PUBLISHED: 9 Apr 2024 at 18: 24
A well-known advocate for drink driving has written to the attorney-general and the leader of the Supreme Court to ask them to acquire imposing the maximum fine on drunk drivers this time, particularly repeat offenders.
Dr. Taejing Siripanich’s stepped-up campaign for the maximum drunk driving fine coincides with the Thai Health Promotion Foundation’s ( ThaiHealth ) request for an alcohol-free Songkran this year.
The acting national police chief should instruct the acting secretary-general of the Do n’t Drive Drunk Foundation to recommend that drunk drivers go to jail rather than receive a suspended sentence, according to the secretary-general’s statement from Tuesday.
” It’s time for Thailand to become strong on drink-driving, particularly those who commit the crime after the judge has shown kindness and given them another opportunity,” Dr. Taejing said. There was so much senseless loss of innocent life , during the Thai New Year party, the Songkran festival, and the northern timeline New Year holiday.
According to Dr. Taejing, both significant events were meant to be celebrated” with happiness no destruction.”
Offenders most frequently avoided prison as they were finally given a suspended sentence, he said, despite amendments that foresee tougher drink-drive penalties.
He claimed that this had led to the false impression that driving while under the influence of alcohol was not really severe misconduct.
Dr Pongthep Wongwatcharapaiboon, the director of ThaiHealth, reiterated the foundation’s visit for the Songkran event to be celebrated without the consumption of alcohol, especially in the more than 100 standard venues for water- games across the country.
ThaiHealth is stepping up its ordinary campaign against consume- moving, he said. If they could n’t avoid drinking alcohol, he said, people were advised not to drive if they wanted to participate in the water-spinning.
According to Dr. Pongthep, who cites figures from the Road Accident Victims Protection Co Ltd, 56 % of dangerous road accidents related to a festive party occurred within a 5-kilometer diameter of the deceased’s house, and the majority involved riding a motorcycle without a fall hat.
Individuals tended to think wearing a safety helmet was not important if they were going just a little distance, Dr Pongthep , said.
According to Dr. Pongthep, about 53 % of the 4, 340 road incidents recorded last year during the Songkran event included a bike rider losing power while driving while under the influence while no other vehicle was involved, according to individual statistics released by the Ministry of Public Health.