Thailand speed limits to be halved?

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404cameljockey
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Re: Thailand speed limits to be halved?

Post by 404cameljockey »

T.I.G.R. wrote: Thu Aug 10, 2017 4:15 pm "You can make the speed limit whatever you like, but until there is meaningful enforcement on the roads and society as a whole starts to give a shit about anything like this, then the authorities can whistle for it", I quote Spitfire.

***********************************************************************

No need to go further! There isn't one stinking cop on traffic enforcement in this area. You can see it clearly in the way IDIOTS drive here. I won't speak for the rest of Thailand but I can't imagine other than Bangkok and the larger metropolitan areas it is any different.

As I drove into Cha Am this morning from seven miles south, doing about 104 kmh, I was the slow one.....not unusual and not unexpected. People are seemingly driving faster and faster; with no -one stopping them, why not? There must be a million of Thailand's "best" waiting around to close the roads and manage traffic when the Royal Family drives back and forth to Bangkok..........where the hell do all those people go once the caravan has passed them?

If the government was smart, even one of them, they could count up the potential speeding and reckless driving and following too closely ticket revenues beyond anyone's wildest expectations.......enough for all the high speed rail projects of their dreams.

Again: IDIOTS. And I really mean that.
Of course speeding on it's own (in good traffic conditions) isn't really reckless driving. Also I've heard enough people tell me they get to BKK from HH in 2.5 hours that I don't think 100 kph is a normal speed!
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Re: Thailand speed limits to be halved?

Post by T.I.G.R. »

You have completely missed the plot.

The point is, the government keeps yapping about speed limits, driver education and other things they want to address, but they don't do a damned thing about monitoring traffic to reduce accidents and fatalities. What is the point of halving the speed limits when you do absolutely nothing about enforcing the existing traffic laws?

People can drive at whatever speed they care to.......and they do! They follow dangerously close, pass unsafely, drive on the wrong side of the road and whatever else they want to do because NO-ONE STOPS THEM.

I would suggest this forum, and others that shall go unnamed should take surveys of the local driving public and report the results to the media and to the government transportation office, and to the guy who is pretending to be the leader of this country. They should continue to do so until some impact is made.

Here are some examples of things I feel should be discussed and measured as to compliance:

* Speeding and reckless driving
* Driving on the wrong side of the road into on-coming traffic
* Following too closely
* Unsafe passing
* Unsafe parking (double parking etc.)
* Yielding the right of way

As non-citizens of Thailand we still have a right to exist in a safe and sane society. I say instead of constantly complaining (like some of the bigger forums have) let's do something to pro-actively to make a difference.
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Re: Thailand speed limits to be halved?

Post by StevePIraq »

TIGR, have you ever tried to make representation to a government official. I have and was told very straight I am not Thai so it is none of my business.

Maybe you could start a petition and I am sure many people will be prepared to sign. Unfortunately unlike the UK the Thai government has no obligation to consider petitions.
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Re: Thailand speed limits to be halved?

Post by RCer »

T.I.G.R. wrote: Fri Aug 11, 2017 3:09 pm You have completely missed the plot.

The point is, the government keeps yapping about speed limits, driver education and other things they want to address, but they don't do a damned thing about monitoring traffic to reduce accidents and fatalities. What is the point of halving the speed limits when you do absolutely nothing about enforcing the existing traffic laws?

People can drive at whatever speed they care to.......and they do! They follow dangerously close, pass unsafely, drive on the wrong side of the road and whatever else they want to do because NO-ONE STOPS THEM.

I would suggest this forum, and others that shall go unnamed should take surveys of the local driving public and report the results to the media and to the government transportation office, and to the guy who is pretending to be the leader of this country. They should continue to do so until some impact is made.

Here are some examples of things I feel should be discussed and measured as to compliance:

* Speeding and reckless driving
* Driving on the wrong side of the road into on-coming traffic
* Following too closely
* Unsafe passing
* Unsafe parking (double parking etc.)
* Yielding the right of way

As non-citizens of Thailand we still have a right to exist in a safe and sane society. I say instead of constantly complaining (like some of the bigger forums have) let's do something to pro-actively to make a difference.
If the citizens don't care, what makes you think anyone would listen to non-citzens?
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Re: Thailand speed limits to be halved?

Post by StevePIraq »

Here is a petition web site for TIGR to start

https://www.change.org/petitions
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Re: Thailand speed limits to be halved?

Post by 404cameljockey »

T.I.G.R. wrote: Fri Aug 11, 2017 3:09 pm You have completely missed the plot.

The point is, the government keeps yapping about speed limits, driver education and other things they want to address, but they don't do a damned thing about monitoring traffic to reduce accidents and fatalities. What is the point of halving the speed limits when you do absolutely nothing about enforcing the existing traffic laws?

People can drive at whatever speed they care to.......and they do! They follow dangerously close, pass unsafely, drive on the wrong side of the road and whatever else they want to do because NO-ONE STOPS THEM.

I would suggest this forum, and others that shall go unnamed should take surveys of the local driving public and report the results to the media and to the government transportation office, and to the guy who is pretending to be the leader of this country. They should continue to do so until some impact is made.

Here are some examples of things I feel should be discussed and measured as to compliance:

* Speeding and reckless driving
* Driving on the wrong side of the road into on-coming traffic
* Following too closely
* Unsafe passing
* Unsafe parking (double parking etc.)
* Yielding the right of way

As non-citizens of Thailand we still have a right to exist in a safe and sane society. I say instead of constantly complaining (like some of the bigger forums have) let's do something to pro-actively to make a difference.
With respect I have not missed the plot. The thread is about speed limits and that was I was talking about. Honestly, I get pulled over the coals in other threads by mods for going off-topic, and now I'm being told off for sticking to it....

Nothing else to add other than to repeat that speeding in itself is NOT dangerous.
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Re: Thailand speed limits to be halved?

Post by T.I.G.R. »

"Nothing else to add other than to repeat that speeding in itself is NOT dangerous."

The Government, bless their little black hearts, tells us that driving at a speed over the posted or declared legal limit is "speeding", in the interest of public safety illegal, and by extension, dangerous.

Doesn't really matter anyway, does it? The real problem is apathy......you can't fight it. I'm going to go out and find me a really big, bad-ass truck, paint it black and run every mothe.....er in my way off the road. Not dangerous for me!!
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Re: Thailand speed limits to be halved?

Post by pharvey »

Going off on a slight tangent, but my brother was recently done for speeding in South wales, where the Plod operate a "Zero Tolerance" attitude...... Fair enough, but the BS they've come up with is bordering on illeagal IMHO. Why should someone with a decent (paying) job get pasted, whilst someone with his thumb up his backside get away far more lightly? I'd also add that those in a well paying job are likely to be driving a good quality and road safe car.

The Law as it stands (in South Wales): -

"A new higher penalty will be introduced.

Fines for the most serious breaches will have a starting point of 150% of a person's weekly income rather than the existing level of 100%.

So, if someone is caught doing 41mph and above in a 20mph zone or 101mph on a motorway, where the limit is 70mph, they could be fined 150% of their weekly income.

Fines are determined in categories - a Band A fine is 50% of someone's weekly income, Band B is 100% and Band C is 150%."


The Bands: -
Limits.PNG
Limits.PNG (124.35 KiB) Viewed 523 times
Would this be accepted in Thailand?

[EDIT] My brother's fine was £400 +, puts the Baht 400 into perspective BB.
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Re: Thailand speed limits to be halved?

Post by Big Boy »

Very harsh, but a bloody good deterrent. It would be hard to establish weekly Thai wages, as I believe many are paid cash in hand, but even making the fine the equivalent of 1 week's minimum wage, it would help deter.

I would impose similar fines for other offences (no helmet, no tax etc). Maybe then many more Thais would comply with the law for their own safety.
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Re: Thailand speed limits to be halved?

Post by RCer »

Big Boy wrote: Sat Aug 12, 2017 7:16 am Very harsh, but a bloody good deterrent. It would be hard to establish weekly Thai wages, as I believe many are paid cash in hand, but even making the fine the equivalent of 1 week's minimum wage, it would help deter.

I would impose similar fines for other offences (no helmet, no tax etc). Maybe then many more Thais would comply with the law for their own safety.
Odds of being stopped by police 1:1000 or worse.

Odds of not puting food on the table if fined as you suggest, 99:100.
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Re: Thailand speed limits to be halved?

Post by Big Boy »

So if caught, a great deterrent. The word would soon get around, but how many lives might it save (wearing of helmets especially)?
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Re: Thailand speed limits to be halved?

Post by RCer »

I'm more interested in implementing an educational program that starts in grade school. The existing culture cannot be changed by enforcement. It will take a couple of generations of people but that's the cost of not doing it from the start.
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Re: Thailand speed limits to be halved?

Post by Big Boy »

That will take too long. Look how Farangs are educated in their own countries. How many Farangs ride without helmets here?

The only tactic is proper policing/harsh punishment. That is all the education they will need.
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Re: Thailand speed limits to be halved?

Post by RCer »

Did you punish your kids before they knew doing something wasn't allowed?

Edit: You and I come from a world where laws matter. Here its much simpler, survival, not individual survival but group survival. Rules that interfere with that, just get ignored.
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Re: Thailand speed limits to be halved?

Post by Dannie Boy »

RCer wrote: Sat Aug 12, 2017 9:57 am Did you punish your kids before they knew doing something wasn't allowed?
Come on, 99% of Thai's know that speeding or not wearing a helmet is against the law, so what is needed is a month-long intensive awareness programmes telling everybody that from xx/xx/xxxx fines are going to be imposed for offenders. The schools already have visits from the authorities where they are shown graphic videos of road accidents, but it doesn't stop most of them from speeding or not wearing a helmet.
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