New law on alcohol level while driving enforced in February

BANGKOK, 26 January 2011 (NNT) -- The Don’t Drive Drunk Foundation’s proposal to prohibit alcohol consumption among drivers has been officially approved and will come into force on 1 February this year.

According to the Ministry of Transport, drivers and passengers of all public transports except taxi, motorcycle and public van drivers will be penalized if the alcohol levels found in their blood exceed 50 milligrams. The new law expects those belonging to the group to stay completely sober while driving.

Punishments of 2,000-10,000 baht fine and/or a maximum of 3 months jail term will be enforced to those who have violated the law. Meanwhile, public transport operators who fail to warn their employees will face the maximum fine of 40,000 baht. The Transport Ministry has already launched its mobile units on 4 major routes across the country to monitor drivers who might have been drinking to reduce road accidents.

The Foundation has also planned another proposal to the relevant law to lower the existing alcohol level from 50 to 30 milligrams but will consult with the public first.

-- NNT 2011-01-26

"According to the Ministry of Transport, drivers and passengers of all public transports "

Passengers as well it seems.

Does anyone know what a large bottle of Chang consumed will be? 30 or 50 milligrams?

Passengers are no longer allowed to be drunk???

What is the point of 'designated drivers' if not so others can get drunk

and someone else can drive them home safely?

Secondly who gets fined for a drunken passenger, the passenger or the driver?

No issues about drivers, though it still seems more a tea money profit center than and real enforcement plan.

Does anyone know what a large bottle of Chang consumed will be? 30 or 50 milligrams?

That depends on the size and weight of who drinks it.

.050 is actually lower than many places. But enforcement is WAY lower

"According to the Ministry of Transport, drivers and passengers of all public transports except taxi, motorcycle and public van drivers will be penalized if the alcohol levels found in their blood exceed 50 milligrams"

So it's OK for Taxi, Motorcycle Taxi and Mini Van Drivers to have more than 50 Milligrams in their blood?

This only seems to cover Buses, SkyTrain, Subway and Thai Airways pilots then. I think that they should have at least included those Mini Van drivers. They are a menace when they aren't drinking.

According to the Ministry of Transport, drivers and passengers of all public transports except taxi, motorcycle and public van drivers will be penalized if the alcohol levels found in their blood exceed 50 milligrams. The new law expects those belonging to the group to stay completely sober while driving.

Well, at least it's good to know the taxi drivers, motorbike drivers and mini vans will be able to continue to drive totally sh*t faced.

Considering those are the ONLY things on the roads, I feel safer now.

I suspect that something has been 'Lost in Translation'

Maybe one of our fluent Thai readers can access the original announcement in Thai and give us a better version in English before this thread just becomes the butt of countless jokes.

Nothing wrong with that mind you, but this is quite a serious subject....

^ Well said Mobi. I cringed at the second paragraph knowing the usual suspects would be lampooning LOS's best efforts to control this serious problem without the state-owned media mangling the translation.

I read it as private drivers will have the 50 ml/? limit applied, whereas operators of public transport will have 0 ml/? applied. That is ANY alcohol detected will be punishable.

Clueless about the passenger bit though.... However, in Texas which has the 'open container' law, if a car is pulled over and open booze bottle or can is found, both driver AND imbibing passenger get citations. Maybe that's their ultimate plan here? Targeting public intoxication maybe?

I read it as private drivers will have the 50 ml/? limit applied, whereas operators of public transport will have 0 ml/? applied. That is ANY alcohol detected will be punishable.

I hope for everyone's sake, you are correct about this.

Logic says you are, but this is not a land of logic so ya never know.

"According to the Ministry of Transport, drivers and passengers of all public transports except taxi, motorcycle and public van drivers will be penalized if the alcohol levels found in their blood exceed 50 milligrams"

So it's OK for Taxi, Motorcycle Taxi and Mini Van Drivers to have more than 50 Milligrams in their blood?

This only seems to cover Buses, SkyTrain, Subway and Thai Airways pilots then. I think that they should have at least included those Mini Van drivers. They are a menace when they aren't drinking.

It does go on to say all those in that group are expected to remain completely sober..... which appears to mean that if you have one large bottle of beer, it's OK to get behind the wheel of a pickup but not OK to get on a scooter to go home.

As per the title - Enforced in February - from 1st February until maybe the 7th. Forgotten by March.

I agree -- I would really like to see a complete and accurate translation of the original announcement.

Hopefully it will not include the bit about " drivers who might have been drinking to reduce road accidents.".

^ Well said Mobi. I cringed at the second paragraph knowing the usual suspects would be lampooning LOS's best efforts to control this serious problem without the state-owned media mangling the translation.

I read it as private drivers will have the 50 ml/? limit applied, whereas operators of public transport will have 0 ml/? applied. That is ANY alcohol detected will be punishable.

Clueless about the passenger bit though.... However, in Texas which has the 'open container' law, if a car is pulled over and open booze bottle or can is found, both driver AND imbibing passenger get citations. Maybe that's their ultimate plan here? Targeting public intoxication maybe?

Were you reading the original statement before it was translated to English?

I sure hope you were this article makes no sense.

Maybe they intended to say passengers would be subject to the new regulations on public transport except when using taxis, motorcycles and public vans and that all drivers are subject to the rule?? So no public buses or sky train when drunk.... still doesn't make sense....

What's the point in penalising passengers? Say you drive a friend home to stop *them* driving home. You get fined because they are pissed and you are doing a public service?

Stupid. As usual.

I would assume that the exceptions for taxis and sonchaows will be ONLY for passengers being intoxicate.

Drivers are still at 0%

Nice to see a bit of Thai logic on the drink drive law.

This is designed for more tea money surely.....?

I would assume that the exceptions for taxis and sonchaows will be ONLY for passengers being intoxicate.

Drivers are still at 0%

Hello all you passengers who want to do the law abiding thing and have a good drink, and have someone drive you home. Sorry you will have to walk, and get the police to stop you and arrest you for being intoxicated in a public place. This sounds another really good STUPID idea. But if it applies to drivers only and it is applied o.k.

drivers and passengers of all public transports except taxi, motorcycle and public van drivers

My translation:

This includes all Drivers and it also includes passengers of all public transport, except passengers of taxis, motorcycles and public vans.

If it's that, it makes a little bit more sense ... I think.

Do I understand, that if I drink too much and take a taxi to go home safely, I will be punished for doing so? This seems to me to be the utmost stupid ever law in this beloved country.

Do I understand, that if I drink too much and take a taxi to go home safely, I will be punished for doing so? This seems to me to be the utmost stupid ever law in this beloved country.

That would mean sober taxi drivers would just take their drunk passengers to the police box directly and pocket a share of the tea money.

Just as there is a list of occupations non-Thais cannot hold, perhaps there should be a list that Thais cannot hold, without help from a Farang.

Let's start with translating news stories into English. This one is an obvious example, but what about all the other ones that "almost" got it right?

Really, as it stands it is pointless reading any of this stuff and Thai Visa is doing a disservice posting any of it in its raw form.

Edited January 26, 201115 yr by kennalder

Do I understand, that if I drink too much and take a taxi to go home safely, I will be punished for doing so? This seems to me to be the utmost stupid ever law in this beloved country.

Yes and with the allowance the van drivers, taxi drivers and motorcycle drivers can also be drunk along with you!!! Go figure - this is definitely 'Thailand'.

Expect what they mean is all public transport drivers cannot drink but those passengers drunk in taxis, motorcycle taxis or minibuses are exempted. If you're a passenger pissed on the Skytrain or public bus, being a pain to the masses (drunken farangs coming off of Sikandvomit road) then look out.

Enforced is the key word! In 8 years living here and driving, I've never ever once come across an alcohol check point. Likewise speeding camera. Helmets, safety belts and drug check points yes, but the two biggest causes of road accidents? Never.

What's the point in penalising passengers? Say you drive a friend home to stop *them* driving home. You get fined because they are pissed and you are doing a public service?

Stupid. As usual.

..they are referring to public transport (with exceptions), not passengers in private vehicles.

(There are missing parentheses).

Edited January 27, 201115 yr by rodcourt49

Enforced is the key word! In 8 years living here and driving, I've never ever once come across an alcohol check point. Likewise speeding camera. Helmets, safety belts and drug check points yes, but the two biggest causes of road accidents? Never.

..I've been here 8 years too and driven on many highways through many provinces and seen plenty of radar traps, speed cameras, alcohol check-points..depends if you're there when they're there!!

Do I understand, that if I drink too much and take a taxi to go home safely, I will be punished for doing so? This seems to me to be the utmost stupid ever law in this beloved country.

We either think alike, OR you didn't read my post on this page, if you read it you could have agreed, rather than =near =copy the jist. and even using the word stupid. If you didn't read my post or missed it ( its only a few posts before yours though) sorry for this. I feel better when someone is thinking the same.

Info comes from : National news buro of thailand .....all is said !!!!

100 infos 78 mistakes ! Go check their website.

even dont unterstand that people still forward their s......