76 people killed on Thai roads on Tuesday, 483 killed in August - year's fatalities top 8,500

[pops1]

I drive in Thailand at least 50 kilometres everyday and I hate every second of it. The bad condition of all the roads and the lack of road sense along with poor road markings especially for night driving. I am only surprised there isn't more as one of my 18 year old students just bought her license for 6000b which included 3 days in a classroom each day consisting of 3 hours theory then she was guaranteed a pass no matter what her test results. The poor road worthiness of most vehicles and no patrolling active police presence also contributes to the high numbers. Easily fixed if there is the will to do so. Must also give a shout out to the amazing parking here too which often cause obstructions on busy roads.  

[Tidybeard]

At least they can't blame all the Farang tourists for this year's numbers ????

 

To be honest I thought that tourists were a major part of the death statistics in the past when looking at the white skinned scooter renters on full view in Samui hospitals ... but it seems I am mistaken, the Thais can do it all by themselves !

[Airbagwill]

3 hours ago, Scot123 said:

Question to thai government: Why all the fuss over a virus that maybe killing a couple of people in thailand when you have a mass murderer "Thai Roads"? The reaction to a virus if transferred to roads would mean closing all roads and returning to buffalo carts.

there is yourr basic misconception about Thai roads......in the days of buffalo carts the roads were not the main form of  transport - transport in Thailand did not grow from buffaloes and carts  - the main transport was by river/wareways - this is the cultural route of Thai driving and one of the reasons that Westerners have such a problem understanding Thai driving and subsequently Thai road safety

[decca60]

with  xuch numbers, all cars should wear a mask ????????

[natway09]

The cost to the country of this excessive carnage must be immense.

But the Government & the Police just seem to accept it as a norm.

Unbelievable

[Airbagwill]

3 minutes ago, natway09 said:

The cost to the country of this excessive carnage must be immense.

But the Government & the Police just seem to accept it as a norm.

Unbelievable

This estimate was made in 2018

 

 

"at the end of 2017, the total amount of productivity loss caused by road traffic accidents alone was approximately 121 billion Baht (45 billions for fatalities, 7 for disabilities, 67.5 for serious injuries and 1.5 for slight injuries), or close to 0.8% of the country's GDP," - Science Direct - https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0386111220300595#:~:text=The%20results%20reveal%20that%2C%20at,country's%20GDP%2C%20which%20is%20very

 

Quite apart from dealing with the accident itself, the knock-on effects of RTIs are multiple - ranging from loss of family breadwinner to long-time disablement - various negative effects on family and friends - loss of employee/employer, hospital fees, motor vehicle insurance premiums etc. etc.

[jwbrit]

6 hours ago, PatOngo said:

Basic common sense!

Education for how to drive and use the road with other moving objects. Also understand that a bottle of whiskey is not an auto accessory.

[scammed]

1 hour ago, Oldie said:

Not yet. At first people should be only allowed to drive with masks. Obviously they help. 

priorities priorities

[Airbagwill]

1 minute ago, jwbrit said:

Education for how to drive and use the road with other moving objects. Also understand that a bottle of whiskey is not an auto accessory.

the majority of drivers in a crash in thailand have not been drinking

 

"Common sense"? - No such thing! - It is what people declare when others don't agree with their prejudices.

[Yasobill]

This has been said here hundreds of times...Unless they change the way drivers are educated and traffic laws seriously enforced, nothing will change, masses of people will continue to perish on Thailand’s roads.    

[metisdead]

Some offensive posts and the replies have been removed. 

[Bangkok Barry]

2 hours ago, Pilotman said:

This report does not provide comparative figures.   A daily monthly or annual figure is a bit meaningless without context. How does Tuesday compare to other holiday days, how do the annual figures compare to previous years, how many of the  dead were on motorbikes, what is the age profile of those who have died, what locations are more deadly?  Without those comparative numbers, this report is not even interesting, let alone useful in drawing conclusions. 

Does it matter? 76 dead in one day isn't meaningless. Nor is 68 the day before. Sometimes the comments on here leave me completely baffled.

[Bangkok Barry]

2 hours ago, ChipButty said:

Time to build a load of short time hotels along the highways 

Plenty of those already. You need to get out more ????

[dallen52]

Coronavirus 2020, 58 deaths.

Close the country. 

 

Road deaths one day, 76.

Mai bpen rai...

Edited August 13, 2020 by dallen52

[Bangkok Barry]

There are many reasons that Thais drive as they do.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

7 - Thais do not seem able to join the dots, and realise that if, for example, they drive at 120 kms an hour five metres behind the vehicle in front, or drive at night with no rear light (or front light if they are driving on the wrong side of the road because they have no concept of the danger), then they would have no time to react if the vehicle in front breaks suddenly. Ask any Thai what their safe braking distance is and they would have no idea.

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.

9 - Police have absolutely no interest in enforcing the law even when they are static beside the road, watching kids three or four on a bike go by with no helmet, no license, no ability to properly control the bike they are on. And that goes also for the parents and schools who allow Thailand's future to play Russian Roulette every time they go out. The police know they get paid anyway, so why work?

10 - The government does nothing to resolve the road death/accident toll as nothing practically can be done. The problem began decades ago when Thais first began to drive in numbers. No meaningful test was introduced and enforced, and now it is far, far too late. It would mean retraining every driver (and who would do that - it would be similar to those who teach English not being able to speak the language themselves). And it would mean the drivers having to take a proper western-style test before gaining a license. And it would mean police patrols to catch those who drive as if they are playing a video game. Now, anyone can drive as they like and put themselves and others in danger as they know they have zero chance of being caught. They can drive that way with total impunity. And it would require said (non-existent) police to actually enforce the law. And not one of those things is possible in Thailand.

To finish, nothing can or will change and survival on Thai roads will continue to be a lottery. All we can do is remember the words that were used in the 70s police drama Hill Street Blues as the force were sent out on patrol - 'Let's be careful out there'.
 

[Skeptic7]

4 hours ago, mtls2005 said:

Road deaths are #9 on the list here.

 

Are we going to get a daily tally on 

 

heart disease

stroke

lower respiratory infections

liver cancer

kidney disease

lung Cancer

HIV/AIDs

 

Cirrhosis

 

 

?

YES! A running Death Scoreboard to keep everything in proper perspective. Should be in the corner of every news program 'round the world.

 

CV-19 at the very bottom of the page all by itself. 

https://www.worldlifeexpectancy.com/live-world-death-totals

 

[Stoker58]

Probably around 120 dead in one day when you add the hospital deaths. 58 Covid deaths is a tiny problem compared to the horrific scenes on Thai roads every day.

[Airbagwill]

16 minutes ago, Yasobill said:

This has been said here hundreds of times...Unless they change the way drivers are educated and traffic laws seriously enforced, nothing will change, masses of people will continue to perish on Thailand’s roads.    

It said hundreds of times and it is wrong!

 

The entire road safety system needs to be changed - Addressing single or individual issues doesn't work.

Thailand must adopt the "safe System" as used in EU and places like New Zealand.

[smudger1951]

3 hours ago, Scot123 said:

Question to thai government: Why all the fuss over a virus that maybe killing a couple of people in thailand when you have a mass murderer "Thai Roads"? The reaction to a virus if transferred to roads would mean closing all roads and returning to buffalo carts.

Scott123, this is so true if the thai gov't does'nt change it's policy soon they will be dusting off the buffalo carts soon. They have destroyed their tourist industry for years to come.

[baansgr]

5 hours ago, JusticeGB said:

58 covid19 deaths in the last 5 months so close down the country. 68 road deaths in one day why not ban driving?

Yawn yawn yawn....are accidents contagious...???????

[Airbagwill]

4 hours ago, mtls2005 said:

Road deaths are #9 on the list here.

 

Are we going to get a daily tally on 

 

heart disease

stroke

lower respiratory infections

liver cancer

kidney disease

lung Cancer

HIV/AIDs

 

Cirrhosis

 

 

?

Just posting on list and implying it is the be-all and end-all is not enough.

 

there are several other lists that put Road deaths as number 2 or 3 on the list.

 

[Chongalulu]

6 hours ago, damascase said:

So, 78 in one day? So the roads will be closed from now on? 

No,only minds...

[Ketyo]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

Dead at the scene of accidents on Tuesday were another 76 people.

Very sad.

 

Why hasn't Prayut put a curfew in place. Or made bars close early. Or blamed foreigners. Or banned something? Can't he think of anything to ban?

Edited August 13, 2020 by Ketyo

[Chongalulu]

4 hours ago, mtls2005 said:

Road deaths are #9 on the list here.

 

Are we going to get a daily tally on 

 

heart disease

stroke

lower respiratory infections

liver cancer

kidney disease

lung Cancer

HIV/AIDs

 

Cirrhosis

 

 

?

A false equivalence. The essential difference is that those are cumulative health conditions caused by a mixture of the natural aging process and lifestyle affecting only oneself,while road deaths are a single avoidable catastrophic incident most often inflicted on innocent others by the reckless,negligent actions of a Thai driver.

[Chongalulu]

13 minutes ago, baansgr said:

Yawn yawn yawn....are accidents contagious...???????

In some ways yes - the egregious attitudes and poor skills are passed from generation to generation 

[Pilotman]

36 minutes ago, Bangkok Barry said:

Does it matter? 76 dead in one day isn't meaningless. Nor is 68 the day before. Sometimes the comments on here leave me completely baffled.

I am talking about statistically, which you surely must have realized.  The humanitarian aspect is another, but related  issue. Of course, each individual death is a tragedy, but to make sense of it, is to make a contribution to improving it and without knowing trends and details, its impossible to have a realistic view of what is actually happening on Thailand's roads.  Too many people just throw out negative opinions without knowing the full facts.  It was ever thus on TVF.  For example, why so many deaths when people fall asleep.  Is it that they work too long hours, in order to provide for their families because there is no other option for them?  Probably.  Is it their fault that they are not trained properly, as proper training is just not available here? Maybe. It's never as simple as just quoting death numbers in isolation.   

Edited August 13, 2020 by Pilotman

[ronaldo0]

25 minutes ago, baansgr said:

Yawn yawn yawn....are accidents contagious...???????

Seems so as they are spreading daily around the country and more fatal than Covid !

[Expat Tom]

As a former highway transportation safety consultant I can attest that there are three main causes of traffic accidents:

 

1) Lack of education, training and driver conduct (this includes driver errors, drinking, bad judgement etc.)

2) Lack of enforcement of traffic regulations

3) Construction and signage.

 

Thailand is guilty on all three counts.

[TKDfella]

The only thing I'm surprised at is that the count isn't higher. I don't usually drive into town at 8 a.m. but this morning I had to. Crossing the ring road with a green light and the other lanes on red was like I needed all round radar. I'm several seconds into the green light, crossing the intersection, yet m/b's and several cars from the other lanes were still jumping their red light. With their typical green rear container GRAB m/c's were weaving around the cars like it was a 'miss the obstacle race'...didn't know they were out at that time. Then cars/pickups overtaking driving completely in the wrong lane towards on coming traffic...was just madness.

[The Theory]

8 hours ago, webfact said:

It is thought he fell asleep behind the wheel of his vehicle.

Either tiredness or Changness, one is involved.

But wait !!!!
maybe both ????
 

 

 

Edited August 13, 2020 by The Theory