WARNING - DRINKING AND DRIVING IN PATTAYA.

[SneakySnake]

 

 

Amen to that, brother!

 

Drunk driving isn't a minor infraction, it is the cause for immense suffering in society, it is a proven and well known fact that it is the cause for many accidents resulting in handicapped people and deaths. Also those of innocents.

 

To plead against law enforcement of this is insane, out of touch with reality, and shortsighted. why would you bring the west into this? What does the west have to do with Thai law enforcements decision to do what it should have done all along?

 

The only valid complaint is the way they treat the criminals, at least that's still eastern style enough for you guys?

[pattayavirgin]

Edge thanks for the heads up on this but in all honesty I believe that anyone that drinks and drives and then gets caught deserves whatever penalty that gets dished out to them. Through the selfish behaviour of these individuals too many innocent people end up dead. While I understand that sometimes people make mistakes this is one area where everyone fully understands their decision could end in disaster.

 

PV

[mike8]

I would like to claim that I who drives a bike every day drives better after 5 beers (less than 0.08 after 3 hours) on my bike than one who only comes here for holiday and drives a car at home. Put me in the simulator and you'll see when you compare. I'm not saying you should drive when you are already falling down, but certainly 0.05 is far to low. Why is the limit 0.08 in NZ, UK and the US? I don't think most people realize when they have reached 0.05 but at 0.08 you can definitely tell.

 

And what's with the ordeal at the police station? How about first strike 5K, second strike 100K and third strike you're out? Why make everything a hassle?! Oh wait...

Edited April 25, 2012 by mike8

[markofengland]

Have to disagree that it is a minor infraction - 1 in 5 road deaths in the UK is due to drink driving (about 400 pa).

Fortunately the number of deaths has dropped in recent years due to it no longer being as socially acceptable to drink drive.

 

Surely with 4 out of 5 deaths being caused by sober drivers they are obviously more of a risk than the drunk ones ;o)

[Tengu]

i rest my case about d/d arseholes no need to look any further.hope you kill yourself and not some other poor sod.

Cheers mate!

 

Be careful crossing second road :-) Karma ain't a western concept.

[Tengu]

I've taken a look at some statistics and can't find much on people killing others with a 125cc scooter. But Lots on people on motorcycles being killed by cars. It seems scooter accidents result in personal injury more than another party being hurt, if the accident were the fault of the scooter driver. And in the beloved western world, more cars kill motorcyclist than motorcyclist kill pedestrians.

From that rational, the danger lies in driving the motorbike because you are more likely to be hit by a person driving a car.

 

And for all of you who want me dead, sorry to disappoint. As I've said, I don't drink and drive anymore.

[Nucknfuts]

There are WAY TOO many people on this earth resulting in pollution and depletion of natural resources.

 

With that in mind, anything that reduces the population IS A GOOD THING ......

[dannyw]

So, 2 beers is the max we can drink and take motorbike after...

Thanks for these useful informations, thais don't joke with drink and drive for sure.

[Peeping Tom]

Not true! This morning ( 4.35am!!!!! ) on Soi Khautalow at the railway line, many police were there blocking the whole junction and stopping all motorbikes. They just waved my car through. Luckily my wife drives me home and she does not drink.

Chris

At the crossing of Soi Khao Talo and the railway there are police nearly every night, probably looking for yaba. I’ve never been stopped there, neither in my car, nor on motorbike taxi.

Edited April 25, 2012 by Peeping Tom

[El Cata]

Good info. Taxi's are a cheap alternitive.

 

Not really. Your only choice in Pattaya is a motobike taxi or a rip-off baht bus private hire. Bangkok, even where I live, is wall to wall with taxi meters & they would go a long way to solving the problem in Pattaya. It's a bit of a mystery as to why they haven't been introduced in Pattaya!

Edited April 25, 2012 by El Cata

[Soi Six Snatch Sniffer]

i really never saw the point in drink driving in pattaya, its not as though the taxis are expensive. not difficult fellas, dont drink and drive. get a taxi. its not as though its like the uk when they are like rocking horse shit on a saturday night either, they are everywhere.

[Hamlet]

There are changes taking place in Thailand and many, like this account of breath testing for drunks, are for the better.

 

Last week I applied for Thai driving licenses for car & MC at Khon Kaen. It took 4 days before I finally obtained the licenses. Day 1 was gathering and submitting paperwork. Day 2 road safety films and lectures (all day) and an e-test. Day 3 driving test. I passed right away for MC but was failed for car, despite the fact that I've held an Australian DL for about 45 years. Day 4 resat and passed the car driving test and was issued with licenses.

 

I was a bit pissed that it was so tough and took so long but also glad that finally Thailand is taking driving and road safety seriously. For years we all been making jokes that Thais must get their licenses out of corn flakes boxes, but it seems that is now changing.

Actually the one's that got them out of 'Corn Flake' Boxes were the better ones' !! When i was first there, a lot got them from the 'Fruit Loops' Cartons !!

[Edge]

i really never saw the point in drink driving in pattaya, its not as though the taxis are expensive. not difficult fellas, dont drink and drive. get a taxi. its not as though its like the uk when they are like rocking horse shit on a saturday night either, they are everywhere.

 

Edge to ..........hmmmmm still not changed it back.

 

You're right and I'm not disagreeing with anyone who says drink driving is stupid and wrong, although I do think that Tengu has a valid point in that riding a 125 cc m/bike under the influence is not much of a threat to anyone other than oneself.

I confess I even had to stifle a smile at BM mikeofengland's statistical analysis - "Surely with 4 out of 5 deaths being caused by sober drivers they are obviously more of a risk than the drunk ones ;o)"

It's a serious issue of course, but not least for anyone unfortunate enough to go through the ordeal described.

 

Whilst the taxi system for any holiday visitor staying in the main arena is very cheap and convenient, it seems as though those Songtaews are just lying in wait for anyone going off piste.

 

If, as El Cata implied, one could jump in a properly metered taxi, it wouldn't be so much of a problem, but for anyone choosing to live 5 kms or so into the Darkside, it is and don't forget you have to get one to take you in as well, unless you're going to get one back in again next day and try finding your m/bike.

Being stupid enough to live 20 kms out means taxis and m/bike taxis are not the answer. A LT (alone) at FLI would be cheaper.

 

.

[londonpride]

This is bloody frightening...And I believe true.

 

Thank's for the input pep's!

[Luv2Phuket]

I have yet to kill anyone

 

A statement that about 99% of drunk drivers who end up killing someone could have made BEFORE they took that fateful drive.

 

The only reason I've stopped drinking and driving is the risk of jail. That's it. I have known my limitations for years. Again, I'm confident in my judgement.

 

Hence the deterrent effect of the stiff penalties -- they have caused you to re-think your actions in the U.S., and, based upon posts above, it seems some of the folks in Pattaya who have read this are re-thinking their actions.

 

All of that said, I do not advocate disproportionate penalties. The penalty for driving while intoxicated should not be near the penalty for actually harming someone (although it needs to be stiff enough to make people think twice before doing it).

 

Maybe I'm off my rocker, but I think drunk driving is a much bigger threat here in the U.S., where dunk drivers are in Hummers, SUVs and big ass cars (like my dumbass, drunk ass brother, who drives his Dodge Challenger while drunk as shit about twice a week, despite 2 prior DUIs), as opposed to LOS, where I'm guessing most are on a motorbike. Unless they veer that motorbike into a group of people sitting in a beer bar, they are likely just going to f*ck themselves up.

 

 

There are unique Korean taxi services here in the Koreatown area of LA -- they actually drive you home in your own car, then they either have someone from the service come pick them up or they are just followed to be picked up. Pretty interesting idea, especially given that LA is so spread out and EVERYONE drives their own car. It gets you home safely and you don't have to worry about how to go get your car the next day. I have some Korean friends that use those services quite a bit!

 

It doesn't sound like a concept that would work all that well in Pattaya, as it's my understanding -- as noted above -- that most folks are on motorbikes. I guess you could take a motorbike taxi, while another guy drives your bike home. Just doesn't sound as appealing as the "have your car driven home" business model.

[Luv2Phuket]

Being stupid enough to live 20 kms out means taxis and m/bike taxis are not the answer. A LT (alone) at FLI would be cheaper.

 

I think I've got the answer, by combining your post with my Koreatown taxi service description: Get a LT and make HER drive you home on your motorbike!

 

Sure, you gotta drive her back the next day, but you get plenty of boom boom, a ride home AND avoid the drunk driving risk! 5555555!

[m1rossi]

Just to add to this yesterday i was stopped by the police close to the market at Jomtien on my Scooter, there is a u-turn section as you approach which allows you to drive on the wrong side of the road for about 10 meters before arriving at the market. I was to busy looking for oncoming traffic and never noticed the police standing. They took my license and gave me a 400 baht fine which i had to go to Dongtan police station and pay before the would return my license, when paying the fine at Dongtan the police registered my name on the computer and told me if i was back for any type of offense i would be arrested, put in jail and go to the court the following day! On returning to collect my license at the same u-turn the Thai drivers were all doing the same as i had done driving on the wrong side of the road and wearing baseball caps instead of helmets and did the police do anything, did they fuck

[patc]

Sounds like Melbourne, f**k all we want to to is have an occasional good time in our shitty life! Big brother get out of my space.

[drdoom6996]

Terrible story. I hate hearing these stories froam Thailand but unfortunately we hear more of them more frequently now. It's just so easy to fuck the farang, piece of piss, farang frighten easily and cough up dosh easily.

 

It's hard to know what to do; when to start paying. I've heard so many guys say they wished they'd settled very early on. The higher up it all goes and the more Thais that are involved then the more expensive it all gets, naturally, as there's so many more of the mongrels to pay off.

 

As a general rule, any sort of police trouble anywhere in Asia try and settle with the cop on the spot fast. It helps greatly if you know a Thai who has some influence. I never leave home without my mobile, if I ever had any trouble at all I'd call my missis instantly. The senior managers of her company have cop connections. When you live here you can make some connections, but of course a tourist is at their mercy. And Thai cops are not known for their mercy, just their appetite for dosh.

If you make it to the cop shop here it will cost you. Do whatever you can,especially if you are right, to stay away from the cop shop.

[Edge]

I think I've got the answer, by combining your post with my Koreatown taxi service description: Get a LT and make HER drive you home on your motorbike!

 

Sure, you gotta drive her back the next day, but you get plenty of boom boom, a ride home AND avoid the drunk driving risk! 5555555!

 

My bike requires a minimum inside leg measurement of 32".

 

With Asian 'girls' that will usually include extras I really don't want thanks.

.

[Tengu]

A statement that about 99% of drunk drivers who end up killing someone could have made BEFORE they took that fateful drive.

 

 

 

Hence the deterrent effect of the stiff penalties -- they have caused you to re-think your actions in the U.S., and, based upon posts above, it seems some of the folks in Pattaya who have read this are re-thinking their actions.

 

All of that said, I do not advocate disproportionate penalties. The penalty for driving while intoxicated should not be near the penalty for actually harming someone (although it needs to be stiff enough to make people think twice before doing it).

 

Maybe I'm off my rocker, but I think drunk driving is a much bigger threat here in the U.S., where dunk drivers are in Hummers, SUVs and big ass cars (like my dumbass, drunk ass brother, who drives his Dodge Challenger while drunk as shit about twice a week, despite 2 prior DUIs), as opposed to LOS, where I'm guessing most are on a motorbike. Unless they veer that motorbike into a group of people sitting in a beer bar, they are likely just going to f*ck themselves up.

 

 

There are unique Korean taxi services here in the Koreatown area of LA -- they actually drive you home in your own car, then they either have someone from the service come pick them up or they are just followed to be picked up. Pretty interesting idea, especially given that LA is so spread out and EVERYONE drives their own car. It gets you home safely and you don't have to worry about how to go get your car the next day. I have some Korean friends that use those services quite a bit!

 

It doesn't sound like a concept that would work all that well in Pattaya, as it's my understanding -- as noted above -- that most folks are on motorbikes. I guess you could take a motorbike taxi, while another guy drives your bike home. Just doesn't sound as appealing as the "have your car driven home" business model.

 

In rural Japan they have the same service as the Korean one you mentioned. It's called "Daiko" They drive you home in your own car. The prices are a little cheaper than a taxi. It works out really well if a group goes out together in the same car. they'll even drive you to other bars if you like.

I'm wondering how it works in LA. Robbery is non-existent in Japan, but I think in the US there would be major issues.

Can anyone use the service? They also must have huge liability insurance. I'm curious to see their business model.

I don't think it would work well in Pattaya, but it would sure be a great thing if I was ever to consider moving back to the empire.

 

As far as Pattaya goes, since I'm just a 2 week millionaire, not driving a motorbike isn't that difficult. Especially if I can get a central condo.

 

I did enjoy the freedom of tooling around town on a motorbike. It was great to shoot off the Sapphire Lodge or the Darkside on a whim. But those days are sadly over.

Yet another effect of Pattaya changing into a family destination. May it RIP

[eXplosief]

Just to add to this yesterday i was stopped by the police close to the market at Jomtien on my Scooter, there is a u-turn section as you approach which allows you to drive on the wrong side of the road for about 10 meters before arriving at the market. I was to busy looking for oncoming traffic and never noticed the police standing. They took my license and gave me a 400 baht fine which i had to go to Dongtan police station and pay before the would return my license, when paying the fine at Dongtan the police registered my name on the computer and told me if i was back for any type of offense i would be arrested, put in jail and go to the court the following day! On returning to collect my license at the same u-turn the Thai drivers were all doing the same as i had done driving on the wrong side of the road and wearing baseball caps instead of helmets and did the police do anything, did they fuck

Yes they closed a few of the intersections some time ago so you will need to drive in the wrong direction, make a u-turn and continue your way to where you want to go. They almost everyday check for people driving against the traffic as a shortcut. I have seen both falang and thai been fined.

[eXplosief]

In rural Japan they have the same service as the Korean one you mentioned. It's called "Daiko" They drive you home in your own car. The prices are a little cheaper than a taxi. It works out really well if a group goes out together in the same car. they'll even drive you to other bars if you like.

I'm wondering how it works in LA. Robbery is non-existent in Japan, but I think in the US there would be major issues.

Can anyone use the service? They also must have huge liability insurance. I'm curious to see their business model.

I don't think it would work well in Pattaya, but it would sure be a great thing if I was ever to consider moving back to the empire.

 

As far as Pattaya goes, since I'm just a 2 week millionaire, not driving a motorbike isn't that difficult. Especially if I can get a central condo.

 

I did enjoy the freedom of tooling around town on a motorbike. It was great to shoot off the Sapphire Lodge or the Darkside on a whim. But those days are sadly over.

Yet another effect of Pattaya changing into a family destination. May it RIP

What stops you from asking a motortaxi driver to drive your bike and a 2nd to follow? I am sure they will gladly do as you ask for a reasonable sum.

[how122255]

Not really. Your only choice in Pattaya is a motobike taxi or a rip-off baht bus private hire. Bangkok, even where I live, is wall to wall with taxi meters & they would go a long way to solving the problem in Pattaya. It's a bit of a mystery as to why they haven't been introduced in Pattaya!

What's wrong witha 30 baht motorbike taxi?

[Soi Six Snatch Sniffer]

Edge to ..........hmmmmm still not changed it back.

 

You're right and I'm not disagreeing with anyone who says drink driving is stupid and wrong, although I do think that Tengu has a valid point in that riding a 125 cc m/bike under the influence is not much of a threat to anyone other than oneself.

I confess I even had to stifle a smile at BM mikeofengland's statistical analysis - "Surely with 4 out of 5 deaths being caused by sober drivers they are obviously more of a risk than the drunk ones ;o)"

It's a serious issue of course, but not least for anyone unfortunate enough to go through the ordeal described.

 

Whilst the taxi system for any holiday visitor staying in the main arena is very cheap and convenient, it seems as though those Songtaews are just lying in wait for anyone going off piste.

 

If, as El Cata implied, one could jump in a properly metered taxi, it wouldn't be so much of a problem, but for anyone choosing to live 5 kms or so into the Darkside, it is and don't forget you have to get one to take you in as well, unless you're going to get one back in again next day and try finding your m/bike.

Being stupid enough to live 20 kms out means taxis and m/bike taxis are not the answer. A LT (alone) at FLI would be cheaper.

 

.

to all those people who have to go off piste because they live in pattaya week in week out, i am trying to feel sympathetic for you i really am. enough said.