Thai authorities mull different licences for "big bikes" after three deaths

[webfact]

Thai authorities mull different licences for "big bikes" after three deaths

 

Picture: Daily News

 

Transport Minister Saksayam Chidchob has asked the Department of Land Transport to review how Thailand regulates powerful motorcycles after several deaths in recent days. 

 

Saksayam has suggested introducing a new category of licence may be necessary. Also he wants existing laws to be implemented fully. 

 

And he has even suggested that giving bikers a high speed go on a racetrack - like in his home province of Buriram - would reduce road accidents. 

 

Saksayam said that Prime Minister Prayut Chan-ocha is concerned after three deaths in three days concerning what the Thais call big bikes. One involved a relative of a celebrity record label owner in Bangkok and a Thai actress. 

 

He was decapitated on a BMW 1000 on a Klong Tan flyover. Grisly pictures were spread all over social media.

 

Saksayam has asked the DLT to look into the matter and make a report on current laws and penalties and ensure that stringent measures are in place. 

 

He also wants the DLT to look into the possibility of creating a new licence category. 

 

At the moment anyone can jump on a powerful machine with virtually no training just by getting a regular bike licence which are easy to obtain and very cheap, notes Thaivisa.

 

Some 70% of Thailand's road deaths involve motorcycles. 

 

Saksayam told Daily News that projects in Buriram have seen a marked fall in bike deaths. 

 

Celebrity "idol" presenters who ride bikes have conducted training seminars where wannabe speedsters get a chance to try out the Chidchob family's Moto GP track.

 

The Transport minister thinks rolling out such plans in other provinces would help limit the death from motorcycle accidents on the Thai roads. 

 

Source: Daily News

 

 

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[taichiplanet]

how many 'big bike' deaths compared to smaller bikes? My guess is it would be lucky to be 0.1%. While any move to make the roads safer is good, it seems like they are deliberately avoiding the issue of where and why most of the road deaths occur. Some (not me) would disparagingly think they are only wanting to protect the upper end of society.

[Cadbury]

18 minutes ago, webfact said:

Thai authorities mull different licences for "big bikes" after three deaths

Now they wake up!

A two or three year "mull" with at least one or two committees coming up.

[Puchaiyank]

Big bike license...training...race track...will not change the Thai mind set...

 

"I buy a big bike to go fast...if I want to go the speed limit...I will buy a smaller bike"...

 

I drive the speed limits in my car...big bikes pass me like I am sitting still...how you going to change that?  Start issuing big tickets for speeders! ????

[Briggsy]

This may possibly have started out with good intentions. However, it will very quickly morph into a money grab and the stated goals will be forgotten.

[NE1]

What is the use of having different licenses when a certain amount of the population don't even bother with licenses.

Plus the fact there is no enforcement until after the carnage apart from the odd traffic stop ( if it is not to hot or raining ).

Then there is a small fine and then they let you back on your bike until the next time.

 

[300sd]

Great only 3 deaths.....Thai authorities should mull different licenses for small bikes after thousands of deaths.

[essox essox]

15 minutes ago, Puchaiyank said:

Big bike license...training...race track...will not change the Thai mind set...

 

"I buy a big bike to go fast...if I want to go the speed limit...I will buy a smaller bike"...

 

I drive the speed limits in my car...big bikes pass me like I am sitting still...how you going to change that?  Start issuing big tickets for speeders! ????

are they not suppose to issue tickets any way....with ALL the cctv cameras around?? and if they did issue how/when the fines be paid????

[CPH]

Drivers of big motorcycles should have a large L for learning on their plate number the first year of driving and be limited to a max speed of 100 km an hour. 

Renting out big motorcycles to tourists should be limited. The risk is too high because Thailand drives in the opposite side of the road than many other countris. 

[essox essox]

speed kills wether on a small bike or big bike......!!!

[essox essox]

4 minutes ago, CPH said:

Drivers of big motorcycles should have a large L for learning on their plate number and be limited to a max speed of 100 km an hour. 

Renting out big motorcycles to tourists should be limited. The risk is too high because Thailand drives in the opposite side of the road than many other countris. 

there are 75 countries that drive on the left......so your statement is not correct really

[Farangwithaplan]

It is good to hear there is at least discussion over this. Regardless of how many other wrongs there are regarding all vehicles, for the Transport Minister to make a statement is at least progress.

 

Driving habit of a nation will never change overnight. It will be a generational or multi generational thing. But Someone needs to start somewhere.

 

In my time here I have seen drink driving being accepted as part of life and that has slowly been changing to a point now where drink driving is now starting to gain a stigma about it. Not everyone is adhering to sober driving. But there is change.

 

Think back to your own country and consider how long social changes have taken over the generations. Some points that stand out for me are seatbelts, driving under the influence, AIDS awareness, domestic violence acknowledgement and sugar intake. All of those things took a long time to be grasped in the mainstream society of my birth country but they are now ingrained.

 

When I look at Thailand I see some social aspects trailing my home country by about 30 to 40 years. Some of this I look at fondly and hope the old methods don't change. But on matter of road deaths and community education for a better life, change can't come to soon.

 

At least the Transport Minister has planted a seed.

 

[puchooay]

This needs more thought.

 

I have a CBF300. Big tyres so lots of rubber in contact with the road. Twin disk brakes with ABS. The bike is easy to stop quickly if the need arises.

 

Not long ago I was over taken by a young lad riding a 2 stroke Sonic. 125cc, single disk on the front and thin tyres.

 

I was doing about 100kms/h and he flew passed me. His bike is capable of higher speed than mine but under new rules nothing would change. Who is in the most danger?

[overherebc]

13 minutes ago, essox essox said:

speed kills wether on a small bike or big bike......!!!

Speed doesn't kill, lack of driver/rider ability kills.

[mserror]

If they are sensible enough to race on a track, they can do it now at Buriram.

 

Safe road racetracks are very expensive to build and maintain, there are few of them in the world.

 

Motocross tracks much cheaper and easier to build and maintain, but motocross bikes are expensive.

 

There is so much dangerous riding here, fortunately most cannot afford fast bikes.

[Matzzon]

How can they even consider making a new licence for big bikes, which actually would be a very good idea, when they not have any licences to compare with?

What are they going to do? Are they going to take 1 circle around the high speed track and make them watch video 2 hours more, and after that expect to have much better drivers?

As long as there are overgrown infants with no brains at important posts that decides this, nothing is going to get better. If you ask a class of kindergarten children what is needed for get better drivers in Thailand, and give them 2 choices.

1. Special license for people drive a big bike?

2. Real driving school for all people driving cars, and motorbikes?

I belive that the answer is going to be quite obvious.

[Farangwithaplan]

19 minutes ago, puchooay said:

This needs more thought.

 

I have a CBF300. Big tyres so lots of rubber in contact with the road. Twin disk brakes with ABS. The bike is easy to stop quickly if the need arises.

 

Not long ago I was over taken by a young lad riding a 2 stroke Sonic. 125cc, single disk on the front and thin tyres.

 

I was doing about 100kms and he flew passed me. His bike is capable of higher speed than mine but under new rules nothing would change. Who is in the most danger?

Power to weight ratio is one way of limiting the issue you pointed out.

 

. Personally, I think road craft is one of the most vital things about riding or driving safely. Saying blanket statements like "speed kills" can be detrimental. Because the young lad (possible typical big bike rider) on with a bike replies to such a statement by boasting of all the times they have been speeding and survived. Then there is a disconnect.

 

There is nothing wrong with speed per se. It doesn't kill. The sudden stop kills. Lack of attention to their surroundings and the variable conditions puts people in dangerous positions. Teach someone how to read the signs on open roads  or in traffic and in the different weather conditions, teach them to have empathy for their other road users, and let them realise that their actions affect others will help minimise the road carnage.

 

[overherebc]

No learning curve, no real training and a general lack of consideration for other drivers/riders. Just a ME want to be in front of all the others.

[NanLaew]

53 minutes ago, webfact said:

One involved a relative of a celebrity record label owner in Bangkok and a Thai actress. 

...and right there you have the reason for this disproportionate and totally wrong-headed response to motorcycle related deaths and injuries.

[Farangwithaplan]

The riding courses available through Honda were quite impressive. A few of the younger staff at work all bought 650cc bikes a few years ago. After much persuasion the staff all agreed to do the Honda course. On leading them on a few country rides after their course I was impressed with the little things they picked up like taking defensive lines, road position, braking and body posture.

 

Can only speak to for that course. I know that training instructor has moved onto bigger things but there is good training available. The course could have gone further in road craft. They were just focusing on the actual riding of the bike.

 

Having the lead bike manufacturers taking responsibility for the training and marketing may be a good thing. They are the ones who will want the bad reports of deaths out of the papers and the TV news.

[holy cow cm]

Utter poppycock as usual of getting lip service from people who do not know what the heck they are talking about. Prayuth has a Harley that he cannot ride now he is a big shot, but he should know the deal and not be so judgemental to jump on a different license bandwagon.. But in the real world, everyone learns and gets acquainted riding big bikes with practice on the side. Dump a big bike and see if you can lift it up. Eventually everyone on a big bike is going to light it up to a certain extent, but even Thai's driving automobiles leaves tons of stupidity of never having a clue.

[NanLaew]

On the subject of licenses, I wonder if the hi-so wipe-out had a bike license and if he did, how much he paid for it.

[Dmaxdan]

31 minutes ago, essox essox said:

speed kills wether on a small bike or big bike......!!!

Correction. Suddenly becoming stationary is what actually kills. 

[ChipButty]

Cant enforce the one you have got

[Vacuum]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

The Transport minister thinks rolling out such plans in other provinces would help limit the death from motorcycle accidents on the Thai roads.

No it wouldn't. In other countries it would, but not in Thailand.

[Somtamnication]

One for poor Thais, one for poor Falangs and one for Falangs of any income. Got it.

[RotBenz8888]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

regulates powerful motorcycles after several deaths in recent days. 

Probably several deaths the recent HOURS with small bikes. 

Just reveal their ignorant approach to the traffic hell. 

[cerox]

Hahaha

Who cares about different licenses. They do not need a license to sit on a big bike and go.

[eisfeld]

According to WHO stats for 2016 there were 22491 road deaths in Thailand. Some 74% are motorbikes which gives a DAILY fatality rate for motorbikes of nearly 46. That means every HOUR nearly two people die in motorcycle accidents in Thailand. In TWO HOURS more people die in Thailand than the 3 big bike riders in 3 days that suddenly caused reactions by news outlets and politicians. In 3 days, nearly 137 people using motorcycles die on Thailands roads. Those 137 deaths seem accepted. But 3 big bike riders in 3 days represent a bit over 2% of the average motorcycle death rate but suddenly prompt new laws and regulations. And those 3 are a peak, averaged over a year there are surely a lot less than 1 big bike rider death per day. This is NOT OK. Fix the important part first please. Fix the roads (they are incredibly dangerous), fix the driving skills (including car, van, bus and truck drivers!) and then we can talk again.

 

Maybe I expect too much but I whish news outlets and that includes TVs own "ThaiVisa News" were more objective and added substance to news instead of just parroting populist stories. It would make for a better society. One can dream ????

[MaxYakov]

1 hour ago, essox essox said:

there are 75 countries that drive on the left......so your statement is not correct really

Really? I don't see anything incorrect as a matter of opinion with the statement by CPH: ("The risk is too high because Thailand drives in the opposite side of the road than many other countris [sic].") It seems to me that there is a risk of having right-side drivers slip up and revert to the right lane accidentally. The big question is: What is the risk?  In a right-hand lane country I found myself in the left-hand lane absent-mindedly one morning very close to having a head-on collision.

 

Some facts to support the opinions:

 

Europe generally drives on the right hand side apart from the United Kingdom, Ireland, Malta and Cyprus. Guyana (formerly a British colony) is the only country in South America to drive on the left. The other two thirds of the countries in the worlddrive on the right including the USA, China and Russia. (according to the Ref., below 69% of countries drive on the right.

 

Ref: HERE

 

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