Drink-drive offenders to work over Songkran coping with other drivers
A large number of the 10,000 people currently on probation after being convicted of drink-driving offences will be helping the Probation Department in its attempts to enhance road safety over the Songkran holidays.
The extra helpers, who have been ordered by the courts to perform social services, will serve as traffic-regulating volunteers at checkpoints nationwide, said Probation Department director-general Prasarn Mahaleetrakul.
These former drunk drivers would, besides missing the chance to celebrate Songkran or travel wherever they like during the holidays, will work at outdoor checkpoints come rain or shine and deal with other intoxicated drivers’ aggression.
This should make them think twice before doing the same thing next time, he said.
Those placed on probation for drunk driving are required to perform social services at given hours throughout the one-year probation period during which their driver’s licence are also suspended.
Prasarn made the comment during a press conference in Bangkok to announce the department’s collaboration with related agencies to boost road safety during Songkran.
Using or having the checkpoint volunteers is a new activity aimed to make those arrested for drunk driving realise their action’s impacts and refrain from repeating the offence.
The holiday duties will be on top of the department’s usual assignments for them to devote their time to social service activities, such as working in morgues or taking care of road accident victims at hospitals or at the bed-ridden victims’ houses, Prasan said.
The department officials, if caught drunk driving, would also be liable for dismissal, he added.
Anther speaker, Secretary General of the Don’t Drive Drunk Foundation, Dr Taejing Siripanich, praised the new form of “checkpoint” probation and said it was entirely appropriate.
He said forcing former drunk drivers to work directly with traffic officers would give them a new perspective about drunk drivers’ actions. Many drunk drivers become aggressive, he said, threatening police officers and those manning checkpoints, or otherwise act inappropriately due to being intoxicated.
The Metropolitan Police Bureau’s Traffic Police deputy chief Pol Lieutenant Col Akom Jantalach said about 2,700 people were on probation in Bangkok City for drunk driving. They could be selected for the checkpoint-manning volunteer work or ordered to stand-by at police stations or other designated facilities.