Regional News
Thailand’s Land Transport Department Launches Campaign Against Drink Driving
BANGKOK – Thailand’s Land Transport Department and road safety partners have launched their campaign against drink driving, which includes alcohol measurements on the drivers who cause accidents and cannot use breathalyzers.
Kamol Buranapong, deputy director-general of the department, said the campaign was aimed at reducing the number of road accidents and checks for alcohol in the injured drivers who could not use breathalyzers would support law enforcement and boost drivers’ awareness of the importance of alcohol-free driving.
The department allocated a budget for the alcohol checks on 73,000 people who are not capable of using breathalyzers nationwide from December last year to November this year, he said.
Bus drivers take a breath test during a random check at Mor Chit bus terminal as part of a campaign to boost road safety ahead of the Songkran Holiday, tests will also be conducted at 19 terminals across the country.
Meanwhile, the officials of the department would use breathalyzers to check public transport drivers at 195 bus terminals and bus stops as well as 18 road checkpoints nationwide, Mr Kamol said.
Dr Kachornsak Kaewcharas, deputy director-general of the Disease Control Department, told TNA that traffic accidents claimed 20,169 lives last year and their common cause was drink driving.
The department received a budget of 69 million baht from the Land Transport Department to check the levels of blood alcohol in the injured motorists who could not use breathalyzers, he said.
From Dec 17, 2018, to March 31, 2019, 1,873 injured motorists underwent such checks. Of them, 62% had alcohol in their blood and blood alcohol levels breached a limit in 58% of the people, Dr Kachornsak said.
