Cabinet backs stint in morgue for repeat traffic offenders
THE JUSTICE Ministry last week received Cabinet approval to send repeated traffic-law violators to work in morgues as part of the Department of Probation’s new effort to make probation measures more effective, especially for young offenders.
Public Health Minister Piyasakol Sakolsatayadorn said Thailand records the most number of road accidents in Asia and the second highest in the world, with the annual Songkran holiday alone recording an average of 2.3 deaths and 160 injuries every hour.
Statistics show that the number of traffic-law violators increases during Songkran, the New Year and other long holidays. Teenagers are among the most frequent repeat violators. To help increase the effectiveness of probation measures, Nonjit Netpukana, a senior official of the Department of Probation, said a green light was sought from the Cabinet to send those who commit minor offences to work at hospital morgues.
Current measures ‘ineffective’
Nonjit said the current probation measures such as doing public service or community cleaning work appeared to be ineffective as evidenced by the growing number of traffic-law offenders, especially the young.
He said the new measure making them spend time in a morgue where corpses are kept before being handed over to relatives or law enforcement was expected to have an emotional impact on teenagers compared to other probation measures such as cleaning public roads or pruning trees.
The new measure can also be used for traffic-law offences after the Songkran holidays if the court issues an order, he said.
Meanwhile, health and other authorities have joined forces |to ensure that medical teams reach major road accident sites within 10 minutes, while sales |of alcoholic beverages will be strictly regulated during the Songkran holidays. Authorities have urged motorists to avoid |all alcoholic beverages while |driving and motorcyclists have been told to wear helmets at |all time.
Permanent secretary for Public Health Dr Sophon Mekthon said all medical personnel were ready to provide emergency services during the long holidays, while authorities would ensure that laws on the sale of alcoholic beverages would be strictly enforced.
