Thai drink drivers ordered to work in a morgue

DRINK-DRIVERS in Thailand will be sentenced to community service in morgues in an attempt to combat the world’s second highest road death rate.

The “shock sentencing” strategy was approved by the Cabinet as the country embarked on its busiest time on the roads – the Thai new year holidays.

“Traffic offenders who are found guilty by courts will be sent to do public service work at morgues in hospi- tals,” said Col Kriangdej Jantarawong, deputy director of the police’s special task planning division. “It is a strategy used to make traffic offenders afraid of driving recklessly and driving while they are drunk, because they could end up in the same condition.”

The authorities have also said they will immediately impound the cars of motorists driving under the influence.

During the extended Songkran new year festivities millions return to their home villages. The celebrations are also marked by heavy consumption of alcohol, including by drivers.

The government’s safety campaign bluntly refers to the holiday week as “The Seven Days of Danger”.

The World Health Organisation estimates about 24,000 people die each year in Thai road traffic accidents, with 26 per cent attributed to drink driving. Only Libya records a greater number of fatalities per capita. The death toll has been increasing in recent years, despite several government crackdowns.