Drink driving ban may be imposed during Songkran festival

[webfact]

Drink driving ban may be imposed during Songkran festival



BANGKOK: -- The government may impose drink driving ban during the Songkran festival after the ban which was enforced during the New Year’s festival has shown positive results, said Maj-Gen Sansern Kaewkamnerd, spokesman of the Government, on Sunday.

Drink driving ban, he said, should be the new norm that all stakeholders in the society should collectively practice.

He disclosed that during the ban enforcement from December 25 to January 1, authorities managed to impound 2,140 vehicles which include 188 cars and 1,952 motorcycles. Over 23,200 offenders were charged with drink driving, he said.

Maj-Gen Sansern said Prime Minister Prayut Chan-ocha was satisfied with the results of the ban and thanked all the officials involved in enforcing the ban although road accidents remain high.

The spokesman said that drink driving ban which was unprecedented had been welcomed by health orgainsations and members of the public. More importantly, he claimed that the unprecedented measure had enabled authorities to seize illegal items such as illegal firearms and illicit drugs and, moreover, resulted to the arrests of suspected drug dealers.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/drink-driving-ban-may-be-imposed-during-songkran-festival


-- Thai PBS 2016-01-04

[Crossy]

NO!!

The heavier enforcement should be a permanent feature not just at the 'dangerous' times.

[jaywalker]

Words fail me.

[thesetat2013]

And there thought that driving drunk was a law? So for these 2 holiday periods they will actually enforce that law. What about the rest of the laws and the rest of the year?

Also! If they were actually enforcing this law without prejudice to every person caught drunk driving! Then why did they only impound 2100 vehicles yet 23000 charges for drunk driving were made? Tea money collected maybe? It seems too many got through with only paying off the police and taking a ticket from them instead of impounding their vehicle like they were supposed to do.

[Ireland32]

Successful, By whose Standards, I guess Thai, lol , More People Died and Declared Success, Unbelievable...

Edited January 3, 2016 by Ireland32

[z42]

NO!!

The heavier enforcement should be a permanent feature not just at the 'dangerous' times.

Indeed Crossy, i'm at a loss to understand why this new brainwave wasn't thought up decades ago and seemingly only piloted 5 days ago. It should be a permanent fixture although the number of cars being taken is shockingly low, almost looks like they're just being allowed on their way as they're more difficult to pull in

[NongKhaiKid]

And there thought that driving drunk was a law? So for these 2 holiday periods they will actually enforce that law. What about the rest of the laws and the rest of the year?

Also! If they were actually enforcing this law without prejudice to every person caught drunk driving! Then why did they only impound 2100 vehicles yet 23000 charges for drunk driving were made? Tea money collected maybe? It seems too many got through with only paying off the police and taking a ticket from them instead of impounding their vehicle like they were supposed to do.

Disgraceful isn't it, drunk driving is supposed to be illegal 24/7/365 but no one seems concerned except for publicity at certain holiday times to make it look as if they're actually concerned and doing something.

[Reigntax]

So it will be allowed at all other times. That is just confirmation of what we have all believed.

[chainarong]

lets just introduce this as law 24/7 / 365 it astounds that drink driving is only regarded as an offence on holidays and as a social delight on all the other days, as much as most like a drink the notion anyone is in control of a vehicle after 4 beers is a twit.....................................................

[JeffreyO]

Wait, drunk driving isn't banned all the time? Hell, I better go grab my vodka and get on the road!

[Briggsy]

Gosh, those cops must be exhausted manning those checkpoints. Better give them a 4 month rest.

[Seastallion]

" .....enforcing the ban although road accidents remain high......".

So, what was the effectiveness?

I wonder if it was the 23, 200 offenders who didn't have their vehicles impounded? That's at least 23200 x 500 baht in police pockets.

[Bluespunk]

"The spokesman said that drink driving ban which was unprecedented"

It's the norm in countries where road safety is taken seriously.

[Thian]

Yes there were many policeposts along the roads but all i saw them doing was sitting (or sleeping) in a tent right next to the road.

[Crossy]

I also noticed on Ch7 News this morning they were breath testing bus drivers and performing (rudimentary, but it's a start) inspections of buses.

[Evilbaz]

Buddha wept ...

[apetley]

Perhaps something is lost in translation. I hope so because these press releases seem to confirm that those in charge of road safety are absolutely clueless.

[mcfish]

Thailand is slowly crawling it's way into the developed world. I applaud the ban, at least it's a start

Sent from my SC-01D using Tapatalk

[Borzandy]

may be, may be

[upena]

Positive results? More accidents, injuries and deaths during the first 5 of 7 dangerous days.

[futsukayoi]

NO!!

The heavier enforcement should be a permanent feature not just at the 'dangerous' times.

Indeed Crossy, i'm at a loss to understand why this new brainwave wasn't thought up decades ago and seemingly only piloted 5 days ago. It should be a permanent fixture although the number of cars being taken is shockingly low, almost looks like they're just being allowed on their way as they're more difficult to pull in

or more likely to have enough cash for a decent tea money donation

[NongKhaiKid]

I also noticed on Ch7 News this morning they were breath testing bus drivers and performing (rudimentary, but it's a start) inspections of buses.

This was covered by Channel News Asia too who reported the govt had issued a stern warning to drivers of public service vehicles but it seems this only started yesterday as the return to work started.

[Balance]

Somehow, when Thai gets translated into English there are problems, or maybe it is an accurate translation?

If so, does the government really mean that drunk driving will be permitted accept at Christman-New Year and maybe Songkran? Is this a joke or bad translation? I hope the latter.

What is the thinking that seems to allow drunk driving? If a drunk driver kills 5 people, is it just "accident" and no one is to blame? Do individuals have any responsibility for their behavior?

All that being said, it was no different in many parts of the U.S. until the creation of MADD, Mothers Against Drunk Driving in 1980 and their protests at state legislatures and in Washington D.C. Unfortunately, Thailand does not have a history of peaceful protest so this approach will not work. Looks like it is the responsibility of the Prime Minister to do the right thing and extend the same enforcement to EVERY DAY OF THE YEAR.

[LNKDES1]

Thailand is slowly crawling it's way into the developed world. I applaud the ban, at least it's a start

Sent from my SC-01D using Tapatalk

The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.

[Orac]

Perhaps something is lost in translation. I hope so because these press releases seem to confirm that those in charge of road safety are absolutely clueless.

Could be the army pr dept has realised that everytime they use term 'crackdown' they get the piss taken out of them so have decided not to use it anymore - unfortunately they haven't worked out what to replace it with yet.

[JOC]

See if I got this right??

So between campaigns, it is legal to drive drunk??

How do you explain Thainess to short time visitors??

[KhaoNiaw]

In my area they've been coming down pretty heavily on drink driving for a couple of years now. Much stricter than in the past. I think that this story is really talking about the measures introduced for this New Year holiday like impounding vehicles.

[SteveB2]

Positive results? More accidents, injuries and deaths during the first 5 of 7 dangerous days.

Precisely - Though I suspect the nature of the beast is thus:-

The mere thread of action was not enough to the hardy Thai - and no one believed that the police would follow through with the publiciised threats.

...and thus this year everyone just drink-drived as before.

However, NEXT YEAR (following all the very visible arrests and vehicle confiscations) we would expect to see the big improvement in drink drive figures.

What is interesting is the 10:1 standoff rate of vehicles impounded versus people arrested - how were so many able to escape without their vehicles taken off them

[Champneys]

And there thought that driving drunk was a law? So for these 2 holiday periods they will actually enforce that law. What about the rest of the laws and the rest of the year?

Also! If they were actually enforcing this law without prejudice to every person caught drunk driving! Then why did they only impound 2100 vehicles yet 23000 charges for drunk driving were made? Tea money collected maybe? It seems too many got through with only paying off the police and taking a ticket from them instead of impounding their vehicle like they were supposed to do.

Disgraceful isn't it, drunk driving is supposed to be illegal 24/7/365 but no one seems concerned except for publicity at certain holiday times to make it look as if they're actually concerned and doing something.

yeah all a big con. Do the powers really care?

[hugh2121]

How about a ban on throwing water and other gunk at vehicles, particularly bikes and motor bikes?

No?

Thought not.