Follow Japanese traffic laws - that will reduce accidents, Thais urged

[dlclark97]

Have to agree wholeheartedly with some previous posts.  It is not new laws that will help.  What is needed is police on patrol with determination and resources to stop motorists ignoring existing laws and providing punishment to fit the offense.  This may be bigger fines, enough to make offending drivers understand that continued unsafe driving or vehicles without ALL working lights on day and night for safety will hurt their pocketbooks.  Driving without a proper license, insurance and payment of road tax and going in the wrong direction to name a few offences seen every day should have heavier fines than imposed now.  ENFORCEMENT IS KEY!

[shaurene]

I have just peed my pants with laughter, the government people who bring suggestions up like this are "with respect" as good at a standup comedy show. Hong Kong was taught bt the UK.and to control it all they have a UK trained Police force that get paid a livable wage and DO NOT what so ever take or ask for bribes they would be thrown into prison so fast. Which would never happen in Thailand.

waste of good money sending idiots over to look at thecHong Kong system nothing will be done.

[watcharacters]

8 hours ago, Sonhia said:

Not just the drivers, safer vehicles, more awareness, more consideration, people on the flat bed of a pick up, sitting on vehicle roofs, unsafe loading of cargo, road management, parking, street vendors, street furniture- signs, traffic lights, overhead cabling etc...stricter policing, use of mobile phones,  use of helmets, two or more on a motor bike..not forgetting the Thai mentality mind-set, me me me, first first first.  Fast fast fast !!!

 

T.I.T I doubt this venture will work, just look at past attempts.. all have failed.

 

 

 

You pretty well summed it up.

 

 

[stanleycoin]

43 minutes ago, GTgrizzly said:

It wont matter what countries laws they implement.

If you cant drive, you cant drive and that's it

They need to implement driving courses that actually teach people how to drive before giving them a license to kill

It's a big misconception that Thai's cant drive / or ride. yes they can.

but they chose not to do it,   in a safe manor.

Who gives a toss about the minor stupid stuff,  we see on the roads,  it's no big deal.

But lets deal with the more  serious stuff.

The notion that Thais don't know or understand the list of deadly stuff below, 

is BS,  they know 100% what they do , and it's wrong,  and they just do because they can

and know one is there,  to stop them. ( go somchai go )

 

Driving / riding, up the carriageway the wrong way.

Crashing the red lights,  and more 5 seconds latter.

Speeding.

Drunk driving /riding.

Cutting in front of people.

running down the outside of traffic at high speed, to push in.

 

This is just to mention a few of the most dangerous stuff they do.

and they know 100% they are doing wrong.

 

Thailand the country with no law enforcement. 

 

Bad guys win, good guys loose.  

[flyingtlger]

How can the police enforce traffic laws when half the drivers don't have licenses?

[Traubert]

1 hour ago, shaurene said:

Hong Kong was taught bt the UK.and to control it all they have a UK trained Police force that get paid a livable wage and DO NOT what so ever take or ask for bribes they would be thrown into prison so fast.

Are you seriously trying to tell us that the HK Police aren't bent? They're famous for it.

 

Half of them are triad members! There's a bust a week, which ok is better than Thailand, at least they do get busted, but there is some serious corruption going on there.

[scorecard]

12 hours ago, BobbyL said:

Argh, another great idea that won't be enforced. 

 

 

 

Or put it this way, an idea already well known: enforcement.

 

It hasn't happened before and the mention that it's copied from Japan certainly won't make any difference, none whatever.

 

 

[Dogmatix]

Of course, this will not work. They need to find a way to enforce rule of law on Thailand's corrupt police before any laws can be properly enforced. 

[Pedrogaz]

"Without real police Thailand will always stay what it is now....a very dangerous place to be on the roads." Quote from Youlike above.

 

These few words encapsulate much of what is wrong with the the roads in Thailand. Tokyo has some brilliant ideas which cost nothing to implement, for example, one cannot park one's car on the road...park in parking lots or in one of the very few designated on-road parking in the suburbs...this means that the whole of the roadway can be used for moving traffic. One cannot own a car unless one has somewhere to park it close to one's home....again costs nothing and reduces the number of cars on the road.

 

But the main thing about Japan is the driving test....it is very hard indeed (I failed it 3 times after having driven for 35 years). All drivers on the road are competent and follow signs and rules. For example all stop for pedestrians in the crosswalk. Penalties are harsh for knocking someone down and killing them....jail time. Penalties are also harsh for drink driving.....you are allowed no alcohol at all while driving, a bright unambiguous line that other nations should be following.

 

It is a pleasure to drive in Japan with courteous drivers who drive well. It cannot be replicated in lawless Thailand, especially given that the police force is not fit for purpose.

[bipper]

They have to have a Japanese style police force first. Like everything the ass before the horse as usual. """Foundation""" Build from there. Stupidity.

[bristolgeoff]

Bound to work and cut down on the road accidents.will never work in Thailand.The Japanese  follow rules,the thais that is another life somewhere else

[marquis22]

Take a leaf out of Victoria Australian road death campaign also.

[Isaanbiker]

 The hub of the hubs needs other countries who've got very similar problems? 

 

    Do they even know some laws on how difficult it can be to have a car in Tokyo?

 

   Why is it always only some small talk that disappears after one week? 

 

   

[off road pat]

14 hours ago, SkyNets said:

Following any traffic law would be a good start.

And For the Police to enforce the laws would be a good start !!! ....But I must be dreaming,....

[Ctkong]

14 hours ago, Youlike said:

While in Tokyo i saw the Japanese police writing tickets every day again for cars parked on the road....

 

I have never ever seen that in Thailand.

 

Without real police Thailand will always stay what it is now....a very dangerous place to be on the roads.

Basically before running, thailand got to learn to walk first. Get the groundwork done first like valid license, helmet, drink driving, over speeding, riding on wrong side of road, number of people on a bike, people at the back of pickups, type and shape of goods being carried . If they start enforcing the rules like japan , there wouldn’t be many motorists on the road within a short time and also lead to more corruptions.

[wealthychef]

Not mentioned are the elimination of the practice of bribery that is rampant in Thailand. Maybe getting rid of that would help.  I don’t know, call me crazy,. 

[ttrd]

17 hours ago, Youlike said:

While in Tokyo i saw the Japanese police writing tickets every day again for cars parked on the road....

 

I have never ever seen that in Thailand.

 

Without real police Thailand will always stay what it is now....a very dangerous place to be on the roads.

RE - While in Tokyo i saw the Japanese police writing tickets every day again for cars parked on the road.... I have never ever seen that in Thailand.

 

…. because in Thailand the fine is verbal and paid on the spot … 

[fresher]

17 hours ago, kotsak said:

When the weakest link are the people themselves all systems/methods are bound to fail. Period.

 

I would like to challenge this. There are Thai people living in the UK, but I never hear of them being singled out as bad drivers. On the other hand, I see many instances of farangs driving badly and breaking rules in Chiang Mai. I suggest that the cause of the problem is 100% ineffective law enforcement.

[Phredd]

In 10 years time who cares, isn't the World about to be a "Driver Less" society due to Computers, just hope by then Computers can Program themselves.  Ask an IT 'Expert" once was he the one who put the "SH" in "IT", he never spoke to me again, as only the "Truth" Hurts I'm told!  We were told 50 years ago that Computers will reduce our working days down considerably, and I have no problem with that, it's the IT people who are 'holding' the Computers back. ????  Driving on Thai Roads is not unlike "Bumper Cars" at an 'Amusement Park", only with 'Children' riding Bikes around you at the same time.

[kotsak]

2 hours ago, fresher said:

20 hours ago, kotsak said:

When the weakest link are the people themselves all systems/methods are bound to fail. Period.

 

I would like to challenge this. There are Thai people living in the UK, but I never hear of them being singled out as bad drivers. On the other hand, I see many instances of farangs driving badly and breaking rules in Chiang Mai. I suggest that the cause of the problem is 100% ineffective law enforcement.

Agreed, effective law enforcement has to be done by people as well, thus my point ????

[Daveyh]

22 hours ago, Fex Bluse said:

Not unlike ordering a baby to write Shakespeare. 

 

Asking Thais to suddenly become Japanese (only when behind the wheel) is a ridiculous ask. The Japanese are polar opposites of the Thai. Japanese actually respect and care about each other. 

I fully agree with your post ......... in every aspect infact! I think the most pertinent point was about caring for each other.  I really think you "nailed it" ............ it's where the thinking must start to change the "blinkered" mindset here to have any impact. It's all about "me first" at this point in time here, which must change otherwise all the efforts by the minority will continue to be ignored. Caring is such an important part of being a well rounded human being, sadly it is somehow absent, hence the chaos here .......... fact.

[Artisi]

22 hours ago, gmac said:

What they actually need to do is get rid of u-turns, install roundabouts in many places instead of traffic lights, stop making people drive an extra 2 kilometres and back to get to a right turn that could easily have been served by a roundabout.   My own local PTT service station is about 700 metres from my house but since they widened the road to facilitate through traffic it is now an 8 kilometre round trip involving 2 u-turns and a potential long wait at a traffic light.  No wonder locals drive the wrong way down the road to avoid this absurdity.

 

People jump red lights because of the delays caused by operating them in 4 stages rather than 2, so unnecessary on most junctions.

 

Educate drivers properly before letting them on the road, a written test and knowing how to parallel park does not a driver make.

 

Other than a couple of obvious points raised which is just common sense and impossible for Thai's to understand or implement, it's all a massive waste of time and effort. 

[Henryford]

"Licence removal for offenders" well that wouldn't work, most Thais don't have licences to start with.

[metisdead]

A post using ALL CAPS has been removed as well as a reply.  Please turn off your Caps Lock when posting. 

 

A post containing an ethnic slur comment toward Japanese people has been removed. 

[rwill]

The real problem is that the real goal is only to figure out how to get more money into police hands.  They don't care at all about people following the laws.  They only care about being able to collect money from them.  And this threat of losing your license will give the police more leverage to get money from you.  There is also the fact that many here drive with no license, no registration, no insurance.  But does that get corrected?  No.  Just pay your fine and move on until next time.

[jerojero]

ENFORCEMENT, not more laws. Nuff said.

[Dionigi]

The laws here will never be followed until they are enforced. Even easy targets are missed. How many market days on soi Buakhow are left with no police at the junction between Sth. Pattaya road and soi Buakhow? Motor cycles regularly park on the pavement in front of Kasikorn bank now as no one stops them. Helmets are not worn on side streets. In Jomtien by Rhonpo market the pavement is a secondary road for motorcycles wanting to go the wrong way. More traffic police doing their job is what is needed. Make the police prove the wrongs they see with video and give them 1/2 the fine. That should cut down on them needing tea money to supplement their salaries.

[essox essox]

no matter which country's driving laws/attitudes are used NOTHING will reduce accidnts here in Thailand..

Reduction has to start with being TAUGHT correctly in the first place....at a young age.

I learnt the rules of the road by riding bicycles, never had a motorbike.

Started driving motor vehicle when 17 and am still driving cars now...

[lvr181]

On 5/8/2019 at 11:28 AM, Fex Bluse said:

I actually must applaud the Thai for looking outside their borders - something which very rarely happens. 

 

However, their arrogance always manages to show. As if the only issue was that they weren't following the optimal laws. 

 

Ridiculous arrogance. There are deep, fundamental issues with Thai society that contribute to the Thai roads. 

 

1. Poor education which affects everything from terrible road design to poor lighting and signage. 

 

2. Selfishness which leads to 'me first' mentality. 

 

3. Class hierarchy which encourages 'more important' people to drive more recklessly.

 

Others

 

They seemingly have NEVER learned by looking outside their borders! They would prefer to keep re-inventing a wheel that does not work! 

Slow, stupid or both? ????

 

It is not just about rules - it is a "cultural' problem e.g. me first, who cares!

 

Magnificently supported by..........................

 

[mikosan]

Take away peoples licences?  What licences?