Police have once more suspended use of drunk driving road safety checkpoints citing the necessity to focus on stopping the unfold of Covid-19. The order was signed by deputy police chief Pol Gen Damrongsak Kittiprapas, on behalf of the nationwide police chief, and is efficient from April 18.
Their use was suspended in October final 12 months, quickly after Pol Gen Suwat took workplace. He promised their operations could be made extra clear.
Pol Gen Damrongsak stated the brand new order is for all police items to check directives issued below Part 9 of the emergency decree, together with the one declaring 18 provinces as most management areas and 59 provinces as management areas, to stem the most recent Covid-19 wave.
Covid-19 policing over highway security
Police items had been to position emphasis on monitoring gatherings and actions deemed of high-risk of spreading the virus.
The order stated checkpoints for alcohol checks and strict enforcement of visitors legal guidelines had been to be suspended, particularly in areas of most covid-19 management. Checkpoints for crime prevention, drug interception and border safety may proceed to function, however they need to not trigger the general public an excessive amount of inconvenience.
Police should additionally stop social actions for leisure functions. Conventional ceremonies might be held, however ought to have sufficient illness management measures in place.
Whereas working, police should strictly observe illness management measures equivalent to sporting face masks always. They should have their temperature taken earlier than going out to work, apply social distancing and use ThaiChana and MorChana apps.
They need to additionally chorus from misconduct, equivalent to heavy consuming and frequenting venues deemed at high-risk of spreading illness, the order stated.
Drunk driving in Thailand
In the meantime, Thailand’s highway security middle reported that drunk driving was the primary trigger to highway accidents and dying in the course of the Songkran vacation. Greater than 3,700 drivers have been caught driving below the affect (DUI) in the course of the first 5 days of the lengthy Songkran vacation.
The Division of Probation experiences that from April 10 to 14, a complete of three,741 drivers had been handed suspended sentences for DUI offences.
“Defendants in 3,730 DUI circumstances had consumed alcohol, whereas within the different 11 offenders had taken narcotic substances,” a probation division official instructed CTN Information.
April 14 noticed the best variety of drunk driving circumstances at 1,648.
The full annual dying toll, over current years, is between 21,000 – 24,000, making Thailand one of many worst on this planet (at the moment #5 on this planet in accordance with World Well being Group knowledge).
Teachers warning that this determine solely pertains to those who die at the scene, and the precise dying toll is way larger when when all all knowledge is collated, and when victims succumb to their accidents after leaving the accident scene.
Below Thai legislation, drunk drivers can face fines of as much as 200,000 baht and/or 10 years in jail plus suspension or revocation of their driving licenses. However in lots of circumstances, the police and courts grant leniency.
In lots of drunk-driving circumstances in Thailand, drivers can be given suspended sentences. To allow them to go on dwelling their regular lives so long as they don’t get caught once more.
The WHO report indicated that 26% of highway deaths in Thailand contain alcohol.
