Drunk Driver In Phuket Pile-Up

[webfact]

Drunk driver in Phuket pile-up

Eleven people were injured by the swerving pickup, including four children.

PHUKET CITY: -- A 30-year-old man tested five times over the legal alcohol limit for driving after smashing his truck into an oncoming pickup, scattering seven motorbikes and their passengers across the road.

Nakhon Sri Thammarat native Wirot Songpan was driving his black pickup truck home at rush hour on the morning of May 19 after a night of drinking in Saphan Hin park when, at about 7:20am, he lost control of his vehicle and crossed lanes into oncoming traffic, crashing head-on into a pickup truck.

The collision sent the other truck spinning into seven motorbikes, while Mr Wirot’s pickup careened off the road into the mangroves, leaving behind a trail of devastation and a large, rush-hour traffic jam.

Eleven people were injured in the pile up, including four children, two of whom were 4 years of age.

Phuket Provincial Police Commander Pekad Tantipong said, “Even though we have campaigns against drinking and driving all the time, there are still people who ignore them. I would like people to see what happened here and how much damage was caused to remind themselves of the dangers involved.”

Two of the accident victims suffered serious injuries, one with a broken leg and the other with internal injuries.

Phuket City Police superintendent Wanchai Ekpornpit added, “Luckily, some of the victims were wearing helmets; If they hadn’t been, we would have seen much more serious injuries.”

At a press conference on May 20, police said Mr Wirot was arrested at the scene and charged with drinking in a public park, reckless driving resulting in serious bodily injury, and drunk driving.

-- Phuket Gazette 2010-05-21

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[legend23]

In Australia and you get caught for drunk driving you lose your licence for a year, but if you are a habitual drunk driver they keep giving your licence back. I think if you get caught a second time it should be a mandatory 6 months jail, without even having to clog up the courts. Just take them straight to the lockup.

What do they do in Thailand??? Especially considering a lot of people don't even have licences to begin with.

This guy is so lucky he could have killed so many more people or doesn't that matter.

[Boater]

agree, in the uk if you are caught over the limit ( limit being 2 pints of beer ) you automatically lose your licence for a year !, and after that it is very difficult to get motor insurance

they need to impose a proper point system on the licences here, but only problem with this is the BIB wouldnt inforce as they like there tea money...

[laurentbkk]

another accident with drunk drivers ... Does it surprise you ? 15,000 people die in car accident in Thailand , I wonder what is the % of accident involving drunk drivers . Anyone knows ?

[mcatt66]

agree, in the uk if you are caught over the limit ( limit being 2 pints of beer ) you automatically lose your licence for a year !, and after that it is very difficult to get motor insurance

they need to impose a proper point system on the licences here, but only problem with this is the BIB wouldnt inforce as they like there tea money...

We are not in the UK. . or Australia

I agree drunk driving is bad but if u start license point systems and things of that nature. .ur just turning Thailand into another law flooded western country. .

Edited May 21, 2010 by mcatt66

[A_Traveller]

Whilst not in the UK, the other point is the effort which was put into making drink driving seen as being anti-social. This created a sea change in peoples view of the 'one for road' etc. and that has to take place here in parallel with increased penalties for DUI cases.

Regards

[rfukata]

it wouldn't surprise me if he didn't have a drivers license, nor insurance.

[lovelomsak]

agree, in the uk if you are caught over the limit ( limit being 2 pints of beer ) you automatically lose your licence for a year !, and after that it is very difficult to get motor insurance

they need to impose a proper point system on the licences here, but only problem with this is the BIB wouldnt inforce as they like there tea money...

We are not in the UK. . or Australia

I agree drunk driving is bad but if u start license point systems and things of that nature. .ur just turning Thailand into another law flooded western country. .

I agree 100% People come here to get away from a law infested country but then forget

[slapout]

Five times over the limit, he was too drunk to run from the scene, it sounds like. Hope all the victims make a speedy recovery

[fredob43]

Had a lady friend of mine (Thai) killed the other night by drunk driver no light's, insurance, licence, tax, he was so pis-ed he couldn't stand. The police told us he would more than likely get 8/10year's as he wouldn't be able to pay. So seem's if he could pay, he would have got away with it. Who know's.TIT

[asiawatcher]

He most likely won't have the money to buy his way out - as a Farang the going rate is about Baht 1M or 10 years - believe me the 1M is cheap. But thai on Thai - I heard it was about 200,000 and he will walk if he pays the victims about 20,000 Baht each as well... but then - now the Phuket factor - no idea ...

[tonywebster]

Being ex police I got friendly with a lieutenant colonel that works in one of bangkoks stations, the one that covers RCA. He told me that thailand does have a points system for driving offences but to his knowledge he has never known points to be issued.

[sangfroid]

Being ex police I got friendly with a lieutenant colonel that works in one of bangkoks stations, the one that covers RCA. He told me that thailand does have a points system for driving offences but to his knowledge he has never known points to be issued.

That is correct Thailand has had a points system for a few years now. It lasted about 6 months before being forgotten about.

[Thai at Heart]

Being ex police I got friendly with a lieutenant colonel that works in one of bangkoks stations, the one that covers RCA. He told me that thailand does have a points system for driving offences but to his knowledge he has never known points to be issued.

Could you imagine how many cars or drivers they would take of the road in one year if they could enforce the law to western standards? Forget that, to any standard would be fine.

Traffic jams in Bangkok would probably be a thing of history, and the rotting piles of pickups, buses and songtaews alone would probably be visible from space.

Throw in all the minis and mercs drove by daddies little sweethearts at 160kph by young idiots weaving in and out of line and you could probably have the worlds most valuable car pound.

[steve187]

I agree 100% People come here to get away from a law infested country but then forget

Your correct there, we moan about points on licences, for seat belts, using a mobile while driving, speed cameras, etc. in the UK. Here is a refuge from all that P.C nonsense. not that i am encouraging drink drive, as having served as a road traffic police officer in the UK, I have seen more than my fair share of 'ACCIDENTS' where the driver is over the UK limit.

[Daren]

A drunken idiot from Nakhon Si Thammarat? Isn't that a bit repetitive? Isn't that a bit repetitive?

[lensta]

In Australia and you get caught for drunk driving you lose your licence for a year, but if you are a habitual drunk driver they keep giving your licence back. I think if you get caught a second time it should be a mandatory 6 months jail, without even having to clog up the courts. Just take them straight to the lockup.

What do they do in Thailand??? Especially considering a lot of people don't even have licences to begin with.

This guy is so lucky he could have killed so many more people or doesn't that matter.

[Zzinged]

Phuket Provincial Police Commander Pekad Tantipong said, “Even though we have campaigns against drinking and driving all the time, there are still people who ignore them. I would like people to see what happened here and how much damage was caused to remind themselves of the dangers involved.”

I wonder about the motorcycle riders. How many of them were wearing proper helmets correctly? I'd put a lot of money down on the injured children not wearing protective gear of any sort. Maybe we need some campaigns educating motorcycle riders as well, eh?

[tangcoral]

Maybe this video will give a visual demonstration of moments after the crash.

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=674_1274087598

Edited May 21, 2010 by tangcoral

[ThailandTommy]

agree, in the uk if you are caught over the limit ( limit being 2 pints of beer ) you automatically lose your licence for a year !, and after that it is very difficult to get motor insurance

they need to impose a proper point system on the licences here, but only problem with this is the BIB wouldnt inforce as they like there tea money...

We are not in the UK. . or Australia

I agree drunk driving is bad but if u start license point systems and things of that nature. .ur just turning Thailand into another law flooded western country. .

I agree 100% People come here to get away from a law infested country but then forget

Yeah all sounds good until someone close to you dies as a result of a drunken driver........would you still have the same view?

[thelinguist]

agree, in the uk if you are caught over the limit ( limit being 2 pints of beer ) you automatically lose your licence for a year !, and after that it is very difficult to get motor insurance

they need to impose a proper point system on the licences here, but only problem with this is the BIB wouldnt inforce as they like there tea money...

We are not in the UK. . or Australia

I agree drunk driving is bad but if u start license point systems and things of that nature. .ur just turning Thailand into another law flooded western country. .

I agree 100% People come here to get away from a law infested country but then forget

Well said guys. Why have any laws at all? Why don't we all just drive around Thailand pissed up on Lao kow, high on meth, blind folded whilst getting blown from underage hookers.

<deleted> to any points systems (which by the way they do have) and next time just allow maniacs like this to kill innocent children and just simply buy their way out trouble and not have to ever worry about any consequences.

[thailandbluegrass]

Phuket Provincial Police Commander Pekad Tantipong said, "Even though we have campaigns against drinking and driving all the time, there are still people who ignore them. I would like people to see what happened here and how much damage was caused to remind themselves of the dangers involved."

I wonder about the motorcycle riders. How many of them were wearing proper helmets correctly? I'd put a lot of money down on the injured children not wearing protective gear of any sort. Maybe we need some campaigns educating motorcycle riders as well, eh?

Read the OP. It clearly states what the police said regarding the motorcycle riders wearing their helmuts or it could have been worse. Follow the rules before replying don't forget.

I have had a Real Thai licence for 10 years and have never heard about points of been given any or had any taken away so if anyone has a link to this or some REAL proof I would be happy to see it.

I just have a bunch of staple holes in my licenses. Thats how the police know how bad you have been NOT by checking your points records.

[Sisaketmike]

it wouldn't surprise me if he didn't have a drivers license, nor insurance.

Why do you think that he was without insurance? Most people do have an insurance. Doesn't mean anything now. Even a first class insurance won't cover this even with a drivers license, because he was MAO.

But that's not the point. The sad thing is that innocent people got injured and we'll never know how badly.

I hope you're never driving through Ubon after some beers.

A friend got killed there not too long ago, sober, a Pick Up made a red light and ended his life in the age of 24. Be careful, Might be easier to drive in Bangkok. Good luck.

[Sisaketmike]

Being ex police I got friendly with a lieutenant colonel that works in one of bangkoks stations, the one that covers RCA. He told me that thailand does have a points system for driving offences but to his knowledge he has never known points to be issued.

So he knew something what he forgot about? Please don't buy a HUMMER.

[Sisaketmike]

A drunken idiot from Nakhon Si Thammarat? Isn't that a bit repetitive? Isn't that a bit repetitive?

Your post is really insane. It's about an accident where innocent people were involved.

[surangw]

agree, in the uk if you are caught over the limit ( limit being 2 pints of beer ) you automatically lose your licence for a year !, and after that it is very difficult to get motor insurance

they need to impose a proper point system on the licences here, but only problem with this is the BIB wouldnt inforce as they like there tea money...

We are not in the UK. . or Australia

I agree drunk driving is bad but if u start license point systems and things of that nature. .ur just turning Thailand into another law flooded western country. .

problem with no lic or insurance, is drunks driving with neither still kill people

[GM1955]

another accident with drunk drivers ... Does it surprise you ? 15,000 people die in car accident in Thailand , I wonder what is the % of accident involving drunk drivers . Anyone knows ?

http://www.alcoholalert.com/drunk-driving-statistics.html

Thats for USA.

In Thailand so many are killed on motorcycles, the figures are somewhat skewed, but for sure speeding and alcohol make up a large percentage, just like so many other countries.

Edited May 21, 2010 by GM1955

[tombkk]

Being ex police I got friendly with a lieutenant colonel that works in one of bangkoks stations, the one that covers RCA. He told me that thailand does have a points system for driving offences but to his knowledge he has never known points to be issued.

I got points for speeding some two or three years ago.

They stopped me at the toll gate Bangna (towards Eastern Seaboard) and said I was going 135 km/h (which was actually true). Took my licence, gave me a paper saying that I can pick up my licence at the Highway Police from next day on. At the Highway Police, they first asked me whether the police asked for money and had I paid any! I said no and no, got a small lecture that I should never pay to policemen and report if anyone asked for money, a got fined THB 400 amd got a receipt. Good, I thought. Then I was told I can pick up my licence in two weeks, as the point system is a bit slow... Two weeks later, I got my licence back and was told how many points I now had. By now I have forgotten how many, because they have already expired.

No alcohol involved. In fact, given the taxi prices in Bangkok, I don't even want to drive when I have a good night out. However, things may be different in Pyhuket, I don't know.

[gregb]

If the government in Phuket is truly concerned about drinking and driving, one thing they must absolutely do is start providing reasonably priced public transportation.

Right or wrong, when the tuk tuk and motorcycle taxis charge egregious rates, people are naturally going to try and drive themselves, even when they are 5 times over the legal limit.

A campaign against drunk driving doesn't really help all that much when you give people no other options. In addition to blaming this driver and stepping up the campaigns, it is also critical they address the extortionate pricing of the local taxi services.

You need both a carrot and a stick to make people behave responsibly. So far, all I see being discussed is the stick. Where is the carrot in these plans?

[MacWalen]

Maybe this video will give a visual demonstration of moments after the crash.

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=674_1274087598

Thanks for the link, omg, that was terrible, seems most of them were just thrown out and only like 3-4 were caught badly. Speed is a killer. If he was going 10 kmph slower the accident might never happen.

Edited May 21, 2010 by macwalen