Picture: Naew Na
Details of a poll conducted by Suan Dusit were a central feature of a forum on drink driving, accidents and punishment at the Mandarin Hotel in Bangkok.
Thanapong Jinnawong of a road safety group said the poll of 2,152 people in February revealed that more than half of all Thais – 56.37% – had found themselves in a drink driving situation of one kind or another.
Nearly all the population – 93.96% were in favour of stiffer DUI penalties for repeat offenders.
And 87.45% thought those caught a second time should be jailed with no suspension of sentence.
The meeting heard that it was high time for the government and the Thai public to work together to change societal attitudes to drink driving.
Dr Thaejing Siriphanich of the anti-drink driving group said the abuse of alcohol caused accidents and arguments and it was time Thais realised its danger.
Participants at the forum also expressed the view that traders selling alcohol should play a part in helping to stop DUI.
Figures were given for the number of people caught at last year’s Songkran/April period that were just 550 compared to the 2019 number of 17,584.
Naew Na reported the huge reduction was because Thailand was under curfew, alcohol was banned and the pubs were shut.
But Rungarun Limlahaphan representing a health promotion group said that though the figures were skewed by the pandemic it showed what could be done when there was enforcement.
Calls were made for enforcement from the police and a societal shift when it came to DUI for the benefit of the country.
(Source: – Thai Visa News)