Drunk drivers warned

BANGKOK: -- The Thai government has told drunk drivers that they face tough penalties. The authorities issued their warning because of New Year celebrations and parties are only a few weeks away.

Anyone arrested for drunk driving will not only be fined, but will also face a one-year probation and 24 hours of community service, Kittipong Kitayarak, Director-General of the Department of Probation told a press conference on Thursday.

Those found guilty of drunk driving will have to collect the dead bodies from road accidents and to take care of victims of drunk driving in the hospital, Mr. Kittipong said.

The authorities also hope that this may deter them from drinking and driving in the future.

In the past year, 90 per cent of those charged with drunk driving were found guilty and fined before being put on the probation programme, Mr. Kittipong said. None of them have been arrested again for drunk driving, he added.

Each year more than 700 people die and over 300,000 people are injured in road accidents involving drunk drivers.

During the long New Year holiday, 264 checkpoints will be set up in Bangkok to enforce the city’s speed limits and check for drunk drivers, the Traffic Police commander, Maj. Gen. Phanu Kerdlapphol told the press conference.

--TNA 2004-12-17

During the long New Year holiday, 264 checkpoints will be set up in Bangkok to enforce the city’s speed limits and check for drunk drivers, the Traffic Police commander, Maj. Gen. Phanu Kerdlapphol told the press conference.

--TNA 2004-12-17

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

What about the rest of the country??

During the long New Year holiday, 264 checkpoints will be set up in Bangkok to enforce the city’s speed limits and check for drunk drivers, the Traffic Police commander, Maj. Gen. Phanu Kerdlapphol told the press conference.

--TNA 2004-12-17

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

What about the rest of the country??

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Exactly right. Pattaya will be mobbed with drunks celebrating the holidays. They need the checkpoints here as badly as BKK.

Last new years I never saw one traffic stop on the super highway (Chaing Mai). The odd no helmet bribe-point, but any suggestion of a 'crackdown' on drunks was a joke, regardless of what the government was saying.

cv

Last new years I never saw one traffic stop on the super highway (Chaing Mai). The odd no helmet bribe-point, but any suggestion of a 'crackdown' on drunks was a joke, regardless of what the government was saying.

cv

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yep, the excuse given the public is that there aren't enough breath testers...

Sometimes I feel like going to a police station and paying for a group of police to set up road blocks for drunk drivers.. I really don't think it would take long to start turning things around if enforcement was strong and consistent.

As it is now, it seems nobody gives a second thought to driving after drinking. The main reason why I try to avoid being on the roads after dark in Thailand.

I was in the Anti Drink & Drive campaign here in pattaya yesterday, the police chiefs of pattaya and bangkok were in it as well as about 200 officers and around 50 Harleys, We drove from city hall to Royal Garden on beach rd where there was a speech about stopping drink driving especially over the christmas period.

My business partner (who wearing our club logo on his jacket) amongst others were also involved on their bikes,

What were they doing during the speech?

SITTING DRINKING ****ING BEER THEN RIDING IN THE PARADE

Talk about brain dead.

"In the past year, 90 per cent of those charged with drunk driving were found guilty and fined before being put on the probation programme, Mr. Kittipong said. None of them have been arrested again for drunk driving, he added."

But all TEN OF THEM were two week tourists who spent their holiday else where this year!

Obviously death and destruction on the highway is no joke.

Vigorous enforcement in other parts of the world really has reduced the carnage.

~WISteve