Alcohol Check Points

[morphious]

Anyone know if there is a baht bus that goes from town up Khao Talo at night. Never seen one!

Me either but according to some on here its really easy to get from A to B

[Spoonman]

Anyone know if there is a baht bus that goes from town up Khao Talo at night. Never seen one!

pretty much every friday night I catch a baht bus from Walking street to the top of Soi Khao Noi, im sure they will do Khao Talo as well if asked nicely.

[khon kaen boy]

For a fact in Khon Kaen, English friend driving car was arrested, no bail but had to appear at court..8,800 baht

Thai friend driving motorcycle again arrested 5,500 baht.

Other cases I know of were the same fines but also some community service of 30 hours

[kevkev1888]

Do you need a work permit for community service?

[tropo]

The one person i know about first hand who has been stopped for DUI in Thailand was stopped in Bangkok and offered the choice of an official 20K fine + jail + possible getting kicked out of the country OR a 2,000 baht on-the-spot donation to the coffee box.

Which option did he end up taking?

[craigt3365]

For a fact in Khon Kaen, English friend driving car was arrested, no bail but had to appear at court..8,800 baht

Thai friend driving motorcycle again arrested 5,500 baht.

Other cases I know of were the same fines but also some community service of 30 hours

Here's a study they did in Khon Kaen. I've seen a few of these on the internet. Seems they understand this is a problem and are trying to deal with it. Hard to do with when the police force is so corrupt, but at least they are trying.

http://www.searo.who.int/en/Section1243/Section1310/Section1343/Section1344/Section1836/Section1837_8175.htm

[CHdiver]

There is more to it then just paying a fine anyway.....

Edited November 27, 2010 by CHdiver

[morphious]

Anyone know if there is a baht bus that goes from town up Khao Talo at night. Never seen one!

pretty much every friday night I catch a baht bus from Walking street to the top of Soi Khao Noi, im sure they will do Khao Talo as well if asked nicely.

Isnt that called a taxi?

[morphious]

Do you need a work permit for community service?

Quality

[richard_smith237]

Funny like there are always people who have all the answers. Of course for those who live downtown (mostly tourists, very few expats) taking a baht bus home is a non-issue, but If you live 10km outside Pattaya it is not a matter of what it cost to get a taxi, it's if you can find one who is bothered to take you in the first place, without making it a complete rip off.

The one person i know about first hand who has been stopped for DUI in Thailand was stopped in Bangkok and offered the choice of an official 20K fine + jail + possible getting kicked out of the country OR a 2,000 baht on-the-spot donation to the coffee box.

Funny like there are always people us have all the justification for breaking the law. Of course for those who live downtown there is no need to drive under the influence. But for those who live 10km outside Pattaya its a matter of whether or not they can justify potentially killing someone for some drinks.

Those who live out of the way chose to do so, as do they chose to DUI.

If the penalties were more severe their decision to DUI would change very quickly.

[Spoonman]

Anyone know if there is a baht bus that goes from town up Khao Talo at night. Never seen one!

pretty much every friday night I catch a baht bus from Walking street to the top of Soi Khao Noi, im sure they will do Khao Talo as well if asked nicely.

Isnt that called a taxi?

Look at the pics below, guess which one I use ?

[chiang mai]

The legal blood-alcohol limit in Thailand is 0.5 grams of alcohol per litre of blood.

However, for drivers that have held their licence for less than five years the limit is 0.2 grams per litre of blood.

Drivers caught over the legal limit are heavily fined and may be imprisoned or required to do community service

How can a unit of weight relate to a unit of measure in this context, don't you mean something along the lines of "the legal limit for drivers is 50 mg of alcohol per 100 ml of blood"!

[Spoonman]

The legal blood-alcohol limit in Thailand is 0.5 grams of alcohol per litre of blood.

However, for drivers that have held their licence for less than five years the limit is 0.2 grams per litre of blood.

Drivers caught over the legal limit are heavily fined and may be imprisoned or required to do community service

How can a unit of weight relate to a unit of measure in this context, don't you mean something along the lines of "the legal limit for drivers is 50 mg of alcohol per 100 ml of blood"!

A BAC of 0.05 means you have 0.05 grams of alcohol in every 100ml of your blood.

[Phil Conners]

Funny like there are always people who have all the answers. Of course for those who live downtown (mostly tourists, very few expats) taking a baht bus home is a non-issue, but If you live 10km outside Pattaya it is not a matter of what it cost to get a taxi, it's if you can find one who is bothered to take you in the first place, without making it a complete rip off.

The one person i know about first hand who has been stopped for DUI in Thailand was stopped in Bangkok and offered the choice of an official 20K fine + jail + possible getting kicked out of the country OR a 2,000 baht on-the-spot donation to the coffee box.

Funny like there are always people us have all the justification for breaking the law. Of course for those who live downtown there is no need to drive under the influence. But for those who live 10km outside Pattaya its a matter of whether or not they can justify potentially killing someone for some drinks.

Those who live out of the way chose to do so, as do they chose to DUI.

If the penalties were more severe their decision to DUI would change very quickly.

Get the metered taxis to accept doing their jobs taking customers wherever they want to go, using the meter, and the problem would for a large part be gone. At least in Pattaya, which is what this thread is about (even though people from all over Thailand seems to have opinions about it.)

[craigt3365]

pretty much every friday night I catch a baht bus from Walking street to the top of Soi Khao Noi, im sure they will do Khao Talo as well if asked nicely.

Isnt that called a taxi?

No, it's a songthaew. Big difference from a private, metered (I know I am dreaming), aircon taxi.

Funny like there are always people us have all the justification for breaking the law. Of course for those who live downtown there is no need to drive under the influence. But for those who live 10km outside Pattaya its a matter of whether or not they can justify potentially killing someone for some drinks.

Those who live out of the way chose to do so, as do they chose to DUI.

If the penalties were more severe their decision to DUI would change very quickly.

In the US, if I have had more than 2 beers, I don't drive. Period. In the US, if caught DUI, you are out about 10k USD, lose your license and may have to do community service. Here...well...if the laws were more strict, I would do the same. Guaranteed.

[Spoonman]

pretty much every friday night I catch a baht bus from Walking street to the top of Soi Khao Noi, im sure they will do Khao Talo as well if asked nicely.

Isnt that called a taxi?

No, it's a songthaew. Big difference from a private, metered (I know I am dreaming), aircon taxi.

Yes, A songthaew , also known in English as a baht bus.

[Phil Conners]

pretty much every friday night I catch a baht bus from Walking street to the top of Soi Khao Noi, im sure they will do Khao Talo as well if asked nicely.

Isnt that called a taxi?

No, it's a songthaew. Big difference from a private, metered (I know I am dreaming), aircon taxi.

Yes, A songthaew , also known in English as a baht bus.

Whatever you want to call it, it's not a taxi.

[craigt3365]

pretty much every friday night I catch a baht bus from Walking street to the top of Soi Khao Noi, im sure they will do Khao Talo as well if asked nicely.

Isnt that called a taxi?

No, it's a songthaew. Big difference from a private, metered (I know I am dreaming), aircon taxi.

Yes, A songthaew , also known in English as a baht bus.

Only known as a baht bus here in Pattaya....in the rest of Thailand, it is a songthaew. And definitely not a taxi.

[ericg1953]

I just returned from the Zoom Out Festival at Bali Hai and on my way home ran into a huge roadblock at the top of Thappraya Rd at the entrance to the Sugar Hut hotel. There were both thai and farang police there. My wife didnt have a helmet on and they stopped us...didnt ask for papers or driving license...asked me where I was going and where I lived and then let us go on...This was at 4am..I suspect they were looking for drunk drivers and drugs

Edited November 27, 2010 by ericg1953

[raro]

Not seen them used yet but a mate got done on a breathalyzer in BKK, cost him a lot more than 20k and his licence was revoked for 2 years.

how did they catch him

pull over sir and blow into this breathalyzer would be my guess.

exactly, there are roadblocks in Bangkok and they randomly check those passing the roadblock to get tested.

DUI is a criminal offense in Thailand and after being sentenced your visa is cancelled.

I concur with other posters that with the poor to non-existing taxi system drunk driving is the only option to get back home after a night on the town. The only alternative is checking into a hotel...this is readily available and cheaper than the fares asked for getting back to where I live.

[barryofthailand]

Raro,

I know of one expat that has four so called dui's and he is doing community service. His visa was not canceled. I don't think driving while intoxicated is a criminal offense.

Barry

[ESB7]

Breath tests are used in Hua Hin and have heard it is 20k fine, however I recently got away with 300 and that was with no hat and on the phone also......stupid I know, so last time I went there from Cha am which is 25km I took the bus and then couldnt get a taxi back but found a motorbike taxi that was happy with 200 door to door so a real bargain, thing was, the taxi rider was red and blurry eyed so probably more drunk than me...

[pipo1000]

Not seen them used yet but a mate got done on a breathalyzer in BKK, cost him a lot more than 20k and his licence was revoked for 2 years.

how did they catch him

pull over sir and blow into this breathalyzer would be my guess.

exactly, there are roadblocks in Bangkok and they randomly check those passing the roadblock to get tested.

DUI is a criminal offense in Thailand and after being sentenced your visa is cancelled.

I concur with other posters that with the poor to non-existing taxi system drunk driving is the only option to get back home after a night on the town. The only alternative is checking into a hotel...this is readily available and cheaper than the fares asked for getting back to where I live.

From the other side,I see daily people too drunk to recognise a taxi or bahtbus.

[craigt3365]

Breath tests are used in Hua Hin and have heard it is 20k fine, however I recently got away with 300 and that was with no hat and on the phone also......stupid I know, so last time I went there from Cha am which is 25km I took the bus and then couldnt get a taxi back but found a motorbike taxi that was happy with 200 door to door so a real bargain, thing was, the taxi rider was red and blurry eyed so probably more drunk than me...

I remember during a trip to CM, wifey and I used a tuk tuk to get home after a great night at The View and The Brasserie. It was an old guy who was so drunk, he ended up on 2 wheels trying to get to our hotel!

[raro]

Raro,

I know of one expat that has four so called dui's and he is doing community service. His visa was not canceled. I don't think driving while intoxicated is a criminal offense.

Barry

interesting, I heard of different stories but must admit it was always that "friend of a friend". Anyways, the consequences are deary, whether you get deported, do pay hefty fines and community services or - as a worst case scenario - run over someone when driving drunk.

Controls in Bangkok are quite strict and frequent at the moment and given the availability of taxis everywhere I have no understanding why people opt for driving after drinking. In Pattaya or anywhere else up country a different story as you have no chance to get home if you do not drive by yourself.

[craigt3365]

Raro,

I know of one expat that has four so called dui's and he is doing community service. His visa was not canceled. I don't think driving while intoxicated is a criminal offense.

Barry

interesting, I heard of different stories but must admit it was always that "friend of a friend". Anyways, the consequences are deary, whether you get deported, do pay hefty fines and community services or - as a worst case scenario - run over someone when driving drunk.

Controls in Bangkok are quite strict and frequent at the moment and given the availability of taxis everywhere I have no understanding why people opt for driving after drinking. In Pattaya or anywhere else up country a different story as you have no chance to get home if you do not drive by yourself.

Unless you have a friend drive you home after a great night with Carabao!

Of course I was the one taking the risk then.

[raro]

Unless you have a friend drive you home after a great night with Carabao!

Of course I was the one taking the risk then.

..careful when messing with mods

[nam-thip]

Anyone know if there is a baht bus that goes from town up Khao Talo at night. Never seen one!

There's no actual baht bus service in Soi Khaotalo service as such but you might catch one on its way back after a drop.

I live in the area and motorbike taxi's are plentyful.

From close to the top end of Khaotalo to Walking street it's no more than 60 or 70 baht, cheap at half the price.

The BIB breathaliser squad where out in force last night with one lot down Theppraya and another on the Sukhumvit and everyone was being stopped including taxi drivers.

At road side they had breathaliser desks and if you fail your in deep, deep shit.

Edited November 29, 2010 by nam-thip

[NALAK]

^{good place to start would be the taxi drivers, the ones i use around Pattaya are usually more drunk than me.}