Shock treatment as Songkran drunk drivers visit the morgue

[webfact]

Shock treatment as Songkran drunk drivers visit the morgue


Image: Thairath

BANGKOK:-- Drunk drivers of public vehicles arrested over the Songkran holiday have been shown the consequences of their behaviour - including trips to the hospital morgue.

A programme to educate drivers about the error of their ways has been mounted across the country with large groups of drunk drivers being given tours this week in Yasothorn, Phitsanulok and Petchabun in the north east, reports Thairath.

Drivers were shown to a morgue in Phitsanulok, taken to a prison in Yasothorn, and heard the harrowing tales of accident victims in Petchabun.

They were also invited to give blood to help victims of the carnage on the roads.

True to their announcement before the holidays that drunkards on the roads would face these ordeals, the Justice Miinistry has organised many visits under the title of "Realising the consequences of drink driving."

Forty six drivers of public vehicles toured Yasothorn Hospital Monday under the scheme seeing the suffering of injured victims before being taken to the municipal prison where they heard stories from inmates locked up for driving offences.

Dr Sumethi Sasima of Yasothorn hospitals development wing said it was a good opportunity for the drivers to see the consequences of drink driving. "They were able to see first hand how there actions affect others and the devastating losses and life changing distress that drink driving and negligent driving can cause, " said Dr Sumethi.

In Praphutchinarat Hospital in Phitsanulok a group of drivers saw people being treated for injuries caused by drink driving and heard victims relate their stories. They were then taken to the morgue to see what happens to those who paid the ultimate price.

Earlier on the 22nd of the month 45 drivers in Petchabun were given similar tours listening to victims distress in a public hospital.

Almost 500 people were killed over the Songkran holiday week with a large percentage of the victims dying as a result of drink driving.

Source: Thairath


-- 2016-04-26

[Somtamnication]

Love it. Hope it helps.

[lujanit]

I must have missed it. When were all these drivers charged? Is this their punishment? Were licenses revoked? Are they banned from diving public transport?

[Tywais]

I must have missed it. When were all these drivers charged? Is this their punishment? Were licenses revoked? Are they banned from diving public transport?

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/911546-community-service-sentences-up-30-percent-from-last-songkran-period/

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/910114-trouble-makers-face-detention-in-a-morgue-in-burirams-songkran-celebrations/

Repeat traffic offenders will be sent to work at morgues

[NCC1701A]

as a 16 year old high school student in Los Angeles in 1971, I had to watch the film "Mechanized Death" as part of my drivers education class.

I never forgot watching that film. Some of the images haunted me for years.

The instructor warned us before hand if we could not stand to watch, just look away. And the girls were told not to watch at all.

watch it if you dare:

[arithai12]

Good initiative, esp. the visit to the prison.

But it should be repeated before the next Songkran, because in one year it will have been forgotten.

[rkidlad]

God, this is painful.

Stop wearing kiddy gloves and punish them accordingly. Stop with taking people's cars away for the night or showing them dead bodies. Take away their licenses, heavy fines and inprisonment if warranted.

Stop acting like kids. If you really wanna add to the punishment, have a name and shame section in newspapers, etc. Have a pic of convicted driver saying "I'm a selfish moron who endangers other's lives"

[losworld]

I worry more about "texters" than drunk drivers even here in Thailand and in the u.s.a combination of "texters" and "drugged" drivers loaded up on Valium and the like with the ridiculous prescription drug rates in the u.s.

However, the morgue visits can be effective.

[Moonmoon]

Good Job. More programs like this is needed to wake up those drunk drivers

[Strangebrew]

Forgotten as soon as visit was over they head to bar get drunk and another round of visits

[kblaze]

as a 16 year old high school student in Los Angeles in 1971, I had to watch the film "Mechanized Death" as part of my drivers education class.

I never forgot watching that film. Some of the images haunted me for years.

The instructor warned us before hand if we could not stand to watch, just look away. And the girls were told not to watch at all.

watch it if you dare:

Ours was Red Asphalt from 1960

[Brer Fox]

"They were also invited to give blood to help victims of the carnage on the roads". One would hope their blood is thoroughly screened and tested and does not contain alcohol.

[DrTuner]

It was so shocking they had to take a drink before driving home.

[finnomick1]

OK., something different but it would still be better to take and crush their vehicles. Waste of time taking licenses because that doesn't deter Thais from driving. They should make it a law that anyone buying a new vehicle should produce a driving license too.

[Bob12345]

Good initiative, it will work a lot better than a 300-baht fine.

In western countries it is quite normal to be confronted with the possible consequences of your behavior from a young age onwards. Some posters already posted the informative clips about road accidents and governments often show public awareness clips on national teevee showing the dangers of drunk driving, not wearing a seatbelt, or not wearing a helmet on a motorbike. When I was young we had speakers every now and then coming to our school who gave a personal account of things that happen from using drugs to unprotected sex, followed by a honest and open Q&A (i still remember the speech an HIV infected guy gave to a class full of 14-year olds).

I doubt such things will happen in Thailand soon as students quickly learn that the consequences of your behavior depend on how well you can deny it and how much money you (your parents) have.

[fvw53]

...and as they are mostly Thai they should be haunted for many years by the "phees" of the dead bodies they had to visit

[laislica]

My God, did you see the numbers?

More than 91 Drunk drivers of public vehicles arrested over the Songkran holiday:-

Forty six drivers of public vehicles toured Yasothorn Hospital Monday under the scheme seeing the suffering of injured victims ...
Earlier on the 22nd of the month 45 drivers in Petchabun were given similar tours listening to victims distress in a public hospital.

Almost 500 people were killed over the Songkran holiday week with a large percentage of the victims dying as a result of drink driving.

What about other districts?

IMO, Drivers of Public Service vehicles should have licenses revoked and they should then be sent for a long prison sentence

and be banned from having a driving license for life!

[SCARLETIBIS1]

Wonder if they checked these losers blood for drugs and HIV before they took it. Probably not.

Here's a thought. Show all prospective drivers a morgue BEFORE you give them a license. Of course since most Thais do not have a DL it probably wouldn't help much.

LOS, Land of S..............

Edited April 26, 2016 by SCARLETIBIS1

[little mary sunshine]

Hope it helps, these roads are treacherous!

[Jim walker]

it will all be forgotten about by tomorrow where there is no sense there is no feeling bet this has little affect on the road deaths next year and majority of people involved in fatal road accidents will have no remorse for their actions if the dead driver had left 10 minutes earlier he wold have missed the accident the only concern the drunk drivers have is how much will this all cost me huge fine and second time caught car crushed or sold for bereaved family charity donation

[NickJ]

Be good if all High School students had to go before they started driving.........

[SOTIRIOS]

...must have only been a handful.....

...a day or two in the slammer might work too....but apparently hardly anyone is ever arrested here....or that is the impression...

...talking themselves out of it one way or another...that is all we read....

[simonuk]

Its a step in the right direction.

I would like to see hard hitting tv and billboard adverts paid for by the brewers themselves.

And real deterants IE jail time.

[emilymat]

I'm not quite sure what to make of this. Did these 'offenders' see any broken bodies as they seem to be just listening to a woman with a megaphone. (I'm not suggesting, by the way, they should have seen mangled corpses as that would be an affront to the deceased and families). However, the report does suggest they heard from the injured. So, that is why I don't know what impact it can and will have. It simply looks as though it could be not dissimilar to a visit to a hospital or suchlike.

When this idea was first 'mooted' before Songkran, I go the impression these offenders would be required to work in the morgue for some time, actually seeing the consequences of road accidents as they came in. It appears I was mistaken.

Whatever, I agree with previous posters who are horrified by so many public service vehicle drivers being involved and, in my view, they should be banned for life from driving such vehicles.

Does anyone remember when the US/UK liberating troops, who were so appalled, forced the local population to go the the concentration camps and see what had really been happening in their names?. I've often wondered what long term effect this had on them, as I wonder what - if any - affect this will have on the Thai drivers. I suppose we will never know. We can only hope the carnage on the roads will decrease.

[Kabula]

Good idea!!

The program will have an affect to some degree, but long term alcoholics will need rehab and first admit they are alcoholics. Many die and kill others in accidents before they hit bottom and admit to themselves they have a serious problem.

Hopefully the shock treatment will scare them to seek help quickly for however serious their drinking problem is.

[candels]

How high is "almost 500 deaths" in 1 week compared to a non-Songkran week?

[Dibbler]

Shock treatment also needed for drivers who drive at high speed and kill policemen, innocent students, and people waiting at bus stops. Treatment should be equal regardless of wealth or status in Thai society.

[MorristheRunt]

Only in Thailand could a megaphone and a morgue be in the same picture.

Why does every @@@uker need to shout here? even amongst the dead!

Edited April 26, 2016 by MorristheRunt

[gandalf12]

Hope it helps, these roads are treacherous!

Think these roads are bad? Try the Middle East for driving, now they are scary

[aripengu]

Good, now they see they will land in prison if they drink and drive.... unless you have enough money and come from a "good" hiso family.

I bet most of them got drunk as soon as they were out, to forget what they saw.