mikebell

Based on 20 years of interaction with Thai drivers; you can pick many comments written by farang writers about their experiences in Thailand and accuse them of racism. Having said that I admire your very full answer. This from another reader ignorant of the wider issues you quote. 'Here's what I found from WHO: 2021 Death Rate: 25.4 deaths per 100,000 population. Estimated Deaths: 18,218. Average Daily Deaths: 50. Most Affected: Motorcyclists (83.8% of deaths) and those aged 15-29.' ' a very different enforcement culture.' As regular readers know, I am fixated on two major issues that affect the quality of life in Thailand (whatever their nationality.) Dogs and RTP. This latter prompted me to write 'where police enforce traffic rules every day of the year (not just when they are being paid overtime);'. Using UK again with which I was familiar, (20 years ago) when seatbelts were 1st introduced there was initial inertia. A police campaign saw casualty figures plummet. Likewise dogs roaming streets causing accidents and spreading disease has been all but eradicated. The bad habits of thousands of Thai drivers (and farangs who have been driving too long) are reinforced by daily use, without ANY police interference.

'Pol. Gen. Thana reiterated that the nationwide operation aims to deter crime' and absolve the employers from paying the foreigners' wages for the previous days/weeks work.

Watch the cowardly fat-boy thug sneak in a final punch when the incident is almost over. Watch for a nation-wide hunt by Pattaya Plod to bring these gutter rats to justice for besmirching the town's World-wide image.

Where is Thailand in the league of nations with the most deaths from road accidents? 9th. At least 20,000 people die on Thailand's roads every year, making them the ninth most dangerous in the world, according to research by the World Health Organisation (WHO). In the UK - a country with a similar sized population - the figure is about 1,800, according to the WHO report. Is this informed and misled enough for you? A cliche can also be a FACT. You rail about my srmtring(?) but provide nothing to support your view. My cynicism derives from 20 years of living full time in Thailand and reading bi-annually about the RTP's latest futile push to bring down accidents.

What a senseless post! The majority of bigoted farangs bemoan the loss of (Thai) lives. Because the majority of 'ignorant' farangs come from countries where driving licences are hard earned (not bought); where police enforce traffic rules every day of the year (not just when they are being paid overtime); this makes our opinions fundamentally more valid, especially as Thailand has blatantly not got it right.

Looking at what's left of the vehicles, I would surmise great speed; a result of the laissez-faire policy by RTP.

The Wild East.

A rare occasion when the bold words occur in such close proximity.

They buy rancid water at exorbitant prices; they may have to pay medical bills for eye/ear infections; they do not frequent restaurants to eat in wet clothes; they may well need a new phone/camera.

My home is Thailand. The alternative to food shopping is home delivery. My angst comes from driving after a daft <deleted> has smeared my windscreen with flour paste obscuring my vision. I have an aversion to killing pedestrians.

Exactly the point of the opening post. For all the excitement among the farang boys who flock here for what is essentially a wet T-shirt competition, there are thousands who seek holidays away; thousands who stay in to avoid having their vehicles' windscreens/bodies daubed with flour paste; thousands who forsake their local restaurants rather than eat in wet clothes. It would not be so bad if it only lasted for the official 3 days but places like Pattaya can make it last for a fortnight.

If police worked all year round & not just on the 20 dangerous days; if they maintained a visible presence on the roads on days when they were not drawing overtime, the daily death toll would come down.

Except for helmetless motor bike drivers; and speeding motorists; and redlight runners.

Speed kills. Surely the easiest offence to spot & eradicate using the myriad of CCTV cameras?

Real police investigate fake police posing as real police? Is there an undercover uniform?

Well maybe not the last one.

Not according to this - 'So many places to choose from 😁 Always puzzled when I drive along Khopai Rd at like 9 AM and there is happy party time.'

So I wonder why the cops decided to pick on this one?

Eventually.

And all done in 9 days? I'm sure there will be an appeals procedure for the 55 who wouldn't pay the price.

I like series where the writers have the time to do character relationships. I just started watching 'Psych' (I think there were 8 or 10 series) where a supposed psychic helps inept police solve crimes in a lighthearted way.

Why didn't he just shoot the dog? Or resort to the Thai poisoned meat lob.

'Jonathan Leo, who relocated to Thailand in 2017' - he's already here.

Alternatively, it is easier to deny it's in Pattaya than to do anything.

Despite, or because, he was heading towards a traffic light, a high-speed collision took place. Thai drivers will empty their tank to get one place in front of you at a red light they didn't see, until they were 30 metres away.