A Chinese national has been fined for cycling after having drunk alcoholic beverages, amid Vietnam’s clampdown on drunk driving with a new law taking effect this year.

Traffic police in Ky Anh Town, Ha Tinh Province, located in north-central Vietnam, levied VND128 million (US$5,512) in fines on 51 drunk driving cases from January 1 to 7, Lieutenant Colonel Ha Phi Hoang, chief of the local traffic police unit, said on Tuesday.

Among them was a case where Xiong Anl In, of Chinese nationality, was booked for cycling after having consumed alcoholic drinks.

Ky Anh traffic police officers pulled over Xiong on Saturday for checking his blood alcohol content (BAC), Lt. Col. Hoang said.

His BAC measured 0.667 milligrams per liter of breathing air.

He was fined VND500,000 ($21.5) as the current law bans drivers of any vehicle from downing any amount of alcoholic beverages.

His bicycle was temporarily impounded.

“Xiong admitted to having downed a lot of beer and wine,” the police chief said.

“We asked his kin to take him home as he was so drunk.

“He was required to pay a VND500,000 fine but he has yet to turn up to settle it.”

Vietnamese police have strictly enforced Government Decree 100/2019/ND-CP since it started taking effect on January 1.

The new fiat’s effective date coincides with that of Vietnam’s Law on Prevention and Control of Harmful Effects of Alcoholic Beverages.

The law strictly bans a person from driving a vehicle after drinking alcoholic beverages.

Cyclists shall be subject to a VND400,000-600,000 ($17.3-26) fine when they are found riding after drinking alcoholic beverages, says the government decree.

Car drivers will be fined VND30-40 million ($1,297-1,729) and have their driving license revoked for 22-24 months if they break regulations on drink-driving.

Motorcyclists will face a VND6-8 million ($259-346) and have their driving license revoked for 22-24 months for the same offense.

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