Thailand Gets Tough on Drunk Drivers

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The following appears in THE NATION:

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Justice to Amend Law to Make Alcohol Test Mandatory for Drunk Drivers

 

The Justice Ministry is pushing for a traffic law amendment to force suspected drunk drivers to take an alcohol test and to permit police to detain those who refuse the test.

 

Permanent secretary for Justice Charan Phakdithanakul said Monday at the launch of the "Young People Against Drink Driving" campaign the ministry had drafted two amendments to the Land Transportation Act 1979.

 

The proposals would be presented to the Cabinet before being submitted to the National Legislative Assembly. They should be in effect for the next Songkran Festival, which is notorious for its annual road carnage caused by drinkdriving.

 

The first amendment would force suspected drunk drivers to take a breath or a blood-alcohol test. Anyone who refuses can be automatically considered by police officers as being drunk, punishable by up to three months in jail and/or a fine of up to Bt10,000. Currently, refusal to take a test draws the lighter penalty of obstructing police, punishable by a fine of Bt1,000 compared Bt4,000 and a year in jail for drink drivers.

 

The second amendment makes it mandatory for all involved in motor accidents to submit to alcohol tests instead of leaving it to a police officer's assessment, Charan said. Later, a fund would be established to help victims of drunk driving accidents.

 

The Nation

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Here's an example of why the new laws are considered necessary:

 

The following appears in the PATTAYA CITY NEWS:

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Drunken Motorbike Taxi Driver Injures Passenger in Late Night Crash on Third Road

 

We urge you to take care when employing the services of a Motorbike Taxi Driver here in Pattaya, especially late at night. The drivers will sometimes wait for long periods of time between customers which can tempt some to consume alcohol to pass the time.

 

This crash which Police tell us was caused by a drunken Motorbike Taxi Driver took place in front of the Pattaya Fire Station on Pattaya Third Road in the early hours of Sunday Morning. It involved a motorbike driven by Khun Gitisuk aged 25 who was taking Khun Apon aged 37 from South Pattaya to her home in Central Pattaya.

 

As the bike passed this location, the driver clipped the side of the pavement and crashed. Both the driver and passenger were injured but not seriously. Inside the bike were 5 whisky bottles hidden under the seat which were taken into evidence by Police.

 

It appears that Khun Gitisuk