PATTAYA, Thailand – The joke has worn thin. “Sorry officer, I’m too drunk to take the test” might get a laugh online, but on Pattaya’s roads it now lands drivers straight in trouble. Refusing a breathalyzer is treated as guilt, not cleverness—and the penalties are no longer pocket change.
Late-night checkpoints in areas like Jomtien have become routine, and while enforcement can look uneven—cars waved through while helmetless motorbikes are pulled aside—the message is blunt: refuse the test and you’re done. The fine is no longer the old whispered figure. It’s 20,000 baht, and yes, drivers can be escorted to an ATM if needed. Add court dates, license suspensions, and the risk of impoundment, and the “I’ll chance it” mindset collapses fast.
What’s harder to understand is why anyone still risks it. Pattaya is saturated with ride-hailing services. Grab is cheap, fast, and everywhere—especially at night. Compared with a 20,000-baht fine (or worse, an accident), the cost of a ride is negligible. For foreign tourists, the math is even simpler: fines sting more, legal processes are unfamiliar, and reputational damage travels home faster than you do.
There’s also a broader responsibility. Drunk driving isn’t a private gamble; it’s a public threat. Pattaya’s roads already carry the burden of heavy tourism, motorbike traffic, and late-night fatigue. Adding alcohol to that mix isn’t rebellious—it’s reckless. And refusing a test doesn’t make the problem disappear; it confirms it.
The excuses are gone. The penalties are clear. The alternative is easy. If you’re drinking, don’t drive. Tap the app, get home, and wake up without a fine, a court summons, or a headline you never wanted.
