‘Connected’ driver fails breathalyser after smashing barricade
Officials of Traffic Police Division 5 arrested a 46-year-old man after he drove his sports car into the steel barricades of a police checkpoint near the entrance to Soi Ratchadaphisek 31 in Bangkok’s Chatuchak district on Thursday night.
Police said after the BMW sports car hit the barricade, the driver exited the vehicle but refused to take an alcohol test. This prompted officials to use a non-contact breathalyser on him, which found that he had 183 milligrams of alcohol in 100 milliliters of blood.
The driver, reportedly the son of a deputy minister, was charged with driving under the influence and was put in a holding cell at Pracha Chuen police station. The man was reportedly uncooperative with officials and claimed that the police had stolen his property. He later posted 20,000 baht bail and went home.
Vehicle drivers whose alcohol test reveals over 50 milligrams of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood will be charged with DUI, punishable by up to 1 year imprisonment or a 20,000 baht fine, or both. They will also have their driving licence suspended for at least six months and their vehicle impounded for a maximum of seven days.
Drivers stopped by officials who refuse to be breathalysed face the same punishment.
