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

[the guest]

Given there is a glut of rubber, they might consider making rubber cars instead. At least it could save lives, and lesson the impact. Having cars made from metal, clearly doesn't work in this country!

[jobwolf]

How about simply starting by maintaining the cameras and giving tickets to everybody who breaks the law.

As long as Police is observing law breakers and not acting on it it, things will never change. Bad roads and sand on the roads also is very dangerous, as is road drainage not working. Not enough distance from warning signs < if any > to dangerous places is also increasing accidents. Repair sides are not secured.

[ChiangmaiRob]

"Not enough is spent, there are insufficient funds available" .... really? But they can spend 500bn baht in damages and god only knows how much in medical costs! Unbelievably short sighted, the Thais prefer to bury their heads in the sand and choose the reactive rather than the proactive option and I see nothing changing in my life time that's for sure.

[csosdny]

Start driving on the right side of the road! ??

[johnny49r]

14 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Thailand is facing the likelihood of being named the most dangerous place in the world to drive. 

Thailand has achieved high carnage statistics for many years. Nothing new with this news flash!

Government and local police talk the talk but nothing ever changes. 

Why is it that no two drivers follow the same rules?

Simple: no police presence. No penalty for dangerous driving. No equipment violations. No nothing!

Why do other drivers tolerate dangerous driving?

Perhaps it is the cultural bias against losing face or perhaps the sad reality is; nobody really cares.

 

 

[agudbuk]

Start driving on the right side of the road! [emoji12][emoji12]

The left is the right side. Keeps your sword arm nearest to your enemy.

[KiChakayan]

One easy improvement would be not to give driver licenses to Farangs. These idiots tend to follow the rules, which creates confusion..

[mr_lob]

Very little driver education, corrupt officials, lazy / corrupt police, selfish driving, tailgating, unable to control emotions, me me me, texting  / using phone while driving (especially hi-so ladies), taking no responsbility for ones own actions....

Yes Thailand, you NAILED IT!!!!

Woo hooo!!!

[Nemises]

Bangkok tops the list as safest...

Bangkok also tops the list for worst traffic jams in SE Asia:


https://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?/topic/1010343-Bangkok-worst-in-SE-Asia-for-traffic-jams%3A-survey

[SunsetT]

......Inevitable with more and more use of smart phones while driving/riding.

 

One positive seems to be a large reduction in motorcycle deaths to 45% when before it was,  I believe, around 75%.

 

.....So who knows, maybe kids ride less recklessly while looking at their smart phones!

[Airbagwill]

2 hours ago, Gulfsailor said:

I understand that foreigners reading this are upset by the stated numbers. But the reactions from the few Thais in the story is just feigned outrage. Thais don't care much about safety, be it on the road, workplace or anywhere else. When it's your time, it's your time.

Since Thais don't care, they won't demand government to care, so police also don't care. Just see what happens when a helmet check is being done at a school and bikes confiscated. Parents will storm the police station and demand bikes returned and this nonsense to stop. 

If the locals don't care, I don't care. 

Whether they car or not is neither here nor there - road crashes cost the country trillions of baht every year and in the long run could even effect the countries demographics and does already affect the economy.

[jojothai]

39 minutes ago, nickmondo said:

Most of you are missing the point here by talking about speeding, drinking, etc, etc.

Its very simple.

NOBODY HERE IS INSTRUCTED HOW TO DRIVE!

Plain and simple.

Getting a licence is a joke.

Have a medical where they dont even test your eys.

Go to the transport office, do a colour blind test and reaction test.

For those that are selected for the classroom, sit and play with your phone for an hour or sleep.

Maybe take a computer based mulitple choice answer test (and yes, you can legally drive a tank on the road here, but not a car with no windscreen!)

Then go out and drive your BMW, FERRARI, etc, etc.

Its very simple.

TEACH THEM HOW TO DRIVE.

Duhhhhhhhhhhhhh

The untouchables are the ones in the BMW and FERRARIs. The ones that can kill people without accountability.

They don't need driving licenses do they?

 

As reported in many posts on TV, the driving license process includes a 1 hour video.

That is designed to give more education, saw it last year and it makes a good start.

Its a start albeit too little too late.

Unfortunately it will take generations to change the monoric behaviour that the young thais see as normal,

Particularly on motorbikes.

 

[maxcorrigan]

12 hours ago, Just1Voice said:

Way to go, Thailand!  I knew you could be #1 if you tried hard enough.  Now, can you hold on to the position? 

 

"Hold on to that position" easily, and at the going rate, their lead figures would be untouchable for many years! 

[Confuscious]

14 hours ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

We're No. 1!!!  We're No 1!!!  Go Team Go Yaaa Team!!!!

 

Thailand, the hub of bad driving and road fatalities...

 

They could put a major dent in all these deaths and carnage, of course, if the country only had a functioning, functional law enforcement presence committed to actually enforcing the laws.

 

A wave of fines, arrests, motorcycle and car seizures, and jail sentences would catch drivers' attention real quickly, I'm sure. But alas, this is Thailand, and all of that ain't likely to happen any time soon.

 

I have read somewhere that the Government is working on a set of measures to curb that number back again:

1. 20 years in prison if somebody publishes anything about a traffic accident on Social Media (Facebook, Twitter, etc.).
2. Death penalty in somebody smuggles information about a traffic accident out of Thailand.
3. Up to 10 years in prison for anyone who was involved in Art, #1 and Art. #2.

According to a Government official, Hospitals and Ambulances who publish something abut traffic accidents will have their license revoked and face hefty charges.
Information about traffic deaths is a matter of the Government and shall not be published without the agreement of the Government.

[Dmaxdan]

34 minutes ago, csosdny said:

Start driving on the right side of the road! ??

Statistically there is very little difference, but driving on the left appears to be slightly safer because people tend to be right-handed and right-eye dominant. ... In right-hand traffic, oncoming traffic and the driver's wing mirror are handled by the predominantly weaker left eye

[HHTel]

I doubt whether Thailand will come out at the top.  Bad as the carnage may be in Thailand, it would have to double to beat Libya!

 

10% of the police in BKK recently failed an exam on traffic regulations.

There is no enforcement of moving violations.  That would take real police work.

Fines are ridiculously low so there's no deterrent. 

The police are just as guilty at flouting traffic laws as the rest of the public.  No 'good example' there.

MOT inspections (when a car is SEVEN years old) takes only 5 minutes.

 

Will things change?  I doubt it.

[Airbagwill]

When you look at road safety, you need to see the matter in context - Thailand is undergoing a perfect storm.

A massive subsidised industry, subsidised car ownership has lead to very sharp increase in the number of vehicles on the road, a really unhealthy combination of vehicles (e.g. fast and slow) and no road traffic engineering and design to protect vulnerable road users (80% of casualties), an appalling road building/transport plan, dreadful emergency services total ignorance of road safety science by policymakers.

 

Thailand needs to adopt internationality accepted road safety strategies if they don’t then it is not surprising if death rates will escalate. -

 

In 1970s Europe and the USA went through similar exponential increases in the number of vehicles on the roads (mostly cars) and the USA actually had higher death rates than Thailand does now (except they were mostly 4 wheeled!!!) - USA managed 25 per 100k and France managed over 30 per 100k!!! - so all American and European drivers were stupid then and clever now or did they do something else?

 

...how did they deal with it?

Well in the USA, not very well if the truth be known, their death rates are still 4 to 6 times higher than many countries in Europe...but they have improved. After an initial drop, in the last 25 years deaths in the US have only reduced slightly whereas the policies in Europe have brought about substantial improvement - so Europeans clever/Americans stupid?...or is there more to road safety than “driving and drivers???

 

Europe on the other hand in keeping with the EU policies developed a road safety system that within 20 year had reduced the carnage to a trickle.  

 

Thailand needs to adopt these strategies - the work has been done - the principles are established and all that Thailand has to do is implement these programs.

It's not valid to suggest that "Thailand is different" - any “differences” - they are NOT cultural or racial, are in implementation - the principles are universal and scientific, just as sure as the Earth revolves around the Sun.; the laws of physics apply everywhere on the planet and they just need to be applied in Thailand - unfortunately it seems the powers that be don't know what those laws are.

 

BTW - for those who have a problem with how the stats are complied - there are 3 authorities in Thailand that compile the stats.

 

“there are currently 10 [conflicting? - ABW] data sources for road safety including police information system, e-claims, trauma registries and death certificates. These data are collected by seven agencies for different purposes and with the use of different definitions. Although there is currently a plan to link the police, hospital, and insurance data to improve mortality estimates, these linkages have yet to be undertaken. Presently, the most commonly referenced data are from the Royal Thai Police.”

“Road Safety Institutional and Legal Assessment Thailand” - WHO.

 

Road death definiton

 

- International definition for killed was defined in the 1968 Vienna convention: « A victim of a road accident is recorded as killed as a result of the accident if they died at the time or within the thirty days which follow the accident

 

PPS - Currently, In a 4 wheeled vehicle in Thailand you stand abut the same chance of being killed as in the USA.

[RichardinHuaHin]

I think the biggest problem here is the lack of thinking skills.  This is the place to start but you can't teach  an old dog new tricks or can you? 

[Airbagwill]

3 minutes ago, HHTel said:

I doubt whether Thailand will come out at the top.  Bad as the carnage may be in Thailand, it would have to double to beat Libya!

 

10% of the police in BKK recently failed an exam on traffic regulations.

There is no enforcement of moving violations.  That would take real police work.

Fines are ridiculously low so there's no deterrent. 

The police are just as guilty at flouting traffic laws as the rest of the public.  No 'good example' there.

MOT inspections (when a car is SEVEN years old) takes only 5 minutes.

 

Will things change?  I doubt it.

this is not a solution, it only touches on a far bigger problem.

[Airbagwill]

8 minutes ago, Confuscious said:

I have read somewhere that the Government is working on a set of measures to curb that number back again:

1. 20 years in prison if somebody publishes anything about a traffic accident on Social Media (Facebook, Twitter, etc.).
2. Death penalty in somebody smuggles information about a traffic accident out of Thailand.
3. Up to 10 years in prison for anyone who was involved in Art, #1 and Art. #2.

According to a Government official, Hospitals and Ambulances who publish something abut traffic accidents will have their license revoked and face hefty charges.
Information about traffic deaths is a matter of the Government and shall not be published without the agreement of the Government.

see above for sources ofdata on traffic and road safety........Thailand does not have an internationally recognised standard of gathering road stats - they don't even gather half the stats required.

 

the play-off is between losing face and losing money.....Eventually economics will prevail....but you need to educate an obdurate policy body first.

[Gandtee]

Oh come on. Stop tarnishing Thailand's image. Fake news obviously

[Dmaxdan]

I think this could be the answer. Sorry, but Thai people have proved hands down they are not ready for the motor vehicle.

They are just not responsible enough for there own actions.

[Airbagwill]

Just now, Dmaxdan said:

I think this could be the answer. Sorry, but Thai people have proved hands down they are not ready for the motor vehicle.

They are just not responsible enough for there own actions.

Nonsense.

[Golden Triangle]

The only thing that has changed is the fact that Thailand is now officially No.1, the rest, all the comments about lack of driving skills, lack of helmets, tailgating, speeding, no lights when it's dark or raining and a 100 other things all remain the same, we have the same comments every time this subject raises it's ugly head, I'm not having a go at anyone, honestly, but no matter what we say or think will never improve the situation, hopefully after this proclamation the authorities will be shamed into action, but I doubt that very much.

 

Basically the police need to get off their collective <deleted> and do some real work, and a national TV advertising campaign covering every channel at exactly the same time so the ad channel hoppers will still have to watch it, a bit like they do with little P on Friday nights, make it gruesome, make it hit home.    

[jojothai]

3 minutes ago, RichardinHuaHin said:

I think the biggest problem here is the lack of thinking skills.  This is the place to start but you can't teach  an old dog new tricks or can you? 

 

Simply out of the question. I don't think the powers that be are going to address this kind of issue.

 

Jeez ..... Just imagine what could happen if the masses were allowed to think for themselves. 

 

 

[Airbagwill]

1 hour ago, Jonmarleesco said:

Law enforcement? What enforcement? If there were enforcement, allied to appropriate penalties, and preceded by realistic training and testing, LoS wouldn't be looking at this title. Instead, the question now should be: what next? The Blue Riband for road deaths?

they have some way to go to get the blue ribband - US and France are holders already.

[CGW]

5 minutes ago, jojothai said:

The untouchables are the ones in the BMW and FERRARIs. The ones that can kill people without accountability.

They don't need driving licenses do they?

 

As reported in many posts on TV, the driving license process includes a 1 hour video.

That is designed to give more education, saw it last year and it makes a good start.

Its a start albeit too little too late.

Unfortunately it will take generations to change the monoric behaviour that the young thais see as normal,

Particularly on motorbikes.

 

Do the BMW & Ferrari drivers, really add to the toll in any way that can be counted - I think not! Good to have a dig though!

As you rightly state it will take generations to change the behavior pattern, I have been here 30 years and next to no attempt has been made to implement any major changes! which leads me to think they have little interest in actually educating people, in many respects there has been a huge downward trend as regards road safety.

First of all, you need a Police force that is answerable to "somebody" changing the way the force is run and actually making them accountable is a long way off, at this time they are there own bosses answerable to nobody doing as they please! No change is forecast in my lifetime unfortunately!

The 'low hanging fruit" is always to rant on about the wearing of "crash helmets"as if they will save thousands of lives - despite the fact that most even if they are worn correctly and actually fit, afford about as much protection as a well fitted plastic bucket! they do nothing to protect feet, legs, arms, internal organs etc when Somchai is flying down the road in his shorts and T shirt!

Can see them remaining at #1 for quite some time

 

[Airbagwill]

10 minutes ago, Golden Triangle said:

The only thing that has changed is the fact that Thailand is now officially No.1, the rest, all the comments about lack of driving skills, lack of helmets, tailgating, speeding, no lights when it's dark or raining and a 100 other things all remain the same, we have the same comments every time this subject raises it's ugly head, I'm not having a go at anyone, honestly, but no matter what we say or think will never improve the situation, hopefully after this proclamation the authorities will be shamed into action, but I doubt that very much.

 

Basically the police need to get off their collective <deleted> and do some real work, and a national TV advertising campaign covering every channel at exactly the same time so the ad channel hoppers will still have to watch it, a bit like they do with little P on Friday nights, make it gruesome, make it hit home.    

"Basically the police need to get off their collective <deleted> and do some real work, and a national TV advertising campaign covering every channel at exactly the same time so the ad channel hoppers will still have to watch it, a bit like they do with little P on Friday nights, make it gruesome, make it hit home.    " everything you said before is correct but the quoted passage about the police isn't - the whole issue needs to be addressed not just one perceived problem....there are safety organisations in Thailand that have plans, but there needs to be a government in power that understands the issues - unfortunately this isn't the case.

 

It is however possible that the Junta may "see the light" and implement an EU style program - it will probably take 20 years but some improvements could take effect immediately and reflect in the next wildly inaccurate and haphazardly gathered statistics.

[Kadilo]

There is so much wrong from such an early age. The education and attitude to safety is non existent and embedded at an early age. It starts with Children riding motorbikes and goes from there. If anyone challenges it, it's their "culture", their country etc. so they reap what they sow.  

They are light years behind enforcing anything that causes more death on the road like using telephones. They can't even police the wearing of seat belts or motorbikes without helmets. 

It will take a fantastic effort nationally to make any sort of difference but unless the start from an early age and be consistent it will be a waste of time. 

One  can only dream. 

[saminoz]

3 hours ago, lvr181 said:

"....road safety campaigns.."  

 

Government does not know the meaning of that. They haven't a clue of what to do and how to go about reducing road trauma. It takes ACTION NOT TALKING. And they do not want to learn from others outside of the Kingdom - probably a terrible 'loss of face' in doing that. The RTP do not deserve their title.

 

Now is the time for the "democratic soldier" to show some genuine leadership and action if he truly cares for his people. But will it happen? Only time (and many more deaths) will tell. 

 

 

 

All good points LVR.  (apologies for the highlighting).

Sadly I don't think we can expect anything to change at all, least of all a meaningful effort on behalf of the silly little general.

I think it far more likely that we'll have a topic later today or tomorrow along the lines of - "Prayut slams the media for depicting Thailand in a bad light for road deaths.  Blames farang lemmings and outside influences"