Drive Drunk, Lose Your Car: Thailand’s OAG Pushes Tough New Proposal. A bold new initiative by the Office of the Attorney-General (OAG) might see drunk drivers losing more than just their licence – their cars could be seized too! Renowned legal academic Pokpong Srisanit from Thammasat University has thrown his weight behind these newly introduced guidelines, suggesting that those who drive under the influence demonstrate a blatant disregard for public safety, warranting such stringent measures. ASEAN NOW

File photo courtesy of Facebook Pattaya News

 

A bold new initiative by the Office of the Attorney-General (OAG) might see drunk drivers losing more than just their licence – their cars could be seized too! Renowned legal academic Pokpong Srisanit from Thammasat University has thrown his weight behind these newly introduced guidelines, suggesting that those who drive under the influence demonstrate a blatant disregard for public safety, warranting such stringent measures.

 

Mr Pokpong, dean of the Faculty of Law, asserts that confiscation is justified when there's clear intent to break the law. Driving over the legal alcohol limit clearly falls into this category, he explains, making violators eligible for asset forfeiture.

 

However, he cautions that such stringent actions should only apply to serious or repeated offences, similar to laws in France where vehicle seizure is reserved for repeat offenders or where accidents result in severe consequences.

 

Consistency is the magic word for meaningful deterrence, according to Mr Pokpong. He warns that without unwavering enforcement, these measures could fail, potentially muddied by corruption. To bolster transparency, he urges mandatory use of police cameras at checkpoints.

 

In a twist, car owners unknowingly lending their vehicles to intoxicated drivers could reclaim them, but knowingly enabling such behaviour would mean losing the vehicle for good.

 

Complementing this, Deputy Government Spokesman Karom Phonpornklang emphasises the need for prosecutors to charge offenders under Section 43 of the Land Traffic Act, for reckless driving.

 

Harsh words indeed, but they might just be what's needed to jolt drivers into staying off the road when they've had one too many. In a noteworthy step, Thailand's judicial system aims at reducing fatalities by hitting offenders where it hurts – their cherished cars.

 

The move decisively shifts focus to preventing future incidents by ensuring serious consequences for taking such dangerous risks. While the proposal is receiving praise for its potential impact, only time and consistent enforcement will determine its true effectiveness.

 

  Adapted by ASEAN Now from Bangkok Post 2025-06-16