Chiang Mai ‘Drink Don’t Drive’ During Christmas time

Chiang Mai ‘Drink Don’t Drive’ During Christmas time

The Chiang Mai cops have announced their latest brainwave to stop the carnage on the Thai roads.

They will breath test drinkers before they have even left the pubs. If found over the limit the boozers will be advised to take the bus home. And if they don’t follow suit – they have promised lots of festive season checkpoints to nab drink drivers. Thaponphong Chairansee – the top traffic cop in the northern Thai tourist mecca – said that this will be a great way to bring accidents down and save lives. Thaponphong was speaking at a meeting of police and other agencies who met with representatives from the entertainment sector and bars to ask for their cooperation.

The campaign is called: “Chiang Mai – Drink Don’t Drive, Get Home Safely”.

Following a Bangkok police campaign earlier in the week that concentrated on lowering speed limits, the Chiang Mai force have decided to focus on stopping people drinking and driving to help with the carnage on the roads. Some 60 people a day die on the roads and many of those accidents are caused by alcohol. Entertainment venues have agreed to let officers into their establishments to test patrons who if found to be over the limit for driving will be advised to take public transport or a taxi home.

The traffic chief said that he wanted Chiang Mai to be a safe place for tourists and one of the important factors that would ensure that is to have safe roads. And stopping drink driving will help in that matter. But the cops warned that there will be plenty of drink driving checkpoints as well.  Source: Samui Times