20% more drunk drivers this New Year's holidays

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Nearly 5,000 drunk drivers were sentenced to community service or probation this New Year's holiday, an increase of more than 20 per cent over last year, the Probation Department announced yesterday.

From December 27 to January 2, there were 4,956 drunk-driving cases prosecuted - 867 more than a year ago, Probation Department chief Ruenwadee Suwanmongkol said.

About 68 per cent of the convicted drunk drivers were company workers aged 30 to 38. Bangkok had the most cases at 398, followed by Maha Sarakham at 289 and Surin at 243.

Ruenwadee said a new law punished drunk drivers as well as passengers with open alcohol containers in moving vehicles, with jail terms of six months and/or a fine of Bt10,000.

-- The Nation 2013-01-08

Seek and ye shall find.

Why does the photo look like it was taken during Songkran?

If just four or five more testing stations had been set up nationwide over the period the figure might have doubled or tripled. So the figures do not give an indication of, well, anything whatsoever.

Tip for BIB - I strongly suspect that a certain pink Bentley has a decanter of JWB in its cocktail cabinet.

Why does the photo look like it was taken during Songkran?

Thats because it was taken during Songkran, no pictures from the new year to show

So community service or probation fro drunk driving? Disgraceful. Do the authorities think that this leniency will stop people from doing the same again?

Of course it won't. Until such time as heavy fines, driving bans and prison sentences are mandatory then people will continue to ignore laws and put other road users in danger.

On the other point about the figures given though shocking, does not take into account those that were let off with a few 100B backhander to the police or those allowed to carry on their 'merry' way because they have 'friends' in high places. So maybe double the figures quoted and it would be more realistic,

That photo was taken during Songkran Festival and NOT during the New Year. Secondly, I am sure that if the cops had been more serious with conducting tests for drunkenness, they would have found a lot more persons DUI.

Wonder if this was anything to do with the recent report that the Breathalyzer equipment was faulty in 4 out of 5 items tested?

This is not a picture of songkran there was a very sick pigeon flying overhead is all.

Fine should be 100,000 bath , if you want to fight with success take where it hurts .... in wallets ... I know its hard to do when almost all police is corrupted ...

Drunk driving is one thing, but a open container in a moving vehicle consumed by a passenger is western over the top B.S.

'Nearly 5,000 drunk drivers were sentenced to community service or probation'

Awesome deterrent Thailand........

I agree with other posts, these statistics are most likely a result of more widespread testing than in any other year. Essentially, their base historic statistics are too inconsequential to be useful.

But its good that the action is becoming more widespread, keep it up BIB.

Edited January 8, 201313 yr by PMZ

I have a friend got popped over the holidays for driving drunk on his motorbike in Pattaya. He will serve 30 days, probably starting some time in February. Now, THAT'S a deterrent!

Edited January 8, 201313 yr by quandow

Fine should be 100,000 bath , if you want to fight with success take where it hurts .... in wallets ... I know its hard to do when almost all police is corrupted ...

Even B100,000 is chickenfeed to the really wealthy like Mr Red Bull. But if you took their car, sold it at auction with 10% to the arresting officer, there would be an equal deterrent to all social levels (I believe they do something similar with fines based on taxable income in some Scandinavian countries). It would also make it incumbent on truck and bus companies to choose their employees very carefully. Corrupt BIB will always be a problem but the deterrent will still be there as backhanders demanded approach the pay-off for making an arrest.

Revenue raised could be used for driver education, hospitals and road improvements. As well, unroadworthy vehicles be either scrapped or repaired before sale, improving the national car fleet.

Edited January 8, 201313 yr by OzMick

If the drunken accident at high speed on the highway doesn't kill him, the bacteria from that breathalyzer will after the 10th or so customer.

25% more checks is probably the underlying reason. Give all policemen a device and give them a bonus when they catch someone and the numbers of intoxicated drivers caught will be staggering.

Is the seasonal jump in numbers the result of police actually doing their job twice a year ie: Songkran & Christmas?

Fines... waste of time ( except for the BIB ) too low

Suggesstion they should sit through 10 hours of learning how to drive and looking at video, picture of accidents & the carnage caused but DD guts 'n' all.

These squeemish piss heads who think they can drive when mao , would soon change their minds.

Edited January 8, 201313 yr by Lobber

Fines... waste of time ( except for the BIB ) too low

Suggesstion they should sit through 10 hours of learning how to drive and looking at video, picture of accidents & the carnage caused but DD guts 'n' all.

These squeemish piss heads who think they can drive when mao , would soon change their minds.

That wouldnt work, most Thai's would see it as a possible 10hrs sleep time

Death statistics over New Year appalling.... as usual... I would be interested to know how many accidents/deaths were caused by driver being on mobile phone...probably even more lethal than drink.

Community service. I'm so incensed with drunk drivers that I equate it with attempted murder. Seriously.

Where I live that would cost me 450,000 baht and a three year suspension of my driver's license. That's for first offense. Second offense, 1 million baht and mandatory 1 year jail. I would also need a 500,000 baht lawyer to hope I didn't get the possible 3 years in jail.

And some people still fkn do it, but not so many as used to.

Fine should be 100,000 bath , if you want to fight with success take where it hurts .... in wallets ... I know its hard to do when almost all police is corrupted ...

Even B100,000 is chickenfeed to the really wealthy like Mr Red Bull. But if you took their car, sold it at auction with 10% to the arresting officer, there would be an equal deterrent to all social levels (I believe they do something similar with fines based on taxable income in some Scandinavian countries). It would also make it incumbent on truck and bus companies to choose their employees very carefully. Corrupt BIB will always be a problem but the deterrent will still be there as backhanders demanded approach the pay-off for making an arrest.

Revenue raised could be used for driver education, hospitals and road improvements. As well, unroadworthy vehicles be either scrapped or repaired before sale, improving the national car fleet.

Ozmick, I usually like your posts as they are sensible and balanced. You lost the plot here though. This is Thailand, not Oz. I could be wrong here however I thought that only Singapore scrapped cars over 10 years old unless you paid for a new COE which is hardly worth it unless you own a really expensive vehicle.

Why does the photo look like it was taken during Songkran?

It is a stock photo from the Nation and believe originally used here ...

BANGKOK: -- Nearly 5,000 drunk drivers were sentenced to community service or probation this New Year's holiday,

That is some seriously speedy justice.

Fines... waste of time ( except for the BIB ) too low

Suggesstion they should sit through 10 hours of learning how to drive and looking at video, picture of accidents & the carnage caused but DD guts 'n' all.

These squeemish piss heads who think they can drive when mao , would soon change their minds.

Some of them driver better when drunk ... just ask them

Why does the photo look like it was taken during Songkran?

It is a stock photo from the Nation and believe originally used here ... http://www.thaivisa....fic-law-change/

Good pick up.

Fine should be 100,000 bath , if you want to fight with success take where it hurts .... in wallets ... I know its hard to do when almost all police is corrupted ...

fined a 100,000 bath!!!! why not 100,000 sinks or showers. 555

Why does the photo look like it was taken during Songkran?

It is a stock photo from the Nation and believe originally used here ... http://www.thaivisa....fic-law-change/

Good pick up.

Google Chrome has a cool tool that allows you to right click on a photo and do a web search for the photo. It actually comes in handy sometimes when trying to figure out the source of a photo ... can't tell you how many times on Facebook people start posting a picture virally such as showing some guy abusing an animal and asking people for help in identifying him only to find out the image is 5-years old and the guy is already been identified long ago ... other times people make claims about a photo being from one place when in fact it is an old photo showing an event somewhere else.

Here are the search results for the photo in this OP ... http://www.google.com/search?tbs=sbi:AMhZZivdwURzZ-nZJWo25CKBe_1styarbfM0RnjxJBjRU5I1UhurXYxbNHutN7WSB9SJhlBhhEQj3UpldgWhX0D5NACM5L0hExfkswN_1BQGaE5ve87KO-oT0cJi9H5cBU0fM5uPD-hiNvfApWjxeiqq9VYWj9bpfuhVlpnWEcK09iUPYrrQqWckrpt7usgkEg0YPH-ADPdp1EHIWxDuXEhBLGZ1VmwVJxh89GQwIicfB1VyLXTIbNJtnUU7rgJzjcxbgsYgyURci2R3RVTebOLFTFFIlDChpoxLgLGgdbNVAE0Ll9dhy9QHrzLP2Rc1CU6bbtK5pWjZPCslIYLbraBESw13hywJMNvjyWSC3jfCpmPvGtlkJbQWhYAHPq6M4AxoVwN48p9uiLcialEUNQ1estgDuwDbk1Mbl3EH10nHU2AnyPRJp-5t87m6WoahWSAvLiBxknbX8v3_1ouFRTKKfL11x2bn9AW8LXDdkM4T19TQGNOprbEmtRLxDxrtQZY5z5Ut_1w2Iol5-NTjaUEB16Gw34j_1hLOoPAqFS3QSEX_1SrC_1_1XUrPrip6tNnZlC-ebX0Tyc-ioWYXdFrg7Hp0_1tR_1qPHMxIa8LBxCz-LOp05MGmcvtsPjYl22mZexCOm1MmBts7s_130RpXy-T2WwGHN5iJN3UXRlrDIzV53sSelHVomuDl3bTZzIzhX-qHxXTJIFTe5XTP7nv5-IUnL4XTwQS_1ye2y8Vpy2WxN6ETl44WH9-VmwQkTqBdKTav67SgsPc3BgmeRoz4ydTCgqVWKszckGy0g_1VaPhoRUcX840u2EmW_1oIx0MSZFnRbGD3vM7L4l6xTslGm_1rH-NJaT9DT5G316WXlWGF1uSfu15v5vQrsaPwGHqoUpx6Dzsl1HcFXrfLy5Oq2XivNfTzJPfuXultp21p1haUFQciRHf0_1Wb010VZBEEDTtxh34Z0HI2L1_1QK-elJAkoinj5_1zeTJALHResLhWGJOG5aLHr1_1vhcI5_19ORBanr1u6rKspZgEGE8EOrkHglnKX8YqGKpM2D61FIVNTC8mH_17W1hI_1idWVYpqeOgolQ1MFIYF2jjEUDy0qjWU1essgx3k-CNBv7Kluw-t05Si9a60oNHixGpaPnASR0IsxOOmp21f-4gBD0lZmlkjtvsHD4WzKeqIItnE7MwFu-DvvzEH8ajULMYZzfCIo-Khd8avdJNdKhgoSrd0iFHT0yyh30kErmT2f5_1etrZcRsJMU33HTZCnHgc9-I1f3teW4ZUri3nvH58Jwtx_1y0PEfcFtuErtR-BSOFhy_1xy8a0P49pCWXnxDlkozwzlSqWFMVbWuR2ioakx1BQrBThywuvmpt