Jail and hefty fines await anyone caught drink driving in Pattaya

[Traveling Sailor]

This would be OK if they had a good system of public transport. The lack of metered taxis here is a real pain.

There is no excuse for driving drunk. Plan ahead. Designate a driver or control yourself.

[dirtycash]

This would be OK if they had a good system of public transport. The lack of metered taxis here is a real pain.

Sure but that still does not excuse drinking and driving.. sure you will get gouged for hiring a baht bus but if you can afford to get drunk you can afford that ride too. You might even take a cheap hotel to sleep it off.

Agreed. But 2 beers in an hour or so puts you over the limit and at risk of going to jail. It's been documented these devices are not 100% accurate here. Impossible to get a baht bus near my house. And very difficult to get them if you are away from Central Pattaya. Try finding any sort of transport near the lake after midnight. Very difficult, and no hotels are right next to many of these establishments.

Again, lack of metered taxis, like in Bangkok, is a real problem.

motorbike taxi on every corner.

[Gandtee]

No argument with cracking down on drunk drivers but allowing police and soldiers to impose fines up to 20,000 baht opens up a whole new can of worms. Without court appearances what is to stop intimidation and corruption? There is a Thai rule of law but it seems that it has been thrown away or ignored by the regime in power. Very dangerous.

[Pattaya Wolf]

This part is frightening:

Drivers who pass the breathalyzer test but who still appear to be under the influence will also be detained until authorities are satisfied they are sober.

It more or less gives police carte blanche and can, WILL be abused. How about elderly that have some balance problems or whatever...guess we'll visit them in jail.

I had a mastoid operation when I was younger which affects my balance, while I agree that anybody drinking over the limit should not be on the roads driving. What happens If I am stopped by the police and the breath test is not positive but the officer deems I am drunk. And why implimented in certain parts of Thailand (Pattaya and BKK). I guess Thainess. I will be walking to my local bar here in Kao Noi, not sure If I will be walking back straight though. Best wishes everyone.

[jukai888]

It's about time they take drunk driving serious... long overdue!!! When irresponsible people begin to realize that driving drunk can, and will, result in jail time, fines, and seizure of their vehicles, maybe they will think twice about getting behind the wheel... im sure they enforcement just saved a few lives

[craigt3365]

So looks like I'll be leaving the car at home and using the scooter instead then .

There targeting scooters even more! Have to do like my friend. Get an ebike. No worries then!

[robblok]

No doubt about it, this is aimed fair and square at non-Thai. The authorities would never issue a fine that large to a Thai, nor confiscate their vehicle. Mind you we will never see a break-down of the statistics post NYE, of numbers of Thai booked as opposed to non-Thai booked.

This will just be another example of the inappropriate (for wanting of a more accurate term) "duel pricing" system in Thailand.

Simple.. don't drink and drive.

And can you explain me the duel pricing system, are you and the cop meeting at high noon ?

[bbbbooboo]

....ummm...this all sounds good and fine( ie talking the talk) however like the majority of us, there are serious reservations about the Thai authorities' ability/inclination to "walk the walk" (ie actually doing what is talked about. I'm not going to hold my breath for sure but any move that reduces the daily unnecessary slaughter of people on Thai roads has to be good

[craigt3365]

This would be OK if they had a good system of public transport. The lack of metered taxis here is a real pain.

Sure but that still does not excuse drinking and driving.. sure you will get gouged for hiring a baht bus but if you can afford to get drunk you can afford that ride too. You might even take a cheap hotel to sleep it off.

Agreed. But 2 beers in an hour or so puts you over the limit and at risk of going to jail. It's been documented these devices are not 100% accurate here. Impossible to get a baht bus near my house. And very difficult to get them if you are away from Central Pattaya. Try finding any sort of transport near the lake after midnight. Very difficult, and no hotels are right next to many of these establishments.

Again, lack of metered taxis, like in Bangkok, is a real problem.

motorbike taxi on every corner.

Not where I live. Picked up a guy at a 7-11 near the lake 6 months ago. Saw him wandering around outside, needed a bottle of water anyway. Asked how he was doing. It was 12:30am and he'd been looking for a scooter taxi for over 30 minutes. No luck. We drove him home.

[craigt3365]

No doubt about it, this is aimed fair and square at non-Thai. The authorities would never issue a fine that large to a Thai, nor confiscate their vehicle. Mind you we will never see a break-down of the statistics post NYE, of numbers of Thai booked as opposed to non-Thai booked.

This will just be another example of the inappropriate (for wanting of a more accurate term) "duel pricing" system in Thailand.

They are targeting everybody. Lots of Thais getting caught in this also. Unless of course you have the proper stickers on your windscreen! LOL

[khun custard]

Fabulous!

Great to hear that the military will be involved too to make it happen!

Sad that this initiative is 20+ years behind the rest of the world in coming to grips with the concept that

the BIB's don't get turned on by marking out the bodies in the roadway with white paint nor hosing down the blood afterwards.

These piss-heads should take a moment to think of the the orphans of innocent victims who live thru the nightmare of the Xmas / NYE Holiday period with a scar for the rest of their life - before they turn the key.

A local radio station was informing that those foreigners charged with DD will have their passport stamped as being om parole..

but what about the Thai's who get caught :-)

[spidermike007]

Personally, I have no issue with this law. Traffic safety is something they need to start taking seriously, and it goes far beyond just drunk driving, but it is a place to start. I understand they have been issuing stiff fines for some time now. But the confiscation of the vehicle is a major deterrent, and I will only believe it, when I see it. And the threat of jail time, is totally hollow. The judges are far too lenient here. It would be a positive step. But, I don't see them demonstrating this level of courage and conviction. And where are they going to find judges to lock up first time offenders?

[Don Mega]

Sure but that still does not excuse drinking and driving.. sure you will get gouged for hiring a baht bus but if you can afford to get drunk you can afford that ride too. You might even take a cheap hotel to sleep it off.

Agreed. But 2 beers in an hour or so puts you over the limit and at risk of going to jail. It's been documented these devices are not 100% accurate here. Impossible to get a baht bus near my house. And very difficult to get them if you are away from Central Pattaya. Try finding any sort of transport near the lake after midnight. Very difficult, and no hotels are right next to many of these establishments.

Again, lack of metered taxis, like in Bangkok, is a real problem.

motorbike taxi on every corner.

Not where I live. Picked up a guy at a 7-11 near the lake 6 months ago. Saw him wandering around outside, needed a bottle of water anyway. Asked how he was doing. It was 12:30am and he'd been looking for a scooter taxi for over 30 minutes. No luck. We drove him home.

Where I live you will be hard pressed to find a mototaxi after 11pm.

[paddyjoe41]

If you have to parkup and sleep it off,then you are GUILTY,no B S just cop yourself on,no excuses the law is the law and we all can read it,so wake up WALK if you need drink so bad,dont talk like children,no buses,no taxis,no hotels,GET A LIFE.

[crickets]

I got nabbed last year abd its not worth it.

[FinChin67]

This would be OK if they had a good system of public transport. The lack of metered taxis here is a real pain.

Sure but that still does not excuse drinking and driving.. sure you will get gouged for hiring a baht bus but if you can afford to get drunk you can afford that ride too. You might even take a cheap hotel to sleep it off.

Agreed. But 2 beers in an hour or so puts you over the limit and at risk of going to jail. It's been documented these devices are not 100% accurate here. Impossible to get a baht bus near my house. And very difficult to get them if you are away from Central Pattaya. Try finding any sort of transport near the lake after midnight. Very difficult, and no hotels are right next to many of these establishments.

Again, lack of metered taxis, like in Bangkok, is a real problem.

No, drinking and driving is the problem. Lack of public transport is NO excuse to drive drunk.

[Sydebolle]

Look at the bright side; all those sober can race with 175 miles/hour through Pattaya now as literally hardly anybody will be on the road. Most intoxicated Somsaks will be roaming the Northeast (no controls there - guaranteed), the night-service-providers are never that drunk/intoxicated as they have to be on top of their customers (no pun intended) while the normal crowd might opt celebrating the festive season around the barbie with iced beers from the coolers.
Win win for everybody except the BiB who will go again empty

[diehard60]

Why just in Pataya???? It should be all over Thailand and not just on holidays but all the time.

[Bagwain]

Has anyone noticed that the BIB don't change or clean the pipes used on the breathalyzers?

[Pattaya28]

""Drivers who pass the breathalyzer test but who still appear to be under the influence will also be detained until authorities are satisfied they are sober""

What does this mean ?

Are faulty breathalysers being used ?

Is this an opening for corruption ?

[rws85]

What is the blood alcohol limit in Thailand?

[Don Mega]

What is the blood alcohol limit in Thailand?

0.05%

[dotpoom]

Good!

You hear about these crackdowns all the time. Let's hope they actually do something this time.

Drink drivers know the risks and should get what they deserve.

Throw the book at them I say

I second that.

[Dan5]

A loose rule of thumb is 2 pints in the first hour and then a pint an hour after that... however I apply that to be 2 bottles and the 1 per hour after just to be on the safe side, if I'm out watching football (3 beers in a 90 minute match) ... if drinking Chang I'd go with 1 beer every hour as that a strong beer fella

I read some place that the limit is .04. If this is the case, you could fail after drinking 1 beer. And most people aren't anywhere near drunk after 2 beers. The term they use in the US is DUI, driving under the influence.

[ozyjon]

Good

bring it on,, book everyone

i don't care, i've moved to Laos

[English 1]

Having lived in Issan for 5 years I can tell you that none of the Thai take any notice of Drink Driving rules.

People are drunk at all times of the day.

I add that I saw several Police very intoxicated whilst on duty riding motor bikes!

Edited December 26, 2015 by English 1

[torpedo1970]

Drivers who pass the breathalyzer test but who still appear to be under the influence will also be detained until authorities are satisfied they are sober.

So even if your innocent, they can treat you as if your guilty.

Yes, they can actually do what they want......

Welcome to Thailand

TIT

[torpedo1970]

"Jail and hefty fines await" Guess for who....?? the farrangs..... off course....

This a is just a new money-spinner

TIT

[NoshowJones]

A loose rule of thumb is 2 pints in the first hour and then a pint an hour after that... however I apply that to be 2 bottles and the 1 per hour after just to be on the safe side, if I'm out watching football (3 beers in a 90 minute match) ... if drinking Chang I'd go with 1 beer every hour as that a strong beer fella

That does not work, one person can have say, two pints, and pass the B test, another could have the same and fail it.

Different amounts of alcohol can effect different amounts of people in different amounts of ways.

The only sure way is just do not drink alcohol if you are going to be driving or riding.

[tropo]

Good!

You hear about these crackdowns all the time. Let's hope they actually do something this time.

Drink drivers know the risks and should get what they deserve.

Throw the book at them I say

It's all a waste of time and talk unless they make it permanent.