Drink driving motorists will have their vehicles impounded until after New Year festival
Thai PBS

THAILAND -- The army means business in strictly enforcing drink driving ban during the New Year festival in a bid to reduce road accidents.

Army Commander-in-Chief Gen Theerachai Narkvanich announced Wednesday that any motorists or motorcyclists found under the influence of alcohol would have their vehicles impounded until after the New Year festival when they can claim back the vehicles.

He said that troops would be deployed on highways and roads in villages throughout the country to enforce the drink driving ban. Drivers of public transport such as buses will be randomly checked and if it is discovered that any of them have drunk alcohol drinks, they will have their driving licenses seized and the owners of the buses will face legal actions, he added.

The army chief stated that the strict enforcement of drink driving ban was meant to be a New Year’s gift to the people to ensure greater safety while travelling.

He also said that Bangkok would also come under the strict measure.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/drink-driving-motorists-will-have-their-vehicles-impounded-until-after-new-year-festival

-- Thai PBS 2015-12-23

Be interested in the logistics of this.

Where will the impounded vehicles be kept?

How will they get there?

What happens if a checkpoint finds 10, 20, 30 or more drunks in one day/evening/night?

How about extending it to drugs as well coupled with jail time till after new year for anyone caught - not just impounding cars which will mean nothing to many people....

Edited December 23, 201510 yr by Artisi

Would be a better idea, if the driver was significantly over the limit to impound the vehicle and charge 10,000 Baht when the owner comes to collect it. If they don't pay up within 14 days, the car is sold or crushed.

Now THAT would send the right message!

Be interested in the logistics of this.

Where will the impounded vehicles be kept?

How will they get there?

What happens if a checkpoint finds 10, 20, 30 or more drunks in one day/evening/night?

Just crush, sounds more effective...

Be interested in the logistics of this.

Where will the impounded vehicles be kept?

How will they get there?

What happens if a checkpoint finds 10, 20, 30 or more drunks in one day/evening/night?

Army Base

Army drivers

Be interested in the logistics of this.

Where will the impounded vehicles be kept?

How will they get there?

What happens if a checkpoint finds 10, 20, 30 or more drunks in one day/evening/night?

Army Base

Army drivers

I wouldn't trust those teenagers in army uniforms to drive a hgv or a bus much more than the drunks they confiscated it from , most of them probably never driven anything more powerful than a Honda wave

Be interested in the logistics of this.

Where will the impounded vehicles be kept?

How will they get there?

What happens if a checkpoint finds 10, 20, 30 or more drunks in one day/evening/night?

Army Base

Army drivers

I wouldn't trust those teenagers in army uniforms to drive a hgv or a bus much more than the drunks they confiscated it from , most of them probably never driven anything more powerful than a Honda wave

Think you might be surprised to find that the army has some well trained and capable drivers....

Could they not impound the motorists and release the vehicles?

Safer for them, safer for us.

and then charged 100 baht as a 'New Year gift'?

Just be happy they are doing something, i think impounding the cars is a great thing. But like others the logistics might be a bit problematic. But at least something is done this helps a lot more as a fine because its takes them off the roads. Its not like they all got 2 or 3 cars.

Be interested in the logistics of this.

Where will the impounded vehicles be kept?

How will they get there?

What happens if a checkpoint finds 10, 20, 30 or more drunks in one day/evening/night?

Army Base

Army drivers

I wouldn't trust those teenagers in army uniforms to drive a hgv or a bus much more than the drunks they confiscated it from , most of them probably never driven anything more powerful than a Honda wave

Doubt they would be Army drivers

Just be happy they are doing something, i think impounding the cars is a great thing. But like others the logistics might be a bit problematic. But at least something is done this helps a lot more as a fine because its takes them off the roads. Its not like they all got 2 or 3 cars.

Why should we be happy that they are doing something as usual talking only?

Just be happy they are doing something, i think impounding the cars is a great thing. But like others the logistics might be a bit problematic. But at least something is done this helps a lot more as a fine because its takes them off the roads. Its not like they all got 2 or 3 cars.

Why should we be happy that they are doing something as usual talking only?

Because if this materializes its a big improvement (except for those of us who like to drink and drive).But yes it might just be talk only.

Anything that is done to tackle the death toll on thai roads gets my thumbs up.

The army chief stated that the strict enforcement of drink driving ban was meant to be a New Year’s gift to the people to ensure greater safety while travelling.

​A magnanimous gesture... but why not go one better and enforce the law 24/7, 365 days a year... wishful thinking I know..

If there's any Thai DNA involved and they actually do impound the vehicles, they will find a way to extract money. Of course the foreign population will pay more.

Let's hope it's a step in the right direction; the saving of lives.

If there's any Thai DNA involved and they actually do impound the vehicles, they will find a way to extract money. Of course the foreign population will pay more.

Let's hope it's a step in the right direction; the saving of lives.

I was pulled over on vacation last month, taken aside and breathalized. Ten minutes until the result came back with plenty of chit chat in between. I was lucky being just fractionally under the limit and they were professional and courteous.

Sent on my way with every dime in my pocket. Maybe they just want to stop so many drunks taking to the road.

They should expand it further to include red light runners and people dangerously overtaking with there lights flashing forcing other motorists of the road

Well I take back some of my comments yesterday wrt leniency, this is a good move.

Be interested in the logistics of this.

Where will the impounded vehicles be kept?

How will they get there?

What happens if a checkpoint finds 10, 20, 30 or more drunks in one day/evening/night?

Army Base

Army drivers

I wouldn't trust those teenagers in army uniforms to drive a hgv or a bus much more than the drunks they confiscated it from , most of them probably never driven anything more powerful than a Honda wave

Think you might be surprised to find that the army has some well trained and capable drivers....

I think the ratio of "highly skilled capable drivers" to drunk drivers maybe 100+:1

I've seen nights in bkk where there were crowds of people who had failed the breathalyser and waiting in a line to pay....

Is a good start anyway, as long as the police don't use it to extract 5k instead of 2-3 from the usual drunks

Hopefully the army run it and the police don't even get their fingers in the pie...

Be interested in the logistics of this.

Where will the impounded vehicles be kept?

How will they get there?

What happens if a checkpoint finds 10, 20, 30 or more drunks in one day/evening/night?

Army Base

Army drivers

Yeah, true. So will there only be checkpoints near army bases? Or will there be vehicles driven all over the country? If so, if a long distance for the offenders will they be driven to collect vehicles or is part of the punishment they have to go fetch it?

Drink driving motorists....,

OK, got my TVF chuckle in for the day. Merry Christmas all.

Be interested in the logistics of this.

Where will the impounded vehicles be kept?

How will they get there?

What happens if a checkpoint finds 10, 20, 30 or more drunks in one day/evening/night?

Army Base

Army drivers

I wouldn't trust those teenagers in army uniforms to drive a hgv or a bus much more than the drunks they confiscated it from , most of them probably never driven anything more powerful than a Honda wave

Think you might be surprised to find that the army has some well trained and capable drivers....

Yes, all those Generals need their chauffeurs.

and just who is going to do the impounding of these vehicles?????? BIB????? No way, they are to drunk themselves.

Be interested in the logistics of this.

Where will the impounded vehicles be kept?

How will they get there?

What happens if a checkpoint finds 10, 20, 30 or more drunks in one day/evening/night?

Could make use of all the police on inactive posts.

It's a start and let's hope they do it for a long time and then increase the penalty.its more than any other has done

Be interested in the logistics of this.

Where will the impounded vehicles be kept?

How will they get there?

What happens if a checkpoint finds 10, 20, 30 or more drunks in one day/evening/night?

Army Base

Army drivers

Yeah, true. So will there only be checkpoints near army bases? Or will there be vehicles driven all over the country? If so, if a long distance for the offenders will they be driven to collect vehicles or is part of the punishment they have to go fetch it?

there are several, no hundreds if not thousands of police stations around the country. Maybe they will be taken there.. Or maybe they will just be parked on the hard shoulder with the drivers name in the window and a wheel clamp on it!

Be interested in the logistics of this.

Where will the impounded vehicles be kept?

How will they get there?

What happens if a checkpoint finds 10, 20, 30 or more drunks in one day/evening/night?

I guess there will be a fire sale of cheap cars

Be interested in the logistics of this.

Where will the impounded vehicles be kept?

How will they get there?

What happens if a checkpoint finds 10, 20, 30 or more drunks in one day/evening/night?

Army Base

Army drivers

Yeah, true. So will there only be checkpoints near army bases? Or will there be vehicles driven all over the country? If so, if a long distance for the offenders will they be driven to collect vehicles or is part of the punishment they have to go fetch it?

there are several, no hundreds if not thousands of police stations around the country. Maybe they will be taken there.. Or maybe they will just be parked on the hard shoulder with the drivers name in the window and a wheel clamp on it!

Yeah, again true.

You know, I'm betting this is all going to end in tears....for some.