The son of a deputy minister got a suspended prison sentence, had his driving license suspended for six months, was told to do 12 hours of community service, and was fined 4,000 baht after being found guilty of driving under the influence.
The person suspected of driving under the influence of alcohol, whose name was not revealed by the police, was apprehended for failing to stop at a police checkpoint on Ratchadapisek Road in Bangkok and crashing a BMW into a road barrier early this morning.
Around 3:30 am today, the police at a checkpoint at Ratchadapisek Soi 31 signalled a BMW to pull over for inspection, but the driver declined and crashed the car into the barrier, leading to the driver's arrest.
The police requested a breathalyser test, but the driver declined. The police used an alternative device that did not need the driver’s cooperation, and it showed a blood-alcohol level of 183mg per 100mL.
The 46-year-old driver was brought to Prachachuen police station for questioning, but he did not acknowledge the charges, accused the police of lacking authority to make the arrest, and of stealing items from the car.
Pol Col Sanya Ubonwirattana, the head of Prachachuen police, mentioned that the driver admitted guilt to the charges after becoming sober and was released on bail.
The driver was charged in Bangkok North District Court this morning, found guilty of drunk driving, and given a two-month prison sentence, suspended for two years, fined 4,000 baht, had his driving license suspended for six months, and was instructed to perform 12 hours of community service.