A Timely Warning To All !

[KhnomKhnom]

I have a friend of a friend who heard a drunk in a bar say...................

I am sick of this kind of message..... First Person accounts only--at least then, you will be only partly wrong.

Anyone who drinks and drives should be in jail, one drink or a doz.

I suggest ten years min.

[Tywais]

The blood alcohol limit in Thailand is 50 mg/litre, In the UK it is 80 .So by my really rough guess one large bottle and one small bottle of Chang would put you over the limit.

Wouldn't that depend on your body mass? I'm really not sure, but that would make sense to me.

I posted a link earlier to a BAC calculator - weight, height, age are some of the factors to enter into the calculator.

http://www.rupissed.com/

[PostmanPat]

OP you make it sound like this is a bad thing and you will just take your drink driving a bit more carefully??

2 plus 2 really does equal 4.....not 5, 6, or 7 !! What I am well aware of now, and yes, perhaps I havent been as aware on occasions in the past, is that in Thailand, any more than a couple of small beers potentially puts you over the limit, so its either drink and dont drive, or just a couple of small ones followed by soft drinks!

The purpose of the thread is to try to raise awareness on the issue in order to hopefully help people not to get themselves in a jail cell overnight, and worse!!

[waynethor]

The blood alcohol limit in Thailand is 50 mg/litre, In the UK it is 80 .So by my really rough guess one large bottle and one small bottle of Chang would put you over the limit.

Wouldn't that depend on your body mass? I'm really not sure, but that would make sense to me.

I posted a link earlier to a BAC calculator - weight, height, age are some of the factors to enter into the calculator.

http://www.rupissed.com/

Thanks.

It makes sense that body mass and how much food is in one's stomach should have an effect on blood alcohol levels.

[Lunghans]

Let me begin by stating that in no way, I condone drunk driving and there is no excuse for what happened to me.

I haven't been to a bar in about 8 years, stopped the serious drinking 10 years ago.

Last Friday I was invited by friends to have a drink in downtown Korat. Drove downtown on the motorbike about 18 km from my house.

I had a nice evening had some good conversations with other foreigners and the Chang was tasting good.

When I stepped on the motorbike at the end of the evening to go home, a tuktuk driver warned me that the police was checking down the road for alcohol and where arresting people.

I asked him about an inside route and he told me no police there, so I took the inside route. This all went well and I praised myself lucky that I had no encounter downtown.

Well my luck was about to change, about 3 km from my home there was a police check point and I was stopped and had to do the breath test, the reading showed 0.64.

They explained me that the norm was 0.50 and they would take me to the police station and stay locked up until Monday to appear in court and that the fine would at least be 5200 thb with a reading of 0.64 maybe even higher, but this was up to the judge. I was treated very politely and I responded politely and they complimented me on my ability to speak Thai which I do. They took my foreign driver license and my keys of the motorbike.

I then overheard them talking to each other that they kind of pitied me (Farang songsaan). They then offered me a way out by asking me if I wanted to "help the police".

I asked them how much and they told me 4000 thb. I agreed and told them I had to go to the ATM to get the money. One of the police officers told me to come with him in his private car and we drove to the nearest ATM. After taking out the money I handed over 4000 thb and he gave me my keys and driver license back. Back at the check point I was told to go home and drive carefully.

At home I checked the internet what the fines are for drunk driving and their story was confirmed 100%. They lock you up at the police station until you can appear in court, in my case from Friday night until Monday morning. The fines start at 5000 thb until 20.000 thb, confiscation of your driver license and a conviction and possible community service.

I consider myself very lucky I got of the hook, I was wrong, no doubt about that. Apart from losing the money I feel good about the fact that for once I see the police doing their job. A lesson well learned, this won't happen to me again.

[EnglishJohn]

I admit I tend to pick and choose which laws to obey. In the UK, too many are to control the population instead of protect them.

But I will never drink and drive. I don't care what happens to the driver, it's the innocent people he kills which make it unacceptable.

[Fab5BKK]

Is it that difficult not to drink when driving?

[femi fan]

Anyone that drinks and drives is a selfish <deleted>. I have made that mistake in the past and paid the price. If you want to risk your own life thats fine, but dont put innocent pedastrians, mothers, fathers, sons, daughters, at risk at no fault of their own.. its extremely selfish, pay the couple of 100 baht and get a taxi.

Do you include anybody that drives too fast, but nevertheless is totally sober? Because arguably speed driving is more responsible for deaths and injuries on the roads of thailand than alcohol.

There is a huge difference between drink driving and drunk driving. With the limit given in this thread, someone may find themselves in a horrible situation with the police after two large bottles of beer, yet is perfectly able to drive safely, and is no threat to mothers, fathers, sons, daughters, nor even grandmas and grandpas, nor even poor old soi dogs.

It's just not the black and white world you've made it out to be in your post. Life is not that simple.

And 100 baht for the taxi? Not everybody in chiang mai lives in your home.

[femi fan]

Does the OP really think this is a timely warning?

Who knows from which country he originates but he should be ashamed if it's in the West.

If he is British he should hang his head in shame.

Drink driving has been castigated legally and more importantly, socially, for decades.

Rubbish.

Yes, it's a timely warning for many citizens.

Apportioning shame onto others is you attempting to control them into your views and dictats on how all people should live their lives. That's the basis of how dictators operate when they get the power.

Almost everything in britain and the west has been castigated, socially and legally. It's why so many of us don't live there any more. Unfortunately some of the rule-lovers from these western countries also make their way here. Can't tihnk why though.

[FrankOff]

In Australia they have a saying: if you drink and drive, you're a bloody idiot, and that sums it all....

....that is the exact same slogan I have seen posted roadside in Canada.....with an image of a graphic accident scene underneath.

Where I grew-up,back in the day some 40yrs ago drunk driving was a sport. It has taken relentless and stern 'social-engineering' to change the habits & once accepting attitudes of the gen-pop towards alcohol and driving, but it can be done. The same goes for cigarets,which are also both a direct and indirect 'killer'.

[waynethor]

The blood alcohol limit in Thailand is 50 mg/litre, In the UK it is 80 .So by my really rough guess one large bottle and one small bottle of Chang would put you over the limit.

Wouldn't that depend on your body mass? I'm really not sure, but that would make sense to me.

I posted a link earlier to a BAC calculator - weight, height, age are some of the factors to enter into the calculator.

http://www.rupissed.com/

Thanks.

It makes sense that body mass and how much food is in one's stomach should have an effect on blood alcohol levels.

Actually, I just looked at it and noticed there was no input for consuming food before or during some drinking. Wouldn't that make a difference?

Also, I can sort of understand age being a factor as an older person may not metabolize alcohol as quickly as a younger person, but what difference could a person's height make in the equation? It's not like it would take more time getting in your system if you're taller, would it?

-----------------------------------------

Okay, I just did my own experiment with the software and here's what happened. I input 3 small glasses of wine over 3 hours, which would be typical of my drinking habits if out with friends for dinner, and it calculated a blood alcohol level of 0.03%. I then added 18 cm to my actual height and the number changed to 0.28%. Why?

----------------------

And yet more experimenting. I chopped 20 years off the values above and the number went down to 0,27%.

Now if they'd invent something to actually add 18 cm to my height and knock 20 years off my age, I'd be real excited. It would be "lock your daughters away" time for me.

Edited October 30, 2014 by waynethor

[femi fan]

It's almost a sport observing all these huffing and puffing rule-bound farangs who have ended up in rule-flexible thailand. Nobody cares about whether you wear a helmet, speed, or drink drive. It's all business, it's got nothing to do with making the roads safer. Everybody does it, rich, poor, police, citizen, politician, farang, thai, anybody and everybody.

I'm not offering my opinions on it, just wondering why some froth at the mouth so when it comes to rules and laws being broken in thailand. If a rule or law gets in the way here, then it will be navigated around and expertly ignored whenever possible. This is because in the thai gene is wanting to live life as comfortably and non-intrustively as possible - sabai saduak.

What a horrific concept to live one's life by. How dare people take the easy selfish murderous route. Lock em up forever and throw the keys in the rat-infested drains. That'll clear the streets of the flotsam, and leave them free for all us rule-bound folk.

[Fab5BKK]

May be some are too intoxicated to get the concept?

Just asking...

Is it that difficult not to drink when driving?

[Tywais]

Actually, I just looked at it and noticed there was no input for consuming food before or during some drinking. Wouldn't that make a difference?

Many years ago someone told me if I'm going out to have drinks with friends to eat ice cream before, something about coating the stomach. That did seem to work as I had to drink more to get to the same state as without the ice cream.

[mania]

Actually, I just looked at it and noticed there was no input for consuming food before or during some drinking. Wouldn't that make a difference?

Many years ago someone told me if I'm going out to have drinks with friends to eat ice cream before, something about coating the stomach. That did seem to work as I had to drink more to get to the same state as without the ice cream.

Funny to hear that as when I was younger I was hanging out with a girl in her living room.

Her single mom was getting ready to leave on a date....

Well I saw her put a teaspoon of butter in her mouth.

She saw me looking & told me it was for the same reason you just mentioned

[Ulysses G.]

Drinking milk (supposedly) works too.

[femi fan]

ice cream, butter, milk, it's all the cow's fault. Lock em up. Chuck the keys away.

[Konini]

The blood alcohol limit in Thailand is 50 mg/litre, In the UK it is 80 .So by my really rough guess one large bottle and one small bottle of Chang would put you over the limit.

Wouldn't that depend on your body mass? I'm really not sure, but that would make sense to me.

Also, shouldn't tolerance be a factor. If someone drinks a big bottle of whiskey everyday to get a buzz, they're not going to be impaired whatsoever by a .05 blood alcohol level, are they? In the old days, sobriety tests like saying the alphabet quickly or standing on one leg with your eyes closed and touching your nose were used. Walking a straight line was also popular, but that means that the police must do more work and make a judgement call, so let's go with the no-brain solution that brings higher conviction rates by only considering blood-alcohol levels.

I'm not trying to lock horns with you, I just wonder if these are valid factors.

Still over the limit though, regardless of impairment.

[Konini]

OK, I will take your word for the 300 baht rooms. All I can go on is that I have looked for, and stayed in, lots of different places in CM (I taught in Samoeng and commuted each weekend) and have never run into a 300 baht room.

As for the guys who applaud the police checkpoints: no one in their right minds is in favour of drunk driving, so you are not exclusively enlightened in that regard. But there are many reasons, aside from being drunk, to want to avoid the police: not having your passport, expired license, no license, registration issues, etc. Last month I was stopped twice in one week, albeit on my motorbike. Each time the cops found me at fault for something (no passport, registration 1 month expired) and each time it took a 400 baht "donation" to settle the matter. The police can always find something to ding you for.

Mr K has never paid or been asked for anything. He's been pulled over many times for a check, he's had 2 tickets (both of which he deserved, he was in the wrong) which were issued without any mention of making what is after all an illegal bribe. He carries a copy of his passport and green book under his seat and his driver licence in his pocket and wouldn't pay an illegal bribe if he was asked.

If you're not doing anything wrong and are polite, they aren't going to do anything. This is from almost 5 years riding his bike around town several times a week. I don't know anyone personally who has made such a payment.

[Seligne2]

OK, I will take your word for the 300 baht rooms. All I can go on is that I have looked for, and stayed in, lots of different places in CM (I taught in Samoeng and commuted each weekend) and have never run into a 300 baht room.

As for the guys who applaud the police checkpoints: no one in their right minds is in favour of drunk driving, so you are not exclusively enlightened in that regard. But there are many reasons, aside from being drunk, to want to avoid the police: not having your passport, expired license, no license, registration issues, etc. Last month I was stopped twice in one week, albeit on my motorbike. Each time the cops found me at fault for something (no passport, registration 1 month expired) and each time it took a 400 baht "donation" to settle the matter. The police can always find something to ding you for.

Mr K has never paid or been asked for anything. He's been pulled over many times for a check, he's had 2 tickets (both of which he deserved, he was in the wrong) which were issued without any mention of making what is after all an illegal bribe. He carries a copy of his passport and green book under his seat and his driver licence in his pocket and wouldn't pay an illegal bribe if he was asked.

If you're not doing anything wrong and are polite, they aren't going to do anything. This is from almost 5 years riding his bike around town several times a week. I don't know anyone personally who has made such a payment.

You are a very lucky man. My experience is different, and that's all I can go on. I have paid 4 illegal bribes in 3 years: 1 in Hua Hin and 3 in Chiang Mai. Each time I have been unfailingly polite and, as time has progressed, have spoken increasingly better Thai.

[MESmith]

Drinking milk (supposedly) works too.

Unfortunately, beer doesn't

[Dante99]

The blood alcohol limit in Thailand is 50 mg/litre, In the UK it is 80 .So by my really rough guess one large bottle and one small bottle of Chang would put you over the limit.

Wouldn't that depend on your body mass? I'm really not sure, but that would make sense to me.

Also, shouldn't tolerance be a factor. If someone drinks a big bottle of whiskey everyday to get a buzz, they're not going to be impaired whatsoever by a .05 blood alcohol level, are they? In the old days, sobriety tests like saying the alphabet quickly or standing on one leg with your eyes closed and touching your nose were used. Walking a straight line was also popular, but that means that the police must do more work and make a judgement call, so let's go with the no-brain solution that brings higher conviction rates by only considering blood-alcohol levels.

I'm not trying to lock horns with you, I just wonder if these are valid factors.

Following that logic, speed limits should be adjusted for driving skill, alertness, weather and road conditions.....

Still sound good? Let the police make them all judgment calls?

[Lunghans]

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OK, I will take your word for the 300 baht rooms. All I can go on is that I have looked for, and stayed in, lots of different places in CM (I taught in Samoeng and commuted each weekend) and have never run into a 300 baht room.

As for the guys who applaud the police checkpoints: no one in their right minds is in favour of drunk driving, so you are not exclusively enlightened in that regard. But there are many reasons, aside from being drunk, to want to avoid the police: not having your passport, expired license, no license, registration issues, etc. Last month I was stopped twice in one week, albeit on my motorbike. Each time the cops found me at fault for something (no passport, registration 1 month expired) and each time it took a 400 baht "donation" to settle the matter. The police can always find something to ding you for.

Mr K has never paid or been asked for anything. He's been pulled over many times for a check, he's had 2 tickets (both of which he deserved, he was in the wrong) which were issued without any mention of making what is after all an illegal bribe. He carries a copy of his passport and green book under his seat and his driver licence in his pocket and wouldn't pay an illegal bribe if he was asked.

If you're not doing anything wrong and are polite, they aren't going to do anything. This is from almost 5 years riding his bike around town several times a week. I don't know anyone personally who has made such a payment.

Believe me I was happy to bribe my way out. You don't want an conviction for DUI as a Farang here In Thailand. See my earlier post.

[heybruce]

Drinking milk (supposedly) works too.

It works for those of us who are lactose intolerant; the police don't want to hang around long enough to give us a breathalyzer. It does make us unpopular in the bars, though.

[herb59]

who needs to drink that much? are the girls then more beautiful? maybe causes disfunction of your best friend.....

nobody will listen.....

[Konini]

Mr K has never paid or been asked for anything. He's been pulled over many times for a check, he's had 2 tickets (both of which he deserved, he was in the wrong) which were issued without any mention of making what is after all an illegal bribe. He carries a copy of his passport and green book under his seat and his driver licence in his pocket and wouldn't pay an illegal bribe if he was asked.

If you're not doing anything wrong and are polite, they aren't going to do anything. This is from almost 5 years riding his bike around town several times a week. I don't know anyone personally who has made such a payment.

You are a very lucky man. My experience is different, and that's all I can go on. I have paid 4 illegal bribes in 3 years: 1 in Hua Hin and 3 in Chiang Mai. Each time I have been unfailingly polite and, as time has progressed, have spoken increasingly better Thai.

So what is the difference between those who 'have got to' pay bribes and those who don't? I'm not starting a flame/troll war, it's a serious question. I hear of people who pay bribes, mostly here on ThaiVisa but don't actually know anyone who has. We have a lot of friends who drive cars, utes and (mostly) ride bikes- the majority of them are scooters, but I'm also talking of a Harley, a couple of pretend Harleys and sports bikes right up to a Ducati. Not one of our friends have ever been asked to pay anything more than a ticket (payable at the police station by Kad Luang), and only when they openly admit that they have been stupid and ran a red light or made an illegal turn or some such thing; several of them are like us and have very strong feelings on such things - they would no more pay a bribe than we would.

I'm not being difficult, I'm just trying to understand what the difference is.

[changsinghleo]

I've for so long wondered about all the cars and motorcycles I see with 'bright blue' headlights and tail lights. Are

they legal? If not, how do so many manage to drive with those lights? Also, how about the numerous vehicles on the roads at night with no lights whatsoever? Do they have special permits as well as special skills to drive without lights?

Would blue lights or no lights indicate the driver to be an obvious drunk perhaps?

[Chiengmaijoe]

Mr K has never paid or been asked for anything. He's been pulled over many times for a check, he's had 2 tickets (both of which he deserved, he was in the wrong) which were issued without any mention of making what is after all an illegal bribe. He carries a copy of his passport and green book under his seat and his driver licence in his pocket and wouldn't pay an illegal bribe if he was asked.

If you're not doing anything wrong and are polite, they aren't going to do anything. This is from almost 5 years riding his bike around town several times a week. I don't know anyone personally who has made such a payment.

You are a very lucky man. My experience is different, and that's all I can go on. I have paid 4 illegal bribes in 3 years: 1 in Hua Hin and 3 in Chiang Mai. Each time I have been unfailingly polite and, as time has progressed, have spoken increasingly better Thai.

So what is the difference between those who 'have got to' pay bribes and those who don't? I'm not starting a flame/troll war, it's a serious question. I hear of people who pay bribes, mostly here on ThaiVisa but don't actually know anyone who has. We have a lot of friends who drive cars, utes and (mostly) ride bikes- the majority of them are scooters, but I'm also talking of a Harley, a couple of pretend Harleys and sports bikes right up to a Ducati. Not one of our friends have ever been asked to pay anything more than a ticket (payable at the police station by Kad Luang), and only when they openly admit that they have been stupid and ran a red light or made an illegal turn or some such thing; several of them are like us and have very strong feelings on such things - they would no more pay a bribe than we would.

I'm not being difficult, I'm just trying to understand what the difference is.

I think the difference may be one of two things. Firstly, the police generally target younger kids or labourers and the likes because they are easy prey and don't make problems.

Secondly, as I've said before they are much more likely to stop a bike or pickup than a nice car, particularly an expensive one, either because the drivers are more likely to be higher than them on the respect ladder, or that they are more likely to know someone that can cancel their ticket. A smartly dressed older person is much less likely to be hassled than a young, scruffy person, even on a bike. Personally, I nearly always get waved through, and on the very few occasions I have been stopped and ticketed over the years I invariably had someone take care of it for me.

[Konini]

People with drinking issues / alcoholism perceive the world as being against them and everyone is to blame except them. For these people aka "little gods" life is "all about me"

Awful that society tries to get impaired drivers off the road.

I propose a special device for cars that detects a single occupant driver intoxicated then incinerates the vehicle.

They already have this in Victoria and I think in other states too in Australia. When you've been pinged for drink driving and are well over the limit (0.05, the same as here), are young or a repeat offender, when you get your licence back, as well as P plates (so everyone knows you're a drink driver), you have to fit a device called an interlocker to your car. I'm not at all technical and only know what I've heard on the news; it's a kind of breathalyser that's wired to the ignition and you have to blow into it before you can start the engine. Any alcohol and it won't start. You have to pay the monthly fee for it as well; I'm not certain but if it's like the P plates it will be for 2 years, although I suppose repeat offenders could in theory be permanent, perhaps there is provision for this. It's was announced earlier this year that it will be mandatory for every person who gets caught. Link on that report here.

Some interesting theories on how much beer you can have. In Victoria the limit is 0.05, the same as here, and the general feeling around the BBQ's is that ONE big bottle, two cans or two small bottles of beer could put you on or just over the limit. Chang is mad man's broth, half a bottle could put you over the limit, but it's not at all consistent. Chang is the only beer that I like the taste of, and although I rarely drink, sometimes I can have 3 big bottles before I'm tipsy (I always stop drinking when I get to this stage, even if I've still got half a bottle left, I'll leave it and start drinking water), but sometimes one single bottle is all I have all night and I'm at the silly, happy and content stage. As I say, it's not consistent but it is very strong. Absorption also depends on whether you have an empty stomach and how fast or slow you drink.

[Mapguy]

Back to OP, hasn't it all been settled that it is not a great idea to drink and drive and that you might be asked to demonstrate your sobriety, especially around special holidays? What's all the yak-yakyak ?!

Maybe some people need to go see a good movie --- or download one! Maybe even get out and around, even to a mall or for some exercise!