george Posted December 3, 2009 Share Posted December 3, 2009 Govt getting strict with drunk drivers BANGKOK: -- The government is imposing a strict law against drunk driving, under which violators will be arrested immediately and be subject to prosecution within 48 hours, a Bangkok seminar on road safety was told yesterday. A mandatory fine of between Bt5,000 and Bt20,000 will also be imposed on convicted violators, along with the drivers' licence being suspended for six months or forever for repeat offenders, judge Prasong Mahaleetrakool said. The law is currently being tried out at Bangkok's Thung Maha Mek police station, where drunkdriving violations are the most frequent. "The casualties from road accident in their jurisdiction is even higher than robberies or other crimes," Pol MajGeneral Anuchai Lekbamrung told the seminar. The law will be strictly enforced during the holiday period. Each year, at least 12,000 people die and 100,000 get injured from road accidents, which costs the state around Bt240 billion. The Don't Drive Drunk foundation is concerned that the rate of road accidents would rise next year when liquor will become three times cheaper thanks to the Asean free trade agreement. -- The Nation 2009-12-03 [newsfooter][/newsfooter] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mahtin Posted December 3, 2009 Share Posted December 3, 2009 Naturally I'm all for this. Nor can I hide my interest in liquor becoming 3X cheaper Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilHarries Posted December 3, 2009 Share Posted December 3, 2009 I would love this to be the true face of the law but unfortunately money can, will and always has talked. Also, what equipment are the BiB being provided with to enforce this ruling which is not new but just another of Thailand's unenforced laws. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spoonman Posted December 3, 2009 Share Posted December 3, 2009 So if I get pinched i'll only be looking at a fine of between 5k and 20k and a loss of licence, awesome........ In reality though, I bet if i get caught it will cost me significantly more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamesjdaly Posted December 3, 2009 Share Posted December 3, 2009 ..... along with the drivers' licence being suspended for six months or forever for repeat offenders..... Yeah, right!! That'll stop some of the scummy vermin animals who drive on these roads!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cloudhopper Posted December 3, 2009 Share Posted December 3, 2009 As if not having a license would ever stop anyone from driving here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shaunoro Posted December 3, 2009 Share Posted December 3, 2009 So have they provided the BIB with breathalysers? Or we still down to one unit at Din Daeng on a Saturday night. I'm all for it. Come on, is it April 1st. Booze going down in price. It will never happen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunny747 Posted December 3, 2009 Share Posted December 3, 2009 it's true. one of my thai colleague got caught and he had to fine 20,000 baht plus one night in jail. he also have to do some community work like reading books for the blind etc...... what i'm afraid is the harassment by the police at night...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yom07 Posted December 3, 2009 Share Posted December 3, 2009 it's about time ..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thanh-BKK Posted December 3, 2009 Share Posted December 3, 2009 Hi.. I am all for this one, if they ever manage to pull it off. However the cops will be way too busy harassing motorbikes for entirely made-up "offenses" so they won't have the time to check anyone for alcohol levels. And even if they manage to catch a drunkard by chance (probably because he was on a motorbike) it will be the usual 200 Baht straight into the cop's pocket and he'll be on his merry way again. regards Thanh Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Lawrence Posted December 3, 2009 Share Posted December 3, 2009 Enforce the helmet law. A lot of head injuries are more than likely in those figures. See so many people just coming off their bikes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barryofthailand Posted December 3, 2009 Share Posted December 3, 2009 This is now the norm in Korat. Every night their are numerous alcohol checkpoints with breathalyzers in hand. If over the .05 limit you are arrested and booked into jail, with a court hearing within 48 hrs. Barry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zebo Posted December 3, 2009 Share Posted December 3, 2009 (edited) 12000 a year, that is a truly astonishing figure, I hope they actually bother to apply the law rather than see it as another chance for a bribe. Edited December 3, 2009 by Zebo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richieudon Posted December 3, 2009 Share Posted December 3, 2009 So have they provided the BIB with breathalysers?Or we still down to one unit at Din Daeng on a Saturday night. I'm all for it. Come on, is it April 1st. Booze going down in price. It will never happen. Your'e wrong about the breathaliser. I got stopped and breathalised on FRIDAY night in Silom! I'm all for booze being 3 times cheaper though. It's the 1st I've heard of that!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wimpy Posted December 3, 2009 Share Posted December 3, 2009 Gawd the cynics on this forum are so predictable and tiresome. Cheers to the BIB. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazyal Posted December 3, 2009 Share Posted December 3, 2009 i totally agree on strict laws for drunk driving. maybe now i won't drink and drive anymore.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
splodger Posted December 3, 2009 Share Posted December 3, 2009 confiscation of vehicle and 100 hours litter collecting,loss of non exsisting licence stupid Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fire and ice Posted December 3, 2009 Share Posted December 3, 2009 "The casualties from road accident in their jurisdiction is even higher than robberies or other crimes," Pol MajGeneral Anuchai Lekbamrung told the seminar. What kind of stupid statement is this? That's like saying "In Italy even more people speak Italian than English". As if its some kind of surprising fact. Of course more people die or are injured in road accidents than other crimes! That's normal anywhere. Even in nations with the safest roads the chances of a casualty in a road accident is about 1,000 times more likely than casualties from other crimes". Talk about stating the bleeding obvious. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JIP Posted December 3, 2009 Share Posted December 3, 2009 "The law is currently being tried out at Bangkok's Thung Maha Mek police station, where drunkdriving violations are the most frequent." I love how in Thailand laws are always given a "test run" in certain places before making them... I don't know... "official" (?) everywhere. Why can't they just say, "No more drunk driving in Thailand!" Put a foot down and be done with it. Instead, they institute this "No drunk driving here for now..." policy which, of course by dint of logic, means "Drunk driving is still okay everywhere else for now..." No wonder people don't take laws like this seriously. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
splodger Posted December 3, 2009 Share Posted December 3, 2009 i totally agree on strict laws for drunk driving. maybe now i won't drink and drive anymore.... i just won't drive Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mitker Posted December 3, 2009 Share Posted December 3, 2009 my crackdown counter just melted.. but let's rather bet on how long this one will last. My bet: around 3 weeks. But sincerely support the move if serious. Better late than never. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atyclb Posted December 3, 2009 Share Posted December 3, 2009 All it takes is a single cop with a loved one maimed or killed as the result of drunk driving and he can have no problem arresting the person. I know drinking and driving seems to be humorous for some, but it kills and injuries many people. Alcoholics often lose control and are unable to realize they are incapable of driving. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cinbkk Posted December 3, 2009 Share Posted December 3, 2009 "The law will be strictly enforced during the holiday period." So, what happens at other times? And I can't yet work out what 3 times cheaper means.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brewsta Posted December 3, 2009 Share Posted December 3, 2009 As if not having a license would ever stop anyone from driving here. Shnot true....'ave gorra my lichensh here 'bouts, really....hic....ssshhh brewstaNot reegaardzzz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manijohn Posted December 3, 2009 Share Posted December 3, 2009 So have they provided the BIB with breathalysers?Or we still down to one unit at Din Daeng on a Saturday night. I'm all for it. Come on, is it April 1st. Booze going down in price. It will never happen. I got stopped outside of Pat Pong at 0100 hrs about a year ago and they had a hand held breathalyser. Unlike my girlfriend, I blew a zero. I also wanted to comment on the new fine. 5000 locals - - 20,000 farang ++ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bob6023 Posted December 3, 2009 Share Posted December 3, 2009 About time. It won't work. drinking and driving is part of the culture here. It'll take years to educate the bone heads. Gonna have to educate the BIB first, they could be some of the worst offenders. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
metisdead Posted December 3, 2009 Share Posted December 3, 2009 Enforce the helmet law. A lot of head injuries are more than likely in those figures. See so many people just coming off their bikes. Yesterday when I left my mooban, there were 2 police on a motorbike, they were headed the same way as me, once out on the main road 2 motorbikes, drivers not wearing helmets, passed right by the police and they didn't even bat any eye. Apparently the police only enforce the helmet law at check points only? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EvilDrSomkid Posted December 3, 2009 Share Posted December 3, 2009 Sounds like a fantastic initiative. Go BIB. *snigger* And now for the prerequisite TV remark: As they say in the Northern Territories: If you're going to drink and drive, yer gonna need a car! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Able Posted December 3, 2009 Share Posted December 3, 2009 Good, Fingers crossed it's implemented correctly and it has the desired effect of reducing the horrendous number of road accident injuries and fatalities. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
koto Posted December 3, 2009 Share Posted December 3, 2009 So if I get pinched i'll only be looking at a fine of between 5k and 20k and a loss of licence, awesome........ In reality though, I bet if i get caught it will cost me significantly more. One would think it would depend on how drunk, if there was an accident, from the way you talk, you must be quite a drinker 374.bmp Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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