Thread: Drunk Drivers During Songkran to have Vehicles Impounded

BANGKOK – The Commissioner-General of Royal Thai Police has affirmed that authorities will implement a policy of impounding the vehicles of drunk drivers, in the hopes of reducing road fatalities during the upcoming Songkran festival.

Commissioner-General Pol Gen Chakthip Chaijinda revealed that from April 13-15, he will give orders to all law enforcement officers across the country to confiscate the motor vehicles of drunk drivers.

He said the police will liaise with local military units across the country to use military grounds to impound the vehicles. In addition, Pol Gen Chakthip said he will call for the establishment of road checkpoints and measures to monitor dangerous driving behavior.

Meanwhile, Acting Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Bureau Pol Lt Gen Sanit Mahaworn has suggested that drivers install dashboard cameras in order to record footage to be used as supporting evidence in the event of a traffic lawsuit.

Statistics have shown that if both parties fail to produce supporting evidence, the party with more legal expertise has the advantage.

Drunk Drivers During Songkran to have Vehicles Impounded | Chiang Rai Times English Language Newspaper

Are they sure about this?

I hope they have a large storage area

Taking away their toys and stiff fines don't deter - they'll just find other options.

Putting them away for a long while get the message across to them and others.

what if it's a hire car?

You mean hi-so car?...

This should really be good...

Originally Posted by Kurgen

I hope they have a large storage area

I can see a few of the top coppers getting into the used-car sales biz here.

Heard this before. Over New Year as I recall.
Carnage was same as always.
Throw the drunk fools in jail. Enforce all traffic laws year around and overtime maybe highway deaths will decrease.
Powers that be are not interested in reducing the carnage. All just a bunch of pretending to do something.

Originally Posted by Norton

Heard this before. Over New Year as I recall.

Me too.

There was a check-point set up along the Canal Rd. here in CM over the last New Year period. There was an accident there because at or around dusk the police manning it disappeared and neglected to turn on the lights so some punter basically drove straight into the barricades because he/she couldn't see them.

Dunno if they were under the influence or not at the time but it would be kinda ironic if they had been.

Originally Posted by Norton

Powers that be are not interested in reducing the carnage. All just a bunch of pretending to do something.

Actually makes sense in a practical way too; most Thai hisos ride in Mercedes, Land Rovers and other extremely safe vehicles that are insured. The slaughter on the highways does not affect them, and even when they are in a crash like Mercedes Boy last week they unfortunately usually survive with few or no injuries.

Not done to solve problem but rather to facilitate graft.

Originally Posted by Norton

Powers that be are not interested in reducing the carnage. All just a bunch of pretending to do something.

Don't be daft, it's all about the money.