CHIANG MAI, 10 May 2015 – A seminar on “Drunk+Driving = Murder : Lessons learned from the deaths of three cyclists” was held a week after the fatal accident in order to share experiences of victims of drunk driving and make the wider society aware of necessary road safety.
The event was organized by Road Safety Group Thailand (RSG) of the National Health Foundation, the Don’t Drunk Drive Foundation and members of cycling clubs network in Chiang Mai.
After the seminar ended, the cycling clubs network proposed five requests to the seminar organizers. Those requests, which they believed would be able to save lives of their fellow cyclists, called for the strengthening of penalty for drunk drivers, setting up of permanent sobriety checkpoints, requirement for entertainment venues to close at designated time, enacting stringent laws and regulations, and lastly building more bike lanes.
Thanapong Jinvong, RSG programme manager said that these requests could be divided into middle-term and long-term plans. He commented particularly that the amended laws should put stronger charge on drunk drivers, from just reckless to “deliberate murder”. Moreover, the amended law should subject all involved in drunk driving accidents to alcohol test.
