Drink Driving/Riding

[malcoml]

I know especially in Pattaya that the police were cracking down on drinking and operating a vehicle but I have just heard through the grape vine it has reached a new level.

I have read that the penalty is now an offical 10,000 fine and one month in jail.

I know it is not something that we should do but it seems so common in Thailand are they really going to try and inforce this. Will half the country end up in jail.....

In parts of Pattaya there is virtually no taxi service besides motorbike taxis and these guys are usually drunk anyway.

[Soutpeel]

I have read that the penalty is now an offical 10,000 fine and one month in jail.

so not particularly harsh then ?

Edited June 24, 2015 by Soutpeel

[malcoml]

The one month jail is extremely harsh.

Half the country will shortly be off work.

[coulson]

I s it not already an offence that could wind you up in the slammer & out of pocket???

(With the alternative option to settle for no receipt)

[malcoml]

I s it not already an offence that could wind you up in the slammer & out of pocket???

(With the alternative option to settle for no receipt)

They are talking about a mandatory month in jail.

I'm comparing this to Oz where to end up in jail you would probably need to do it three time over a twelve month period.

Plus I also hear that someone was charged for drink driving and they were the passenger on a motorbike. What the...

[chrisinth]

The one month jail is extremely harsh.

Half the country will shortly be off work.

If it ever got to half the country ending up in jail before the message got home, then that half would deserve it.

Certainly isn't happening where I am (at the moment), is this just a Pattaya thing?

[eisfeld]

It's not an excuse to ride a motorbike or car while drunk just because there was no taxi home... how about not getting drunk in the first place or taking a hotel room?

Can't some people live or have fun without alcohol or take at least responsibility for their actions?

A crazy amount of people die or get seriously injured every year here because of drunk driving (not drink driving btw). Are their lifes worth less than the the need to drink?

[Crowleys]

Any links?

[andrewrooney]

I don't think that's really new, as far as "official" fines go.

I take it the "unofficial" fine is still around 2000 baht?

[eisfeld]

The official penalty is up to 3 months in jail and/or up to 60k THB fine and maybe community service. The police will try to get from you whatever they think they can but you can always get out on bail and let the court decide.

Source: http://www.thephuketnews.com/questions-answers-thailand-alcohol-blood-level-driving-legal-limit-48873.php

I have heard a couple of times of people getting fined 20k - 40k for driving while intoxicated here in Phuket.

[guzzi850m2]

No I agree, no excuses for drunk riding/driving.

Last weekend a drunk young Thai man in a car killed a scooter rider in the Pattaya area, early morning, happens almost every week here, sad man.

Lock them all up if they are drunk, rich/poor doesn't matter.

[Lukecan]

They better start building new prisons if they're gonna enforce this rule

[Gweiloman]

How does one classify drunk? What's permissible? I know of many people who are better riders / drivers even after a few drinks than the majority of Thai motorists. And would any of you trust the calibration of the so called breath analysers?

[Stan42]

Some clarification needed:

I've been told that it's against the law to drink or be intoxicated while you're being driven in a taxi. Is this true? If so, how am I supposed to get home?

[NoshowJones]

Great post. I fully agree with you.

[macknife]

How does one classify drunk? What's permissible? I know of many people who are better riders / drivers even after a few drinks than the majority of Thai motorists. And would any of you trust the calibration of the so called breath analysers?

This a fallacy. Alcohol removes your natural inhibitions or in other words fear (which is usually why it's used to meet girls etc) This in turn makes you ride/drive faster than you normally would as you are less scared to do so. Yes you may find yourself doing things on your bike that you would not normally attempt, and when you pull it off you amaze yourself with your new found riding/driving skills. However your new higher speed is not under your complete control anymore and your reaction times are now impeded, so when someone isn't in your 'zone' and they pull out in front of you or something....BANG!

As far as I know the standard fine was 20,000B, this mandatory prison time is a new thing though. I'd say it's not true, it's usually either or. Links or it isn't true.

[Gweiloman]

How does one classify drunk? What's permissible? I know of many people who are better riders / drivers even after a few drinks than the majority of Thai motorists. And would any of you trust the calibration of the so called breath analysers?

This a fallacy. Alcohol removes your natural inhibitions or in other words fear (which is usually why it's used to meet girls etc) This in turn makes you ride/drive faster than you normally would as you are less scared to do so. Yes you may find yourself doing things on your bike that you would not normally attempt, and when you pull it off you amaze yourself with your new found riding/driving skills. However your new higher speed is not under your complete control anymore and your reaction times are now impeded, so when someone isn't in your 'zone' and they pull out in front of you or something....BANG!

As far as I know the standard fine was 20,000B, this mandatory prison time is a new thing though. I'd say it's not true, it's usually either or. Links or it isn't true.

You misunderstand.

Most of us know that Thai drivers are at best suspect when it comes to knowing, understanding and adhering to the normal rules and regulations for driving safely (not running red lights, not riding against the flow of traffic, not overtaking around blind corners etc). What I mean is that I know of a lot of people who are not even slightly or remotely "drunk" after having a few beers and they will still be better drivers / riders than the majority of Thai motorists.

For that matter, I would even go as far as to say that a slightly drunk farang motorist would still have better reactions than most Thai female motorists

[Torrens54]

GREAT !

Won't take too long for the drunks to get the message that this is serious. So if they lock up a FEW THOUSAND, Nation-wide over a week or so, the others will quickly sit up and take notice.

If they do the same with drunken Ferang, that's fine too

. In the past, probably like most people my age, I did drink and drive, not in Thailand but in other countries. I was lucky, never had an accident and was never busted for it BUT I know now how stupid I was and given the horrific Road Toll, Deaths as well as Injuries here in LOS, some TOUGH action must be taken.

Top Marks to the Government for having the Testicular Fortitude to get on with it !

Edited June 24, 2015 by Torrens54

[cumgranosalum]

Any increases in penalties are dependant on enforcement....as the police are neither trained or equipped to deal with this I can see it only being implemented on an ad hoc basis and it would seem extremely likely that thee whole policy would be open to even more abuse?

PS - Has it ever occurred to anyone to ask how and how often such instruments as alcohol and speed measuring devices are calibrated by the relevant police forces. It would also be nice to know WHO actually does this.

[cumgranosalum]

GREAT !

Won't take too long for the drunks to get the message that this is serious. So if they lock up a FEW THOUSAND, Nation-wide over a week or so, the others will quickly sit up and take notice.

If they do the same with drunken Ferang, that's fine too

. In the past, probably like most people my age, I did drink and drive, not in Thailand but in other countries. I was lucky, never had an accident and was never busted for it BUT I know now how stupid I was and given the horrific Road Toll, Deaths as well as Injuries here in LOS, some TOUGH action must be taken.

Top Marks to the Government for having the Testicular Fortitude to get on with it !

In reality draconian measures seldom have any dramatic effect...so long as enforcement is inconsistent and plagued by graft and corruption only some will suffer. What is needed is a change in the culture that thinks DD is macho or funny. - groups of men who think they are better at driving when drunk than half of the other road users are when sober.....etc etc - this attitude even exists within the authorities who are meant to impose these laws......how ca we expect them to enforce them when many of them consider them to be "unfair"??

Laws can reflect a society's abhorrence of a particular practice, but in Thailand as yet, draconian drink drive laws don't concur with a large swathe of public opinion.....it is this that needs addressing....again not through simplistic ads at certain times of year, but a comprehensive national approach that shows drunk drivers up for what they are.

[bristolgeoff]

for the farlang it will cost maybe 15,000 baht with cost and a night in the cells.pay the court get your bike out of hock,plus the bail person.that has happened to few of my friends in chiang mai this year

[alant]

Just another money making scheme???

Hard to think serious when someone who caused the death of a cyclist was fined what 7000 thb???

[robblok]

A cheap charlie thread, everyone knows you should not drink and drive and for money you can get a taxi or find a hotel. You can either stop drinking a few hours before you go, take a taxi and pay a lot or take a cheap hotel.

So there are options, just options that people who drink and drive don't like.

Then you got the superiority guys saying all farangs are better drivers, crazy of course but not so strange to see people find excuses why THEY can drink and drive and others cannot. Sure there are crap Thai drivers, but there are also those who are good. I seen some farangs do just the same idiot things some of the stupid Thais do (going against traffic ect) So spare me the farang.. or I .. just follow the rules and don't endanger people for your own selfish pleasure.

[cumgranosalum]

for the farlang it will cost maybe 15,000 baht with cost and a night in the cells.pay the court get your bike out of hock,plus the bail person.that has happened to few of my friends in chiang mai this year

Citing one incident and then holding it up as an example of what will happen to all foreigners is simply daft.

THerte is a huge number of variables - The events surrounding the incident the region the attitude of the officers involved to mention but a few; all will contribute. The thing is that enforcement is thaland is so inconsistent that it is very hrd to tell what will happen - any new draconian measures just result in an increase in the variables.

[Searat7]

Enforcement is the key here.....not just taking tea money. Also I think penalties should be doubled during Songkran and the year end New Year's period.

[mayview]

How does one classify drunk? What's permissible? I know of many people who are better riders / drivers even after a few drinks than the majority of Thai motorists. And would any of you trust the calibration of the so called breath analysers?

This a fallacy. Alcohol removes your natural inhibitions or in other words fear (which is usually why it's used to meet girls etc) This in turn makes you ride/drive faster than you normally would as you are less scared to do so. Yes you may find yourself doing things on your bike that you would not normally attempt, and when you pull it off you amaze yourself with your new found riding/driving skills. However your new higher speed is not under your complete control anymore and your reaction times are now impeded, so when someone isn't in your 'zone' and they pull out in front of you or something....BANG!

As far as I know the standard fine was 20,000B, this mandatory prison time is a new thing though. I'd say it's not true, it's usually either or. Links or it isn't true.

You misunderstand.

Most of us know that Thai drivers are at best suspect when it comes to knowing, understanding and adhering to the normal rules and regulations for driving safely (not running red lights, not riding against the flow of traffic, not overtaking around blind corners etc). What I mean is that I know of a lot of people who are not even slightly or remotely "drunk" after having a few beers and they will still be better drivers / riders than the majority of Thai motorists.

For that matter, I would even go as far as to say that a slightly drunk farang motorist would still have better reactions than most Thai female motorists

Wow!

Broadside on race, gender and science

Edited June 25, 2015 by mayview

[gandalf12]

Once word gets around that they mean business a lot of the drunk driving will immediately disappear. Of course you will always get the one who believe the law doesnt apply to them but the vast majority will cut the habit

[godden]

I will believe it when i see a new jail being built on every street corner.

[DGS1244]

The fine in Chiang Mai now is 20,000, Thai or Farang makes no difference as a Thai acquaintance found out last week.

[JonnyF]

This will just increase the amount it costs to pay at the scene. With a month in jail as a threat hanging over them, they should be able to squeeze a lot more from the offender.