Bangkok police riding around with broken breathalyzers

By Coconuts Bangkok

BANGKOK: -- An inspection of the Bangkok police force’s breathalyzers, conducted by the Department of Medical Sciences, has revealed that almost half of the breathalyzers being carried around by Bangkok cops don’t actually work.

Niphon Popattanacha, director general of the Department of Medical Sciences, said that of the 2,558 devices his department surveyed, only 1,338, or 52.3%, functioned normally. The remaining 1,220 were either malfunctioning, or just broken.

However, before you consider running out to your commute [more...]

Full story: http://www.coconutsbangkok.com/news/bangkok-police-riding-around-with-broken-breathalyzers/

-- COCONUTS Bangkok 2012-12-21

Well that's totally unexpected news (O_O)

Sent from Android please allow errors in type or judgment.

i was more shocked that they expect you to insert a pipe into your mouth that had,nt been changed, i dont know how many mouths it had been in but i refused

Quite surprising that a Thai government agency, here The Department of Medical Sciences, should go out of its way to criticise the incompetence of the police.

I guess we have to wait for some bright, forward thinking individual, to suggest that a nationwide check/varification of these devices be done, post haste.

Just another day of scamming in the LOS, and who is more suited than the BIB?

BANGKOK: -- An inspection of the Bangkok police force’s breathalyzers, conducted by the Department of Medical Sciences, has revealed that almost half of the breathalyzers being carried around by Bangkok cops don’t actually work.

Much like the police enforcing the law in general is it not ?

By any chance manufactured by the same company that sold the explosive detectors?

God what a missed opportunity.. Thailand.. the HUB of broken breathalysers... cmon surely the press has got to make another HUB of it.

Can the cops adjust the calibration on these units so they read higher like this? Hence more bribe money from brutal corruption?

I can't imagine it takes may Thai motorists to breath into these things to completely fry them.

Question: I wonder how many Police will read this article (translated into Thai, unless they were one of the fortunate ones to take the 6 week English classes and are now fluent English speakers) and now realise that they may have non-functioning breathalyzers.

This is one piece of equipment the Police can use to genuinely make a difference and improve the safety of EVERYONE in Thailand. If they really had to, I guess they could make a few dollars to "help the impoverished families of the Bangkok Police Fund" while they were at it, but one hopes most Police are honest and would not lower themselves to this after doing good work and identifying a drunk driver.

Off topic post and replies removed from view.

What is the chances of these breath test machines actually being fixed after being found to be faulty?

what is the fail level here in thailand meant to be? and how many beers does this equate to?

i know in the UK it is 35mg of alcohol / litre of breath, or something like that..... which equates to about 2 regular strength beers

what is the fail limit here guys??

what is the fail level here in thailand meant to be? and how many beers does this equate to?

I think it is variable and depends on make, model, age of vehicle, and family name of driver.

so if the family name is european, the fail level is very low??

i should have guessed really

It is all down to what type of Thai licence you hold, if you are on a temporary 1 year licence, you are not allowed to have as much in your system as you are if holding a full 5 year licence. Unfortunately, I can not remember the actual levels, I don't think they are as strict as back in the UK.

Quite surprising that a Thai government agency, here The Department of Medical Sciences, should go out of its way to criticise the incompetence of the police.

The police probably didn't meet the payment demand so the findings were released.

i googled it...... it is actually nearly 40% lower than the uk.......

and if what Psych01 is correct, it will be even lower for people on a one year (does that include international?) licence

http://www.drinkdriving.org/worldwide_drink_driving_limits.php

UK = 0.08

Thailand = 0.05