Drink Driving/Riding

[robblok]

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.

Maybe its enough to make them stop use their drug of choice and endanger others.

I am all for drugs alcohol and so on, but not when operating a car or motorbike or any other vehicle that can kill others.

[charliebadenhop]

What is the blood alcohol limit here.

I have thought for a while now that owning a good yet inexpensive breathalyzer would be good.

Anyone know of a good online site selling these?

[cumgranosalum]

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.

Doubled at time when the accident rate is in fact lower than the rest of the year?

[trianglechoke]

I got hit last week

15000 baht bribe to make it go away

[trianglechoke]

and a night in the clinck

[misterphil]

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

Where in Pattaya cant you get a taxi?

Dont you have a phone to call one if you dont like the motorbike taxis? There's even apps now so you can book one and have another drink while your waiting.

Try Grabtaxi app or call Mr T Taxis Pattaya.

http://www.pattayaunlimited.com/pattaya-taxi-services/

[vogie]

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?

Stagger?

[topt]

I note the OP has not come back with anything to say where he got this from.

he said "....but I have just heard through the grape vine it has reached a new level....."

Was the grapevine an earlier thread on TV - http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/834958-new-drink-driving-penalty/ started a couple of days ago...............

[neeray]

One month in jail. Big <deleted> deal. Absolutely nothing compared to the many, many months of life or pleasure a drunk driver can potentially rob from a person, his or her friends, and family. And not too many more jail cells would be required, as a few hundred or a few thousand of these sentences would soon send a loud and clear message to those who plan to drink and drive.

[FritsSikkink]

The one month jail is extremely harsh.

Half the country will shortly be off work.

stop drink and drive then

[NoshowJones]

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

so not particularly harsh then ?

I think anybody convicted of drunk driving in any country should be banned from driving for life.

That's after they finish jail time.

[NoshowJones]

The one month jail is extremely harsh.

Half the country will shortly be off work.

As soon as the drivers see what is happening to others, it will soon cut right down. It will have to happen

all the time and not just be a temporary crackdown.

[NoshowJones]

Great post. I fully agree with you.

This is referring to post 7. I don't know how it got down here.

[NoshowJones]

What is the blood alcohol limit here.

I have thought for a while now that owning a good yet inexpensive breathalyzer would be good.

Anyone know of a good online site selling these?

Just do not drink and drive period. Problem solved.

[Tarteso]

[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.

Maybe its enough to make them stop use their drug of choice and endanger others.

I am all for drugs alcohol and so on, but not when operating a car or motorbike or any other vehicle that can kill others.

If it's enforced for a substantial period of time (I mean several years) then it might make people stop.

If it's another 1 month wonder (with the option to still buy your way out for that month) then it won't change anything. Every Thai I know has a totally different attitude to drink driving to westerners, they don't think it's wrong - they just don't want to get caught. I've been out with girls with masters degrees who encourage me to drive home after several beers because they can't be bothered to drive the car themselves. When I say I can't because I've been drinking they just reply "don't worry, the police don't check this route etc".

It needs a change of mindset, not a bigger fine/penalty as they all think they won't get caught anyway.

[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.

Gwelloman - probably the daftest post on the thread - you clearly don'y understand even the most basic things about alcohol and driving.

for a start it is not "drunk" driving it it "DRINK driving" that is the problem. start from there and then reassess your whole attitude to drinking and driving - the world will be a safer place.

I was referring to a few posts before mine that introduced "drunk" into the equation and merely following up on that.

I also happen to understand very well about alcohol and driving, considering that I've been drinking for over 30 years and driving for longer than that (though not normally at the same time) and have yet to be involved in an accident as a result of alcohol.

[pendingo]

Some things not mentioned here are the length of time alcohol can stay in the body (can be up to 48 hours depending on metabolism and age),

women who's capacity for alcohol is worse than men's overall, young men (and some young women) who think they are God's gift to driving, the drink companies who don't want to see their profits reduced, and then there is driving while under the influence of drugs (I include bad farang drivers into the mix as well).

Add to that the inconsistency of policing and Thailand is still the 6th worst country in the world for road traffic fatalities.

We can pontificate all day here on TV but until the Thais deal with all the root causes of bad driving nothing will change.

Ineffective draconian knee jerk laws (so the politicians think they look good and appear to be doing something) never work.

I can say that in the UK drink/ driving has been drastically reduced mainly because people face very long bans from driving, at least from 18 months to 10 years and in some cases lifetime bans together with prison sentences for the worst cases.

The thought of losing your driving licence together with your job is an excellent motivator for not drinking and driving.

So yes these are draconian measures but they are effective and the chances of getting caught are very high.

Edited June 25, 2015 by pendingo

[dirtycash]

ok , stop getting your knickers in a twist and cut the crap and the rumours. does anyone have an official link ?

[mango66]

I have heared from Pattaya, that they not collecting bribes from the bars any more,

so they found sucessfully a replacement for the cash machine !!

Congratulation officers !!

[cumgranosalum]

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.

Gwelloman - probably the daftest post on the thread - you clearly don'y understand even the most basic things about alcohol and driving.

for a start it is not "drunk" driving it it "DRINK driving" that is the problem. start from there and then reassess your whole attitude to drinking and driving - the world will be a safer place.

I was referring to a few posts before mine that introduced "drunk" into the equation and merely following up on that.

I also happen to understand very well about alcohol and driving, considering that I've been drinking for over 30 years and driving for longer than that (though not normally at the same time) and have yet to be involved in an accident as a result of alcohol.

the shear fact you think your driving CV is evidence is jaw-dropping to me....

[Guest]

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?

No not just a Pattaya thing , the new laws came into force this week, but i agree the 1 month jail is a bit over the top for first time offenders.

[Gweiloman]

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.

Gwelloman - probably the daftest post on the thread - you clearly don'y understand even the most basic things about alcohol and driving.

for a start it is not "drunk" driving it it "DRINK driving" that is the problem. start from there and then reassess your whole attitude to drinking and driving - the world will be a safer place.

I was referring to a few posts before mine that introduced "drunk" into the equation and merely following up on that.

I also happen to understand very well about alcohol and driving, considering that I've been drinking for over 30 years and driving for longer than that (though not normally at the same time) and have yet to be involved in an accident as a result of alcohol.

the shear fact you think your driving CV is evidence is jaw-dropping to me....

I think you mean "sheer"? No more jaw dropping than your mis-informed allegation that I don'y (sic) understand even the most basic things about alcohol and driving.

[Gweiloman]

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?

True we could all just die of boredom instead !

No, not really.

IMO, eisfeld has rightly pointed out the difference between drink driving and drunk driving. Driving a car or riding a bike after a beer or two is rightly classified as drink driving (not drunk driving) and is in fact legally allowed in many countries around the world, including Scandinavia, UK, Europe and America. Drunk driving on the other hand is totally unacceptable, especially if going on public roads.

Thus there are classifications and measures such as BAC to determine if a person is legally allowed to drive. Bear in mind of course that alcohol affects different people in different ways but since this is almost scientifically impossible to prove, a one size fits all rule have to be put into place.

Here in Thailand, the limit is 0.05. However, does anyone want to bet that the breath analysers used are accurately calibrated? I was personally told by a senior officer that the analysers here are calibrated to 0.00, for obvious reasons.

To me, a better test of whether one is fit to drive is to have physical reaction tests as opposed to just BAC.

[Jonmarleesco]

There's the penalty, then there's its imposition ... and a huge jump twixt theory and practice.

[Gecko123]

Foreigners should be setting the best possible example regarding drunk driving and traffic safety.

Never drink and drive; it's a good way to end up in the morgue.

[mrfaroukh]

What I heard from a lawyer the actual penalty is 4000-20 000 fine, jail time forgotten how much but it was long, since it will be registered as crime then they can also deport you if they wish and black list you from coming back for few years.

I know that the number of drunk drivers has really reduced. I could feel it earlier when people used to drive on the road. Even my own friends stop drinking too much, may be one or two beer max (Hope that is no problem).

If sometime you really want to drink just leave your bike at home take a motor taxi up and down or if tuk tuk in your area just use them. Not worth taking risk. And it is real as I know people who had been caught lately.

[Lokie]

I got hit last week

15000 baht bribe to make it go away

You done ok...,

a US pal of mine in Patong, spent night in clink next morning informed he have pay 30k Bhat, he rang a Thai GF (has brother in Phuket Police blah blah...) she said no pay anything yet, 1 hour later, ok farang 20k Bhat can go, he paid and went (that was last year so with inflation and dwindling farang oppurtunities of drink driving, no helmet, no licence etc seems the new hike be about right)

[GOLDBUGGY]

I am a firm believer in don't drink and drive. If there is no taxi service available, like in Udon Thani which all seem to shut down at night, then either have someone pick you up at a set hour, be prepared to walk home, or just don't go their. When you drive their knowing this, then you are just looking for trouble.

But I do think that the Mandatory One Month Jail Sentence is a bit harsh for your first offence. In Canada (last I heard anyway) you go to jail on your second offence within a 5 year period. For the first offence, I would rather see a stiffer fine, like 30,000 baht, and over night in the hole, and until you sober up.

[ianlawson]

A friend recently had her motorbike impounded because of drink driving. 1 glass of wine put her over the limit. And yes it cost 10k to retrieve the bike, but no jail.