Video shares stark ‘Drink Drive Death’ warning

[webfact]

Video shares stark ‘Drink Drive Death’ warning

By The Nation

 

 

A new YouTube video campaigning against drink-driving during the Christmas and New Year period highlights the fact that Thailand has the highest rate of road-accident fatalities in the world outside of a war zone.

Prominent businessman Sermsin Samalapa on Wednesday uploaded the 55-second “Drink Drive Death” clip, of which he was executive producer, with the intention of raising awareness among the public about the danger of driving while drunk.

 

Sermsin cited statistics from the World Health Organisation (WHO), Probation Department, and Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department, which indicate that drink-driving is the main cause of road accidents during the New Year holidays.

 

“The film presents the fear that drink-driving can tragically turn the festive New Year holiday into a sad tragedy from road accidents. English is used in this multimedia to ensure that the message reaches beyond Thailand, as drink driving is a worldwide problem,” he said.

 

His video clip can be seen at

 

 

In order to highlight the severity of the problems on road safety, he referenced WHO statistics on road accidents, which reveal that the rate of road fatalities among the Thai people was as high as 36.2 persons per 100,000 population.

 

This means Thailand has the highest road fatality rate in Asia and ranks second on the global level following only Libya.

 

Given that Libya is suffering a civil war, which has contributed to many road deaths, the World Atlas website notes that Thailand should be regarded as having the highest rate.

 

Sermsin pointed out that, according to Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department data, the number of injuries and deaths during the New Year period has increased over the past five years.

 

The most prominent cause, accounting for 36.59 per cent of accidents during the last New Year period, was drunk drivers.

 

He noted that Probation Department statistics showed that there were 4,342 drink-driving cases over the past New Year, which was 871 more cases – or 29.5 per cent higher – than the previous period.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30334396

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-12-20

[Thaiwrath]

A good idea ? Yes, especially if it saves lives.

However, if they put it in the middle of a soap opera, on prime time television, instead of Youtube, millions more will see it, and it would have a far greater effect.

[evadgib]

I hope there's a Thai language version aimed at the domestic market too.

[Sakeopete]

Sadly people on their cell phones are just as bad. I almost had a young Thai woman hit my pickup with her Scoopy. She was riding with one hand while playing with her phone in the other. I honked and she got back in her lane but just barely. 

[Pattaya28]

If the authorities put as much time into  "Policing"  as they do in producing statistics the roads would be safer.

This video is weak.

And "drunk driving" is not a world problem. It's isolated to countries that do not take the issue seriously.

And just for the new year period, riding in the back of pick-ups is ""OK"".  Will bump up the stats, not reduce them.

[Cadbury]

After looking at that video don't you just love the way they have to take photos of the injured and dead and dying.

Is road death and injury part of the Thai culture or is it part of the Thai enjoyment?

[bluesofa]

25 minutes ago, Cadbury said:

After looking at that video don't you just love the way they have to take photos of the injured and dead and dying.

Is road death and injury part of the Thai culture or is it part of the Thai enjoyment?

I have to agree with you on that. Sadly it is part of Thai culture, although I've never thought of it as such until you mentioned it.

There is interest in looking at pictures of gruesome injuries, but don't mention to a Thai they could die because of failure to take what we in the west see as basic preventative measures, as that's too hard hitting (no pun intended).

A lack of education and common sense.

[oldlakey]

4 hours ago, Thaiwrath said:

A good idea ? Yes, especially if it saves lives.

However, if they put it in the middle of a soap opera, on prime time television, instead of Youtube, millions more will see it, and it would have a far greater effect.

Do you seriously think that people who are so laid back about 25,000 - 30,000 fatalities a year will take any video however graphic seriously

They will forget what they just watched before they have unscrewed the next bottle of rot gut

[sammieuk1]

Nobody can have watched the video yet going on the calibre of driving I witnessed today hope they give blanket coverage immediately. 

[Ceruhe]

Dude in the video is still very much alive. Immersion broken. 0/10

[laislica]

Create internment camps all over the country.

Arrest take samples of blood, by force if necessary and incarcerate.

Take time to process and bring to court.

If found guilty keep them there so as not to overload the prisons and subject them the re-education......

 

Only when it hurts, and really hurts will anything change.

 

Brutal you say?
Yeah, so is the current situation.

Only roadside deaths are counted.

They do not even bother to record the horrific injuries or the real cost to society....

Etc etc.

Who am I kidding.....

 

[wvavin]

They should translate this and broadcast this for the whole country!

[observer90210]

The problem is that the roads are an annual hazard and not just during the Christmas season.

 

Warnings with awareness are good but educating with stronger and honest law enforcement in road regulations would be far more efficient.

 

Or else why bother, if one can get away with a 500 THB tea money "fine" ?

[shackleton]

Well he has wasted his money on this video

won't make  any difference to the death toll which is up most years 

lets see what happens this year:?

I will be glad to be proved wrong

[connda]

How about HiSo in their Benzs, BMWs, Porches, HiLuxs driving aggressively as though they own the Thai road.  Where's that anti-aggressive driving campaign?  Whoa, can't have that, HiSo may be cited for driving badly. And if they are part of the carnage, well, just pay the little people 100K THB, wai, and all is well. If the little people get in your way, force them over and beat them with a <baseball bat, machete, rebar, name your weapon> and the cops will fine you a couple of thousand baht and let you go.

[watcharacters]

 

 

 

 

Is it possible driving accidents and deaths provide some kind of macabre  entertainment for Thai people?

 

There clearly isn't a clear interest in improving the driving situation.

 

I have zero hope of ever seeing an improvement.

 

 

 

 

[josephbloggs]

Brilliant, the normal TVers come out saying Thais love macabre stuff - look at them taking pictures (this isn't real), no-one will pay attention to this, it won't do any good etc etc.  The usual miserable tripe.

 

Personally I feel this is a well made and powerful video and well done.  It is a start.  People need to be educated.  In 1979 33% of road fatalities in the UK were due to drink driving.  It has taken nearly 30 years of constant reinforcement and ever more graphic safety videos to get the figure to where it is today - but still people drink and drive.  Thailand can't do this overnight and it will likely take 20-30 years but someone has made a start so let's applaud it.

 

Leave the cynicism out of this thread as it is a positive effort.

 

 

[laislica]

11 minutes ago, josephbloggs said:

Brilliant, the normal TVers come out saying Thais love macabre stuff - look at them taking pictures (this isn't real), no-one will pay attention to this, it won't do any good etc etc.  The usual miserable tripe.

 

Personally I feel this is a well made and powerful video and well done.  It is a start.  People need to be educated.  In 1979 33% of road fatalities in the UK were due to drink driving.  It has taken nearly 30 years of constant reinforcement and ever more graphic safety videos to get the figure to where it is today - but still people drink and drive.  Thailand can't do this overnight and it will likely take 20-30 years but someone has made a start so let's applaud it.

 

Leave the cynicism out of this thread as it is a positive effort.

 

 

Ticking like on your post is not enough.

You hit the nail.

It's what I was just going to post.

Thanks.

 

I was in the UK when the drink drive law came into operation.

A bunch of friends went out in a car and did our silly thing to say goodby to that life.

We grew up and it took time but we got there.

So will the Thais.

Honey works better than shit

- though, that can work too!

Edited December 20, 2017 by laislica

[josephbloggs]

I grew up with the British films, but the Aussies probably do it best:

 

 

[watcharacters]

 

 

 

If the Thai government wanted to improve the driving death situation it could and would be done.

 

There's obviously no interest in doing so other than some BS lip service

 

Sorry if the truth hurts..

 

 

[laislica]

11 minutes ago, josephbloggs said:

I grew up with the British films, but the Aussies probably do it best:

 

 

But takes too long don'tcha think?

Short, sharp and lingering might be better.

Lingering, feeling the pain and after effect for years (a lifetime to come?)

 

[loogkreung]

Just like the campaigns in the uk, but we all know it’s not the guy who has two pints in the pub that the cops just love to target, but the lunatics that think they’re Ayrton Senna, drunk or otherwise.

[Happyman58]

Going on experiences being married to a Thai If this came on Tv channel and there was a soap opera on another channel my wife would watch the soap opera before she watched this Sorry sir great idea but the mentality of a Thais is who cares about that soap operas are better to watch

What is the big deal Thais drink and drive and get killed? THey  have 67 million to choose from Gentle men life is cheap here so why worry Drink up be merry dont drive over xmas period and u will have good life in Thailand Strike up the band and get me a beer and lock away my car keys  Good advice you think?

[tandor]

7 hours ago, watcharacters said:

 

 

 

If the Thai government wanted to improve the driving death situation it could and would be done.

 

There's obviously no interest in doing so other than some BS lip service

 

Sorry if the truth hurts..

 

 

..when the authorities stop being so soft on their own people, ie accepting and demanding gratuities, and start to demonstrate good knowledge and application of their own Land Traffic Act and Regulations, increase Road Safety education in schools, expanding their community service order programme for minor offenders... therein lies the answer to cutting the road toll and making Thais better and responsible road users...blah..blah..blah.

[krobert6]

Why not target motorbikes as they have the highest fatality rate ?

[overherebc]

11 hours ago, bluesofa said:

I have to agree with you on that. Sadly it is part of Thai culture, although I've never thought of it as such until you mentioned it.

There is interest in looking at pictures of gruesome injuries, but don't mention to a Thai they could die because of failure to take what we in the west see as basic preventative measures, as that's too hard hitting (no pun intended).

A lack of education and common sense.

It always happens to other people, never self.

[chompolsky]

what is is. the Thai people know this even better than we do.

the root cause is so basic.. it is unchangeable.  it is "cultural".

learning to live with it and deal with it is the best and ONLY way... same as us westerners [farlang]. it's just like how Guy McPherson suggests for our own 'locked in' issue.

exactly the same.

 

Edited December 21, 2017 by chompolsky

[Cranky]

9 hours ago, josephbloggs said:

Brilliant, the normal TVers come out saying Thais love macabre stuff - look at them taking pictures (this isn't real), no-one will pay attention to this, it won't do any good etc etc.  The usual miserable tripe.

 

Personally I feel this is a well made and powerful video and well done.  It is a start.  People need to be educated.  In 1979 33% of road fatalities in the UK were due to drink driving.  It has taken nearly 30 years of constant reinforcement and ever more graphic safety videos to get the figure to where it is today - but still people drink and drive.  Thailand can't do this overnight and it will likely take 20-30 years but someone has made a start so let's applaud it.

 

Leave the cynicism out of this thread as it is a positive effort.

 

 

So why is it in English?  Is there no literal translation for "If you are dumb enough to drive while hammered you might die".  Or would that be admitting there may be a teeny-tiny problem with the way Thais drive?

 

 

 

 

[bluesofa]

9 hours ago, laislica said:

  9 hours ago, josephbloggs said:

I grew up with the British films, but the Aussies probably do it best:

 

 

I know it's a long video, but I felt after watching it completely it was very moving. I wouldn't know how well it got the message over though?

[overherebc]

10 hours ago, watcharacters said:

 

 

 

 

Is it possible driving accidents and deaths provide some kind of macabre  entertainment for Thai people?

 

There clearly isn't a clear interest in improving the driving situation.

 

I have zero hope of ever seeing an improvement.

 

 

 

 

My nephew spent time as a motorway cop in UK and told me it became normal to send a couple of cars onto the southbound side if there was an accident on the north, or the other way around, to slow things down a bit as there was a v good chance of at least a fender bender happening with 'gawkers' hitting the car the car in front while 'concentrating' on the accident on the the other side.

World wide practice with drivers.