How can Thailand curb its appalling road fatality rate?

Driving and riding in Hua Hin and Thailand, all topics on cars, pickups, bikes, boats, licenses, roads, and motoring in general.
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StevePIraq
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Re: How can Thailand curb its appalling road fatality rate?

Post by StevePIraq »

In many ways the article is correct. The blame is always placed on the drivers. The government has a department that manages and controls the roads, it also has a police department for implementing state laws, yet neither are ever blamed for improper designs, road management or law enforcement.

We foreigners are always bitching about so many aspects of roads and driving but there is not much if anything we can constructively do. Do the authorities take any notice of comment on forums or in the press, a big fat NO.
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Re: How can Thailand curb its appalling road fatality rate?

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Strict laws 'to ensure safe roads'

https://www.bangkokpost.com/news/genera ... safe-roads

Stricter rules and law enforcement are among measures promised by the the government to improve road safety nationwide as it reflects on figures which show the country has the second highest road fatality record in the world.

The new rules will include a speed limit of 50 km/h in community areas and requiring a special driving licence for big bike drivers, Deputy Interior Minister Sutee Markboon told the 13th Thailand Road Safety Seminar on Wednesday.

"To promote safety among the main risk groups especially motorcyclists, cyclists and pedestrians, all motorcycles must be equipped with an Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS), to prevent locked wheels, and we must also have a minimum age and special driving licence for riders of big bikes," he said.

Law enforcement must be more effective, drunk drivers will face harsher punishment and arrest, and all suspects must take alcohol breath-tests, he said.

Other measures being looked at include integration among road safety promotion agencies, improving budgeting for road safety agencies, providing road safety education at all school levels, as well as supporting effective investigation and follow up of road accident causes and preventive measures, he said.

"We need technologies and innovative ideas to lower road accidents, and I must emphasise our academics and researchers who make the greatest contribution to this initiative," he added.

Thailand has 23,000 fatalities per year as a result of many factors including reckless driving and poor road infrastructure.

Thanapong Jinvong, programme manager at Road Safety Group Thailand, said Thailand faces a loss of 500 billion baht each year from road accidents.

Transport Minister Arkhom Termpittayapaisith said the state's investment in transportation infrastructure will be huge in the next 8-10 years.

"Our expenditure on better traffic lights and improving road quality is only one aspect of our planned investments. Education is the missing key because we must create a culture of safety and awareness among youth, which is largely missing," he added.

Executive chairman of the Safer Roads Foundation Michael Woodford, who earned the Prime Minister Road Safety Award this year, said implementing the law should be paramount.

"Only 4% of people pay for traffic tickets in Thailand. If 50,000 people are given a 500 baht fine per day, that's 25 million baht that could be re-invested in road safety," Mr Woodford said.

"There are 25,000 road traffic deaths per year in Europe and the EU population is 600 million. That makes Thailand dangerous when you look at the numbers, so please enforce your traffic laws," he added.
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Re: How can Thailand curb its appalling road fatality rate?

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Nereus wrote: Thu Dec 07, 2017 9:41 am
"Only 4% of people pay for traffic tickets in Thailand.
I bet 90% of that 4% are in Hua Hin. :duck:
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Re: How can Thailand curb its appalling road fatality rate?

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Nereus wrote: Thu Dec 07, 2017 9:41 am "Only 4% of people pay for traffic tickets in Thailand. If 50,000 people are given a 500 baht fine per day, that's 25 million baht that could be re-invested in road safety," Mr Woodford said.
Those 50,000 people pay, but no ticket is issued. Maybe Mr Woodford needs to investigate where the money is going.
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Re: How can Thailand curb its appalling road fatality rate?

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"To promote safety among the main risk groups especially motorcyclists, cyclists and pedestrians, all motorcycles must be equipped with an Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS), to prevent locked wheels, and we must also have a minimum age and special driving licence for riders of big bikes," he said.
Don't ride any bike myself, but surely the highest number of deaths of riders is NOT from "big bikes"?
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Re: How can Thailand curb its appalling road fatality rate?

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As usual it's another 'stab in the dark'. The only sensible statement in that report is:

"Education is the missing key because we must create a culture of safety and awareness among youth"

and it's not just theory and silly videos at the transport offices, but real training. A licence should only be given when proven competence ON THE ROAD. (of course that would require a competent instructor and competent examiner!)

But it's unlikely to change in my lifetime.

How many 'big bikes' are involved in accidents compared with others?
What scooters are fitted with ABS? Only a select few.
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Re: How can Thailand curb its appalling road fatality rate?

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ABS will not save anyone if they are as stupid as most local drivers/riders
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Re: How can Thailand curb its appalling road fatality rate?

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The missing element is a police force willing to get off their arses and do some proper policing.
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Re: How can Thailand curb its appalling road fatality rate?

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And they will not because they are Thai, it is not in Thai culture to be serious about anything
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Re: How can Thailand curb its appalling road fatality rate?

Post by caller »

They have to care first if they want to curb the problems and most Thais seem unconcerned.
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Re: How can Thailand curb its appalling road fatality rate?

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So true caller-- We all agree NOTHING will change, It is one of the things that you have to accept, just put it on the con side of the pro/con assessment of the place.
I knew one UK couple who left after 18 months in Thai. they had 2 near-misses on the roads and the traffic was their BIG reason for leaving. We all advise people who are thinking of coming to Thailand HH to come and spend a little time to judge the place, but for some reason, it takes several months or years to realize quite how bad it is.
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Re: How can Thailand curb its appalling road fatality rate?

Post by Khundon1975 »

buksida wrote: Thu Dec 07, 2017 9:44 am
Nereus wrote: Thu Dec 07, 2017 9:41 am
"Only 4% of people pay for traffic tickets in Thailand.
I bet 90% of that 4% are in Hua Hin. :duck:
Only 4% pay their traffic tickets, but that figure would be 100% if the tea money fines for motoring offences were included.
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Re: How can Thailand curb its appalling road fatality rate?

Post by oakdale160 »

To StevePIraq
I am not sure that it is an inability to be serious, I have worked with Thai people who were very serious about their work.
BUT, they have NO sense that anything can be changed, much less that any effort by an individual or group can bring about change.
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Re: How can Thailand curb its appalling road fatality rate?

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Yes serious about work but not much else
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Re: How can Thailand curb its appalling road fatality rate?

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So tonight I roll up to the red light at Chomsin/Pekky Rd lights...2 MiB on a m/cycle sat there also waiting..
*1..2 Thais on m/cycles park right next to them..no helmets worn..Reaction?...No reaction.
*2..Once we had the green light we all headed west up Chomsin..police bike in the lead...a car pulls out of the 'Market St
right in front of them..causing police bike to brake heavily & pillion nearly falls off!..Reaction?..No reaction.
*3..Over the railway there's a youth on his m/cycle weaving all over...his head is tilted to the side because he's deep in
conversation on his phone..(also no helmet)..Mib pass by him..Reaction?..No reaction.

This is the Far East..Western driving standards will never work or be policed..TiT
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