Road deaths rocket by 3,000 as Thailand set to be named world number one in carnage, say academics

[observer90210]

Will the authorities do anything to make things change ?

(stop giggling out there, I saw you!)

[seajae]

what do they expect when the police refuse to go out on the roads and stop anyone breaking the law or licenses issued when those applying are totally incapable of actually driving in traffic or even knowing the rules. Everyday at any intersection you can watch these idiots failing to give way, not stop at stop signs or red lights, turning from the wrong lane , driving on the wrong side of the road, never indicating, bikes with several people on them, over loaded trucks etc etc yet not one police officer out there pulling them over, its pathetic

 

[dwezzel]

 Utter insanity that 45% are from motorcycle accidents! Half of these motorcycles don’t wear a helmet, and 40% don’t bucket it on! No inforcment and road checks are almost nonexistent! Fines only maybe 200-300 baht! Used more for protection from the sun! No wonder the Thais are oblivious to the fact that helmets are to prevent deaths in crashes!

  There are both motorcyclists and car/truck drivers who drive like they own the road and will tailgate behind at 2-3 meters going over 100km! Then there are the people who won’t turn on their headlights till it’s dark! No campaign like in the US where “Lights On For Safety”! I’ve lived here over 15 years and I’ve seen so many rolled over cars and truck even here in Tak. (One of the safer areas!) Well done Thailand! 

[01322521959]

If only they would just make it policy to stop and fine all motorcyclists not wearing helmets 500Baht and continue to do so. That's one job done. If they just had the guts to see something through and continue to enforce the law. 

While they don't seem able to do this nothing will change.

The above is all that is needed to stop the increasing carnage on the roads.

I ride most days. In the last week I PERSONALLY have seen 

1 Motorcyclist dead under a white sheet having gone under a van

2 Bike on it's side having been hit by a taxi.

STUPID unnecessary accidents at very low speed.

[richard_smith237]

28 minutes ago, 01322521959 said:

If only they would just make it policy to stop and fine all motorcyclists not wearing helmets 500Baht and continue to do so. That's one job done. If they just had the guts to see something through and continue to enforce the law. 

While they don't seem able to do this nothing will change.

The above is all that is needed to stop the increasing carnage on the roads.

I ride most days. In the last week I PERSONALLY have seen 

1 Motorcyclist dead under a white sheet having gone under a van

2 Bike on it's side having been hit by a taxi.

STUPID unnecessary accidents at very low speed.

 

Agreed... 

1) Charge EVERY motorcyclists without a helmet 500 baht (confiscate the bike if they can't pay)

2) Charge EVERY DUI 20,000 baht and add points to their license. 

 

Thats the two primary issues dealt with (mostly). 

3) There is a Penalty Points system for drivers in Thailand - Use it properly.

4) Suspend licenses that have acquired the full number of penalty points.

5) Confiscate cars that unlicensed and uninsured drivers are found driving, return the vehicle for a significant charge (50,000 baht). 

6) Deal with dangerous driving seriously - real charges which have an impact. 

 

The only way to reduce accidents and  deaths is to 'force' the masses to drive with consideration, the only way to force them to drive with consideration is to hit them where it hurts (wallet) when they don't. 

 

Every accident and tragedy can't be avoided. It would be impossible to make the roads 100% safe, but it wouldn't take a huge degree of effort to have a significant impact in a very short amount of time. 

 

What it would take is a sufficient incentive for a Police force to effectively carry out its job - and this is where the primary issue lies. How can an institutionally corrupt and inherently apathetic force become incentivized to actually make a difference ?.... the simple answer is they get a cut of the fines but that would only lead to more corruptions.  

 

The best answer I can come up with is to pay the Police more, but with what ? there would need to be more cash in government coffers, so to get more cash people need to be paying more tax, or more correctly, those at the far end of the 'tax manipulation' (avoidance) spectrum need to pay more tax. But how to get such powerful corporations and powerful people to pay more tax when it is they who are pulling the strings?.....  the vicious circle ultimately costs those most innocent and we remain at square one. Until the 'whole' of society cares enough not much will be done.

 

 

 

[wakeupplease]

3 hours ago, observer90210 said:

Will the authorities do anything to make things change ?

(stop giggling out there, I saw you!)

They do not know how so no chance

[Rc2702]

Thailand will be top of the pops for a long time that's for damn sure.

[HiSoLowSoNoSo]

A failed society in many ways, sadly but true. 

[canuckamuck]

Finally their dreams of being a world leader at something have been realized. A special acknowledgement should go to the police, who have gone out of there way to avoid issuing any moving violation penalties at all, despite the abundance they witness every day. In fact I have often seen the officers go above and beyond the call by committing some of the worst infractions in person. That is dedication for you and the world is in awe.

[Jeremy50]

10 hours ago, agudbuk said:

Another reason is the poor condition of many roads. The traffic manoeuvres around deep holes and drivers use the outside lane because the nearside lane is rutted by heavy trucks . 

And the heavy trucks do the same to avoid their own ruts, thereby causing even more ruts. Thailand has more heavy trucks than all the other ASEAN countries put together. Horrible things that should only be used if it's an absolute necessity. The roads here are like a vision of hell. 

[DavisH]

11 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

painting a bleak picture of the future as law enforcement and budgets fail to cope

Gotta love it...what law enforcement? Taking a bribe ISN'T enforcing the law! Laws here are just a minor inconvenience and the fines are minuscule. They are no deterrent at all to poor driving. 

[inThailand]

We knew they could become # 1.

What a proud accomplishment!

[jonclark]

Woah there lads - No Thai bashing - It's the fault of those bloody foreigners, bringing their capitalist ways to these shores, forcing the Thais all buy cars which end up killing them. Not their fault! If they had all stuck to buffalo, like local wisdom preaches and their ancestors did this wouldn't be happening. 

[franklnooner]

Congratulations you idiots. No surprise at all as there is no moving violation enforcement until after the fact.

The killing continue.

[kwonitoy]

Yesterday on the ring road in Udon Thani I passed a big accident,

I had to slam on my brakes twice to let kids on motorcycles cut me off so they could go rubberneck at the accident scene. All laughing it up

You could implement all the suggestions in all the posts and <deleted> will happen

They don't know, they don't care

You cannot fix stupid

[Ahab]

Simple traffic enforcement of existing laws might be a place to start. Until that happens nothing will change.

[DavisH]

11 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Some 45% of deaths involve motorcycles, 5% are pedestrians and 1% cyclists.

Interesting...as over Songkran, about 80% involve motorbikes....consistently, every year.

 

Pity the article doesn't give more and clearer information - if 45% involve bikes, then roughly the same number of deaths involve sedans, pickups and trucks. I find that very hard to believe. 

[ChrisY1]

The first sentence says it all...."a meeting of road safety experts"......an oxymoron in Thailand!.

[dinsdale]

11 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Experts have pointed the finger at "tens of millions" of lawbreakers

"tens of millions" of inconsiderate idiots is probably more correct. Also I have said this before; if you do not die within a 24hr period you are not counted as a road death stat. I have been told this by senior doctors. If this wasn't the case Thailand would've been no.1 for many years now.

[Damrongsak]

7 minutes ago, ChrisY1 said:

The first sentence says it all...."a meeting of road safety experts"......an oxymoron in Thailand!.

"... a meeting of road safety experts..."  Sounds like a massive 12-car pile-up in a traffic circle.

[Borzandy]

OH YES, this year we'll be number one ..

[Maggusoil]

11 hours ago, Eric Loh said:

Not sure if the bad economy got anything to do with the increase in 2016. Money hard to come by and drivers are doing more shifts and less sleep to make ends meet. Maybe even drinking more to ease their

misery and behind the wheels. There must be a logical reason. The junta government has been imposing tough measures and still the accidents piled up. 

 

There are far poorer countries around ASEAN that don't have this carnage. The media comment that the public are resistant has nothing to do with it. Singapore has consistently led the charge on most things with a rigorous penalty system. It is the police and judiciary that are resistant to change. Why? Could it be they make money out of the bribe system that operates openly in this country. 

 

Comments regarding the inadequacy of penalties in Thailand are spot on. One wonders if it reflects the country's devil may care attitude. Mai bin rai. Life goes on. "Pay someone off" and get on with the job.

 

However it seems that they are more obsessed with incarcerating people for smoking pot, or possession of a medicine as it is now being classified in the U.S. than dealing with murderers, rapists and drunk drivers mowing innocent people down. A good dose of Singaporean style penalty severity, would soon give the "public" the INCENTIVE it needs to change 'their' attitude.

[RichardColeman]

 

"I accept this award on behalf of all Thai people that have given their lives to make Thailand number one in something new".

 

 

[rodney earl]

Maybe if the country stopped buying things that they really do not need they could put some police on the road after their mid day lunch and at night. Most thais and foreigners dont wear helmets at night because they know there are not police at night time.!!!

[jenny2017]

 

      I can't see a connection between the current government, the road accidents, and Dr. Rollover's behavior.

 

Foreigners, who survive a four week holiday in LOS, will be given an award from now on. Plus a free flight to get the bodybag home.   

[jacko45k]

11 hours ago, NCC1701A said:

number one in the world!

well done team Thailand!

Making up for their recent loss at scrabble.

[jenny2017]

15 minutes ago, RichardColeman said:

 

"I accept this award on behalf of all Thai people that have given their lives to make Thailand number one in something new".

 

 

 

 Is Prayuth standing on a person from a lower class country? 

[overherebc]

38 minutes ago, DavisH said:

Interesting...as over Songkran, about 80% involve motorbikes....consistently, every year.

 

Pity the article doesn't give more and clearer information - if 45% involve bikes, then roughly the same number of deaths involve sedans, pickups and trucks. I find that very hard to believe. 

Normally 1 bike would mean max 2 casualties if nothing else involved but in many countries around this part of the world 1 bike could mean 3 or 4 or more.

[lucjoker]

22 000 victims ?????

No no.....those are only the death by impact.......all other victims dying a few hours later or days later ...are not in the list !

The real list must be over 100 000 ?

And 1 milj handicaped /year .......so in 10 years ......10 milj in a wheelchair ? And no pedestrian boardwalks .......

[thailand49]

Congratulation it was a matter of times finally you are #1 for something. In all due respect there are no expert in Thailand regarding this problem. Since no Thai has the power to change things here since none of them been taught a alternative or given the proper definition or execution of many of the rules. That is the definition " this is Thailand"  so congrats!

It is not the economy,  Bangkok isn't Thailand it is congested whereas open provinces like Rayong, Chon Buri, the roads are design to kill themselves and with lack of education and enforcement that is what they are doing. 

Maybe when those Expat haters who say when we voice our concern will finally take notice and taking noticed isn't because Thailand will become a nanny State.

 

It would take outside help with absolute power to reduce the numbers and problem and min of 10 years but it is never too late to stop for the sake of the greatest resource of this country and that is their people.