Military impounds vehicles, seizes driving licenses of defiant drink-driving motorists

[rooster59]

Military impounds vehicles, seizes driving licenses of defiant drink-driving motorists

 

The military has impounded 27 vehicles and seized driving licenses of 87 drivers in the first day of a week-long campaign to lower traffic accidents during the New Year holidays.

 

Spokesperson of the National Council for Peace and Order Col Sirijan Nga-thong said the campaign themed “No drinking while driving” began yesterday for the first day with a total of 788 cases of traffic offences involving motorcycles, buses and personal cars, 500 of which would face legal prosecution.

 

Full story: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/military-impounds-vehicles-seizes-driving-licenses-defiant-drink-driving-motorists/

 

 

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2016-12-31

 

[impulse]

Kudos to them.  Another few tens of thousands of drunk drivers to go...

 

Say what you want about military rule, they know how to deal with the "silver or lead" incentive program that keeps so many perpetrators on the streets.

[Briggsy]

Of which 21 are motorbikes. Wow.

 

Considering the scale of the drink driving carnage here, this is just the tip of the tip of the iceberg.

 

You get this every year. "We are really serious about drink driving now. Really we are. Really."

[daveAustin]

Is this happening nationwide or some small corner of the capital?

 

24 minutes ago, impulse said:

Say what you want about military rule, they know how to deal with the "silver or lead" incentive program that keeps so many perpetrators on the streets.

 

So how many of those 'honourable' military-men do you think indulge when behind the wheel while off-duty (or on-duty even)? I'd hazard a guess the ratio is no different with the general populace. For it to work, there needs to be a concerted effort where EVERYONE gets it in the neck ALL of the time, not a half-hearted effort to penalise the little man at certain times of the year.

Edited December 31, 2016 by daveAustin

[trogers]

7 minutes ago, daveAustin said:

Is this happening nationwide or some small corner of the capital?

 

 

So how many of those 'honourable' military-men do you think indulge when behind the wheel while off-duty (or on-duty even)? I'd hazard a guess the ratio is no different with the general populace. For it to work, there needs to be a concerted effort where EVERYONE gets it in the neck ALL of the time, not a half-hearted effort to penalise the little man at certain times of the year.

 

Ahhh... the all or none approach... ?

[kannot]

Wow a  Colonel, looks  like she worked  her way up

[kannot]

10 minutes ago, daveAustin said:

Is this happening nationwide or some small corner of the capital?

 

 

So how many of those 'honourable' military-men do you think indulge when behind the wheel while off-duty (or on-duty even)? I'd hazard a guess the ratio is no different with the general populace. For it to work, there needs to be a concerted effort where EVERYONE gets it in the neck ALL of the time, not a half-hearted effort to penalise the little man at certain times of the year.

And  when stopped Im sure the " do you know who I am" card  gets  played

[impulse]

5 minutes ago, daveAustin said:

So how many of those 'honourable' military-men do you think indulge when behind the wheel while off-duty (or on-duty even)? I'd hazard a guess the ratio is no different with the general populace. For it to work, there needs to be a concerted effort where EVERYONE gets it in the neck ALL of the time, not a half-hearted effort to penalise the little man at certain times of the year.

 

Hey, they're human.  Even back home where the cops are militant about DWI enforcement,  it's not unusual for one of them to get caught out with a DWI charge on their off duty time.  DWI isn't the same kind of transgression as, for example, robbing a bank.  Serious?  Sure.  But I don't know anyone who deliberately sets out with the intention of driving home drunk as a skunk.

[MaxLee]

And again,..... the influential rich and their spoilt brats will get a free pass as usual......

[DaveE13]

2 minutes ago, kannot said:

And  when stopped Im sure the " do you know who I am" card  gets  played

Didn't that happen to a top cop in bkk last year I'm sure someone may correct me.  He refused breath test shouting don't you know who I am

[Thaiwrath]

1 hour ago, impulse said:

Kudos to them.  Another few tens of thousands of drunk drivers to go...

 

Say what you want about military rule, they know how to deal with the "silver or lead" incentive program that keeps so many perpetrators on the streets.

 

Why not do it all year round ? Surely it would be a deterrent ?

Edited December 31, 2016 by metisdead
Please do not modify someone else's post in your quoted reply, either with font or color changes or wording.

[meatboy]

87 driving licence's seized SO DID THEY LET THEM CARRY ON?

[anon467848]

Only 6 cars/pick-ups seized, pretty pathetic. A token haul to show the public that they doing their jobs....

[canuckamuck]

I always cringe when I hear the term drink driving. It's such bad English. I get drunk driving, that is driving drunk. But what is drink driving?  Driving in the form of a fluid?

[Thaiwrath]

19 minutes ago, canuckamuck said:

I always cringe when I hear the term drink driving. It's such bad English. I get drunk driving, that is driving drunk. But what is drink driving?  Driving in the form of a fluid?

 

Your day can only get better.

It is the description of driving under the influence of drink, but to cringe when you hear the term is a bit dramatic ?

[ezzra]

When the figures will 2,700 vehicles impounded and 8,700 licenses were

revoked than it will be interesting, until now too little, let's hope it's too late...

[robblok]

49 minutes ago, daveAustin said:

Is this happening nationwide or some small corner of the capital?

 

 

So how many of those 'honourable' military-men do you think indulge when behind the wheel while off-duty (or on-duty even)? I'd hazard a guess the ratio is no different with the general populace. For it to work, there needs to be a concerted effort where EVERYONE gets it in the neck ALL of the time, not a half-hearted effort to penalise the little man at certain times of the year.

I agree with your sentiment.. but still this is better then nothing at least it keeps the little drunks from the road and there are many. I read they caught 5000 in the UK.. I think more farangs here drink and drive then back home. 

[waldroj]

"...The military has impounded 27 vehicles and seized driving licenses of 87 drivers in the first day..." !!!

 

Maybe the military need a different approach to "tanked" drivers (and their impounded vehicles) ???

 

 

[tgeezer]

The process of making driving under the influence of drugs or drink socially unacceptable has to be started at some time. I remember being impressed by my nephew's acceptance of the law in UK, at a time when I didn't bother with it. Luckily other drivers provided the examples which persuaded me to not do it if possible, but I could easily have been locked up many times. I think that I remember a time when being drunk at the wheel was considered a mitigating circumstance in Thailand, so it wouldn't be surprising if a long campaign is necessary. Naturally you start with the lowhanging fruit, because the 'Great and the Good' can get away with it but eventually it will produce results if persisted with.


Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect

[canthai55]

59 minutes ago, impulse said:

 

Hey, they're human.  Even back home where the cops are militant about DWI enforcement,  it's not unusual for one of them to get caught out with a DWI charge on their off duty time.  DWI isn't the same kind of transgression as, for example, robbing a bank.  Serious?  Sure.  But I don't know anyone who deliberately sets out with the intention of driving home drunk as a skunk.

 

Drunk driving is not serious ?  How can you possibly say and/or believe this ?  Deliberate ?  Were they forced to drive at gunpoint ?  My thought - first offence - license gone for one year, fine 300,000 baht. Second time - license gone forever and 5 years in jail. That will make people think.

[watcharacters]

7 minutes ago, canthai55 said:

 

Drunk driving is not serious ?  How can you possibly say and/or believe this ?  Deliberate ?  Were they forced to drive at gunpoint ?  My thought - first offence - license gone for one year, fine 300,000 baht. Second time - license gone forever and 5 years in jail. That will make people think.

 

8 minutes ago, canthai55 said:

 

Drunk driving is not serious ?  How can you possibly say and/or believe this ?  Deliberate ?  Were they forced to drive at gunpoint ?  My thought - first offence - license gone for one year, fine 300,000 baht. Second time - license gone forever and 5 years in jail. That will make people think.

 

 

Country?

[metisdead]

Grammar police posts and replies have been removed. 

[impulse]

25 minutes ago, canthai55 said:

Drunk driving is not serious ?  How can you possibly say and/or believe this ?  Deliberate ?  Were they forced to drive at gunpoint ?  My thought - first offence - license gone for one year, fine 300,000 baht. Second time - license gone forever and 5 years in jail. That will make people think.

 

Read it one more time:   "Serious?  Sure."    Meaning "sure, it's serious"

 

To your other point, many drunk drivers don't even realize they're over the BAC limit when they get behind the wheel after a night of wining and dining.  I have never heard of a bank robber who didn't realize he was robbing a bank.

 

Edited December 31, 2016 by impulse

[scorecard]

1 hour ago, impulse said:

 

Hey, they're human.  Even back home where the cops are militant about DWI enforcement,  it's not unusual for one of them to get caught out with a DWI charge on their off duty time.  DWI isn't the same kind of transgression as, for example, robbing a bank.  Serious?  Sure.  But I don't know anyone who deliberately sets out with the intention of driving home drunk as a skunk.

 

Well there are plenty of folks, all countries who when drunk / very drunk will insist that they are OK to drive and a percentage will get belligerent to very nasty if you try to take their keys away, and in some cases get angry with their spouse or their family.

 

IMHO there should be continuous checking, highly publicized, with very heavy fines and compulsory community service in emergency rooms (and not 2 hours, at least 50 hours) and  compulsory jail time if well over the limit or for second offence, all well publicized on various media platforms including fb etc.   

[poohy]

That's one cute Colonel 

[baboon]

1 hour ago, merlin2002 said:

Only 6 cars/pick-ups seized, pretty pathetic. A token haul to show the public that they doing their jobs....

But it isn't their job. That is what the police are there for.

[baboon]

15 minutes ago, poohy said:

That's one cute Colonel 

No jokes about Colonels and Privates, please...

[thedemon]

1 hour ago, canuckamuck said:

I always cringe when I hear the term drink driving. It's such bad English. I get drunk driving, that is driving drunk. But what is drink driving?  Driving in the form of a fluid?

 

The term drunk driving is old fashioned. It comes from the days when a driver needed to be visibly drunk to be charged. As you see on some US reality TV cop shows where a driver needs to walk a straight line etc.

 

The term drink driving was promoted by law enforcement in some countries years ago to educate drivers that even though not drunk in the conventional sense, drinking even a fairly small amount of alcohol and then driving is illegal.

 

In Thailand the Blood Alcohol Concentration limit is set at 0.05 per cent (0.02% if licence held for less than 5 years). That is roughly 2 small beers for an average man. The majority of people would show no outward signs of being drunk at that level. 

[Rhys]

The pesty teens on motorcycles too should be targets for the boys in green.

[Pinot]

Losing a driver's license must be devastating for a Thai...not.