Prayut prefers to seize licences from drunk drivers
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Police say impounding cars was big success; it cut drunk-driver arrests by half.
PRIME Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha vowed yesterday to continue measures against drunk drivers – but said he would rather seize drivers’ licences instead of impounding their vehicles.
He said the action was authorised under the charter’s Article 44.
“Please understand that this [impounding vehicles] is the law and will remain so until it is cancelled. I have not yet cancelled it,” he said.
“[But] today I instructed [officers] to review the vehicle-impounding action because keeping vehicles for a long time can lead to problems. We might have to return the vehicles and seize the driver’s licences instead, so they can’t go out and drink-drive again,” he said.
Police chief Pol General Chakthip Chaijinda said yesterday police wanted to impound vehicles on all major holidays – as it had yielded a satisfactory result.
Justice permanent secretary Chanchao Chaiyanukij said he would propose that the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) continue to seize drunk drivers’ vehicles until the Songkran Festival and seven months beyond that.
Chanchao said the criteria could be amended so it would not just depend on officers’ discretion, in a bid to prevent corruption.
NCPO deputy spokeswoman Colonel Sirichan Ngathong said from December 25 until January 3, soldiers at checkpoints impounded 4,052 vehicles (3,032 motorcycles and 1,012 cars) because drivers were drunk. All up, 23,703 motorcyclists and 9,432 drivers were facing legal action. She said the Army would return confiscated vehicles to owners today.
The PM thanked all officials for performing duties during the New Year holiday period.
The Road Safety Centre reported that the first six days of the New Year holiday (December 29 to January 3) ended with 340 people killed and 3,216 injured in 3,092 accidents nationwide.
These figures were higher than the same period last year, when there were 301 deaths and 2,843 people injured in 2,732 accidents. Most accidents stemmed from drivers being drunk or speeding, police said, while Chiang Mai had the most accidents at 125 and most injuries (125). Nakhon Ratchasima had the highest road toll (15 deaths), PM’s Office Minister ML Panadda Diskul said.
On January 3 alone, 48 people were killed and 361 injured in 339 accidents. Only five of the 77 provinces – Trang, Phrae, Ranong, Song Buri and Sukhothai – reported no road deaths.
Earlier yesterday, Chakthip told a press conference that impounding vehicles – which he believed was not an abuse of people’s rights – should be used in every key holiday period, as it was a big help in their campaign.
Police revealed that, although the number of motorists who broke the law was more than 700,000 – exceeding the previous period by 100,000 – the number arrested for drunk driving dropped by almost half, which meant preventive measures had been effective against drunk driving.
Chakthip also said that 4,960 houses were placed “under police care” over the New Year – 1,000 more than last year – and most people had now returned.
Other senior police told the media that this long holiday period saw about three million people drive back to their home towns, which was a big jump from the two million in the previous New Year.
DRUNK DRIVING: Prayut prefers to seize licences from drunk drivershttp://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Prayut-prefers-to-seize-licences-from-drunk-driver-30276126.html
Posted by Friends of The Nation on Monday, January 4, 2016
