Police Want To Arrest Passengers Of Drunk Drivers

[RDN]

Ban all alcohol and cigarettes.Get rid of all farangs too.

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What does the "c" stand for, cwilliam? I think I can guess. You won't be here long.

[mfindlay]

refusal to take the test should lead to an automatic guilty verdict.

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Totally disagree with this.

Regards

Rio F.

Salford

Manchester

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Why do you dissagree?

You live in the UK and if you refuse to provide a specimen then its an automatic 12 month ban and you are treated as if guilty by your insurance company and the courts.

My question is more if you jump into a Taxi when you are Three Sheats to the Wind and the drivers pissed. Will you be arrested to?

[petedk]

I have just read this topic but would like to tell of an incident that happened a few weeks ago.

My wife and I were invited to a friends company party for dinner. Well to make it short, there was plenty of food and alcohol.

At the end of the party we went to our car and on the way we saw this guy who was so drunk he couldn't walk alone. He was carried by 2 other guys who shoved him into his car. He fell over onto the passenger seat but they pulled him up, started his motor and let him drive off.

I was shocked and asked why nobody bothered to stop him or report to the police as he could hurt or kill someone else. The only answer I could get was something in the line of "My family are safe at home so nothing will happen to them so I don't care". I received a similar answer from 2 different people.

As long as Thais have this attitude then nothing can stop drunk driving.

[mijan24]

Just out of curiousity, what is the limit of alcohol allowed before it is prohibited to drive in Thailand?

This is a very good question or is it as most things determined by the particular officer??

As to cracking down drivers who drink is good. It can truly save lives. No one should die all because some sick SOB getting drunk then high tailing it by driving on the road. Better yet, if one is found drunk, put him or her in the can for minimum 3 years. If one is found drunk and caused the accident with no deaths make it 5 years. If one is drunk and caused an accident and people got killed then lock them up for life.

Dave think of the cost the jails would have to become two or three stories to accomodate the offenders. I don't disagree something needs to be done and before the population reduction period arrives (April 2006).

Dont forget TiT I can see the monday papers now:

Passenger (Somporn Whoshisname) found guilty of being a passenger in a vehicle driven by Somchai Whatshisname. Somporn was let off with a 200 baht fine but was warned that a repeat offence would result in him being banned from passengering for life.

Somchai Whatshisname who has been charged with being drunk whist in-charge of a motor vehicle was let off on a technicality (the technicality revolved around Somchai Whatshisname never having obtained a driving licence and therefore was not aware it was against the law to drive whilst inebriated).

[Noel]

At the end of the party we went to our car and on the way we saw this guy who was so drunk he couldn't walk alone. He was carried by 2 other guys who shoved him into his car. He fell over onto the passenger seat but they pulled him up, started his motor and let him drive off.

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Now just imagine that the drunken man had the sense to leave his car and ask someone else who by comparison was stone cold sober for a lift home.

On the way, the 'Good Samaritan' driver is stopped and found to be above the legal limit.

Whilst I would say it is reasonable for the driver to be prosecuted, would it be equitable for his passenger to carry the can too?

[OlRedEyes]

Hang 'em high I say. Potential accessories to manslaughter.

Also the evil alchohol pushers....

[falux]

Uh, I really wonder if you prefer me on the street with 4-5 beers intus, or rather my Thai gf, who does not drink at all. She has about 400,000 Kilometers less of training though. And yes, put her in jail cause I'm drunk driving, this is funny. Maybe we should also beat up some innocent passengers.

[WhiteShiva]

I have just read this topic but would like to tell of an incident that happened a few weeks ago.

My wife and I were invited to a friends company party for dinner. Well to make it short, there was plenty of food and alcohol.

At the end of the party we went to our car and on the way we saw this guy who was so drunk he couldn't walk alone. He was carried by 2 other guys who shoved him into his car. He fell over onto the passenger seat but they pulled him up, started his motor and let him drive off.

I was shocked and asked why nobody bothered to stop him or report to the police as he could hurt or kill someone else. The only answer I could get was something in the line of "My family are safe at home so nothing will happen to them so I don't care". I received a similar answer from 2 different people.

As long as Thais have this attitude then nothing can stop drunk driving.

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Exactly - what this country needs is a change in attitudes, not more laws that will be arbitrarily applied. TV campaigns against drunk driving, campaigns targeting youths, etc, etc. It needs to become socially unacceptable to drink & drive - only then will the roads of Thailand be safer.

[cutter007]

Yesterday, me and a friend hit a couple bars, 1 am came and we jumped in my friends car. My friend was completely loaded, but I let him drive anyways, I did ask him for 100 baht as a kickback though. I figure if the police want us to do there jobs, we should get a cut of the money involved.

I am suprised so many people actually posted serious analysis to this "proposed" law. There is a better chance that PM Taksin will move to Ubon and grow rice than this "law" being enforced.

If some Thai cop said that he discovered a cure for cancer, and the solution to cold fusion would you believe he was serious............then why think he is serious about this law, the cops don't even arrest the driver when he is drunk forget about the passenger.

[atulmangalmurti]

a very good idea. let us start with green bus drivers first followed by red, blue -------

govt will get a lot mony via fines from passengers for megaprojects.

[mijan24]

There is a better chance that PM Taksin will move to Ubon and grow rice than this "law" being enforced.

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cutter007 is that ubon or udon??

Either way i find it difficult to believe he would move let alone start growing rice. Although stranger things have happened.

for example did you read abot this case:

Passenger (Somporn [surname withheld]) found guilty of being a passenger in a vehicle driven by Somchai [surname withheld]. Somporn was let off with a fine but was warned that a repeat offence would result in him being banned from accepting lifts for life.

Somchai [surname withheld] who has been charged with being drunk whist in-charge of a motor vehicle was let off on a technicality (the technicality revolved around Somchai never having obtained a driving licence and therefore was not aware it was against the law to drive whilst inebriated).

Footnote: It was recommened Somporn attend a remedial TEFL course as he appeared bewildered about the term "inebriated" and remarked he needed a drink after having words like that thrown at him.

[Darknight]

I wonder why i'm reading this stuff.

Oh well Another BRIGHT idea from the kingdom of thailand....

[Artisan]

You people are so far off the mark with comments on this topic. Do you remember where you are? Have you not been here long enough to have an understanding of the hiarchal <-sp) structure in this country? Mommy, cousin, little sister/brother does not tell daddy, uncle, big sister/brother "No". How about the meeting your wife attends with her boss where they were knocking back a few whiskeys among the higher ups? Does she lose her job by telling him anything or just quietly get back in the car and pray for a safe ride home? Your thinking is very "Farang" which does and doesn't surprise me. "A friend of mine in Europe...", "The laws in America...", blah, blah, blah. This is not EU or AM, this is Thailand. Like most of the "New" laws, this too seems to be pointed at you and not Thais. A friend of mine was stopped and ticketed becuase he had an unlicenced moped in the back of his pick-up while driving on the tollway. "A": a moped doesn't need a license and, "B": it wasn't being driven anywhere but, "C" what can happen if you're a farang? I've been very lucky as I've made quite a few friends in high places through golf and teaching so I've been spared alot of these BS traps. It doesn't hurt either that my wife is the Education Coordinator for a very prominent law university with her MA in Political Law. There was 1 poster that suggested it may be a way to 'pad the pay' of police and I agree with that. The police here actually fight for the privilege of working in Pattaya (for example) because the kick-back is so high. This law would simply be a way to share the wealth. Please tell me you really don't EVER expect to see the headline: Maj. Gen. Whatshisface, his wife and two children were arrested while returning from a party to celebrate the marriage of his eldest dauther to ploitical appointee Blahblahblah for running over Joe Blow, the motorcycle taxi man".     To quote a good friend of mine: "Life is a series of moments"

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So much pseudo-social gobbledygook and pontifical hooey. Wise up "Sweet Mouth"...we know that this is not EU or the USA. This is Thailand where the hierarchical structure and the frustrating culture of "kreeng jai" (amongst other things) makes us non-Thais wonder when you are going to become real people and join us in the 21st century.

By the way, how did you become so puffed up with your own self-importance?

[falux]

With an Avatar like that, you'll excite some guys. But then again...

[gharknes]

just another load of amature crap from the authorities, never heard the like of it, just like the new proposed drink laws, quite embarrasing actually, you could easily misteak the government antics for a junior school classroom

[TokyoT]

What happens if the drunk driver makes the pay-off so he does not get a ticket, and the passenger does not have enough money to make the pay-off. Can they still give a ticket to the passenger?

Or will pay-off negotiations have to be held in conjunction to avoid such a situation?

[ray23]

What happens if the drunk driver makes the pay-off so he does not get a ticket, and the passenger does not have enough money to make the pay-off.  Can they still give a ticket to the passenger? 

Or will pay-off negotiations have to be held in conjunction to avoid such a situation?   

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HMMM!!!! Wery Wery complicated

[Upcountry]

You've probably all heard this one:

One night, a police officer was stalking out a particularly rowdy bar for possible violations of the driving under the influence laws. At closing time, he saw a fellow stumble out of the bar, trip on the curb, and try his keys on five different cars before he found his. Then, sat in the front seat fumbling around with his keys for several minutes. Everyone left the bar and drove off. Finally, he started his engine and began to pull away.

The police officer was waiting for him. He stopped the driver, read him his rights and administered the Breathalyzer test. The results showed a reading of 0.0. The puzzled officer demanded to know how that could be. The driver replied, "Tonight, I'm the Designated Decoy."

[Greer]

look its easy, If you think the driver is drunk, dont get in the car/taxi, lets face it you have a choice, its your life, and if you arent in the car with a drunk driver, you dont get nicked, christ its not hard to figure out

And on the topic of human rights and personal freedoms, does any victem of a drunk driver have any rights ? way I see it any person who drives drunk has foregone any rights he had, he is now in charge of a lethal weapon (assume its your wife/child/brother/sister/father/mother gets hit by a drunk driver will you really be worried about his human rights and personal freedoms ?)

Bangkok traffic is bad enough without drunk drivers, but hey, its your city, do what you want with them

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Yes I totally agree that a drunk driver has given up some of their rights - I wasn't meaning the driver - I meant that it could infringe the passengers rights - what if the driver arranges to pick you up from home to go out. You meet, but unknown to you, he has had a couple of drinks. He is not obviously drunk, so you suspect nothing. On the way you get pulled over for some reason (Random Breath Test or whatever) and he is found to be over the limit. Now they want to charge you for being in the car! How are you to know? Tough! You face charges and are found guilty, then you have to pay a fine...all for something you have absolutely no knowledge of, nor control over...seem fair?

I have a wife and young children, so I agree with your response from that point of view, but I cannot agree that this law can be fair to all concerned.

As has been pointed out earlier - what about bus drivers, taxi drivers etc - then the law would have to exclude these passengers or you might see the ridiculous situation of a busload of passengers all being fined for being in a bus driven by a driver high on Sangtip or little brown bottles mixed with whatever...

I think this would be hard enough to apply in a country where the law is readily understood by the officers charged with it's execution, never mind in Thailand where, unfortunately, the law seems continually to be open to the most profitable interpretation - I know there are some very good police in this country, but they are currently in the minority.

[sonthaya]

look its easy, If you think the driver is drunk, dont get in the car/taxi, lets face it you have a choice, its your life, and if you arent in the car with a drunk driver, you dont get nicked, christ its not hard to figure out

And on the topic of human rights and personal freedoms, does any victem of a drunk driver have any rights ? way I see it any person who drives drunk has foregone any rights he had, he is now in charge of a lethal weapon (assume its your wife/child/brother/sister/father/mother gets hit by a drunk driver will you really be worried about his human rights and personal freedoms ?)

Bangkok traffic is bad enough without drunk drivers, but hey, its your city, do what you want with them

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yes I totally agree that a drunk driver has given up some of their rights - I wasn't meaning the driver - I meant that it could infringe the passengers rights - what if the driver arranges to pick you up from home to go out. You meet, but unknown to you, he has had a couple of drinks. He is not obviously drunk, so you suspect nothing. On the way you get pulled over for some reason (Random Breath Test or whatever) and he is found to be over the limit. Now they want to charge you for being in the car! How are you to know? Tough! You face charges and are found guilty, then you have to pay a fine...all for something you have absolutely no knowledge of, nor control over...seem fair?

I have a wife and young children, so I agree with your response from that point of view, but I cannot agree that this law can be fair to all concerned.

As has been pointed out earlier - what about bus drivers, taxi drivers etc - then the law would have to exclude these passengers or you might see the ridiculous situation of a busload of passengers all being fined for being in a bus driven by a driver high on Sangtip or little brown bottles mixed with whatever...

I think this would be hard enough to apply in a country where the law is readily understood by the officers charged with it's execution, never mind in Thailand where, unfortunately, the law seems continually to be open to the most profitable interpretation - I know there are some very good police in this country, but they are currently in the minority.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Just back from Phuket, and I'm quite sure the driver who drove us from Phuket town to Patong had been drinking before he picked us up outside big C, now where does this put us, do you have to carry a breath annalyzer with you when you hire a taxi ?

[Upcountry]

Just back from Phuket, and I'm quite sure the driver who drove us from Phuket town to Patong had been drinking before he picked us up outside big C, now where does this put us, do you have to carry a breath annalyzer with you when you hire a taxi ?

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There you go! Once took a ride on a pickup/bus on Koh Chang. The way we was cutting corners and passing on blind curves I thought he was suicidal. That was before I'd been here for long and experienced the same thing on 90% of the blind curves in this country.

Thai's/Asians don't have to be drunk to make stupid suicidal/murderous moves on the road.

Edited November 9, 2005 by Upcountry

[The_Other_Mac]

Bangkok's police are calling for

They are police, not lawmakers. Relax.

Most Thais consider driving a relatively menial job, and therefore it's usually the most junior person who drives. And of course he/she cannot object or make a fuss. Effectively they are alwys pressured into drink-driving. This public statement addresses that, by pointing out that it IS the responsibility of the more senior passengers to say "Nong, it would be illegal for me to let you drive."

[Upcountry]

... it IS the responsibility of the more senior passengers to say "Nong, it would be illegal for me to let you drive."

Good point, Other_Mac. This makes sense. As mentioned earlier, if the father or other senior person is driving, his underlings might not want to say anything, but where the driver is junior, the senior people might think twice.

[Bakuteh]

Making a reasoned decision as to whether your driver is pi**ed is, I suppose, one that the late Princess Diana had to make 

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There is a documentary over the Discovery Channel that points to the fact that Princess D's chauffer wasn't drunk when he was at the wheel during the fated "accident". Think that the true story of her death is not cut and dried yet.

[Guest fj2003]

drunk driver are guilty and so lets make them unacceptable in society !!! HAHAHA

yeah put them all in jail and after one year the most of the cops themself will find them in jail

so who will take care about the roads then???????

i have seen very high ranking vip 's which had been carried by their collegs to their gov. car even with big logos of their dep. at the doors

these guys where even not able to walk by themself but they driven away alone and for sure no one will stop them because of their position

and even in a case of an accident who will go to claim at court on them

if you have to fear your life

just think about 8 mio. black guns around in thailand

every 8. has his own without registration and they like to use them

i have seen more then one time and even closer then 2 m! that somebody got shot downwhile i wanted to drink my beer after i just enter that public location

i am sorry for these people

but the gov has to organize its system and its law enforcement first

and how many thais can be in thai prisons 10 000 ; 100 000 ; 1 000 000; 10 000 000 who likes to pay all this shit

its so easy to put everybody into jail

why not run proper education to the mass so that they learn and uderstand even before they do something wrong

[Guest fj2003]

Some very good points have been raised up here regarding the topic. The burden for the passengers to determine if one had been drinking before you get into their car is way out of line, let alone even knowing such person is drunk. So arresting passengers all because the driver had a tit more than allowed by law is outrageous. However if one knew and saw their driver drinking a lot , that is a different story. What guarantee do passengers have when you have a bus driver, taxi driver and even motocycle taxi drivers who work for a living that they don't sic and sic a few here and there before picking you up????????

written by DaveYo

post 2005-11-06 03:44:44

i am sure a new style will be born

we go by taxi because we are drunk

the cap driver is even drunk alraedy so we don t know but for sure his next accident we will have to pay and also if he gets catched because he had to drive a farang

[Sturbuc]

It may sound like a good idea, but I don't think it can work.

It would have to be made into an offense to be in a car with a drunk driver, but ... that you are obviously drunk - so how is the passenger supposed to know?

What if you are picked up from home or some venue by someone in their car.

How are you supposed to know if they have had anything to drink, and if they have, whether they are over the limit?

This concept is completely unrealistic - well meaning perhaps, but in real danger of infringing someones rights or liberties.

===================================================

Yes; I totally concur with this semi-legal opinion. In fact, I would even go one further and would be very interested into discovering as to which specific law the authorities would be able to use to charge passengers in a vehicle, operated by an individual who is found to be legally "drunk".

If the crime was different, a comparable law could be viz. "aiding & abetting" or "accesory to" something . . . . I can't see that the current legal systems would "legally" allow the police to arrest these passengers; but then again "If you don't vote for the right party in this country ("dereliction of voting-right") , there's no telling what they can "legally" do to you . . . . . . . . . . ahem ! ? !

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Well, i know some country where you might loose your drivers licence while joining a drunken driver...

[pakwan]

No, it's not a conspiracy agaist 'farangs' but most Thais will be 'overlooked' in it's effectiveness. They are, in fact, quite guilty of piling 20 deep in the back of a pick-up and toddling off home after a celebratory repast. The few who chose to comment on my post had nothing more to criticize but my choice of posting structure? Should I use single or double spacing next time along with paragraphs to make my posting longer? I apologize to those who found my statements of good fortune in life to be bragging. I was simply trying to say that I have yet to pay a 'kickback' for no helmet or crossing the road incorrectly or the like. Noel, I do have a pot to p**s in AND a cup to serve you from it should we meet.

[astral]

A very dubious idea at best.

Can you imagine the furore if a government minister's driver had a quick swig

and then the police tried to arrest the minister.........

Edited November 12, 2005 by astral