Police launch 'new' drink-driving checkpoint
published : 6 Nov 2020 at 11:06
writer: Gary Boyle
ORIGINAL SOURCE/WRITER: Post Reporters
A "new kind'' of drink-driving checkpoint was trialed in front Thong Lor police station on Sukhumvit Soi 55 on Wednesday night.
The new national police chief recently ordered the suspension of random drink-driving checkpoints, to help reduce corruption related to bribes and extortion.
The checkpoint in front of Thong Lor station was a large one -- 20 metres long, staffed by 12 police officers. There was a sign alerting motorists to a checkpoint 150 metres ahead, sectioned off by traffic cones and surrounded by four CCTV cameras, police said.
Medium-sized checkpoints will call for nine police officers while small checkpoints will be staffed by seven officers, and all checkpoints will have CCTV cameras to ensure transparency.
Camera footage can go back three days, should motorists want to check. Motorists can use their mobile phones to record police searching their vehicles. If motorists feel they are unfairly treated, they can lodge a complaint by calling the hotline number 1559, police said.
Officers at the checkpoint must wear badges showing their ranks and names, and they must be polite when explaining to people if and how they broke the law.
Vocabulary
- bribe: money or a present given to someone so that they will help you doing something dishonest or illegal - สินบน
- checkpoint: a place where people have to stop so their vehicles and documents can be checked - ด่านตรวจ
- corruption (n): dishonest or illegal behaviour, especially of people in authority -
- extortion: the crime of trying to obtain something by force or threat - การขู่กรรโชก รีดไถ
- polite (adj): having or showing good manners and respect for the feelings of others - สุภาพ, เรียบร้อย, มีกิริยาเรียบร้อย
- random: happening, done or chosen by chance rather than according to a plan - ซึ่งไม่มีแบบแผน
- rank: someone’s official position in the armed forces, police, fire services, etc. - ยศ, ตำแหน่ง
- suspension: stopping for a period of time - การยกเลิกชั่วคราว, การระงับชั่วคราว
- transparency: an honest way of doing things that allows other people to know exactly what you are doing - ความโปร่งใส
- unfair (adj): actions that are not acceptable and appropriate - ซึ่งไม่ยุติธรรม
