Gov’t prepares stronger drunk-driving measures for 21-day Songkran

The April 11 to 17, 2023 festival period saw a total of 4,340 cases of injuries and fatalities resulting from drinking and driving, including 502 cases involving individuals under the age of 20. These incidents often occurred more frequently on secondary roads than on main roads.

Following agreement at a Monday meeting of the Alcoholic Beverage Policy Committee, Dr Cholnan Srikaew, the Minister of Public Health, announced the approval of guidelines for controlling alcohol consumption at this year's celebration.

The Department of Disease Control, in collaboration with the Alcohol Control Network, has proposed a campaign titled, “Don't drive and drink. Don’t drink and drive”.

This initiative is to be integrated with the National Alcohol Control Plan Phase 2 (2022-2027) to prevent and reduce road accidents during Songkran Festivals.

The operational plan for the festival is divided into three phases: the pre-festival preparation period from April 1 to 10, the festival period from April 11 to 17, and the post-festival period from April 18 to 21.

The focus is on creating safe areas for water-splashing, with the plan also requesting that provincial governors and the Governor of Bangkok consider organising alcohol-free and safe Songkran water celebration areas.
Furthermore, the plan encourages the Alcohol Control Committees in the provinces and Bangkok, along with relevant agencies, to collaborate to develop a public relations campaign to persuade businesses and the public to adhere to the law.

It also urges district officers and activists to actively participate in and enforce strict compliance with the law, especially in matters such as the prohibition against selling alcoholic beverages to individuals under the age of 20, selling alcoholic beverages through promotional activities of all kinds, sales outside the legally specified hours (from 11 am to 2 pm and from 5 pm to midnight), as well as in the sale and consumption in places specified under the law.

It is also ordered that the alcohol level of every driver involved in an accident be tested using breathalyzers; if the suspect is unable to blow, blood tests should be conducted at the hospital.

Individuals under the age of 20 with alcohol levels exceeding 20 milligrams per gram should be thoroughly investigated, with legal action taken against those who supplied the alcohol.

The emphasis will be on preventive measures addressing risky behaviours within communities to keep intoxicated people off the streets, according to the plan.

This will include setting up family and community checkpoints and screening for alcohol use by people who are under court-ordered behavioural control due to drunk driving.

Those willingly entering rehabilitation programmes at Ministry of Public Health hospitals should have their treatment expenses covered, the plan states.