Nakhon Sawan city police have seized 20 motorcycles and cars from drunk motorists as part of the countrywide anti-drink driving campaign to promote road safety during the New Year celebrations.
Pol Col Aumnart Chomchai, chief of Muang police station, said on Sunday officers and soldiers from the 31st Military Circle had taken away the 20 vehicles, mostly motorcycles, between Thursday and Saturday.
All the vehicles’ owners face drunk driving charges and can only reclaim their vehicles after Jan 4 when the so-called “seven dangerous days” officially ends.
The government last week instructed police to crack down on drink-drivers, giving officers the option of impounding offenders’ vehicles for the duration of the holidays.
On Saturday, Ubon Ratchathani police said they had seized 22 cars from drunk motorists since the campaign kicked off on Christmas Day.
Pol Col Aumnart said people who had their family cars seized by his unit but still needed them for travelling to other provinces could ask to have them returned. Officers would consider each request on a case-by-case basis.
He said an empty area at his station would be turned into a temporary car park on Monday as he expected more vehicles to be taken from drunk drivers when the New Year holiday season was in full swing.
Meanwhile, New Year holidaymakers began to stream out of the capital on Sunday. Police were regulating traffic on a stretch of the Asian Highway (No.32) which connects Chai Nat and Nakhon Sawan and also leads to other northern provinces to ease congestion as a large number of vehicles were using the route throughout the day.
Vehicles have filled an entire section of Mitraphap Road in Nakhon Ratchasima which leads to other northeastern provinces since Sunday morning and are moving slowly on some stretches. The heavy traffic is expected to continue late into the night, according to local police.
All trains travelling to the southern province of Narathiwat and return to Bangkok have been fully booked until Jan 4.
Police show some of the motorcycles they have taken away from the drunk owners. (Photo by Chalit Poomruang)