Why dont the police just enforce the drink driving rules?

Massive random breath testing campaigns during these periods. Crack downs on bribery at these times.

Harsh penalties for those caught.

It may take a few years for the full benefits to be felt, but if they stick to their guns success will come.

For goodness sake, countries such as the UK, NZ and Australia have been successful in dramatically slashing drink driving and its related costs for decades. There are models out there to learn from. This proposal seems a very round about approach to the problem and unlikely to have much in the way of positive effects.

In fact, its just plain daft.

Alas, we cannot teach our people to NOT DRINK & DRIVE & our police cannot seem to get a handle on this so let's

try this approach.If you wanna enjoy the New Year with a lager or a wine just fly to one of our 4 neighbouring countries ,

their laws are not so draconian .

a water ban would be better + save more lives too,,,,,,,,,,,,,sorry I know stupid idea

If the goal is to avoid road killing, why not....enforce the law???

that is the job of the police to enforce traffic laws

Thats the problem then, isnt it!

For Thailand, he said it was the matter of no serious enforcement of laws that resulted in all measures becoming ineffective.

This is the real issue!

Even if this law was passed I can guarantee I could find booze for sale in every town in Thailand in a small shop on a main st.

Just get the police to enforce the drink drive laws for real and accidents would be reduced dramatically.

Outcry?

Sorry, i couldn't resist.

If they can not drink in the holiday period,

the number of accidents will drop with 99%,

this will ruin the funeral business and the hospitals....doctors...

Also the elimination of the most dangerous drivers ,witch happens during

these holiday periods ,will not take place and will cause a rise in fatalities

in the following months .

Cheers

Governments need to let people government their own lives. It is against the law to drink when drunk. How about addressing that issue. Stopping alcohol sales is not the right way. Prohibition proved that in the USA. People will drink during New Years. There can be no arguement here. THEY WILL DRINK. It is simply a matter of where they drink. Some stupid people will get drunk and drive. Some will die. It is a constant. Cutting out bars from selling is hurting tourism and business. That is the only thing it does. Again - people will drink, some will drive, and some will die - period.

Outcry?

Sorry, i couldn't resist.

Walking Street after they hear drinking is banned in the street

The bars could just rent you a glass or a seat and sell ice to put in your alcoholic beverage.

Whenever these silly and totally unworkable ideas are floated by civil servants, it shows just how out of touch with real Thailand they are.

There is not one mention of the myriad of mom & pop stores who pay no attention to the present stupidity, of not selling alcohol before 11am, or between 2pm - 5pm, lest they "corrupt" little children.

Enforce that law, with that group of shopkeepers and there would be riots in every soi in the land.

Pass this law and these people will love the powers that be, forever.

If the reason is to try and cut down on the horrendous road toll, then it will be a major fail. Stats show two things 1. the majority of accidents are motorcycle related and 2. they happen on minor sois (where the mom & pop stores are usually located).

Perhaps the motive is to give the "grass roots" Thai a chance, against what are anachronistically called, "modern-trade" such as Big C, Lotus, Makro and so on.

I'm not sure this is what the "good doctor" had in mind...

Simple solution really. Just ban all driving, or does that sound a bit silly?

Don't ban drink ban driving. It's simple. Taxis only.

Its just power drunk brats being nasty to the New Year eves Happiness

A poll showed 98% approved of this ban will be released if it goes ahead .

Even if it doesn't it shows Thailand is a Pompous Police State run by fools who are out of Touch with tourists .

And have nil right in future to ask for quality people to visit , its audacity is breath taking.

Don't the people making these statements realise that just a rumour of banning alcohol at New Year can cause people to stay away.

Maybe the damage has already been done to the coveted tourist industry.

Don't ban drink ban driving. It's simple. Taxis only.

I'm not sure that I would trust a taxi driver on New Years Eve.

Don't the people making these statements realise that just a rumour of banning alcohol at New Year can cause people to stay away.

Maybe the damage has already been done to the coveted tourist industry.

No, they don't. They're totally myopic.

Don't the people making these statements realise that just a rumour of banning alcohol at New Year can cause people to stay away.

Maybe the damage has already been done to the coveted tourist industry.

Exactly. These storys are made for the overseas Press. Where is the lady from TAT?

I bet, even if they force the ban, it will not affect Pattaya.

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I think it's a good idea. Get's rid of all the undesirable drunks with one stroke of a pen. Imagine how many pimp bars would close down over night. Bring it on I say

I'm guessing none.

One night won't be enough to close down any bar, unless they are on the verge of collapse already.

What's a desirable drunk by the way and why will this ban not get rid of them?

Yep, that's not going to happen. The drunks can bring their own alcohol (as has been stated) and the establishment can claw back the losses by selling ice & mixers.

What a load of b o l l o c k s.....................................

Perhaps just have a "Ministry of Stupid Ideas" and we can just go to one source instead of many.

• I vote for banning Dr Samarn for liftime in all Thai media.

Non Thai.

So your vote is as good as a chocolate tea pot as far as this country goes...

The lunacy will carry on, they seem to like it.

This is Thailand ban the consumption sales etc to your own people if you have to --but for gods sake leave the tourist alone, you are not going the right way about this. Advertizing for high end tourists ?? your going the right way to KILL off tourists. Songkran not a bad idea---But making a miserable new year for all ---my take on this PM NO GOOD.

Ha.. Again what a bunch of skull heads. If they want to reduce road accidents, they should start investing more on safety roads, enforce the law, harsher laws for drinking and driving, make sure people " have obtained their driving license legitimately", and change the driving test so that it's hard to pass. In which, it will prevent no brainers being on roads

Hmmmmmmm, sounds a boring bloke..........

What about banning motorcycles during the festival seasons, except motorcycle taxis, who then will be checked again? Not the alcohol consumption is the problem, but the irresponsible driving. So for those who cause accident as drunk, the driver's license should be withdrawn for a while.

What's the betting that despite this proposal, a counter proposal is adopted that allows bars to serve all night at New Year?

affect tourism ?

so people come here for the excellent quality of thai beers & liquors ?

not for the temples ?

If the goal is to avoid road killing, why not....enforce the law???

Rather than ban drinking, why not ban DRIVING !

Complete and utter contradiction in a few sentences!

1. "alcohol sales during New Year and Songkran has forced Dr. Ratchata Ratchata-nawin, the Public Health Minister, to come out and say that the proposal was just an idea to tackle the number of traffic fatalities as a result of drunk-driving."

Followed by:

2. Under Dr Samarn proposal, violator faces six month imprisonment and a fine of a maximum 10,000 baht. The proposal intends to tackle sellers, not customers, he said.

The idiot can't even hold a valid argument in 2 sentences, and obviously has no idea what he's thinking! Toss-pot to that!