow up with fathers, mothers...

Only 94%? I thought it would be higher.

3 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

I think thats a 'sarcastic' smiley - indicating you don't really mean what you state - but anyway...

Fatalities attributed to DUI in Thailand.

2023 - ~5,500 deaths - ~28%

2022 - ~5,400 deaths - ~27%

2021 - ~5,200 deaths - ~26%

2020 - ~5,000 deaths - ~25%

2019 - ~5,600 deaths - ~29%

And in the UK

2023 - ~300 deaths - ~18%

With that in mind - it would appear that 'stronger measures' can significantly reduce the impact of DUI but the comparison is blurred by the higher motorcycle use in Thailand, and also lack of helmet and seatbelt usage.

Education, driving standards, attitudes and road engineering are still a primary facet of the disproportionately high number of road deaths...

... Education - lack of road driving eduction / lack of risk awareness (education again)

... Attitudes - idiots speeding while drunk on a motorcycle without a helmet etc

... Engineering - lamp-posts immovable objects etc in the 'line of fire' when something does go wrong its more catastrohic.

... But, one of the underlying facets of these high road fatality stats particularly when it comes to DUI is the absense of enforcement - each year 5000+ families have lost a loved one, a bread winner and for what ?...

... because people don't want to take moto-taxi, baht bus or whatever transport is available - there needs to be a whole cultural shift in both attitudes and enforcement - or improvements to those who need protection from themselves will not evolve.

People say they moved away from the nanny-state - but this is where the nanny state saves lives - it means children grow up with fathers, mothers...

3 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

I think thats a 'sarcastic' smiley - indicating you don't really mean what you state - but anyway...

Fatalities attributed to DUI in Thailand.

2023 - ~5,500 deaths - ~28%

2022 - ~5,400 deaths - ~27%

2021 - ~5,200 deaths - ~26%

2020 - ~5,000 deaths - ~25%

2019 - ~5,600 deaths - ~29%

And in the UK

2023 - ~300 deaths - ~18%

With that in mind - it would appear that 'stronger measures' can significantly reduce the impact of DUI but the comparison is blurred by the higher motorcycle use in Thailand, and also lack of helmet and seatbelt usage.

Education, driving standards, attitudes and road engineering are still a primary facet of the disproportionately high number of road deaths...

... Education - lack of road driving eduction / lack of risk awareness (education again)

... Attitudes - idiots speeding while drunk on a motorcycle without a helmet etc

... Engineering - lamp-posts immovable objects etc in the 'line of fire' when something does go wrong its more catastrohic.

... But, one of the underlying facets of these high road fatality stats particularly when it comes to DUI is the absense of enforcement - each year 5000+ families have lost a loved one, a bread winner and for what ?...

... because people don't want to take moto-taxi, baht bus or whatever transport is available - there needs to be a whole cultural shift in both attitudes and enforcement - or improvements to those who need protection from themselves will not evolve.

People say they moved away from the nanny-state - but this is where the nanny state saves lives - it means children grow up with fathers, mothers...

Comparing apples & oranges & TLDNR.🙃🙃

38 minutes ago, Lucky Bones said:

Comparing apples & oranges & TLDNR.🙃🙃

Too long for you? Then you’ve no clue what’s being compared - it was already explained.

That one line alone has outed both laziness and ignorance.

8 hours ago, VBF said:

Respectfully disagree.

In UK (and other countries I believe) getting caught "Drunk in charge of a motor vehicle" results in a mandatory 12 months ban, a stiff fine and the points stay on your licence for 10 years for even a first offence.

What I think you're missing is that anyone who is old enough to drive SHOULD be old enough to understand the implications and possible outcome of driving drunk which is that you are likely to cause massive hurt to other innocent road users.

That, IMO, is what makes drunk driving stand out from other motoring offences. If you choose not to use helmets or seat belts, it's YOU who suffers - that's YOUR decision.

Drunk driving, not so.

And a criminal record in UK for DUI and the consequences that go with that. No future insurance, job loss , restricted job opportunities and potential travel ban (to USA at least).

10 hours ago, cdemundo said:

Do Thai people generally have a conception of alcoholism as most western people do?

I have had discussions with Thais that seem not to be aware of a difference between social drinking and alcohol dependence, binging, or unhealthy use of alcohol of any kind.

When I have discussed the subject with Thai people they say things like, "No problem with a few drinks, a few drinks are nice". Seeming to be unaware that certain people are unable to stop at a few.

My experience, particularly in Isaan, is that there is no such thing as a few drinks. There is not drink, and there is drinking until paraletically falling down drunk. Nothing in between.

Something wrong with either my PC or this site, I try to click on the headlines in the daily e mail, none of the news titles are clickable, only the photographs - Click on the PHOTO frpm the story about the two frogs beating a Thai and it brings up the news item about drink driving! Then I notice that the stories that follow, appear to now be "Clickable" What is wrong with this site these days, it has never been right since the days of Thai Visa and George!

3 minutes ago, Vlada Floric said:

Something wrong with either my PC or this site, I try to click on the headlines in the daily e mail, none of the news titles are clickable, only the photographs - Click on the PHOTO frpm the story about the two frogs beating a Thai and it brings up the news item about drink driving! Then I notice that the stories that follow, appear to now be "Clickable" What is wrong with this site these days, it has never been right since the days of Thai Visa and George!

Same here. I wanted to see if they were French Arabs.

15 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

Aww.... c'mon - its Songkran - have some 'Nham-Jai'... after all - they can't afford the fines...

You right Nham-jai, it isn't just Songkran but 24/7 365 a year LOL,

" Can't afford the fine " it is all relative world wide.

That is why fines are impose so it create doubt in a violator so they think twice and when one does then we can enjoy that Nham-jai the way it was meant.

He can’t believe the numbers they published they just do it so it looks like it’s less member in Thailand they don’t consider a death unless you die on the street right then and there like if you have a DUI and then they’re taking you to the hospital when you die in the ambulance they don’t count that is dying from the accident the numbers are all alive like most here I guess it’s like feel good numbers they published how many people really die in the roads people be outrage but please do absolutely nothing to discourage DUIs they certainly don’t patrol the streets TIT

22 hours ago, cdemundo said:

Do Thai people generally have a conception of alcoholism as most western people do?

I have had discussions with Thais that seem not to be aware of a difference between social drinking and alcohol dependence, binging, or unhealthy use of alcohol of any kind.

When I have discussed the subject with Thai people they say things like, "No problem with a few drinks, a few drinks are nice". Seeming to be unaware that certain people are unable to stop at a few.

Indeed stopping at a few is not understood by many - my gf rarely drinks- but when she does she drinks as if prohibition starts the next morning!

16 hours ago, Homburg said:

Only 94%? I thought it would be higher.

I checked with AI and the numbers are different,it says the main cause is speeding.

Either way a bad record.

If you're here wondering where the story you clicked on is: https://thethaiger.com/news/phuket/2-frenchmen-arrested-for-assault-on-thai-motorcyclist-in-phuket-songkran-festival

On 4/16/2026 at 9:45 PM, richard_smith237 said:

Too long for you? Then you’ve no clue what’s being compared - it was already explained.

That one line alone has outed both laziness and ignorance.

Richard.

You have been here long enough to let go of mum's British skirts.

Comparing Thailand to the UK is simply silly.

I gave up comparing Thailand to anything 10 years ago.

Thailand is, to say the least, a One-Off.🙃🙃