Thai Police Consider Harsher Penalties for Motorists Failing to Yield for Ambulances

BANGKOK – The National Legislative Assembly (NLA) will forward a proposal, calling for the Royal Thai Police to consider harsher penalties to motorists who purposely fail to give way to ambulances and emergency vehicles with critically injured patients on board.

The call for more severe punishment has come about after a motorist recently refused to make way for an ambulance that was taking an critically ill patient to a hospital. The ambulance arrived late and the patient was pronounced dead at the hospital.

The NLA vice president, Surachai Liengboonlertchai, said the NLA will forward the issue to the Royal Thai Police, so they can consider amending the traffic law. The current pen

Mr. Surachai said he viewed that motorists should face a criminal offence and not just a fine of 500 baht, if they deliberately obstructed emergency vehicles, causing deaths and injuries.

By Supawadee Wangsri