Travel in the same car as a drunk driver and you could be charged too, says Thai govt

[Dexlowe]

1 hour ago, NongKhaiKid said:

Lots of potential for disputes even violence if a passenger(s) refuse to get in a vehicle saying the driver's drunk so there's defiance on the part of the passenger which is also causing loss of face as naturally the driver isn't drunk and perfectly able to drive.

 

I have, in fact, had personal experience of this on several occasions with Thai colleagues and 1 foreigner. In a couple of those instances, the animosity towards me continues to this day, many years later. Time for some cosmetic surgery on Thai face.

[Artisi]

For this to work, travelling with a driver DUI, will require every person in Thailand to be qualified and equipt with the necessary skills etc to assertain the drivers condition prior to driving  -- usual pipedream from unqualified non - thinking people - but it makes headlines.

[Lupatria]

GPS driving license. ...while all my neighbors take their kids from newborn to 10 years on their bikes with no helmet. and retarded and underage people speed through the sois without any license at all? Tzzzzzzz. Don't they teach the meaning of the word "priorities" in military academies?

[Dmaxdan]

29 minutes ago, ballpoint said:

Why is that?  As long as the driver is sober the rest can be as drunk as they like.

I know if won't be everyone's experience, but I personally don't know or any Thais that are prepared to not drink if they aare in an environment where others are, whether they are driving or not. If they can't drink, then they don't go. I do know a couple of teetotal Thais who are the exception. I have been out more times than I can remember to restaurants with the in laws, and if you look around pretty much everyone is knocking it back like there's no tomorrow, but the car park is always full.

[saminoz]

1 hour ago, Father Fintan Stack said:

Good luck finding a Bangkok taxi with working rear seatbelts.

Good luck finding a Bangkok taxi with a sober driver!!

[DualSportBiker]

Are you sure you belong on this forum?? You read and understood the OP!

 

49 minutes ago, ballpoint said:

Why is that?  As long as the driver is sober the rest can be as drunk as they like.

[dunroaming]

1 hour ago, Alive said:

Double the fine and jail term for any civil servant, police or military drunk driving. And for once fire them from their service and ban them from any government work or contracts for life.

 

Nice idea but who would be arresting and prosecuting these people?  Just about everyone (let's say men, at the risk of being non PC) in a position of authority tend to be drunk most of the time.  It would be fun to actually breathalyse the cop who stops and breathalyses you!

[Artisi]

1 hour ago, smedly said:

absolutely correct

 

also the OP is quite ludicrous under any properly applied law or logic, first of all you would have to prove that a passenger was aware of a drivers drunken state, also without carrying out a test how is a passenger going to know - the police themselves have to test those in charge/driving a vehicle if they are over the limit

 

This is beyond stupid 

Not beyond stupid- just normal..

[Kiwisailor]

1 hour ago, Chicog said:

That's 75% of Bangkok motorcycle taxis out of business then.

 

And a large proportion of mini-buses and tour buses

 

[OMGImInPattaya]

1 hour ago, smedly said:

exactly, I wish someone with a bit of sense and understanding of the application of law would advise people about these things before they actually make a fool of themselves by announcing it in public

 

Yes there is good intension but

That's why the article says the relevant authorities have been asked TO STUDY the proposal. It is not the law yet.

[williamgeorgeallen]

2 hours ago, Don Mega said:

A licence with GPS strip in it.... interesting.

is that really possible?

[Kasset Tak]

If you are the passenger you can apparently already get fined if you use the seat belt and the driver don't... if you use the seat belt then you should tell the driver to do that too! 

[sometimewoodworker]

2 hours ago, smedly said:

absolutely correct

 

also the OP is quite ludicrous under any properly applied law or logic, first of all you would have to prove that a passenger was aware of a drivers drunken state, also without carrying out a test how is a passenger going to know - the police themselves have to test those in charge/driving a vehicle if they are over the limit

 

This is beyond stupid 

 

Beyond stupid is being in a car who's driver has been drinking. Taxis are so cheap here

 

No you don't have to prove that the passenger was aware that the driver was drunk.

 

all you have to prove is that the driver was over the limit.

 

this has been the law in Japan for many years

drivers fine about 160,000 baht fine

each passenger who has a licence about 130,000 baht fine

 

 

Edited October 6, 2016 by sometimewoodworker

[dunroaming]

I believe they have a system like this in Singapore.  Not the drunken passenger bit, the GPS in the car bit

Edited October 6, 2016 by dunroaming

[holy cow cm]

There goes Thailand. Killing it faster than an exiled PM could have ever thought of doing it.. The love of this country was for being untamed.

[useronthenet]

Thailand yet again trying to run before it's learned to walk.

[DrTuner]

"Compatible with GPS"? I've got at least five devices with gps chip in them and none of them need any compatibility on a piece of plastic. The smell of BS is strong in this one.

[Pattaya28]

Good idea.

Passengers must take responsibility too.

[DrTuner]

12 minutes ago, sometimewoodworker said:

Beyond stupid is being in a car who's driver has been drinking. Taxis are so cheap here

Yeah, taxi drivers never take a sip from their M-150 laukhao bottles.

[ScotBkk]

2 hours ago, rkidlad said:

Baby steps, please. Let'a start with actually cracking down and prosecuting the actual drunk drivers before we go after their passengers. 

Drunk Drivers

What if it's a taxi Driver ? I've been in a cab when the driver was drinking a bottle of Chang. We git out again very quickly .... 

[khunpa]

"COULD be charged"... Meaning everything will be same as usual, but we are just airing all our new ideas and tomorrow everything will be back to normal.

[Cuchulainn]

3 hours ago, Gweiloman said:

What if the bus or minivan driver is drunk?

 

What do you mean `if`?   

[bobbin]

I almost can't believe I'm writing this but.... 

 

As a long-time skeptic of the current "administration", I'm surprised to find myself warming to them...

 

Yes, this proposal is over the top but even if it only operated for a while before being ruled unconstitutional ( I know.. whatever system they have in place) it would really put the cat among the pigeons. Matters of face and seniority would suffer as passengers expressed their extreme desire not to be arrested and left with a criminal record. Seizing licenses, getting tough with suspended drivers who continue driving, etc.

 

Next up.. a significant investment (and maintenance) in red-light cameras. It's important.

 

Down here in Pattaya, the military are cleaning up the Bali Hai pier area, which has been heavily encroached upon by speedboat owners. And turned into an absolute eyesore in the process. Clearing vendors encroaching on public sidewalks. Same in Bangkok..

 

Could it be that this is a type of "benevolent dictatorship", often held up as the ideal compromise between actually getting things done without intruding too much into the lives of the populace?

 

The country could benefit from the discipline.

[khundon]

So, that rules out using the vast majority of taxis, buses, tuk tuks and motor cycle taxis then!

[NoshowJones]

1 hour ago, Artisi said:

Not beyond stupid- just normal..

Yeah, LOS, land of stupidity.

[hotchilli]

So all passengers within a vehicle must wear a seat belt, that reduces the number by 50% to a maximum of 5 in a normal car instead of the usual two people sharing one seating area.
As for a pick-up you can still squeeze a couple of dozen in the back?

[ddavidovsky]

I would feel safer on the roads if such a law was enforced.

Having said that, I would feel safer on the roads if any law was enforced.

[Srikcir]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

Passengers who travel in the same vehicle as a driver who is found to be under the influence of alcohol could also be charged with offences related to drunk driving

Thus far this isn't limited to auto or motorbike taxis. What if a commercial bus driver or operator of a tour bus is found to be legally drunk, ie., after an accident. Then all the passengers could be charged as well?

[Ace of Pop]

Bloody Good Idea.Il Breath test my Taxi Driver later


Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

[kannot]

how about if im in a Ferrari?