Phuket's killer roads: GPS trackers ordered by law no defence against speed, recklessness 

Tanyaluk Sakoot

 

The minivan in the accident last Tuesday, carrying eight Chinese tourists from a hotel in Patong to Mu Ko Similan National Park in Phang Nga, was registered in Khon Kaen. Photo: Kitti Wongrattanawut
 

PHUKET: Two devastating minivan crashes last week involving tourists from Phuket have highlighted the lack of effective safety provisions to protect tourists travelling by road while on holiday in and around Phuket.

 

The first accident, at about 9am last Tuesday (Mar 20), saw a van carrying eight Chinese tourists from a hotel in Patong and to Mu Ko Similan National Park in Phang Nga slam into the back of an 18-wheeled truck in Tha Noon, just over the bridge on the mainland.

 

Chinese tourist Yu Wea, 28, was killed in the impact, while the van driver, Jamrit Aryusuk, 36, from Krabi, sustained serious injuries and was later pronounced dead. (See story here.)

 

Full story: https://www.thephuketnews.com/phuket-killer-roads-gps-trackers-ordered-by-law-no-defence-against-speed-recklessness-66578.php#3QSPIUCGtfspMxxJ.97

 

 

-- © Copyright Phuket News 2018-03-31

 

 

 

Again...further example of Thai authorities displaying their complete lack of understanding of the fundamentals of road safety....get GPS systems working..what does that do?

Interesting. They have an app called DLT-GPS that allows passengers to report dangerous driving in real time. Only available in Thai, but it's a step in the right direction.

57 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

GPS trackers ordered by law no defence against speed, recklessness

Funny, that's what I said 1 year ago.

 

Again...further example of Thai authorities displaying their complete lack of understanding of the fundamentals of road safety....get GPS systems working..what does that do?

Exactly 0
It does nothing to stop the driver taking yah ba to stay awake all day and driving like a lunatic to stay on schedule...nor does it check the tyres or brakes or if the vehicle is overloaded.

YEs it lacks safety,,, But it is more on the idiot drivers who thinks they cannot die LOL

 

10 hours ago, ChrisY1 said:

Again...further example of Thai authorities displaying their complete lack of understanding of the fundamentals of road safety....get GPS systems working..what does that do?

A budget is required to purchase them and then cheap ones are bought and the bonus goes to the authorities who don't give a damn about people or loss of life.

All the 7 days of this, 7 days of that, or turn on your GPS' and other silly pretenses about stopping the road toll are just BS!

Coming from Australia I never thought I would advocate this, but the only way to turn things around here would be to stop the speeders and the drug affected with a strong police presence on the roads catching and fining offenders. (not collecting corruption funds!). Speed traps and cameras with actual followup must be introduced.

When the Thais (and idiot foreigners) learn that maniac speeding will mean loss of money and license they will eventually learn to drive to the limits and conditions.

It would probably take many years.

Ban all vans, pickups ,busses from the right lane.max 80 km speed for these vehicles no overtaking it will safe 1000,s of life’s.

14 hours ago, Stoker58 said:

Interesting. They have an app called DLT-GPS that allows passengers to report dangerous driving in real time. Only available in Thai, but it's a step in the right direction.

I think it's a step in the direction of covering their ass. How many tourists step down from the plane, learn about this app, download it, note down the licence plate of their van, and then can read and type in Thai? And what is the response from some control center... "to inform the driver to slow down".

Well maybe the tourist could just tell the driver directly.

 

The real step forward would be to have police on the road, stopping the bloody vans which are obviously driving like maniacs, checking regularly for permits and urine test, and punish the business owner in a way that hurts. But... I am a dreamer.

On 3/31/2018 at 12:06 PM, rooster59 said:

GPS trackers ordered by law no defence against speed, recklessness 

Never mind gross stupidity.

Whats needed is a proper highway patrol. Not just for escorting VIPs around through traffic but pulling over reckless drivers and old smoke spewing buses.

Just on the airport rd alone would net them plenty of fines.


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I call these vans coffins on wheels !

5 hours ago, sebastion said:

Whats needed is a proper highway patrol. Not just for escorting VIPs around through traffic but pulling over reckless drivers and old smoke spewing buses.

Just on the airport rd alone would net them plenty of fines.


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"Whats needed is a proper highway patrol." - whilst I do not disagree with you, the problem goes deeper than that.  

 

You have an abundance of 300 baht a day Thai's toiling away in a variety of industries here, including transport (passenger transport aside) for the wealthy Thai elites and / or their companies. 

 

Just on the passenger transport, we all know that each and every driver in this sector has to pay their monthly "fee" to be in the association / club, so they also effectively work for the wealthy Thai's here, who in turn offer them a level of police protection.

 

A proper highway patrol could fine these "cheap laborers" for their indiscretions,  but I doubt they will pay the fine, so whilst a decent highway patrol may do their job here, it would need to be backed up by a comprehensive compliance policy, with the appropriate level of human resources and equipment invested.

 

Then, even if that was possible, at "the 11th hour" the offending driver will just be replaced with another 300 baht a day driver, and it all starts again.

 

As the wealthy Thai's on Phuket OWN the police here, I can't see a solution to the problem.  

 

The solution that gets thrown around is to impound the vehicles.  That would tend to hurt the wealthy Thai's, which should see them invest in more competent drivers, but just a phone call from one of the big 12 families here and the vehicle is released, or someone gets transferred to an inactive post. 

 

It would be the same with any fines against the wealthy Thai's here.  One phone call, and the fine disappears.

 

Thus, the poor can not be policed either can the corrupt wealthy, so the carnage will continue. 

 

 

On ‎4‎/‎1‎/‎2018 at 12:00 AM, Destiny1990 said:

Ban all vans, pickups ,busses from the right lane.max 80 km speed for these vehicles no overtaking it will safe 1000,s of life’s.

How would this be enforced?

 (Hint: Post #8)

When has a Thai ever been deterred by a "Law"???