Thai road carnage: deaths top 7,000 this year

[Fred white]

8 hours ago, bluesofa said:

I believe in the power of Beer Leo, that gets me out of the damned awareness cycle, but only temporarily.

I prefer chang????

[revup]

8 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

When I was growing up, we took drivers education courses. They showed us horrendous films, or semi trucks plowing into cars, and literally obliterating everything in their path. They also showed us graphic images of head on collisions. 120mph impacts. Even as a young kid, it made quite an impression. It was horrific, and it was hard to get those images out of your head afterwards. But, it left a lasting impression, and when I started driving, I understood it was serious business, and that it was a very dangerous thing to do.

 

I see people driving here, with their families in the car, and doing things, and taking the kinds of risks no rational or sane person with common sense would do. What for? To gain one minute? Why take those risks? What is the logic? Often, when I am cruising along at 100kph, someone cuts right in front of me. Or someone comes out from the side road, right in front of me. I have to slam on my brakes, or change lanes to avoid him. I look in my rearview mirror, and there is nobody behind me. So, if he had waited two seconds, he would have had completely safe passage onto the highway. What gives? Where is the intelligence, caution, and prudence? Where is the common sense? What about just the survival instinct? 

 

The only way to survive here on the road, is to be patient, have eyes in the back of your head, drive with caution, and always, and I mean always watch out of the other guy. Chances are, he does not have much driving skill, nor patience, nor reason, nor common sense. You cannot be too careful on the road here. Especially considering that the toy police offer no traffic safety, nor enforcement of the law. And Casper the ghost is more visible than the incredibly hapless highway patrol.

 

All of this applies even more so, if driving a motorcycle. 

They do the video thing here. When you renew your 5-year license, you are made to sit through a two-hour video showing peoplr doing stupid stuff then getting mangled, burned or catapuled in some way. It is shocking, but not very educational.

[9653]

8 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

When I was growing up, we took drivers education courses. They showed us horrendous films, or semi trucks plowing into cars, and literally obliterating everything in their path. They also showed us graphic images of head on collisions. 120mph impacts. Even as a young kid, it made quite an impression. It was horrific, and it was hard to get those images out of your head afterwards. But, it left a lasting impression, and when I started driving, I understood it was serious business, and that it was a very dangerous thing to do.

 

I see people driving here, with their families in the car, and doing things, and taking the kinds of risks no rational or sane person with common sense would do. What for? To gain one minute? Why take those risks? What is the logic? Often, when I am cruising along at 100kph, someone cuts right in front of me. Or someone comes out from the side road, right in front of me. I have to slam on my brakes, or change lanes to avoid him. I look in my rearview mirror, and there is nobody behind me. So, if he had waited two seconds, he would have had completely safe passage onto the highway. What gives? Where is the intelligence, caution, and prudence? Where is the common sense? What about just the survival instinct? 

 

The only way to survive here on the road, is to be patient, have eyes in the back of your head, drive with caution, and always, and I mean always watch out of the other guy. Chances are, he does not have much driving skill, nor patience, nor reason, nor common sense. You cannot be too careful on the road here. Especially considering that the toy police offer no traffic safety, nor enforcement of the law. And Casper the ghost is more visible than the incredibly hapless highway patrol.

 

All of this applies even more so, if driving a motorcycle. 

Careful, when pointing the finger,

I make mistake s on the road too

[Skallywag]

1 hour ago, Samuel Smith said:

7078/150 days = 47 people per day right?

102 vehicle deaths per day in the USA. yet they have 272 million registered vehicles to Thailand's 37 million

 

If you gave people a tangible Baht incentive Not to drive, it could work here - people like money.

Similar to turning in your guns to the police - if you turn in your motorbike - say you get 20,000 baht.  

If you show you use taxis, whether motorbike, car,  or any other type of Public transportation - say you receive 10,000 baht a month.  Very utopian vision, think I'll formulate and send into the PM - 55

 

 

The problem as I mentioned before - is overpopulation.  The roads and infrastructure in cities like Bangkok and Pattaya do not have the "holding capacity"  for all the cars and motorcycles.  It is a problem in the USA also.  They plan the big freeways and all - then after they are built they realize there are twice as many cars as 5 years ago when they planned them - so the freeways are already over capacity when opened

[TheHangingJudge]

9 hours ago, Justgrazing said:

This should be No1 priority for the P M now without exception .. Casualty rates like that are not out of place in a warzone so rather than pfaffing around with stuff minions could do he could direct his efforts into trying to reduce such a catastrophic toll for the good of all .. 

You forget he is Thai also.

[stanleycoin]

1 hour ago, 9653 said:

Careful, when pointing the finger,

I make mistake s on the road too

Maybe so,

but bet it's not, any of these.

1) Crash red lights.

2) Drive the wrong way up the carageway.

3) Drive pissed up.

4) Over take on a blind bend.

5) Play Line/ Fake book, whilst driving.

6) Text whilst driving.

7) Speed.

8  cut in front of other vehicles.

9) Run down the outside of any traffic jam and just push in.

10) Park any place that suits you, with no regard to the traffic jam you are causing.

 

God,  the list is endless.

TIT, They are so selfish on the roads, it's beyond belief.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited June 19, 2019 by stanleycoin

[Yinn]

2 hours ago, stanleycoin said:

Ok, say no more, i'm done.

Good day.

 

 

1 hour ago, Bangkok Barry said:

 

I don't think my wife would be keen on leaving all her family and friends. Would you?

 

1 hour ago, DavisH said:

But remember most of the road deaths here are those on motorbikes. Let's say about 80%. That amounts to 6000 deaths out of 30,000 from those driving other kinds of vehicles. Thailand has 3X Australia's population, so I would say road deaths involving cars may actually not be that different from that of Australia, if we only consider those driving sedans. Driving a car here for nearly 20 years, I don't feel all that less safe than driving in Australia. You would never get me on a bike here though. A colleague was killed a few years back as a passenger on a motorbike taxi that jumped a red light. No bikes for me. 

 

 

Hello Davis. 

You understand the real situation. Thankyou.

 

i think the other guys miss a lot in there hurry to talk about how “stupid” thai people are. They say it together so much they really believe themself. Scared.

 

the motorbikes are very dangerous. Sorry about that your friend.

 

[Skallywag]

28 minutes ago, stanleycoin said:

so selfish on the roads

People are selfish.

 

Life is not fair

 

We all got to go sometime

 

Enjoy it safely while it lasts

Edited June 19, 2019 by Skallywag

[Artisi]

7 hours ago, stanleycoin said:

Oops,  just noticed, says Female in Profile avatar. 

could you really believe anything from this poster - other than complete confusion...

[Traubert]

Hands up everybody here who has been killed on the road in Thailand. 

 

If you aren't out there, they can't get you, and as Yinn says, if you must, go in a car.

 

I really dont know why its such a bone of contention with everyone here, don't touch the fire and you wont get burned. It's just another thing that wont alter because the fat farang club want it to.

[Yinn]

3 hours ago, Bangkok Barry said:

 

It won't happen, for the following reasons:

1 - I have never detected any sign of common sense in a Thai, and I've been living here for over 25 years. I am not sure how you teach that, but anyway there is no movement to do so.

Really. You marry thai woman right? And stay here for 25 years? You still alive Barry?

 

 

3 hours ago, Bangkok Barry said:

2 - The Thais have a Me First mentality that is deeply ingrained, and that is the last thing you want to see in a driver.

Donold Trump America First

 

3 hours ago, Bangkok Barry said:

3 - The education system demands that you do not think for yourself but listen and obey, so Thais do not develop the necessary skills to actually think. That may result in my first point above.

So how school get the teacher Barry? 

 

 

3 hours ago, Bangkok Barry said:

4 - Learning to drive in a proper and responsible manner is quite difficult, and Thais do not do difficult. Thais do 'near enough', but on the roads that isn't 'good enough'. One mistake can cost lives, so being lucky enough to get it right most of the time isn't good enough either.

 

Maybe. Sometimes.

 

3 hours ago, Bangkok Barry said:

5 - They have absolutely no concept that the vehicle they are attempting to operate is a potential killer. No concept at all.

No. We know about that Barry.

 

 

3 hours ago, Bangkok Barry said:

6 - Along with inadequate teaching of all things about how to drive properly and safely, there is no test to determine if you have reached a standard where you are not a danger to yourself and others before you take to the road.

Have the license test. 

 

3 hours ago, Bangkok Barry said:

7 - Ask any Thai what their safe breaking distance is and they would have no idea.

Wrong answer Barry.

There is not the distance. The “time” is important.

Should be 4 second behind the next car. Because distance different for different speed. When you ask them about it do you speak thai or English? I think they not understand what you say.

 

3 hours ago, Bangkok Barry said:

8 - There are zero police patrols to help prevent accidents by pulling aside selfish and stupid drivers. Their only presence is setting up road blocks which seems in my experience to have only one purpose - to check your tax disc is in the window and up to date.

Wrong Barry. Thailand have road block and motorway police. Not zero. Have “radar”ร also. Hide in the tree. They drive Honda Accord. Maybe not where you live. But have sure.

 

Photo show speed trap and highway patrol car.

 

maybe should calm it down a little bit Barry. Not everybody the safe driver, but most people are. 

 

 

 

[Artisi]

6 hours ago, Percy P said:

You can drive very carefully but still get involved in an accident if the others drivers are driving carelessly. I don't drive but l look out on what's going on ,l walk towards oncoming traffic to be sure.

don't forget to keep an eye behind for all those driving on the wrong side of the road.

[Yinn]

3 minutes ago, Artisi said:

don't forget to keep an eye behind for all those driving on the wrong side of the road.

Yes, must be careful about that one.

 

[kritsana77]

56 minutes ago, Yinn said:

Really. You marry thai woman right? And stay here for 25 years? You still alive Barry?

 

 

Donold Trump America First

 

So how school get the teacher Barry? 

 

 

 

Maybe. Sometimes.

 

No. We know about that Barry.

 

 

Have the license test. 

 

Wrong answer Barry.

There is not the distance. The “time” is important.

Should be 4 second behind the next car. Because distance different for different speed. When you ask them about it do you speak thai or English? I think they not understand what you say.

 

Wrong Barry. Thailand have road block and motorway police. Not zero. Have “radar”ร also. Hide in the tree. They drive Honda Accord. Maybe not where you live. But have sure.

 

Photo show speed trap and highway patrol car.

 

maybe should calm it down a little bit Barry. Not everybody the safe driver, but most people are. 

 

 

 

Then why do you have some of the most dangerous roads in the world? Please explain your logic.

[wisperone]

10 hours ago, Dmaxdan said:

Spot on. I would also add the total lack of patience shown by many. Red light runners, not waiting until its clear at a U-turn and not stopping at level crossings when the barriers are down are all prime examples of this. 

Just shows the lack of value they put on their own life and possessions. Never mind others lives and possessions.

 

[bangrak]

Nah, don't need all that heavy stuff, here on Samui 4 (four) die every day (yearly average) in motorbike accidents (mind you: death on the spot, all the ones dying later in hospital not accounted for)! Considering the size of the island and its reduced road infrastructure, this must be a, sad, national record. No idea how many casualties among pedestrians and people travelling with 4 or more wheels, ...in addition!

[Traubert]

11 minutes ago, wisperone said:

Just shows the lack of value they put on their own life and possessions. Never mind others lives and possessions.

 

'They,'

 

Isn't it great when someone refers to the entire population of a country as 'they?'

 

Or is it dismissive and xenophobic? I get confused.....

[whaleboneman]

11 hours ago, Orton Rd said:

Do they still count those dying later or on the way to Hospital as 'injured' and only those dead at the scene as fatalities? 7K sound a bit on the low side.

It's great to just look at the pictures, but the information you ask for is actually in the extremely short article.

[Kurtf]

Lack of proper driver education and lack of police enforcement is Thailand’s solution to population control.

[wisperone]

24 minutes ago, Traubert said:

36 minutes ago, wisperone said:

Just shows the lack of value they put on their own life and possessions. Never mind others lives and possessions.

 

'They,'

 

Isn't it great when someone refers to the entire population of a country as 'they?'

 

Or is it dismissive and xenophobic? I get confused.....

If you had bothered to read the post being referred to, you would see that it was in regards to people running red lights, etc...not a entire country. Seems like you are cherry picking and perhaps the xenophobic.

[joecoolfrog]

12 hours ago, Justgrazing said:

This should be No1 priority for the P M now without exception .. Casualty rates like that are not out of place in a warzone so rather than pfaffing around with stuff minions could do he could direct his efforts into trying to reduce such a catastrophic toll for the good of all .. 

Sad to say but it really is not a priority , dead 'peasants' are not a major concern to those who weald power.

[mvsaraburi]

2 hours ago, Artisi said:

don't forget to keep an eye behind for all those driving on the wrong side of the road.

if one of them's a petite Thai lady with a 2 year old Luk Kreung boy on her lap, both in shorts and without helmets, tell them not to forget to get me some Leo. 

[dcnx]

21 minutes ago, joecoolfrog said:

Sad to say but it really is not a priority , dead 'peasants' are not a major concern to those who weald power.

Bingo.

[passeparici]

11 hours ago, Yinn said:

 

 

pakistan, India, China, Nigeria, Congo, Russia, Brazil and USA have more road deaths than Thailand. A lot.

 

 

 

 

I don't know where you got that !!!

 

for 100 000 death rate in 2017 :

 

Pakistan : 13,64

India : 15,83

China : 19,06

Congo : 25,04

Russia : 18,75

Brazil : 22,58

USA : 10,91

 

Thailand : 35,66

I don't have Nigeria

Only Lybia is really much worse !

 

 

[Redline]

16 hours ago, darksidedog said:

No surprises here, as accidents will happen on a very regular basis, when a significant chunk of those using the roads really shouldn't be.  I used to think that many motorists here were just plain rude, ignorant and selfish, but I now believe it is just that they really have very little or no spatial awareness of others. It is the same in 7/11 or the supermarket, where they stand in the middle of an aisle blocking it, totally unaware someone is behind them, so it is the same on the roads. They seem so preoccupied with doing their thing, they don't comprehend that they need to take other vehicles into consideration. That and driving around drunk and at crazy speeds all combine to produce such terrible casualty statistics. Drive super carefully folks, lets not add to the numbers.

They have no capacity to think-only on the most level, no including common sense because it not common here-it’s honestly shocking 

[Drax]

This is why I’m sticking to bts/mrt and avoid driving. Increases live expectancy by 20 years if living in Thailand. 

[mikebell]

First step in reducing this horrific daily death toll: get a police force that 'Serves and Protects'.

[BobbyL]

13 hours ago, Yinn said:

Really?

 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_traffic-related_death_rate

Yes, but you have to equate it by the size of the population. Obviously there is no point comparing Thailand to say China. 

 

For Thailand's average population, the stats are horrendous. 

[Lenny Jones]

20 hours ago, ezzra said:

I have come to realise that traffic road rules enforcement is pretty much selective, meaning, you will find the biggest concentrations of police  in places where foreigners and well to do locals driving, like Pattaya and other destination populated by the above, thus more revenues and bribes, while the majority of up country rural roads are pretty much deserted save for a road block here and there and there where's most of the deaths occurred, why is it so and under whose watch this is happening? this is a question for the the ages and answer is blowing in the wind...

Traffic enforcement in Thailand is based purely on revenue opportunity and has absolutely nothing to do with safety management..  The whole law enforcement economical structure depends on tea money collection that EVERY member - right to the top man - benefits from.

 

It is only natural that "harvesting" takes place on the richest fields - tourist locations produce the biggest yeids.

 

Promises by General Nuisance and his short, fat off-sider to eliminate corruption in Thailand are nothing but hot air.  They have absolutely no intention of making any changes in the back-bone of the Thai economy. and diverting revenue-collectors over to safety enforcement roles  would be a bad economic move

 

Thailand will not change in our lifetime.  Corruption at all levels will continue.  Military coupes will continue.  People will die in large numbers on Thai roads - - - - - .

 

[samuttodd]

As a motorcyclist,  I have some protocols I have taken up to better my chances of survival.

 

#1  ATTGAT   I wear all of my protective gear all of the time.   Helmet, gloves, boots CE2 rated jacket,  heavy trousers.

 

#2  I do not ride after dark

#3  I installed a LOUD horn and use it.

#4 I have installed bright led floods and use them at all times

#5  I have developed a special parabolic rearview mirror which mounts in the lee of my windshield that gives me a look at my blindspots without taking my eyes off of the road in front of me.

#6   If I spot someone that is obviously going to drive up my tailpipe,  I let them pass me by.  

#7   I always check for the idiot that is going the wrong way or riding upstream before I pull out on a roadway.

8.)  when stopped in traffic I keep my fwd wheel pointed in a direction that will allow the bike  to be bumped forward and into the slot left open between vehicls/obstacles.   So that when an idiot slams into the back of me,  I won't get smashed between their vehicle and the car in front of me.

9. I always cross intersections by hedging my bet. using the car or truck along side myself (keeping them on the upstream side)   So when the idiot blows the intersection,  they have to hit the car I am getting across with before they hit me.

10.)  I telegraph my stops by blinking my tail light like morse code.  

11.)   don't be the first guy through an intersection and don't be the last.

12.)  I do not drink.

 

Edited June 20, 2019 by samuttodd