Thai govt to keep seizing drunk drivers’ cars

[webfact]

IMPOUNDED VEHICLES
Govt to keep seizing drunk drivers’ cars
JEERAPONG PRASERTPOLKRUNG,
VISARUT SANKHAM,
SUPACHAI PETCHTEWEE
THE NATION


Police check the documents of people who showed up yesterday to reclaim vehicles that had been impounded for various reasons, including drink driving, at Boonyachinda Stadium in Bangkok.

BANGKOK: -- THE strong measure to temporarily impound vehicles driven by people who are drunk will remain in effect after the “dangerous days” of the New Year period, government spokesman Maj General Sansern Kaewkamnerd said yesterday.

"The measure, enforced under the Article 44 of the Interim Constitution, won't be used just during the New Year holidays," he said.

Many people thronged to Boonyachinda Stadium in Bangkok yesterday to pick up vehicles that were confiscated because they drove while drunk over the New Year.

Pin Khowbunmee, 55, could not stop smiling as he reclaimed his recently-impounded motor|cycle. Authorities confiscated his bike on December 29 after finding that his blood alcohol level was above the legal limit. In a bid to curb road casualties during the so-called "Seven dangerous days" of the New Year period, authorities for the first time immediately impounded the vehicles of drink drivers.

"That day, I had been hanging out with friends at a karaoke parlour," Pin recounted.

He said the temporary loss of his motorcycle had affected his life a lot because he no longer had a vehicle to take his grandson to school. And when he finished his work shift at midnight, he had been forced to take a taxi home.

"Without my motorcycle, my daily expenses rise by Bt200 and my daily wage is just Bt300."

Still, Pin said he was grateful that officials had decided to impound his vehicle last week. Otherwise, he said he might have killed himself or someone else because he rode while drunk.

Colonel Sirichan Ngathong, a spokeswoman for the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), said officials at checkpoints nationwide impounded 4,672 vehicles - 3,413 motorcycles and 1,259 cars - because of drink driving during the period from December 25 to January 4.

A total of 28,540 motorcyclists and 10,325 drivers were facing legal action for traffic violations, she said.

Acting chief of the Metropoli-tan Police Bureau Pol Lt-General Sanit Mahathavorn said 173 vehicles had been impounded in Bangkok during the same period.

More than 1,000 motorcycles were available to be reclaimed at Boonyachinda Stadium yesterday, with some vehicles having been stolen from their rightful owners while others were released after temporary seizures.

Authorities have a legal |mandate to seize a vehicle |pending an investigation into whether it constitutes an ill-|gotten gain from a crime such |as drug dealing.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, a woman said she came to the stadium yesterday to reclaim her motorcycle after it was driven by her brother, who had been caught with drugs.

"It had been confiscated for eight years since it was found to have contained illicit drugs," she said, adding that police had recently called her to say she could reclaim it.

Outside of Bangkok, authorities were organising the return of vehicles to their original owners. During the same period, 328 |vehicles were seized in Nakhon Ratchasima, while 63 vehicles were confiscated in Phitsanulok.

While some drink-driving offenders are being allowed to reclaim their vehicles, they will still be prosecuted.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Govt-to-keep-seizing-drunk-drivers-cars-30276225.html


-- The Nation 2016-01-06

[halloween]

Before vehicles are released, the owner should have to present the registration book with the paperwork to show tax and insurance paid.

[never me]

Good Idea at least its a start to stopping some of the carnage on Thailand roads.

[chainarong]

The difference would be if all police became a booze bus , by that I mean every police officer can stop anyone at random and do a breath test , they also need to introduce a highway patrol nation wide , that are dedicated to speeding and D & A testing, drug testing is also need alongside alcohol, until the RTP have a dedicated squad that are properly trained, the fast track ad hoc Thai way is the Highway................................................. .

[rasmus5150]

Well let's see how long that this will last...... My guess is until the end of January 2016

[alfredthegreat]

What prosecutions will the drunks face? A slap on the wrist? A spell behind bars? Or nothing?

[alfredthegreat]

And what happened to the crash helmet laws? And seat belt laws? Time and time again when in a taxi the driver will only

put on a seat belt if approaching a police point. The point I am making is that many drivers don't consider safety as being important, sadly!

[arrowsdawdle]

Good Idea at least its a start to stopping some of the carnage on Thailand roads.

You really believe that, or do you think the car rental business in Thailand will soar?

[technologybytes]

The difference would be if all police became a booze bus , by that I mean every police officer can stop anyone at random and do a breath test , they also need to introduce a highway patrol nation wide , that are dedicated to speeding and D & A testing, drug testing is also need alongside alcohol, until the RTP have a dedicated squad that are properly trained, the fast track ad hoc Thai way is the Highway................................................. .

Yes, but then it wouldn't be Thailand, and we would all go home.

[Norvid 1950]

Thai needs to introduce:

1. Demerit points,
2. Fines for offences paid in the bank only,
3. Impounding vehicles with charge per day,
4. Serious offences with fines and/or imprisonment, or both,
5. Taking licence for 3, 6 or 12 month for drunk drivers,
6. Cell phone use in the vehicles prohibition,
7. All drugs offences ending up in the court,
8. Speeding above the posted limits ended with fines, impounded vehicles, fines, and courts,
9. Seat-belts, helmets as a mandatory and offenders loosing demerit point,
10. Mandatory examination for all offenders.

This could change Thailand "killing roads" to a normality.

[lostmebike]

Good Idea at least its a start to stopping some of the carnage on Thailand roads.

Know what you're getting at but apparently the fatalities are up on last year.

Just a thought ... in 'bahn nok' where the locals probably know each other and the law feels pity on the drunk drivers that need their vehicles to go feed their livestock in the morning, do the figures that contribute to an impounding really involve the confiscation of a vehicle? Or is just like a role-play where the act is apparently the real thing but after the notification and logging of the event, a few thousand baht exchanges hands and it's back behind the wheel!

It's possible.

[never me]

Good Idea at least its a start to stopping some of the carnage on Thailand roads.

You really believe that, or do you think the car rental business in Thailand will soar?

I said "SOME"

[alant]

Good Idea at least its a start to stopping some of the carnage on Thailand roads.

But the deaths are higher I read

[AlQaholic]

Somchai will probably show up drunk to reclaim his bike......

[fred Kubasa]

Tomorrow should be a fun day as it was designated as vehicle recovery day for those impounded. Theremay be 4 to 5000 and, far as I have read, NO RECOVERY INSTRUCTIONS such as where/how ?, what is the

fee ?, what documents must I produce ?. I think 2/300 won't even bother to pick up junker, another

2 to 300 stolen and 200/300 people still not sober !

[UTH001]

And what happened to the crash helmet laws? And seat belt laws? Time and time again when in a taxi the driver will only

put on a seat belt if approaching a police point. The point I am making is that many drivers don't consider safety as being important, sadly!

Yes, proper enforcement of existing laws is important too, but why not start first with better driver training? I count my blessings every day when I "survive" another day on Thailand's roads without having been involved in an accident (which would most likely be my fault anyway, considering...).

[scorecard]

Before vehicles are released, the owner should have to present the registration book with the paperwork to show tax and insurance paid.

Agree, and a valid driving license.

[maingmoom]

Good Idea at least its a start to stopping some of the carnage on Thailand roads.

You really believe that, or do you think the car rental business in Thailand will soar?

I said "SOME"

I agree with you. It will only play a small part but at least it's something.

[gandalf12]

Good Idea at least its a start to stopping some of the carnage on Thailand roads.

Know what you're getting at but apparently the fatalities are up on last year.

Just a thought ... in 'bahn nok' where the locals probably know each other and the law feels pity on the drunk drivers that need their vehicles to go feed their livestock in the morning, do the figures that contribute to an impounding really involve the confiscation of a vehicle? Or is just like a role-play where the act is apparently the real thing but after the notification and logging of the event, a few thousand baht exchanges hands and it's back behind the wheel!

It's possible.

They should do the same as they did in Oman (Middle East). There was too many of police letting off their friends and family so they moved the police to te other end of the country were they did not have friends and family. After that everything worked fine. Maybe they should assign CM police to Phuket, Phuket police to Bangkok and Bangkok police to CM?

[Hayduke]

Sounds good...but it could very easily morph into little more than an enhanced source of income for the breathalyzer boys.

With loss of one's vehicle on the table, the price to slide through a traffic stop could increase significantly.

Still much easier for the constabulary to collect a 'spot fine' than go through the complicated, time consuming confiscation process.

"Sorry Somchai, I know it used to be 1000 (...or whatever) but it's gone up to 3000*. Cost of living you know. But you could ride the bus for a week or so and then fork over 5000* to get your car back. Up to you."

*Prices not inclusive of local tax and subject to change without notice.

Edited January 6, 2016 by Hayduke

[CarolJadzia]

Enforcement! always stated as the band aid for these things. Has been all my years of riding bikes. People keep telling me about more enforcement and how it will change everything.

Well it doesn't ok! Simple as. 50 years I have heard the same thing. Watched it grow. Then when it fails what is then shouted is "More enforcement!"

Some people go on about how UK road safety rates are so low due to Enforcement, it's simply not the case. I did 100 miles today on my bike, never considered a speed limit anywhere. I road at a speed for the conditions around me. Not worried about Enforcement, neither are most of the bikers I ride with. The police riders I work with are not worried about enforcing speed limits unless in a built up area. They are far more concerned about a riders abilities than they are about observing a speed limit.

Why UK figures are so low is that the majority of drivers and riders on the road has had to undertake training. Before my son gets a full UK Licence he has to take a further test on an unlimited CC bike. He has already passed the test twice, once on a 125 and then on a 650. He now has to wait until he is 21 before he can get unlimited. Everyone over 17 in the UK has to do a Compulsory Basic Training (CBT) course before they are allowed to ride restricted bikes up to 125 cc bikes. 16 year olds can ride mopeds restricted to 50cc.

By comparison the Thai test is to same standard as the CBT, only a CBT includes a minimum of two hours on road training as well.

[prakhonchai nick]

It could all be so simple.

1) Any driver stopped for any reason, to show driving licence.

2) No licence - vehicle impounded and driver and passengers left to their own devices.

3) Driver to produce licence (next day or thereafter) to get vehicle back....500baht fee, with further 500bt fee for each week left unclaimed . No further action if no motoring offence committed

4) If driver does not have a licence, the vehicle can be collected by the owner,- after 1 week - upon presentation of vehicle registration docs. Fee 500baht + 500bt for every week after the first.

5) The driver is arrested/prosecuted as maybe if an offence other than having no licence has been committed.

6) If vehicle is not claimed within 6 months, it is disposed of.

[Jonathon]

Good idea so long as the self declared "elite" are not excluded, but where are the heavy fines, driving bans and permanent confiscation of the vehicle for persistent offenders?

[Sutty]

Read yesterday they are considering returning the cars as it's a logistical nightmare and instead taking there driving licence so they can't drive!!!!! I would has It a guess 80% of those drivers caught drunk don't have a licence in first place!!!!!

[ginjag]

Thai needs to introduce:

1. Demerit points,
2. Fines for offences paid in the bank only,
3. Impounding vehicles with charge per day,
4. Serious offences with fines and/or imprisonment, or both,
5. Taking licence for 3, 6 or 12 month for drunk drivers,
6. Cell phone use in the vehicles prohibition,
7. All drugs offences ending up in the court,
8. Speeding above the posted limits ended with fines, impounded vehicles, fines, and courts,
9. Seat-belts, helmets as a mandatory and offenders loosing demerit point,
10. Mandatory examination for all offenders.

This could change Thailand "killing roads" to a normality.

To add--your Number 2. Agree money to government treasury--not to the nearest police station or officer.

[tuanku]

Before vehicles are released, the owner should have to present the registration book with the paperwork to show tax and insurance paid.

And a valid drivers licence!

[Sutty]

Thai needs to introduce:

• Demerit points,
• Fines for offences paid in the bank only,
• Impounding vehicles with charge per day,
• Serious offences with fines and/or imprisonment, or both,
• Taking licence for 3, 6 or 12 month for drunk drivers,
• Cell phone use in the vehicles prohibition,
• All drugs offences ending up in the court,
• Speeding above the posted limits ended with fines, impounded vehicles, fines, and courts,
• Seat-belts, helmets as a mandatory and offenders loosing demerit point,
• Mandatory examination for all offenders.

This could change Thailand "killing roads" to a normality.

To add--your Number 2. Agree money to government treasury--not to the nearest police station or officer.

None of which are going to happen anytime soon

[Keesters]

Know what you're getting at but apparently the fatalities are up on last year.

And so are, probably, the number of vehicles. If there were no vehicles there would be no fatalities.

[scorecard]

Thai needs to introduce:

1. Demerit points,
2. Fines for offences paid in the bank only,
3. Impounding vehicles with charge per day,
4. Serious offences with fines and/or imprisonment, or both,
5. Taking licence for 3, 6 or 12 month for drunk drivers,
6. Cell phone use in the vehicles prohibition,
7. All drugs offences ending up in the court,
8. Speeding above the posted limits ended with fines, impounded vehicles, fines, and courts,
9. Seat-belts, helmets as a mandatory and offenders loosing demerit point,
10. Mandatory examination for all offenders.

This could change Thailand "killing roads" to a normality.

To add--your Number 2. Agree money to government treasury--not to the nearest police station or officer.

Agree, police not allowed in any circumstance to accept cash, all payments must be deposited / transferred to a government bank account, take slip to police station where vehicle / license is being held.

Would that stop drivers 'slipping' 200 Baht to the police on the side of the road? No.

But it could be step 1, with later (not too much later) heavy fines for both drivers and police caught 'slipping', including dismissal for the cop or a permanent ban on that cop ever getting a promotion of a pay rise.

Higher official pay levels for cops would also help.

[thhMan]

It would help if schools stop allowing underage/unlicensed/uninsured children to ride motorcycles to school.... After all, education needs to start somewhere and its not at home or from the Govt.