Warning - Pattaya Now Has Alcohol Breath Testing In Daily Use

[Markland]

It's not just about spending all the money on drinking. I rarely go out for a drink, when I do I seldom have more than 2 or maybe 3 drinks. I would like to be 100% sure that I am not going to end up behind bars and deported if I then ride my motorbike home, and certainly have no wish to have to pay more for my trip home than on my couple of drinks.

Sigh. Ok, pick one:

* Move to live in town instead of some backwater. Yes, you thought the backwater was cheaper. You did not calculate in transportation. Do so now.

* Get a 300 baht room for the night, or find someone who has, preferably female.

* Ask motorcycle taxi drivers if there is a police checkpoint in operation and where.

* Acquaint yourself with the back sois. Avoid checkpoints.

* Don't ever drink more than 2 drinks.

* Call your wife to pick you up.

* Do a deal with one or more motorcycle taxi drivers (get his cell number) who will give you a fair rate in return for repeat business. (You don't even know how lucky you are to HAVE plenty available motorcycle taxi drivers)

* STOP WHINING. Either on the forum, or after getting caught and getting some free Soi 9 accommodation.

Actually the "backwater"as you put it has some of the best real estate in town and some like to live out of town.My house is absolutely stunning.Some people who are complaining about the prices of taxi's have nice houses and cars but still would rather endanger other peoples life's by driving then paying those costs for a taxi

[LucidLucifer]

coming soon - speed cameras! they just need to work out the speed limits on every road first...

Speed cameras have been here for a long time. I was stopped by the BiB way back in '05, they had one then. I wasn't speeding, I was riding on my motorbike back to Bkk from Pattaya on the toll-way.

More recently i've seen them set up on the toll-ways in Bkk, specifically the Don Muaeng express way.

[CGW]

^ When did they start/stop allowing motorcycles on expressway and toll roads? not allowed as far as I am aware?

Edited April 19, 2012 by CGW

[phl]

^ When did they start/stop allowing motorcycles on expressway and toll roads? not allowed as far as I am aware?

they have not changed that rule

[LucidLucifer]

I know....why do you think they stopped me!!

I'd been living in the south for the 2 years prior to that, so wasn't so familiar with the whole toll road thing. Before I left I asked a Thai friend if I could go on there, his reply was... yes....and in typical Thai fashion...why not?

Should have known better.

[vexill]

coming soon - speed cameras! they just need to work out the speed limits on every road first...

Speed cameras have been here for a long time. I was stopped by the BiB way back in '05, they had one then. I wasn't speeding, I was riding on my motorbike back to Bkk from Pattaya on the toll-way.

More recently i've seen them set up on the toll-ways in Bkk, specifically the Don Muaeng express way.

Yeah i've been stopped before too on an out of town main road.

I was more talking about, mobile speed traps, fixed red light cameras and things like that -- everywhere. just like home...

[gmac]

It's not just about spending all the money on drinking. I rarely go out for a drink, when I do I seldom have more than 2 or maybe 3 drinks. I would like to be 100% sure that I am not going to end up behind bars and deported if I then ride my motorbike home, and certainly have no wish to have to pay more for my trip home than on my couple of drinks.

Sigh. Ok, pick one:

* Move to live in town instead of some backwater. Yes, you thought the backwater was cheaper. You did not calculate in transportation. Do so now.

* Get a 300 baht room for the night, or find someone who has, preferably female.

* Ask motorcycle taxi drivers if there is a police checkpoint in operation and where.

* Acquaint yourself with the back sois. Avoid checkpoints.

* Don't ever drink more than 2 drinks.

* Call your wife to pick you up.

* Do a deal with one or more motorcycle taxi drivers (get his cell number) who will give you a fair rate in return for repeat business. (You don't even know how lucky you are to HAVE plenty available motorcycle taxi drivers)

* STOP WHINING. Either on the forum, or after getting caught and getting some free Soi 9 accommodation.

What an obnoxious response.

[morphious]

I drove home back to the darkside at about 9pm last night after 3 bottles of san mig in 13 hours. everyone was shit faced thais falling off bikes and cars literally all over the road. Not once from leaving soi13 beach road to arriving home soi kaonoi did i see a BIB either directing traffic or stopping pissed up revellers. The wife said the police finish at 4pm and then party, so i ask you 6 days of road blocks and stopping points just to stop on the biggest p*ssed up lunatic day of the year???? Yeah right, What a load of b*llocks!!!!!!!

[Markland]

I drove home back to the darkside at about 9pm last night after 3 bottles of san mig in 13 hours. everyone was shit faced thais falling off bikes and cars literally all over the road. Not once from leaving soi13 beach road to arriving home soi kaonoi did i see a BIB either directing traffic or stopping pissed up revellers. The wife said the police finish at 4pm and then party, so i ask you 6 days of road blocks and stopping points just to stop on the biggest p*ssed up lunatic day of the year???? Yeah right, What a load of b*llocks!!!!!!!

They never do check points on the 19th.Some were directing traffic near 3rd up until 5pm last night

and others were around sitting in dry arrears just in case any trouble started

but they were not doing any tests or stopping anyone

if they did thousands would of been arrested or there would of been a riot

[MJCM]

^ I would guess that on the 19th they (Highway Patrol) have setup checkpoints on the Major Highways (3,36,7) out of Pattaya.

As in town it was just all hands on deck.

[Barefoot]

I am reading lots of silly comments (mostly not on this thread) about the Police not enforcing the law on the 19th and that they should instead be strong and proud and breaking heads. Obviously, from the point of view of those of us who have lived here for a long time, those people do not know what it is like to try to challenge millions of drunk Thai men when they are drunk out of their mind. They are hopelessly uncontrollable. As but one example, I am unlucky enough to live on a (formerly) quiet street where a new 8-story condo is being built. And of course, the workers are all illegal from God knows where (Burma, deep Isaan, whatever) and they live in those shacks that are built for such workers (ex-pats know; tourists know nothing, as usual). And today,the "shack boys" were on the rampage, drunk out of their minds, smashing windows, ripping out every potted plant in my neighborhood, and so on. And I (luckily) have burly Navy guys as security on my street, and they did nothing but be gentle and kind with these out-of-control idiots, because that is just how it is on the 19th. I applaud the Police for abdicating their responsibility, because otherwise there would be 50,000 people locked up tomorrow. I live in a nation of angry children. If you do not live here, shut up. Locking them up on their New Year's Day is not the answer. There isn't 1% of the necessary manpower to bring these rogues under control, so stepping away is the only way to not make the Police look powerless.

Edited April 20, 2012 by Barefoot

[WinnieTheKhwai]

It's not just about spending all the money on drinking. I rarely go out for a drink, when I do I seldom have more than 2 or maybe 3 drinks. I would like to be 100% sure that I am not going to end up behind bars and deported if I then ride my motorbike home, and certainly have no wish to have to pay more for my trip home than on my couple of drinks.

Sigh. Ok, pick one:

* Move to live in town instead of some backwater. Yes, you thought the backwater was cheaper. You did not calculate in transportation. Do so now.

* Get a 300 baht room for the night, or find someone who has, preferably female.

* Ask motorcycle taxi drivers if there is a police checkpoint in operation and where.

* Acquaint yourself with the back sois. Avoid checkpoints.

* Don't ever drink more than 2 drinks.

* Call your wife to pick you up.

* Do a deal with one or more motorcycle taxi drivers (get his cell number) who will give you a fair rate in return for repeat business. (You don't even know how lucky you are to HAVE plenty available motorcycle taxi drivers)

* STOP WHINING. Either on the forum, or after getting caught and getting some free Soi 9 accommodation.

What an obnoxious response.

They are solid recommendations. Clearly not all of them apply to all people, which is why it started with 'pick the one that applies'.

Feel free to add others, if I missed any. Either way it's constructive, not just the ranting & whining like most people who have nothing better to do.

Edited April 21, 2012 by WinnieTheKhwai

[Spellforce]

Feel free to add others, if I missed any.

If you are living in the dark side, you can share a bahtbus for the night and share the costs. It should cost 600-800 bahts divided by 3 or 4.

Once a week it's not a big deal...

[Orac]

Feel free to add others, if I missed any.

If you are living in the dark side, you can share a bahtbus for the night and share the costs. It should cost 600-800 bahts divided by 3 or 4.

Once a week it's not a big deal...

That is quite a bit but I suppose it depends where you live on the Darkside - I have paid 200-400 baht before for a bahtbus home though I don't use them very often. Like the motorbike taxi drivers, some will happily give you their mobile number so you can call them when needed.

[Bucko]

Looking on the health side about " blowing in the machine "--will they change the mouthpiece every time it's used ?? --I doubt it ?? -- or is the " machine " one of the "Sniffer " type that suspect drunks- or not-- just talk to-- stating something like your Name and Birth Date to get a reading

Just a passing thought-- it would add to the old saying about " Coughs and Sneezes --Spread Diseases "

Edited April 22, 2012 by Bucko

[harrry]

Looking on the health side about " blowing in the machine "--will they change the mouthpiece every time it's used ?? --I doubt it ?? -- or is the " machine " one of the "Sniffer " type that suspect drunks- or not-- just talk to-- stating something like your Name and Birth Date to get a reading

Just a passing thought-- it would add to the old saying about " Coughs and Sneezes --Spread Diseases "

No problem.....just use an alcohol wipe to clean it and no diseases.

Edited April 22, 2012 by harrry

[jayceenik]

Thanks to the OP for his frighteningly informative post.

A real life nightmare he experienced !!

I'm retired here so I don't want to risk being deported.

After reading it I've decided that I'd no longer ride my bike in town in the evening and drink beer in the beer bars like I do most nights.

Only soft drrinks !! It'll take some adjusting but I can still happily chat the girls while drinkiing Coke and then go home, alone or with A BF, and drink my own Chang as much as I want in my room.

Or I'll just use baht bus and motocy taxi.

Thanks again misterhe.

You may have saved me from a future misery !

[lonewolf99]

The bottom line is - Do not break the law. In your own or especially a foreign country. The OP mentions "everything spoken in Thai" - and why not, its fricking Thailand.

Its not the U.K. where you play Ping Pong and watch the Telly all day or do Open University Degree courses. If any one thinks Thai jails are bad, try West Africa....

[2unique]

Looking on the health side about " blowing in the machine "--will they change the mouthpiece every time it's used ?? --I doubt it ?? -- or is the " machine " one of the "Sniffer " type that suspect drunks- or not-- just talk to-- stating something like your Name and Birth Date to get a reading

Just a passing thought-- it would add to the old saying about " Coughs and Sneezes --Spread Diseases "

No problem.....just use an alcohol wipe to clean it and no diseases.

That's quite funny.

On the three occasions I've been stopped they shine a torch into the car and ask for your license as standard. The reverse end of the torch/flashlight has an alcohol detector. I alcohol is detected you have to go and blow.

2 of the 3 times alcohol was detected and I had to blow, they put a new cover on the mouthpiece from a sealed pack.

This was in Bangkok. The torch can only detect alcohol being present not how much. Blowing over 0.05 will earn you a night in gaol. I saw rich Thais and Westerners try to pay their way out to no avail.

Sent from Android please excuse errors in type or judgement

[phl]

Reading OP's experience and hearing from one of the guests, it is indeed a scary process, HOWEVER the punishment and consequences are hardly worth the trouble.

Yes when you caught you end up in jail for 1-2 days, but after paying a rather small fine for a pretty big offence(well it is big in other countries in the world)

Person is allowed back on the street and keep driving, ie no consequences for repeat offences, such as license suspension or jail term or bigger fine or anything at all.

I could be wrong and there might be some thing put in place, but seeing the punishment for driving with no licence or unregistered car, i do not think drink driving is any different.

What i mean is, if caught driving with no licence, its just 500 baht fine and you are back behind the wheel, if caught driving an unregistered vehicle, same thing happens, just pay the fine and keep on driving.

Personally i enjoy the SEA not so many and not so tough rules, however when it comes to person's safety, i think those laws should be enforced more vigorously.

If one wants to get behind a wheel of a vehicle without licence or drunk, that's his choice, but he is putting other people's life in danger who do not have a choice

Edited April 22, 2012 by phl

[LennyW]

Reading OP's experience and hearing from one of the guests, it is indeed a scary process, HOWEVER the punishment and consequences are hardly worth the trouble.

Yes when you caught you end up in jail for 1-2 days, but after paying a rather small fine for a pretty big offence(well it is big in other countries in the world)

Person is allowed back on the street and keep driving, ie no consequences for repeat offences, such as license suspension or jail term or bigger fine or anything at all.

I could be wrong and there might be some thing put in place, but seeing the punishment for driving with no licence or unregistered car, i do not think drink driving is any different.

What i mean is, if caught driving with no licence, its just 500 baht fine and you are back behind the wheel, if caught driving an unregistered vehicle, same thing happens, just pay the fine and keep on driving.

Personally i enjoy the SEA not so many and not so tough rules, however when it comes to person's safety, i think those laws should be enforced more vigorously.

If one wants to get behind a wheel of a vehicle without licence or drunk, that's his choice, but he is putting other people's life in danger who do not have a choice

Big difference between drunk driving and driving without a licence, i know people who have driven all their lives without a licence, here and in the UK and they are better drivers than some people who have one.

Drinking and driving on the other hand has a direct bearing on a persons ability to control their vehicle, the two, whilst both illegal, definitely cannot be compared like for like as in a persons ability to control their vehicle.

[petercool]

Driving without a licence can, however, affect whether insurance coverage is valid in accident situations.

[craigt3365]

Actually the "backwater"as you put it has some of the best real estate in town and some like to live out of town.My house is absolutely stunning.Some people who are complaining about the prices of taxi's have nice houses and cars but still would rather endanger other peoples life's by driving then paying those costs for a taxi

Your village is for sure one of the best. Some amazing views. We have some friends who live there.

[Rainmon]

one of the reasons i moved here, cheap taxi service and no worries about drunk driving and being put in jail, in Texas your life is ruined for years with a drunk driving charge and conviction (i know from personal experience in 1994, on probation for 2 years with court and lawyer fees and had to report monthly and go to special classes for alcohol abuse, now it is even worse they send you to substance abuse counciling and it's expensive, they drug test you and your probation can be revoked if you test positive for drugs or alcohol), there is no reason to risk the life of others driving drunk...

Edited April 22, 2012 by Rainmon

[Soutpeel]

Reading OP's experience and hearing from one of the guests, it is indeed a scary process, HOWEVER the punishment and consequences are hardly worth the trouble.

Yes when you caught you end up in jail for 1-2 days, but after paying a rather small fine for a pretty big offence(well it is big in other countries in the world)

Person is allowed back on the street and keep driving, ie no consequences for repeat offences, such as license suspension or jail term or bigger fine or anything at all.

Of course you do know if it takes their fancy they could get your visa pulled and you could be blacklisted from Thailand ?...just because they dont do it, doesnt mean they cant, it is permissible within the law....Driving without a license is a "traffic offense"....Convicted of drink driving is a criminal offense

[WinnieTheKhwai]

Actually the "backwater"as you put it has some of the best real estate in town and some like to live out of town.My house is absolutely stunning.Some people who are complaining about the prices of taxi's have nice houses and cars but still would rather endanger other peoples life's by driving then paying those costs for a taxi

Your village is for sure one of the best. Some amazing views. We have some friends who live there.

Agreed; for sure there are very high end, expensive developments that are a bit out of town. Note that the term backwater in itself is no more ill-intended than 'dark side' or other such references. In fact, 'backwater' means "an isolated, peaceful place". (http://dictionary.re...rowse/backwater )

Anyway, the point of that particular part of my post was that if you can afford a very nice, high-end place to live that is however a couple kms out of town, then you can also afford a taxi/baht bus, or a driver. It can't really be an excuse for drunk driving; so we're really saying the same thing.

EDIT: Edits made; I confused two posters in my initial response. Markland's post makes sense. It was Gmac's reply on the previous page that was profoundly puzzling.

Edited April 23, 2012 by WinnieTheKhwai

[phl]

Reading OP's experience and hearing from one of the guests, it is indeed a scary process, HOWEVER the punishment and consequences are hardly worth the trouble.

Yes when you caught you end up in jail for 1-2 days, but after paying a rather small fine for a pretty big offence(well it is big in other countries in the world)

Person is allowed back on the street and keep driving, ie no consequences for repeat offences, such as license suspension or jail term or bigger fine or anything at all.

Of course you do know if it takes their fancy they could get your visa pulled and you could be blacklisted from Thailand ?...just because they dont do it, doesnt mean they cant, it is permissible within the law....Driving without a license is a "traffic offense"....Convicted of drink driving is a criminal offense

i am not disputing what they can do, what i am saying is that what they do do and it is not exactly a hard punishment, only the process is a pain, while the actual punishment is very weak.

of course driving without license and drink driving are not the same, but the point is that the punishment for either is simply not enough in my opinion, because in both cases, after fine is paid, one can just keep on going.

Question is, how many times one should be caught breaking the law(drink driving or no license or unregistered vehicle etc) for police to take serious actions with consequences.

[phl]

Reading OP's experience and hearing from one of the guests, it is indeed a scary process, HOWEVER the punishment and consequences are hardly worth the trouble.

Yes when you caught you end up in jail for 1-2 days, but after paying a rather small fine for a pretty big offence(well it is big in other countries in the world)

Person is allowed back on the street and keep driving, ie no consequences for repeat offences, such as license suspension or jail term or bigger fine or anything at all.

I could be wrong and there might be some thing put in place, but seeing the punishment for driving with no licence or unregistered car, i do not think drink driving is any different.

What i mean is, if caught driving with no licence, its just 500 baht fine and you are back behind the wheel, if caught driving an unregistered vehicle, same thing happens, just pay the fine and keep on driving.

Personally i enjoy the SEA not so many and not so tough rules, however when it comes to person's safety, i think those laws should be enforced more vigorously.

If one wants to get behind a wheel of a vehicle without licence or drunk, that's his choice, but he is putting other people's life in danger who do not have a choice

Big difference between drunk driving and driving without a licence, i know people who have driven all their lives without a licence, here and in the UK and they are better drivers than some people who have one.

Drinking and driving on the other hand has a direct bearing on a persons ability to control their vehicle, the two, whilst both illegal, definitely cannot be compared like for like as in a persons ability to control their vehicle.

Then do you propose, every country should simply remove the need for the license and the points system? Correct me if i am wrong, but the whole idea of license is one's ability to control the vehicle, no?

So if one does not have a license, which part of the test have they failed? or why was their license cancelled?

[MJCM]

^ or C) never went to do the driving test

Edit: //

Grammar

Edited April 23, 2012 by MJCM

[phl]

^ or C) never went to do the driving test

Edit: //

Grammar

lol, and there is plenty of them on the roads, they sure handle their vehicle just fine, they just do not know NOT to overtake another on the side to which its turning, or unable to determine who has the right of way