61 people killed EVERY DAY: More damning stats reveal the carnage on Thailand’s roads

[Sid Celery]

2 minutes ago, hobz said:

They have made the driving license harder to get. Now it requires a couple of days before it was all done the same day.

Less and less people believe that road accidents are caused by "fate" or "bad luck" ... 32% now, 50% before.

 

So why do we see this increase in accidents? Is it an actual increase? Or are they just counting / reporting differently now?

 

If there is an increase, is it related to that poor are getting poorer in Thailand? Poverty = more Debt. More debt = More alcoholism = More stress = More drug abuse = More frustration = More anger = More road rage = More speeding = More reckless driving?

 

What are your theories? 
 

 

Insufficient teaching of how to drive, and non-existent teaching of how to drive safely. Occam's razor.

[hobz]

1 minute ago, Sid Celery said:

The more I think about it and watch them, the more I think that many if not most Thais function on auto-pilot for a good part of each day. Given their willingness to rush off and get a skinful of cheap whiosley, I wonder how happy they really are. Not very I think, which could be one reason why when Thaksin comes along and makes them feel worthwhile, they flock to him and remain loyal, possibly for life, certainly until the next election.

Yes, and poor are getting poorer in Thailand according to recent news... Having debt is a horrible weight on any person... Poor uneducated people tend to get in debt.... Miserable people are more likely to be speeding or driving recklessly or get into a state of road rage... Says me the couch psychiatrist :)

[superal]

8 hours ago, Cadbury said:

Agreed but PM Prayut has been in the chair now for 3+ years and it is him alone who has created a world record in road deaths for Thailand. He is the one ultimately responsible and he is the one who is doing practically nought to reduce the toll.

You suggestions are valid and would help. If only the PM would act to force those people to do their jobs. He seems to be able to enforce everyone else in the country to do as he wants.....why not the police? A protected species?

You got it in one . We all know about the lack of law enforcement on the roads and the repeated annual carnage . Apathy and no duty of care from the powers up top .   And it has to come from the top as I have said in previous posts on this subject . I know the answer, to this awful dearth of government , as I am sure you do but until there is a strong  captain at the helm , nothing will change . Not rocket science , just copy the proven road management tactics of a decent western world country . 

[hobz]

2 minutes ago, Sid Celery said:

 

Insufficient teaching of how to drive, and non-existent teaching of how to drive safely. Occam's razor.

But how does this corelate to an INCREASE in accidents? The driving license now has MORE TEACHING.. Before it was 1 half day of instructions now it's 1 full day... so with your logic we should see a DECREASE in accidents, instead we see an increase,, what am i missing?

[joebrown]

The Thai police force isn't like most other civilized countries where the words 'serve & protect' the public are prevalent. It's a business that wants to turn in a vast profit annually, and the best way to do this is to make sure the driving/riding Thai public provide them with that income.

Start educating people on road safety, fine and ban them, and eventually that income will decline.

Allowing bad driving to perpetuate ensures the bad drivers keep contributing to the police coffers (and the food chain). It's not rocket science is it?

[retarius]

Without enforcement of the traffic laws there is no prospect of improving the situation.

 

I have no idea what the police do all day....yes I know they occasionally turn of the traffic lights, blow their whistles for 2 hours and invariably make the situation a lot worse; they block the roads to collect tea money once a week for 2 hours; and they are often seen in the newspapers in the photo op....but apart from this what do they do all day? Play cards? Drink tea? Drive on the roads breaking the traffic laws? They won't investigate crimes unless there is some money in it for them. The situation is disgraceful.

[rwftaylor]

I thought wearing of 3 to 5 amulets rendered all those drivers invincible? Hmmm...maybe not!

[bristolgeoff]

well known for many years anyway about road deaths

[bluesofa]

8 hours ago, jojothai said:

That's based on last years figures. (22356/365)

But the headline is pointing out a big increase in 2017 , with 2500 more its going up to 70 this year.

 

Note that the numbers seem to have big jumps in 2016 and 2017.

Rather than big increases, is it possible that the last couple of years the reporting has simply been improved and figures have become more accurate?

Is it because they are now adding into the total those who die after on the way to or at hospital?

 

With perhaps a 2017 total of 24856, this figure is nearer to the WHO estimated total in 2015. (24237)

If the premise above is true, then maybe we could see the figures stabilise next year.

 

Note: 24856 would give about 36 deaths per 100,000 population. Now similar to what WHO had in 2015.

In the WHO report it looks like only Libya was more, at 73.4 per 100,000.

From that, it looks like Thailand still has a long way to go to get to number 1 

 

 

 

That's exactly what I was thinking, about how far Thailand still has to go. It means Thailand's death figures need to double to overtake Libya.

[tryasimight]

6 hours ago, scorecard said:

 

Our second car is a  Honda Civic 3 door, bought new 15 years ago, and we keep it in near to new order.

 

Here in CM every year it must be inspected before payment of the road tax and over the last 3 or so years the check is getting more thorough and more serious.

What is road tax?.... I don't recall ever paying a road tax.  I just pay the vehicle registration as required.

Something special happening in CM? 

[hobz]

1 minute ago, tryasimight said:

What is road tax?.... I don't recall ever paying a road tax.  I just pay the vehicle registration as required.

Something special happening in CM? 

Vehicle registration = road tax i think?

[bluesofa]

2 minutes ago, tryasimight said:

What is road tax?.... I don't recall ever paying a road tax.  I just pay the vehicle registration as required.

Something special happening in CM? 

I'm guessing you're not British.

In the UK we call it road tax, maybe other countries call it vehicle registration.

It's that sticker you have to pay for every year and put in the windscreen to show when it's next due.

[craftyhen]

 

interesting points made about awareness

 

is this something lost through age? i find younger thai people know better when to move out the way of people than their elders 

[Russell17au]

45 minutes ago, joebrown said:

The Thai police force isn't like most other civilized countries where the words 'serve & protect' the public are prevalent. It's a business that wants to turn in a vast profit annually, and the best way to do this is to make sure the driving/riding Thai public provide them with that income.

Start educating people on road safety, fine and ban them, and eventually that income will decline.

Allowing bad driving to perpetuate ensures the bad drivers keep contributing to the police coffers (and the food chain). It's not rocket science is it?

But that is not happening. I often see a police officer on a motorbike at a set of traffic lights and alongside him is maybe 4 or 5 other motorbikes that are all breaking the law by not wearing helmets. Now if that officer wanted some coffee money then alongside him is an ATM for easy pickings so you are wrong in your thinking that the Thai public provide them with that income

[tryasimight]

6 hours ago, jenny2017 said:

They solve problems with machetes, guns and everything else that can kill. It's true, something has changed, all Thai drivers are totally "jay roon". 

 

  As a result, we didn't drive to summer holidays  for quite a few years. It's freaking sad, but better healthy at home than dead on a road somewhere. 

 

   

It doesn't sound like life in Thailand is for you. I know it happens as witnessed on this board but I've never actually experienced it and my Mrs is not shy using the horn when she drives. 

[JGV]

I have said it before severe financial penalties for all infringements and a police force that will enforce this - if people plead  no money then confiscate their vehicles until they pay up and a curfew to prevent vehicles being used - yes curfew dawn to dusk No exceptions

Reasonableness has proved totally ineffective - people with vehicles and motor bikes need to be controlled like you would a child

[Sid Celery]

1 hour ago, hobz said:

But how does this corelate to an INCREASE in accidents? The driving license now has MORE TEACHING.. Before it was 1 half day of instructions now it's 1 full day... so with your logic we should see a DECREASE in accidents, instead we see an increase,, what am i missing?

More debt. The debt used to buy the motosy and pickups... ride today, pay tomorrow. If you get a tomorrow.

Edited November 26, 2017 by Sid Celery

[Sid Celery]

18 minutes ago, hobz said:

Vehicle registration = road tax i think?

Por Ror Bor. The tax disk as it is in UK. 

[hobz]

2 minutes ago, JGV said:

I have said it before severe financial penalties for all infringements and a police force that will enforce this - if people plead  no money then confiscate their vehicles until they pay up and a curfew to prevent vehicles being used - yes curfew dawn to dusk No exceptions

Reasonableness has proved totally ineffective - people with vehicles and motor bikes need to be controlled like you would a child

Exactly, but look at this: 

Thai people don't want law enforcement.. So in a democracy it's only fair that the people get what they want (not that we live in a democracy, but you know what I mean :))

[tryasimight]

6 hours ago, HiSoLowSoNoSo said:

Scary, but a sign of a society falling apart.  

Or someone embellishing a minor incident.  He jumped a red light..... So he was going in a totally different direction. ....the follows Jenny....  Then Jenny overtakes him.....why?....  How does that work..... Then  drove into a small soi...... <deleted>???? Jenny saw a hand gun.... And they always shoot... But he didn't...... Then Jenny woke up I expect.

Edited November 26, 2017 by tryasimight

[bluesofa]

4 minutes ago, Sid Celery said:

Por Ror Bor. The tax disk as it is in UK. 

As it was in the UK.

Watching some UK police documentaries on youtube, I see the paper disk has been scrapped.

It's mainly enforced by ANPR (Automatic Number Plate Recognition) cameras now, linked online to check within a few seconds if the vehicle has road tax, insurance and MOT.

[tryasimight]

6 hours ago, HHTel said:

That's absolutely correct.  The stats only cover deaths at the scene.

That's absolutely garbage.  Read the OP. 

[metisdead]

Off topic posts and replies have been removed.  Posts containing derogatory generalizations toward Thais have been removed. 

[tryasimight]

5 hours ago, jenny2017 said:

 

      I almost got killed on my way to work in the morning at 6 am. A speeding kathoey, also driving a Pickup then hit me sideways doing high speed after doing a red light.

 

    The impact was so extraordinary that I was unconscious and I woke up at the local hospital after a few hours. Very serious injuries at my spine, broken ribs, and others were the result. But neither that hospital, nor a second one understood how serious my condition was. Close to a wheelchair, that's for sure. 

 

      The car was repaired and I had to wait more than one year to get it back, unfortunately with non functioning brakes and power steering.

 

 Short after the whole car was redone at Mitsubishi and I had to wait another six months to get it back.

 

   Only two weeks then driving my car again, when a speeding CBR150 motorbike on the other lance then lost control, drove on the trailer of a trekker, where the driver and the bike became airborne,.

 

   The driver flew over the trekker and the trailer and landed on his feet... But the motorbike was heading towards my windshield and almost killed my wife and me.

 

   I hit the brakes and could prevent the bike coming into the car thru the window. From that time on, I'm driving very slow, always double checking if a car really turns left when blinking, because they always do weird things.

 

    Be safe out there. You've got to think for them, if not you might have some bigger problems. 

 

 Without my good reaction, we could be dead now.  

Give up driving. 

[tryasimight]

3 hours ago, Sid Celery said:

I don't think it's that, though without a doubt, many Thais are exquisitely lazy.

There are several possibilities:

 

1. Thais often think that they know best, and if they don't see the need for a law, and if there is no penalty (which is usually the case given the competence of the police force), they just won't comply with it.

 

2. Thais are never educated in the usefulness of the law, which is in effect a code which allows us to live together peaceably, without killing each other. If there were no laws, it would be mayhem, but Thais are never taught this, because their education system is both incompetent and ineffective.

 

On balance I don't think it's either of these, though I think both up come into play.  I think the main reason is quite simply that the Thai is still emerging from a primitive society into a modern society. Their education is so bad that Thais are rarely  taught how to think. As a consequence, they are more or less dominated by automatic responses, which are subconscious. This certainly explains why the Thai psyche is dominated by matters involving face (self esteem).

 

So in the case of running a red light, they will see that the light changing to amber and their automatic instinct is to put  their foot down because they know the red light is coming and they want to beaded. Unfortunately their powers of judgement are also primitive, so they very often miss it.

 

Alternatively they may just not notice the lights changing. Thais are not really that observant, and their mind is often elsewhere (who knows where?) so they may just not  be aware of the danger. Particularly upcountry, many Thais don't have driving licences, which means they never been taught how to drive. They know best, and there is always somewhere they can buy a fake driving licence because although they don't have very many talents, copying is certainly a talent they possess in spades. Allegedly, up to about two-thirds of country Thais who drive do not have a legal licence. If this is true, then carnage on the roads is inevitable, especially given the quality of road maintenance upcountry..

You don't like Thai people do you? 

How much did she take you for? 

 

Edited November 26, 2017 by tryasimight

[wakeupplease]

A great advert to the rest of the world>>>>> Come and Die on our Thai Roads ..... We are the Hub of road death.

 

Get the dam bib off their backsides and doing some work like they do in other countries.

[David Walden]

9 hours ago, AlphMichaels said:

Stated it before - stating again; Create a highway patrol force and train to move about rather than sit under a tarp at a joke of a road block.   Enforce every law with fines so significant the entire country will be abuzz with the news and understand the cost of non-compliance.

 

Speeding - 1,000THB...,  >20KPH over speed limit - 2,000THB

Riding wrong side of road - 1,000THB

Tailgating - 2,000THB

Motorcycles passing on left side - 1,500THB

Overtaking on curves - 5,000THB - 30 day "no drive" sanction

 

Commercial transport services..., crush every one with restrictions that make non-compliance a direct and impactful effect on revenue and profits. From monthly vehicle road-worthiness inspections (failed brakes, my arse!) to regular sobriety checks (more early on - quota officers) GPS/speed detection devices on all and with feeds to highway patrol with automatic ticketing for each infraction.     

 

And I'm just getting started. Imagine the cash cow revenues that could be realized.  Up front costs would be nominal and ROI realized in mere weeks.  

 

Now must go drive a friend to Big C in my inimitable white knuckled, 180 degree bobblehead fashion.  

   

Goodness gracious me,  you'd have no motorbikes or cars on the road at all.  How would the corrupt police (if there are any) get paid.

[phantomfiddler]

Dead at the scene ? but what about the ones who die in hospital a day later ? Don,t they count ?

[David Walden]

Just now, phantomfiddler said:

Dead at the scene ? but what about the ones who die in hospital a day later ? Don,t they count ?

Nope.

[tryasimight]

1 minute ago, David Walden said:

Nope.

Read the OP..... They do.  The barstool nonsense has been out to rest.