Motorists failing to give way to emergency ambulances to face severer penalties

[webfact]

Motorists failing to give way to emergency ambulances to face severer penalties

By Thai PBS

 

 

The National Legislative Assembly will forward a call for the amendment of traffic law to the Royal Thai Police to consider hefty punishment for drivers who fail to give way to ambulance with critically injured patient on board.

 

NLA’s movement came after an outspoken medical technologist known widely in the social world as Mor Lab Panda, administrator of Street Hero Project page on Facebook submitted a letter to the NLA president calling for the hefty punishment for drivers who fail to give way to emergency ambulance.

 

The administrator called for the increase of the current 500 baht fine for such offence to 10,000-20,000 baht, and a suspension of driving license from 1-3 months.

 

Full story: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/motorists-failing-give-way-emergency-ambulances-face-severer-penalties/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2018-04-26

[NUUM]

And a similar fine for all those fools driving around with various flashing lights who are not official ambulances...

[Thaiwrath]

9 minutes ago, webfact said:

The administrator called for the increase of the current 500 baht fine for such offence to 10,000-20,000 baht, and a suspension of driving license from 1-3 months.

 

While you are at it, look at all the other traffic laws, and amend them accordingly.

And to make things even better, enforce them !

Edited April 26, 2018 by Thaiwrath

[z42]

Still not severe enough. Nowhere near

[Sonhia]

Give way to any emergency vehicle with sirens blasting and lights ablaze.

 

Any driver who is so inconsiderate as to not give a crap about humanity, should never be allowed to drive any vehicle for life!

 

A persons life is far more important and the Police should do much more to protect road users, which includes motorcyclists plus pedestrians.

 

Being a foreigner myself, I really get p-off with those foreigners buzzing around on motorbikes with no helmets on. It is disrespectful, breaking law and a slur on those foreigners that do wear helmets.

 

Foreigners should set an example.

[Dmaxdan]

These ambulance drivers seem to post the dash cam footage of these incidents on sites such as Facebook rather than showing the videos directly to the police. Perhaps it is time for all ambulances to officially have cameras and if they get blocked during a callout then as soon as the job is complete the footage is sent directly to the appropriate police department. They are both part of the emergency services and should be working together on issues like this.


Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Talk talk talk. They haven't passed any law. They haven't taken any actual action.

 

And even if the authorities eventually get around to enacting tougher penalties, most of the time, the police typically couldn't be bothered...

 

Unless the case happens to get on Facebook, and then they somehow seem to pay attention.

 

BTW, I'd be willing to bet there's some CURRENT law on the books (obstructing emergency personnel, negligence, involuntary manslaughter, etc.) that the police COULD use to prosecute the vermin who have been involved in deliberately obstructing ambulances with the result being the patients inside died. But they haven't lifted a finger, in typical fashion.

 

[darksidedog]

53 minutes ago, webfact said:

hefty punishment for drivers who fail to give way to ambulance with critically injured patient on board.

I think that anything that improves driver standards is a good thing. I am concerned about the line above though. How does a driver know if the ambulance behind him is carrying someone critically injured, or if the ambulance driver just wants to get to lunch quickly? While he should just get out of the way regardless, I hope there will also be some punishment dished out for ambulance drivers who abuse their lights and sirens.

Now all they need to do is address the other multitude of driver sins on the roads. Fairly extensive list mind.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Just now, darksidedog said:

 How does a driver know if the ambulance behind him is carrying someone critically injured, or if the ambulance driver just wants to get to lunch quickly?

 

 

In other countries, just as it's illegal to obstruct emergency personnel, it's also illegal for emergency personnel to use Code 3 lights and sirens in non-emergency, non-legitimate situations.

[chainarong]

1 hour ago, z42 said:

Still not severe enough. Nowhere near

First offence confiscate the vehicle for 30 days, second offence squashed the bloody vehicle..............................

[MaxLee]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

The administrator called for the increase of the current 500 baht fine for such offence to 10,000-20,000 baht, and a suspension of driving license from 1-3 months.

 

[MaxLee]

3 minutes ago, chainarong said:

First offence confiscate the vehicle for 30 days, second offence squashed the bloody vehicle..............................

How about the fastest way: squash the bloody vehicle immediately,   

[trd]

It's sad that a law is even required. How can a motorist who is obstructing the path of an ambulance and is able to get out of the way, not do so when it's obvious that someone's life may depend on getting to hospital quickly. It's just common decency.

[Crossy]

1 hour ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

In other countries, just as it's illegal to obstruct emergency personnel, it's also illegal for emergency personnel to use Code 3 lights and sirens in non-emergency, non-legitimate situations.

Exactly! Non-emergency vehicles MUST NOT be permitted to use flashing lights, emergency vehicles must only use lights when on an emergency.

 

Is that red/blue strobe in my mirror an ambulance or a bus?

 

In the UK:-

Blue strobe = fire, police, ambulance, coastguard or mountain rescue on an emergency call.

Green strobe = doctor on emergency call.

Yellow strobe = anyone else who feels important (and breakdown vehicles).

 

EDIT and get caught with a light that's not white, yellow or red on your vehicle and you are for the high jump.

 

EDIT 2 As of 2007 a fine of up to 5,000 squid is on the cards http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/6377597.stm

 

Another edit the UK rules, simple and concise, the answer is no! http://www.ukemergency.co.uk/blue-light-use/

 

[sweatalot]

2 hours ago, trd said:

It's sad that a law is even required. How can a motorist who is obstructing the path of an ambulance and is able to get out of the way, not do so when it's obvious that someone's life may depend on getting to hospital quickly. It's just common decency.

 

it's even more sad that the law will never be enforced even if existing - and nobody will care

[connda]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

The administrator called for the increase of the current 500 baht fine for such offence to 10,000-20,000 baht, and a suspension of driving license from 1-3 months.

That's a little more like it. 

[CeeGee]

At the same  time look at the ambulances that use the lights and horns when they are not on an emergency.

Twice I have been stuck in the 5pm traffic on the Sukhumvit road Pattaya  and have had an ambulance weave its way through the traffic with all its lights going, only to pass MacDonalds 10 mins later and 200 yards up the road to see the same ambulance parked up empty.I know there are issues with MacDonalds food but hell of a coincidence.

Edited April 26, 2018 by CeeGee

[webfact]

Call to impose heavy penalties on drivers blocking ambulances

By KHANITTHA THEPPHAJORN 
THE NATION

 

File photo

 

MOTORISTS FAILING to make way for ambulances may face harsher punishments in addition to social ostracism for “endangerment to others” as netizens join with the National Legislative Assembly (NLA) and the police to get tough on offenders.
 

The fine for blocking an ambulance could be raised from the current Bt500 to Bt10,000 or as high as Bt20,000 if the NLA passes legislation being called for by two Facebook-based campaigners for changes to the Land Transport Act.

 

NLA First Vice President Surachai Liangboonlertchai yesterday collected the petition demanding an open passage for ambulances and emergency vehicles from “Street Hero Project” administrator Weerakij Akaracho-tewit and “Mor Lab Panda” administrator and medical technologist Phakphum Dejhasdin. 

 

Surachai said he would forward the petition to the Royal Thai Police, along with recommendations by the NLA committee on integrating and coordinating emergency rescue services, which he chairs. 

 

Surachai said the committee had discussed how to hold accountable and punish drivers who intentionally failed to make way for emergency vehicles causing an on-board patient to later die.

 

The panel decided that the authorities should ask a doctor to determine whether delay had contributed to the death The accused person’s intention and behaviour could also be factors for determining a punishment beyond the normal fine, he said.

 

The move followed several incidents in the past month where cars blocked ambulances from passing. 

 

On April 24, a social media user named “Weera Boonjit” posted a video clip of an ambulance with a patient on board being blocked by a pickup truck that refused to move out of the right lane in Phetchabun’s Nong Phai district.

 

The post, which received 644,000 views and was shared by 1,700 others, attracted a lot of criticism of the truck driver.

 

 

Weera said that because an ambulance usually drove at high speed to save lives, it requires the right lane and so others should move to the left and let it pass. 

 

Another caught-on-camera incident took place on April 6.

 

Social media user “Kenzaa Standby” posted the video clip of a Suzuki Swift sedan sticking to the right lane despite the tailing ambulance’s lights and blaring siren.

 

Prasit Raemkhonburi, 61, who was being transported by ambulance from Lat Krabang Hospital to Nakhon Ratchasima’s Khon Buri Hospital, was pronounced dead later that day.

 

His daughter, Saijai said Prasit suffered oxygen-deprivation to his brain, and was being sent to be treated at his hometown hospital nearer to relatives as there was a chance he would be in coma after surgery.

 

She said the family forgave the sedan driver and didn’t wish to press charges because they wished Prasit’s spirit to be at peace. 

 

 

The sedan belonged to Panuwat Sricharoen, an official at the National Institute for Emergency Medicine (NIEM), who allowed his girlfriend, Jiraporn Juisa-ngiam to drive while he slept in the car, according to NIEM chief Dr Atchariya Paengma.

 

Panuwat claimed that the driver was shocked to see an ambulance tailing behind and she was not a good driver.

 

The agency gave him a warning and a probe is to be launched.

 

 

Panuwat apologised to all sides and offered his condolence to Prasit’s family in a video clip posted on the “Street Hero Project” page on April 10.

 

National police deputy chief Pol General Weerachai Songmetta, said Jiraporn was summoned by police on April 10 to hear the charge of failure to make way for an ambulance, which is punishable by a Bt500 fine.

 

This incident prompted national police chief Pol General Chakthip Chaijinda to order that police help accommodate emergency vehicles at intersections.

 

[YetAnother]

25 minutes ago, webfact said:

The panel decided that the authorities should ask a doctor to determine whether delay had contributed to the death

sounds pretty iffy to me; if i was a medical doctor, i would likely say 'possibly,probably' in almost all cases when asked that question;

pity it had to come to this, reveals how little consideration, generally, there is for others on the road here

[irwinfc]

actions of these dimwits only show how uneducated and apathetic some thai motorists are. 100k is where the fine should be at, at least 1 year in jail, and suspension of driver's license for at least 5 years.

[Bob12345]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

The fine for blocking an ambulance could be raised from the current Bt500 to Bt10,000 or as high as Bt20,000 if the NLA passes legislation

Instead of going through each little law on the book one by one when there is media attention, how about getting rid of all current low fines by doubling or tripling them all at once?

 

It must be clear by now the current penalties are no deterrent.

[Bob12345]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

She said the family forgave the sedan driver and didn’t wish to press charges because they wished Prasit’s spirit to be at peace. 

How about copying a western legal system with a public prosecuter?

 

So many seem to get away with their actions because they can pay off the family of the victim or said family doesn't want to receive bad karma.

[shaurene]

HHere they go again, make it a firm law, not ask a doctor or any other person this that and the other..  They need to be punished where it hurts them. Plain and simple

[wwest5829]

I am thinking there is little need for complicating the legalities. First thing is to publish the video clearly showing the vehicle license plate for social shaming. Yep, it would mean loss of face and a move toward getting over defaming when the proof if clearly demonstrated.... well, it’s a thought...

[mike324]

why not raise the fine for all traffic violations, it'll make the road safer and save more lives too

[connda]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

The fine for blocking an ambulance could be raised from the current Bt500 to Bt10,000 or as high as Bt20,000 if the NLA passes legislation

Big "if" though.  And if it passes, it then needs to be enforced, and we know how the traffic enforcement goes here in the LOS.

[essox essox]

47 minutes ago, mike324 said:

why not raise the fine for all traffic violations, it'll make the road safer and save more lives too

will NOT make the roads safer........they will just drive as they normally do

[Dazinoz]

17 hours ago, Crossy said:

EDIT 2 As of 2007 a fine of up to 5,000 squid is on the cards http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/6377597.stm

Thats a lot of squid.

 

Reminds me of a joke.....one shark swims up to another shark with a very anaemic looking octopus under its fin and says "here is the sick squid I owe you"

Edited April 27, 2018 by Dazinoz

[shady86]

What's the point, most of the drivers here don't even look at rear view mirrors, block junctions and use emergency lanes. Nobody gives a damn on everything else on the road.

[VocalNeal]

May I still use the red and blue flashing lights in the windshield of my VW T5 Transporter which is unmarked and has blacked out windows?