Nearly 3,500 vehicles impounded for drunk driving in first three days of Songkran break

[rooster59]

Nearly 3,500 vehicles impounded for drunk driving in first three days of Songkran break

By The Nation

 

 

Authorities have impounded 3,460 vehicles and taken legal action against some 200,000 people for drunk driving during the first three days of the “seven dangerous” Sonkran holidays, a spokeswoman of the National Council for Peace and Order said on Saturday.

 

Colonel Sirichan Ngathong told a press conference that 2,633 motorcycles and 827 four-wheel vehicles were impounded from Wednesday to Friday.

 

She said 110,826 motorcyclists and pillion riders and 91,697 motorists faced legal action during the three-day period.

 

On Friday alone, authorities seized 1,219 motorcycles and took action against 39,759 motorcyclists. They also seized 401 four-wheel vehicles and took action against 30,854 motorists.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/news/breakingnews/30312335

 

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-04-15

[gandalf12]

Why would a pillion rider face charges? Surely the person in charge of the motorcycle would if found to be drunk. Does this mean if you are drunk and get a taxi home you can be charged???

[ubonjoe]

12 minutes ago, gandalf12 said:

Why would a pillion rider face charges?

Ne helmet perhaps. No mention of why the drivers were charged. 

[darksidedog]

200,000 Drink driving cases in 3 days? Unbelievable number in such a short space of time, but clearly the message isn't sinking in.

Had they seized 200,000 Vehicles at the same time, rather than just 3,460, maybe others would start thinking twice before driving drunk.

The favourite excuse for those caught will probably be, "I couldn't take the train because I am drunk, so this was my only option!"

[chainarong]

Not listening , not learning , not intelligent enough to understand right from wrong, U could say Thailand has quite a few risk takers, and next year they'll do the same again.................................

[r136dg]

Quite the revenue builder. Now get some patrols on the road & start handing out citations for careless driving!

[Dellboy218]

51 minutes ago, gandalf12 said:

Why would a pillion rider face charges? Surely the person in charge of the motorcycle would if found to be drunk. Does this mean if you are drunk and get a taxi home you can be charged???

As is common with many western countries....the driver of the vehicle is responsible for the actions of passengers.  You can be drubk in a taxi but not offensive/aggressive and throwing objects out the window.  The pillions may not have been wearing crash helmets.

[PatOngo]

46 minutes ago, darksidedog said:

200,000 Drink driving cases in 3 days? Unbelievable number in such a short space of time, but clearly the message isn't sinking in.

Had they seized 200,000 Vehicles at the same time, rather than just 3,460, maybe others would start thinking twice before driving drunk.

I seriously doubt it, happens year after year. There was  a time when I cared!

[TumblinDice]

Unbelievably reckless & stupid! Don't they get it yet?


Sent from my iPad using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[edwinchester]

Absolutely staggering figure for those charged with drunk driving over only three days.

It is obvious, for whatever reasons, people do not give any thought as to the consequences of drunk driving.

Maybe that has a lot to do with there being no real penalties should they actually be caught.

[tonywillo]

Excellent work!  about 20 years too late but. They need to maintain the momentum and form a bib drink driving squad, out in force every Thursday, Friday Saturday nights. It would be fair to say a certain percentage of those arrested would have been involved in an accident or even fatality.  

[NoshowJones]

What happens to all these vehicles and motorbikes that are impounded. What exactly does impounded mean? Do the owners not get them back or what? I sure hope they don't.

I have read so many different things about this.

[prakhonchai nick]

One can only hope that the 200,000 drunk drivers seized will be punished sufficiently, that they will never ever drink and drive again. Unfortunately, the legal maximum fine is fixed at such a ridiculously low amount, that nobody will care about driving under the influence in future,.

[fish monger]

Now charge the motor bike owners 5,000 baht and the car owners 10,000 baht, to get their vehicles back...! Drive the point home...!

[brownknees]

If all drivers lost their licence ,job and liveihood then it might sink in.If cops sat next to a bar with a big car park it would be easy to breathalyse all drivers and put them all in the cells for the night,just like other countries do.Third world country indeed!!!!!!

[Moti24]

25 minutes ago, possum1931 said:

What happens to all these vehicles and motorbikes that are impounded. What exactly does impounded mean? Do the owners not get them back or what? I sure hope they don't.

I have read so many different things about this.

Vehicle impounded, until the owner can walk a straight line.  If the brown envelope reached the appropriate destination, the vehicle will be returned so the drivers don't have to walk between bars.

 

The other 2,000,000 vehicles were........Well, let's just say they passed the breathaliser test.

[Moonlover]

Many years ago, (I don't know how long) the British police forces began their annual Christmas and New Year anti drink driving campaigns. These more or less follow a similar pattern to what we are seeing here now. At first they were resented, but gradually the public got the message.

 

The aim of these campaigns was not primarily to catch drunk drivers, but to deter them in the first place. If a driver knew there was a good chance they might get caught, they were less likely to drink in the first place. And they have been very successful.

 

Campaigns such as this, coupled with heavy penalties, year long suspensions and a whopping big insurance premium at the end of that suspension, have been the main deterrents that brought drink-driving deaths and injuries  down from nearly 31,500 in 1979 to 3,200 in 2014. (deaths in the same period came down from 1,640 to 240)

 

Note the timescale. It took 35 years.

 

This country has a long way to go, but, at least, they recognize the problem and are making the effort.

 

At least give them some credit for that.

[TEFLKrabi]

2 hours ago, PatOngo said:

I seriously doubt it, happens year after year. There was  a time when I cared!

It seems this is the first year they've really come down on them. Let's wait for the next long holiday, New Year, to see if the figures improve.

[The Man Who Sold the World]

Enforcement, enforcement, enforcement, provided enforcement continues, the lessons will be learned.

 

Thailand, twenty-five years ago, the person wearing a motorcycle helmet was the exception to the rule, today, helmets are worn, all because of enforcement, 

 

USA thirty years ago, seat belts were rarely worn optional. Today, not buckling up is the exception to the rule ... enforcement, enforcement, enforcement...

 

Forty-five years ago in the USA I frequently rode in the back of my Dad's pickup, today, never happens... enforcement, enforcement, enforcement...

 

Thirty years ago, Thailand, bamboo scaffolding was the norm, no fall protection at all... Today... a rarity.

 

Thailand is on the right path. Addressing safety issues and concerns, slowly, consistently, almost doggedly... and, this will work...

 

As stated in an earlier post - give credit where credit is due...

 

[hotchilli]

2 hours ago, edwinchester said:

Absolutely staggering figure for those charged with drunk driving over only three days.

It is obvious, for whatever reasons, people do not give any thought as to the consequences of drunk driving.

Maybe that has a lot to do with there being no real penalties should they actually be caught.

If they handed out one year automatic bans for drink driving plus a hefty fine then maybe the message might just start to get through.

Same for driving with no licence, absolutely staggering number of offenders... it shows that in the past fines for no licence hasn't made a difference, money for the police & the drivers/riders just get straight back on the road again.. sheer madness.

It should be an automatic ban, if you re-offend during the term the vehicle is crushed.

[ChakaKhan]

I bet if the cops SOLD the precious thais CARS they may think twice

 

Of course i could see somchai crying to mama to buy it back for him to drive it again..

[ChakaKhan]

ANYONE witnessed seeing ONE car on a lift getting towed/impounded??????

Or is just news to appease the masses...i saw some cops today by police

station--drinking and enjoying songkran in uniform.....no impounding that i saw

[metisdead]

Off topic posts have been removed. 

[Bluespunk]

5 hours ago, rooster59 said:

taken legal action against some 200,000 people for drunk driving

200,000 people!

 

I'm sorry but what the <deleted>!

 

200,000...that is beyond belief. 

Edited April 15, 2017 by Bluespunk

[Lucky mike]

Like Groundhog Day ?

[momtaz]

why these ridiculous accidents became as a yearly custom?

taking hundreds of lives and many of them are innocents just got killed because of the reckless driving of drunk guys,

imposing harder restrictions and punishment may help to reduce these catastrophic fatal events.

[wvavin]

Get those in the inactive posts to clean up the impounded cars and the proceed will go to all the hospitals.

[Bluespunk]

37 minutes ago, Lucky mike said:

Like Groundhog Day ?

More like completelysmashedoutofyourmind day 

[TumblinDice]

Here's an idea. Once these guys are busted for DUI's (if they survive), a hefty fine, loss of driving privileges for one year (standard in Canada for 1st offence plus a criminal record) & mandatory installation of "ignition interlock system" for two years. All new drivers required to have one & every new bike sold to those younger than 30 years have as a required standard. Maybe that will hit it home??


Sent from my iPad using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[Elkski]

Really?  All new drivers have a lock out blow your bac checker.   

 

Anyway kudos to Thailand for trying and I do believe it takes education in the school level and 25 years of relentless enforcement