Deputy police chief inspects checkpoints for driving under influence on first night of reinstallation
Deputy National Police chief Pol General Damrongsak Kittiprapas on Thursday night visited police checkpoints for DUI (driving under the influence) in front of a petrol station on Prasert Manukit Road in Bangkok’s Lat Phrao district to ensure the smooth and transparent conduct of officers.
April 1 is the first day that DUI checkpoints have been set up again in some provinces, after National Police chief Pol General Suwat Jangyodsuk had ordered a temporary halt to all kinds of police and security checkpoints, including alcohol testing checkpoints following several complaints against officers since October 2020.
The police have since installed CCTV cameras at the points as well as body cameras on officers to record their interaction with road users to ensure transparent operations. Checkpoints in some provinces are now ready to operate again, such as in Bangkok, Ubon Ratchathani and Nakhon Ratchasima provinces.
“Legitimate DUI checkpoints must be listed in the TPCC [Traffic Police Checkpoint Control] database, have traffic cones, and sign posts must be up 100 metres ahead of a police checkpoint with CCTV surveillance," said Damrongsak.
“If road users suspect that any checkpoints do not comply with this rule, please notify Traffic Police Bureau at 1197 or 1599 immediately.
“Tonight we have noticed some flaws in the operation of new DUI checkpoints, such as traffic cones obstructing traffic lanes on small roads,” he added.
On the night of inspection, three motorists reportedly failed the alcohol breathalyser test, as they had more than 50 milligrams of alcohol in their body. They were brought to Khok Khram Police Station to be charged.