Thailand resolves to reduce road accidents, a national road safety event was told

By Thasong Asvasena
THE NATION

 

Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan (fifth from left) and key government officials in opening ceremony

 

Thailand is aiming to reduce the rate of road accidents by half by next year and meet the goal set by an international benchmark, participants of a national road safety convention held on Wednesday at Bangkok International Trade & Exhibition Centre (BITEC) were told.

 

 

The 14th Thailand Road Safety Seminar had as its theme “Play your part and share the road” or, to give it its Thai name, “Walk, Ride, Drive Go-and-Come Safely”. The annual event is aimed at reducing Thailand’s very high road fatality rate, which occasionally breaks world records. 

 

 

Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan presided over the opening ceremony. In his keynote address, he cited the appallingly high number of road deaths of more than 21,000 each year – an average of 60 per day – the permanent disability of more than 6,000 people and the resultant Bt500 billion in economic losses.

 

 

According to World Health Organization (WHO), Thailand has the highest road fatality rate in Asean and the ninth in the world, losing 32.7 people per 100,000 population, compared to 18.2 globally, and 17.8 regionally.

 

 

The two-day event is focusing on integrating all road safety solutions into one synergy comprising all relevant government agencies, non-profit organisations and the public and private sectors. This year's seminar is also centred on protecting pedestrians, cyclists, moped riders and motorcyclists, who are termed “Vulnerable Road Users” (VRU) by WHO.

 

 

Under the Decade of Action for Road Safety 2011-2020 officially proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly in March 2010, which is also known as “the Moscow Declaration”, Thailand is obliged to put in place enhanced road safety projects based on Road safety management, Safer roads and mobility, Safer vehicles, Safer road users and Post-crash response.

 

 

 

Motorcycle safety is among primary objectives, especially for Thailand, which along with Vietnam and Indonesia faces the highest fatalities, topping its neighbours last year with 74.4 per cent of deaths in road accidents.

 

 

Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30374575

 

-- © Copyright The Nation Thailand 2019-08-10

Follow Thaivisa on LINE for breaking Thailand news and visa info

 

Do you ever get the feeling of déja-vu?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Do you ever get the feeling of déja-vu?

 

6 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

Thailand is aiming to reduce the rate of road accidents by half by next year and meet the goal set by an international benchmark

In order to do this they will reduce the number of accident reports processed by fifty percent.

 

Another fanfare on the same subject. It's like beating a dead horse.. SSDD

 

18 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

The 14th Thailand Road Safety Seminar

I reckon, by the time the 20th seminar comes around, we could be hitting the 50,000 road deaths per year mark.

They should shoot for simply not being the worst in the world. How hard can it be?

The previous 13 annual road safety conferences, all aimed at reducing the road toll, have clearly been abject failures. 

 

But this one will be different.

 

Won't it?

18 minutes ago, Crossy said:

Do you ever get the feeling of déja-vu?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Do you ever get the feeling of déja-vu?

 

First thing that came to my mind.  Time for the annual get together for dinner and drinks.

Thailand the Hub of Resolution.

33 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

Thailand is aiming to reduce the rate of road accidents by half by next year

And i'm 'aiming' to be a billionaire next year, we both equally have the same rate of succeeding in achieving our goals...

13 minutes ago, Dexlowe said:

The previous 13 annual road safety conferences, all aimed at reducing the road toll, have clearly been abject failures. 

 

But this one will be different.

 

Won't it?

Yep different restaurant and menu, same wine list tho.

So this was the 14th meeting and it seems the previous 13 achieved nothing.

One day they will wake up to realise that their BiB boots on the ground ain't out there..Where are they, why aren't the commanding officers handing out their daily duties. The road block mentality does not work, get out on the streets..

"And we'll do it by only targeting tourists for licence infringement in areas such as Chiang Mai, Pattaya and Phuket while we let 10 year old Thais with no helmets ride their siblings around"

This seems to be a weekly (or more frequent) announcement.  All the plans, rules, laws, etc. are useless without adequate enforcement. 

Perhaps the government should make attendance at a driving school mandatory from age 12 with emphasis on defensive driving.  Perhaps there should be a certified driver education centre in every major centre in every province!  Perhaps parents should learn to say NO! so little Somchai does not ride, or have access to a motorcycle until he (she) has passed the mandatory course and is properly equipped!  Perhaps making the children walk to and from school would alleviate many of the traffic woes with the added benefit of reducing obesity!

Thinking in western logic (yeah, yeah, I know), to reduce road carnage in Thailand, it would be a simple task if anybody actually gave a toss (anybody high up).

Looking at the first picture in the OP, it seems to be convention that General Prawit's lectern is bigger than everyone else. As he is shorter than everyone else, it creates the bizarre impression of a group of adults attempting to be comfortable with the furnishings of a primary school classroom! The copper resembles The Hunchback of Notre Dame having a bad period!

 

An irrelevant musing perhaps, but no less irrelevant than any conclusions by this panel...

26 minutes ago, Dexlowe said:

The previous 13 annual road safety conferences, all aimed at reducing the road toll, have clearly been abject failures. 

 

But this one will be different.

 

Won't it?

It will because this time we really mean it!See how much effort we put into the big vinyl backdrop. 

3 minutes ago, neeray said:

Thinking in western logic (yeah, yeah, I know), to reduce road carnage in Thailand, it would be a simple task if anybody actually gave a toss (anybody high up).

It really is that simple.If they put the same importance as they put into making money it would have a huge impact.

They actually used dry ice for a ''rock star '' effect...That's real smoke and mirrors..

Honestly I don't think Thai Governments really care about the number

of people killed on the roads everyday,as they would have taken effective

steps to at least trying to curb it,hot air and talking is not going to do it.

regards worgeordie

Does this suggest Thailand is about to get a police force?

The genome develop over time, we'll just have to wait....

Road accidents, like corruption, are an incurable disease in Thailand!

59 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

.................. the resultant Bt500 billion in economic losses.

Practically everything in Thailand is brought back to the single common denominator.........money!

It is almost as if the deaths and injuries are secondary and that reducing the costs is the driver.

1 hour ago, rooster59 said:

Thailand resolves to reduce road accidents, a national road safety event was told

They don't know how, also it would involve huge spending even if they did

 

the key is proactive law enforcement - detecting and prosecuting traffic law offenders before the are involved in an accident, some law changes also required 

Why didn't they invite a few clowns to make it a bit more fun, like the boy with the pot on his head and the guy who pulled of the steering wheel?

First thing to reduce traffic casualties.....

Hire a large group to patrol the roads to enforce traffic laws.  Currently, there is no enforcement of speed limits, drunk driving, tailgating, reckless driving, or any other.  These should all be policed and enforce.

Maybe call this force "Police." 

 

Second thing is to provide quality helmets that actually offer some protection.  Really, no such thing at the amount.  They are expensive, at least B10,000.  The government could subsidize them and bring the cost down to B1,000, by not waste money on submarines, armored personnel carriers, and other weapons of war that Thailand has no use for.

Waste of time.

 

Thai do not listen.

 

Too arrogant. 

Prawit: "So how can we reduce the number of deaths on the road?"

Police Chief: "We set up road blocks at certain times of day and fine people without helmets"

Prawit: "Great idea. Any more?

Interior Minister: "How about an increased road safety campaign around holidays like New Year and Songkran?"

Prawit: "Perfect"

Minister of Transport: "I think we should increase the speed limit to 120kph"

Prawit: "OK. That's it. Meeting over. Great ideas guys. I need to pick one of my watches up from the repairers before I fall asleep.

Waste of time.

 

Thai do not listen.

 

Too arrogant.