Thai govt to keep seizing drunk drivers’ cars

Sutty · January 6, 2016

Lots of great suggestions but it isn't going to happen this time next year will be 5he same old same old. As for schools and kids on bikes for some it's the only option so no motorbike to school no schooling back to scratch one. What could be done at schools is road awareness

PS: my bike insurance covers my wife's son have asked several times to confirm and always same answer yes he is covered age 13.

Edited January 6, 2016 by Sutty

The Deerhunter · January 6, 2016

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

" It all depends on the money, and who is in your family tree." Supertramp. English Rock Group.

lostmebike · January 6, 2016

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.

So you think the impounding of vehicles introduced this New Year is working?

Sure more vehicles, goes without saying really and as previously said, more fatalities too.

My point was, and we know about stats thrown around in the news here, are they real? Guaranteed there will be so many 'exceptions'

Colabamumbai · January 6, 2016

The vechiles should be impounded for 30 days at a charge of 200 Baht per day.

BngkkB · January 6, 2016

It's just a way to feed the coffers. How much would you pay to get your car back. Surprised it took this long for them to figuylte this out. Sure a bit more hassle on their part but a higher payday at the end. They are finally working for their money.

stoli · January 6, 2016

In most US states, upon convection, the car belongs in the property of the police. Very generous to have an option here. In the states, the

police then have more undercover cars than they know what to do with.

lensta · January 6, 2016

I old guy I know got pulled for DUI on Monday and paid 5000 to keep his car. Same old story.

wvavin · January 6, 2016

Confiscate all their cars if they fail the alcohol analysis test. Auction their cars off and the proceeds will go to orphanage or medical care for the underprivileged.

kannot · January 6, 2016

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!

That's because there's nothing "in there" to protect

connda · January 6, 2016

Prem: "PM. Do you read that farang site called Thai Visa?"

PM: "No. Can say I do."

Prem: "You should. They have a lot of good ideas."

PM: "Really? Like what?"

Prem: "Well for instance, when you said you were only going to take driver licenses <head shake>."

PM: "No kidding."

Prem: "Consensus on Thai Visa is to keep confiscating cars, like they do in the West."

PM: "They do that in the West?"

Prem: "Common practice."
PM: "Maybe that's a good idea. OK, we'll fine the drivers and keep the vehicles too."

lavender19 · January 6, 2016

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

Doesn't seem to be working though as a higher death toll than last year.

The only way to stop carnage on the roads here is to ban all Thais from driving.

connda · January 6, 2016

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

This time, I'm going to cut the administration some slack and give them a thumbs up for actually doing the right thing. Good for you PM Prayut. The confiscation of cars, trucks, and motorcycles acts as a real deterrent as Mr. Pim notes.

"He [Pim] 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."

Deterrent, right from the horse's mouth. 5 days without a vehicle gives folks time to think how their lives are affected without transport, especially if the impounded vehicle is their only mode of transport.

So, thank you Mr. PM. It's a step in the right direction. Now, how about Highway Patrol cars on the roads to stop moving violations?

Edited January 6, 2016 by connda

connda · January 6, 2016

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

Doesn't seem to be working though as a higher death toll than last year.

The only way to stop carnage on the roads here is to ban all Thais from driving.

Give it time to sink in. If the government sticks to their guns and keeps this up all year, and actively keeps the program in public eye with constant reminders via main stream news and announcements during the PM's nightly talks, then maybe even as soon as Songkran the new policy may reap rewards. If people start to think twice about drinking and driving because the penalty for doing so is the temporary loss of their vehicles, perhaps the death toll will start to decrease. Sober Thais do stupid stuff on the road all the time; when drunk they move from stupid to the insane. I'm behind the PM on this one.

Edited January 6, 2016 by connda

Thaidream · January 6, 2016

I am always amazed how many people want to turn Thailand into the UK or the USA. I came to Thailand to get awway from the Nanny State not to bring it with me.

Patanawet · January 6, 2016

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

But maybe they would have been even higher otherwise?

I would like to know how many Benzs, Ferraris, Lamboghinis were siezed or were they all 'loso' cars?

Tanlic · January 6, 2016

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

If they breathalyze the judge on his way to court and take his car off him there's a good chance he'll give them 30 years to life ;0)

Edited January 6, 2016 by Tanlic

robblok · January 6, 2016

Only thing is they should do this more for cars too as a drunk on a motorcycle is dangerous but a drunk in a car is far more dangerous. Problem is of course the logistics of confiscating cars and moving them to an impound. That is far more work.

bark · January 6, 2016

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................................................. .

I got stop about 8 months ago. I had 2 small beers about 4 hours before the test. When stopped I answered yes to the 2 beers and time frame.

They asked me to blow and the meter show a green light.( I saw it turn green). I was told that I had to come to the police station. I've lived here for 8-9 years now. So I said I would pay the fine now. They said 4,000 bt. I said out 1,000 and said this is for your family. Police happy, and bye bye.

kaiyaibob · January 6, 2016

As Maintenance and maintenance records are something the Thais appear not to be particularly good at.. on everything from Aircraft to Osmosis water purification machines what chance is there after a short while that the breathalyser machines will be out of calibration and producing false readings there are many instances in the UK were people have been breathalysed and subsequently let off due to the machine having incomplete calibration records, I am not convinced the BiB would even be interested in such trivia or have the calibration facilities (specially out in the "sticks" ) and for certain nobody is going to ask them "are you doing your job correctly" ???

diehard60 · January 6, 2016

This is great! They should have been doing this years ago. But don't stop with just cars - all vehicles.

prakhonchai nick · January 6, 2016

Lots of great suggestions but it isn't going to happen this time next year will be 5he same old same old. As for schools and kids on bikes for some it's the only option so no motorbike to school no schooling back to scratch one. What could be done at schools is road awareness

PS: my bike insurance covers my wife's son have asked several times to confirm and always same answer yes he is covered age 13.

Whats worng with bicycles?

Most villages have a converted pick up to take the kids into town and bring them home. They are generally overloaded,with kids sitting on the roof, but still safer than motorbikes

prakhonchai nick · January 6, 2016

Only thing is they should do this more for cars too as a drunk on a motorcycle is dangerous but a drunk in a car is far more dangerous. Problem is of course the logistics of confiscating cars and moving them to an impound. That is far more work.

But the drunk or vehickle owner then has to pay to get his car out of the pound. More work for ordinary people.

Sutty · January 6, 2016

Lots of great suggestions but it isn't going to happen this time next year will be 5he same old same old. As for schools and kids on bikes for some it's the only option so no motorbike to school no schooling back to scratch one. What could be done at schools is road awareness

PS: my bike insurance covers my wife's son have asked several times to confirm and always same answer yes he is covered age 13.

Whats worng with bicycles?

Most villages have a converted pick up to take the kids into town and bring them home. They are generally overloaded,with kids sitting on the roof, but still safer than motorbikes

Not here bikes or nothing as for push bikes we want him back before 2100 and in one piece not an option.

DavisH · January 6, 2016

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

...and they cant collect it if they are unlicenced

Thaidream · January 6, 2016

Thailand becoming more and more like the West- When I am in America and chose to drink I can find a taxi to take me home. When I am in Bangkok I can also find a taxi. When I am in the sticks in America or Thailand I can find no transportation and therefore do my drinking at home My problem with all this is that the government whether Thai, American or other is constantly in a person's face regarding every aspect of their life. It is always don't do this and politicians pass law after law. Why?- people in the past survived quite well without a plethora of laws enforced mostly on people who do not have money. Education is the way to go....not enforcement causing a person to live in a police state. The West is totally not free and Thailand is beginning to look like the West. You will notice from the pictures a majority of the vehicles seized were motorcycles and pick up trucks. How many BMWs, Benzes and other Hi So vehicles were seized. This is exactly why I am opposed to the State intervening in a person's life. the law is meted out mostly to the poor while the wealthy continue on their merry way. In the West,they get lawyers to pay their way out and in Thailand they hand the police whatever is asked for and continue on.

shan777 · January 6, 2016

Every day i see under age school children riding motor bikes ,no helmets 3 or 4 on a bike and police directing them leaving the schools. Any one but a blind man can see they are under age and would not have a drivers licence ,my question is how can anyone learn to obay the road laws in thailand if this is allowed to happen or are they taken as a joke ,huge amounts of Thais are on the road ever day ,with out drivers licences ,these people are a danger not only to them selves ,but every other driver on the road. And the thai police and goverment are not doing enough to fix this problem. Here are a few ideas they should look at. One school bassed education and training on road safety . How to be safe on the road simple things like look right then left then right before turning onto a road or crossing it ,i have had to slam my brakes on meny times because people dont look.Two people have the right of way on cross walks stop let them cross dont honk them and dont try and run them down ,under the law they are in the right .Three POLICE should stop all motor cars and bike and take the keys from drivers who have no working lights taillights indicators headlights every night i see this its no joke ,these people are a huge danger to every road user.Fourth no licence take there car or bike till they show they have obtained a drivers licence ,otherwise they will keep driving. Five make it law anyone involved in an accident must produce there drivers licence in court to show they had one at the time the accident happened, i know for a fact ,of one incerdent where a motor bike rider was drunk on the wrong side of the road speeding with out a licence ,no helmet. got hit knocked of his bike and ended up in hospital and the driver had to pay. Over 60000 bath to him, This person is still on the road with out a licence and still with out a helmet . What a joke the law is when if he had to show his licence and didnt have one ,the person who hit him should not have had to pay one cent.

lostmebike · January 6, 2016

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

But maybe they would have been even higher otherwise?

I would like to know how many Benzs, Ferraris, Lamboghinis were siezed or were they all 'loso' cars?

I agree totally with what the law claims to be doing but ...

the road deaths will continue to rise year-on-year. There are, as always, to many variables, exceptions and downright false information here in the LOS.

DavisH · January 6, 2016

Thailand becoming more and more like the West- When I am in America and chose to drink I can find a taxi to take me home. When I am in Bangkok I can also find a taxi. When I am in the sticks in America or Thailand I can find no transportation and therefore do my drinking at home My problem with all this is that the government whether Thai, American or other is constantly in a person's face regarding every aspect of their life. It is always don't do this and politicians pass law after law. Why?- people in the past survived quite well without a plethora of laws enforced mostly on people who do not have money. Education is the way to go....not enforcement causing a person to live in a police state. The West is totally not free and Thailand is beginning to look like the West. You will notice from the pictures a majority of the vehicles seized were motorcycles and pick up trucks. How many BMWs, Benzes and other Hi So vehicles were seized. This is exactly why I am opposed to the State intervening in a person's life. the law is meted out mostly to the poor while the wealthy continue on their merry way. In the West,they get lawyers to pay their way out and in Thailand they hand the police whatever is asked for and continue on.

So a drunk killing an innocent life is ok with you? It's ok to drink and drive because it is YOUR choice. The State MUST intervene is such cases.

Wear a helmet...well they will kill themselves, but at least ith will not result in another's death.

Mr Creosote · January 6, 2016

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.

The road fatality statistic is a misleading statistic since every year, there are a lot more new cars & motorbikes coming onto the roads.

Edited January 6, 2016 by Mr Creosote

lostmebike · January 6, 2016

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.

The road fatality statistic is a misleading statistic since every year, there are a lot more new cars & motorbikes coming onto the roads.

Couple this with the cover ups and the bullsh*t

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