"Drive slowly if drunk" - New Year Thai road sign stuns the Japanese

[Neeranam]

1 hour ago, colinneil said:

This coming from a man who admits to taking his driving test after drinking.

Please include yourself when saying most what not be here if Thailand was a developed country.

I came here for a meditation retreat actually. I worked here for 25 years, so I didn't come as it was a cheap, developing country, quite the opposite, getting a tenth of what I was paid as a petroleum engineer in Aberdeen in 1992.

 

The fact that I passed my driving test means I was a good driver.

I only drank and drove once after passing my test.

 

How many times have you driven after a drink? How many here can say in all honesty that they only drove twice after ANY alcohol, even one drink????? Not many I bet.

 

To be fair, I don't drink nowand it was impossible for me to only have one drink so I always left the car at home.

 

Yes, I admit I was an alcoholic and needed alcohol to function. It is a disease. I have the same compassion for those with this disease as anyone with any other disease.

 

I wish you a happy New Year.

[Isaanbiker]

The truth....

[Isaanbiker]

11 minutes ago, Neeranam said:

I came here for a meditation retreat actually. I worked here for 25 years, so I didn't come as it was a cheap, developing country, quite the opposite, getting a tenth of what I was paid as a petroleum engineer in Aberdeen in 1992.

 

The fact that I passed my driving test means I was a good driver.

I only drank and drove once after passing my test.

 

How many times have you driven after a drink? How many here can say in all honesty that they only drove twice after ANY alcohol, even one drink????? Not many I bet.

 

To be fair, I don't drink nowand it was impossible for me to only have one drink so I always left the car at home.

 

Yes, I admit I was an alcoholic and needed alcohol to function. It is a disease. I have the same compassion for those with this disease as anyone with any other disease.

 

I wish you a happy New Year.

Wise words. A Happy New Year for you too!!!

[Mark mark]

I wonder if this would actually work ? … Like I am sure that it would, if people DID slow down if they were Drunk, ... as well as even better, .... at all Times ! ... Especially at Night !!!

 

I have lived in Thailand for about 35 Years now and well, … Up until only a few Years ago .... Everyone could drive Drunk ! Like they had No Breathalyzers ! ... And well, if you could still walk,.... were Polite and Wyed Properly ... Well then you were not drunk ! Right ! ? 

 

... Like I posted a story of nearly falling on a Policemen’s table in a Restaurant ! And being asked curtly "Do you know who we are" … and I of course ... Really pretty drunk ! And obviously so, just said "Yes ! Sure I do" … and just staggered out of the restaurant, … and got on my Motor bike, and rode home !!! ... Like this IS a LONG time ago admittedly .... BUT back then you could buy a six pack or a couple of Bottles, at any Road side stop, ... put it in between the seats, ... and Just drive on !!!

 

<<<<Off topic diatribe about Australia edited out>>>>

 

… So well it NOW is a new millennium that we are living in here in Thailand !  ... !!! .... and well, yes, Pretty Humorous ! … "Slow down if you are driving Drunk" .... But well, it is a Real statement that WOULD work, … If people would believe it ! …. and well could have been applied for the last millennium also !!! ... Like, like that or not.

Edited December 31, 2019 by metisdead
Edited out off topic diatribe.

[metisdead]

Some posts containing personal comments to other members have been removed. 

 

Off topic posts and replies have been removed. 

[Jane Dough]

5 hours ago, Neeranam said:

Remember that Thailand is a developing country. Of course countries like Japan or UK never let people dfink and drive.

I'll never forget my uncle Dougie driving zig zag from a wedding around 1971. It was write common then for peeps to drink and dive, taking years to change it. Give Thailand a break, most of you wouldn't be here if she were a developed country.

Thailand has had plenty of time to develop DUI laws and a culture attached to them.

 

I was here in 1985 teaching Japanese salarymen in Bangkok who told me then of the utter disgrace to them and their family that a DUI conviction in Japan would mean. They would lose their jobs, lose everything. Some even intimated that the shame would be so terrible they would consider suicide. 

 

Since then Thailand has had 35 years to get its house in order on the roads. It hasn't. In that time the best part of a MILLION people have been killed on the roads. Yes a MILLION. And a huge proportion of that number have been due to drunks.

 

Look, I'm the first person to talk about my years in Thailand being spent in a lawless and underdeveloped country - and sometimes relishing that fact. But Thailand - especially its lawmakers and its police but also its people - needs to stop paying lip service to this national disgrace. 

 

In closing, I'll be here to my dying day as I have devoted my life to the country. As a concerned resident and lover of Thailand I feel the need to speak out about things that are just plain wrong. 

 

Rooster

[sitanonchai]

"Drive slowly if drunk" - New Year Thai road sign stuns the Japanese

 

me think "Drive slowly if drunk" - New Year Thai road sign stuns the whole world

[Neeranam]

3 hours ago, Jane Dough said:

Thailand has had plenty of time to develop DUI laws and a culture attached to them.

 

I was here in 1985 teaching Japanese salarymen in Bangkok who told me then of the utter disgrace to them and their family that a DUI conviction in Japan would mean. They would lose their jobs, lose everything. Some even intimated that the shame would be so terrible they would consider suicide. 

 

Since then Thailand has had 35 years to get its house in order on the roads. It hasn't. In that time the best part of a MILLION people have been killed on the roads. Yes a MILLION. And a huge proportion of that number have been due to drunks.

 

Look, I'm the first person to talk about my years in Thailand being spent in a lawless and underdeveloped country - and sometimes relishing that fact. But Thailand - especially its lawmakers and its police but also its people - needs to stop paying lip service to this national disgrace. 

 

In closing, I'll be here to my dying day as I have devoted my life to the country. As a concerned resident and lover of Thailand I feel the need to speak out about things that are just plain wrong. 

 

Rooster

 

Firstly, there is no right or wrong, good or bad in this world of causality.

 

It is what it is.

 

I have also stayed in Thailand a long time, most of my life actually and am still trying to accept some of the cultural differences. Acceptance is the key to having a happy life here! There are always some that have lived here for a short time and suffer from culture shock and hit out, attacking Thailand, unfairly IMHO. I understand that when they have lived most of their life in Liverpool, Adelaide, Hamburg, Gothenburg, or Detroit, they find some things hard to understand or accept.

 

Thais attitude towards death, for example. The laws of cause and effect are universal, Thais call it 'Karma', along with over 2 billion other Asians. Thai people are generally a lot more spiritual than where I come from, Leith, and certainly have more Faith, which is an advantage. It's a rather Colonial attitude to think that your culture is right. I hear it all the time regarding Direct and Indirect communication. In fact, I do cross-cultural courses demonstrating that both have advantages and disadvantages. Thais non-confrontational style is better that that in Leith, especially at midnight on a Friday night or gang culture in the US.

 

Regarding deaths on the road. Yes, believe it or not, many wise people say that nothing happens by mistake, everything in this universe happens for a reason. And I know some will say "yeah but you wouldn't say that if it were your kid that was killed by a drunk driver" and they might be right but I think I would deal with it better having being somewhat integrated into a Thai way of thinking to some degree.

My first daughter died, possibly due to poor Thai medical treatment, possibly not. One thing that helped me come to terms with 'such a tragedy'(Western catastrophic thinking?) was a Thai saying - "arai ja gerd gaw hai man gerd" which means that what happens was meant to happen. Thais seem to accept the things they can't change more than non-Thais.

So, before attacking Thai culture, think about the bigger picture, whether you believe in God, Karma, Rebirth or whatever. It is certainly not ignorance, as many have said in this thread.  Faith is only scoffed at by those who have never experienced the realm of the sacred.

[Neeranam]

6 hours ago, Mark mark said:

BUT back then you could buy a six pack or a couple of Bottles, at any Road side stop,

It's not long since motorway petrol stations sold alcohol. I remember most drug store in Bangkok sold whisky. Well it does have medicinal uses.

[impulse]

Don't have sex...

 

Don't forget your condoms...

 

Which message do you think is more helpful?

 

Don't drink and drive...

 

If you drink, drive slowly...

[Mark mark]

2 hours ago, Neeranam said:

It's not long since motorway petrol stations sold alcohol. I remember most drug store in Bangkok sold whisky. Well it does have medicinal uses.

I think that it is REALLY GOOD that they ALL are not doing this any more. ... Like it was Crazy in the first place.

 

Still, the local cheap Restaurants, and Noodle shops still do it by the major Highways .... but well, it forces you to make an Extra stop, ...  and Knowingly buy Alcohol ... while some one is driving ! ? .... So it DOES reduce you Intake I think. ... Which IS Good.

 

...  Like TIT they have their own ways ! ? ... BUT they CAN get things done !

 

In Australia I think that the Zoning Regulations still are in Place, that say that you can not build a Hotel that sells Alcohol, unless you have a Regulated number of Parking Places !!! ...  Like so that you can Park, Drink, ... and then Drive home ! right ?

 

... And the efforts to curb late night drinking ... and the very serious assaults that some times go with it ! are still thawed by the Rich, Selling alcohol, Companies. ...

 

But TIT here, ...and it seems to be getting there to me.

 

Happy Ne Year to you all .... I just saw the clock tick over !!! 

[fusion58]

On 12/29/2019 at 3:40 PM, webfact said:

They pointed out that Thailand does not allow drink driving. 

L0L.

 

Yeah, don’t those Japanese realize Thailand is second to none when it comes to traffic enforcement?

 

BTW, the only surprise here is that the sign didn’t say “if you’re going to drive drunk, then don’t forget to take your magic amulet.”

[jvs]

13 hours ago, Neeranam said:

So, before attacking Thai culture, think about the bigger picture, whether you believe in God, Karma, Rebirth or whatever. It is certainly not ignorance, as many have said in this thread.  Faith is only scoffed at by those who have never experienced the realm of the sacred.

Yes probably not ignorance but there seems to be no will to improve.

I think what the Thai elite are doing is worse then colonial thinking.

Luckily a lot of Thai people are starting to realize they need (to) (a)

change and that always starts by looking in the mirror.

[Donutz]

Tomorrow's banner: "when murdering, use a knife"

 

Yes it's illegal and all but when you do go out doing crazy stuff, please do it a bit less effectivly...  makes complete sense no?

[tabarin]

I prefer to drive fast rather than slow, keeps me ahead of all the problems and idiots. Sober or drunk. 
Each time I drive around slowly and relaxed I get near accidents from all sides, cut off by others and the list goes on and on.

(Motorbike perspective)

Edited January 1, 2020 by tabarin

[off road pat]

On 12/30/2019 at 9:29 AM, ThailandRyan said:

As a retired CHP officer, we posted signs on the CMS boards which read "See a Drunk driver Call 911", we were aggressive and reduced the mileage death rate, saving countless lives, which here is not looked at.  I asked my wife about this and she said "You can not change destiny, if meant to die will die, so why fight to change something".  That's Thai mentality for you.

Hm,...and why do they ware amulets to protect them if you can not change destiny ????

[bristolgeoff]

japan has stronger laws on drink driving and many things else.thailand they are a tourist like anyone.so these signs are the thai way of doing things and many find them amusing or funny but this is Thailand.just like the helmets license and few others. accept the way of the land  when u go there or live there

[overherebc]

On 12/30/2019 at 9:03 AM, colinneil said:

No matter how hard you tried, you could not better that road sign, pathetic, who ever came up with that absolutely stupid idea needs sacked on the spot, T.I.T.

Don't sack him yet. I heard on the QT that he has, for the next 'dangerous days' period, tabled a motion for drunk driving lanes to be put into place.

[moutamine]

Thailand is like that retarded cousin you have in the family... you can't stop making fun of it.

[overherebc]

17 hours ago, off road pat said:

Hm,...and why do they ware amulets to protect them if you can not change destiny ????

Same reason our primitive ancestors used to wear a necklace of teeth from the animal they killed so it would protect them from other wild animals.

 

[LetsCleanUpTHAILAND]

On 12/30/2019 at 8:57 AM, ezzra said:

i"m just wondering when are you supposed to notice this sign, when you're sober yet or when drunk already? and if drunk already, how do suppose to pay attention to a rad sign at all?...

In Thailand, there are two forms of communication (1) public eye and (2) undercover: the government tells people what they want to hear on TV and online, but sends the real message via print media in text big enough to see with dancing drunken eyes.  haha 

 

I don't see why police can't be forced to do their job... this is a country of "doing your duty" so why don't the police do theirs? Give them a quota - give 20  legitimate tickets a day to traffic law offenders or the officer gets penalized. 3 penalties = fired from royal police. Simple. 

[Saint Nick]

On 12/30/2019 at 5:45 PM, dunroaming said:

And yet so many of us ex-pats choose to live there.  Funny that

I found out MANY of the things that irritate me (to say the least) AFTER I moved here!

It's called a learning curve!

Something that folks in this country...ahm...mai bpen rai!

[uncleeagle]

15 hours ago, bristolgeoff said:

japan has stronger laws on drink driving and many things else.thailand they are a tourist like anyone.so these signs are the thai way of doing things and many find them amusing or funny but this is Thailand.just like the helmets license and few others. accept the way of the land  when u go there or live there

 

such a wise and well worded analysis, thank you. i must say you sound incredibly articulate, a master of language and also a master of logic and wisdom.

Edited January 2, 2020 by uncleeagle

[overherebc]

6 hours ago, LetsCleanUpTHAILAND said:

In Thailand, there are two forms of communication (1) public eye and (2) undercover: the government tells people what they want to hear on TV and online, but sends the real message via print media in text big enough to see with dancing drunken eyes.  haha 

 

I don't see why police can't be forced to do their job... this is a country of "doing your duty" so why don't the police do theirs? Give them a quota - give 20  legitimate tickets a day to traffic law offenders or the officer gets penalized. 3 penalties = fired from royal police. Simple. 

20 tickets. Take them 20 minutes to do that then what for the rest of the day ?????

[ravip]

On 12/30/2019 at 7:59 AM, ThailandRyan said:

As a retired CHP officer, we posted signs on the CMS boards which read "See a Drunk driver Call 911", we were aggressive and reduced the mileage death rate, saving countless lives, which here is not looked at.  I asked my wife about this and she said "You can not change destiny, if meant to die will die, so why fight to change something".  That's Thai mentality for you.

Really? So your wife's mentality represents the entire country? I mean 100% of Thai people think exactly the same as your wife? 

 

[Chooky]

When I see the totally reckless driving (especially by my pet dislike Pick ups that have never even had a shopping bag in the tray let alone tools) I say to my wife this is insanity...her reply.."Thats driving Thai Style and many Thais think their next life will be better"???? Love her but that is Thai sense. Not all, but never less I will keep on forever impressing on her That is not Thai Style its just very very dangerous driving.It will takes years of Re-Education from schools, media, police, governments all involved only then will Thailand have safe drivers teaching safe drivers .

By the way compared to most my wife is a good driver who covers a lot of Klms in her job and we see a lot of very disturbing unnecessary carnage

 

Edited January 3, 2021 by Chooky
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