At least 100 vehicles have been taken off drunken drivers so far by soldiers and police manning checkpoints along roads nationwide as part of the New Year holiday road safety campaign, National Council for Peace and Order spokesman Col Winthai Suwaree said on Monday.
The action taken was in line with army chief Theerachai Nakwanich's order that authorities arrest people found to be driving while drunk and impound their vehicles. The seized cars and motorcycles could be reclaimed from Jan 5.
Emphasis is being placed on secondary roads between villages, and on motorcyclists, he said.
From Dec 25 until Sunday night, 100 people were found to be driving with more than the legal limit of alcohol in their blood and their vehicles impounded -- 50 cars and 50 motorcycles.
He said 36 were seized in areas under the 2nd Army, and 64 in areas under the 3rd Army. Of the 100 motorists, 38 also had their driving licences suspended.