"The bodies keep mounting up on Thailand's roads" - damning report airing on UK TV

 

 

A damning and long documentary style report into Thailand's appalling road carnage is airing repeatedly on the UK's Sky News. 
 
In a largely accurate report that documents the issue from many angles the reporter says: "The bodies keep mounting up on Thailand's roads".
 
It speaks of Thailand having some of the worst accident statistics on earth and questions how the authorities can seemingly control the coronavirus pandemic but can’t cut deaths on the roads.
 
A tearful Thai woman talks about the devastating injuries to her young daughter.
 
A rescue foundation worker talks of the unwillingness of his compatriots to follow road rules. 
 
Others talk about drink driving and the lack of helmets.
 

 

The daily death toll average is put at 62 though this is quite a conservative estimate. 
 
The yearly deaths are put at 20,000 plus - a figure accepted by the government though accident prevention groups put it at 24,000 to 26,000 annually, notes Thaivisa. 
 
People in the report talk about the penalties for infractions being too low.
 
A man who collects motorcycle helmets of the dead is interviewed; he also has a tragic child's doll.
 
A policeman speaking in English says that he does not accept bribes.
 
The damning report concludes with a man hosing down what appears to be blood on the road. 
 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2020-08-23

 

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6 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

A policeman speaking in English says that he does not accept bribes.

9 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

A policeman speaking in English says that he does not accept bribes.
 

What a priceless comment.... A policeman that does not accept bribes, he must be the only 1 in the whole country.

Notice his name is not mentioned.

The protected rich drive in motorcades with police protection, they are immune  to the carnage, the rif raf who contribute to the carnage are in significant! Hiso don't ride Honda Dreams or Scoopy's!

16 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

A policeman speaking in English says that he does not accept bribes.

does he have an exceptionally long nose ?

So how is it a 'largely inaccurate report', apart from the Police quote?

Edited August 23, 20205 yr by Orton Rd

6 minutes ago, colinneil said:

What a priceless comment.... A policeman that does not accept bribes, he must be the only 1 in the whole country.

Notice his name is not mentioned.

Name and police plate number..please ????

Edited August 23, 20205 yr by Tarteso

5 minutes ago, Orton Rd said:

So how is it a 'largely inaccurate report', apart from the Police quote?

If you check it actually says largely accurate report....

34 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

"The bodies keep mounting up on Thailand's roads"

And they will continue to do so.

 

Sadly there is no alternative

It is not lack of laws or bad roads it is lack of any real law enforcement period

 

Starts with the very basics of even having a drivers license. So many found without one at the accidents

 

Next if they have a license how did they get it? Any training at all? Any real testing other than watch a video & fill out forms?

 

Next on the roads themselves absolutely NO LAW Enforcement period

Yes a few road blocks now & then but these are mainly toll booths for crooked cops party funds

You know it, I know it, the Thai's all know it.

 

So this basically leaves the open roads as a form of lawless lands. Lands where people with little to no training drive

well beyond their skill levels or even mental capacity to compute closure rates or even what that solid line in the middle

of the multi lane road means.

 

Only in Thailand do you see these brilliant drivers pass into a blind turn or even down a straight road regardless if there are oncoming cars or not often forcing the

ones with the right to that lane off the road...why? Because they can

 

Next we have the supposedly expert commercial drivers...Yes the Semi tractor trailer drivers wielding tons of steel at crazy speeds down any road.

Then when these yaba/M150 fueled pros hits something ...It was brake failure of course

 

Silver van drivers? Oh gawd don't even ask

 

So yes this will continue without an end in sight as there is no law enforcement to change it from the ground up

From the time they are kids speeding around without license on scooters till they are adult killing machines due to speed, booze,lack of skill etc etc etc

 

Lastly it does not help that all the lower tier constantly see cases like Red Bull heir Boss kill & walk

 

If I were in charge I think the simplest fix is a Mechanical governor on all motor vehicles that limits speeds to 10mph/16kph

Because truthfully that is the absolute fastest a Thai should be traveling while operating any motor vehicle.

 

Edited August 23, 20205 yr by meechai

Do Sky realise the ones who dont die at the scene are not added to the list? would be a lot higher if that was the case

37 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

how the authorities can seemingly control the coronavirus pandemic but can’t cut deaths on the roads.

It should be easier to control the traffic than a virus...

24 minutes ago, stretch5163 said:

If you check it actually says largely accurate report....

Just got up, you are right

Hats off to the volunteer paramedics. The real unsung heroes of Thailand's appalling road statistics.   

 

The police should hang their heads in shame. 

Just make all the road deaths Covid deaths.....Thailand can then claim zero road deaths....

49 minutes ago, colinneil said:

What a priceless comment.... A policeman that does not accept bribes, he must be the only 1 in the whole country.

Notice his name is not mentioned.

Read in sign in hes chest! Seems to be Captain also. Soon get nice bigger job! And never so "big" officer take bribe so he was honest! But he not say that officers under him take and bring bribe's to him. Should follow this honest officer in hes 20 million bth home and ask "whit what money you build that nice house"?

I believe the injuries and death rates are high due to the number of motorbikes on the roads...in any altercation with a car or larger vehicle, the moto driver is likely to sustain severe injuries and death. This, combined with the speeding and wreckless driving by mostly young male drivers is a recipe for disaster. I actually don't see many accidents driving around Pattaya, I would experience a lot more driving around San Francisco Bay Area but car on car accidents often don't produce serious injuries or death.

I believe I would be correct to say that a large proportion of accidents and deaths are motorcyclists , many of whom show no knowledge or respect for the law or rules of the road . I taught my wife to drive a car , because there are no driving schools , my wife drives very well , but when I see the examination course I feel it is not enough . Many drivers have little or no training , drive defective vehicles without a licence or insurance . The police only seem to concern themselves with road tax and drivers licence , no concern for drunk driving , cars and motorcycles with non functioning lights at night . People are quick to say , one law for the rich another for the poor , a smart car is more likely to be pulled over on a dual carriageway than a beat up pickup . In the event of an accident where a motorcyclist is 100% to blame , a smart car driver may be indicted and made to pay the costs of the offending driver just because he likely has money to do so .

But they wear covid masks inside cars. Safe 

It all starts with a proper and uniform education and training program...completely void here

 

what’s more important to me is the # of near misses and illegal driving behaviors that are non stop....

 

thai gov has no clue where to start...as evident by banning certain drivers with medical conditions....they try via propaganda and superficial tactics that have no real real impact on behavior...

 

a complete overhaul of their driving system is needed....they don’t want to admit how bad the problem is so they think minor adjustments will solve a deeply flawed system 

Very sad, very sad  ????

1 hour ago, 2 is 1 said:

Read in sign in hes chest! Seems to be Captain also. Soon get nice bigger job! And never so "big" officer take bribe so he was honest! But he not say that officers under him take and bring bribe's to him. Should follow this honest officer in hes 20 million bth home and ask "whit what money you build that nice house"?

Captain, is the highest rang an honest cop can reach, higher up and be prepared to pay or have the right connections.

1 hour ago, Pattaya Spotter said:

I believe the injuries and death rates are high due to the number of motorbikes on the roads...in

If this were the case then Indonesia would have statistically higher numbers. But they don't because their roads are not very good and average speeds are less. The limit on expressways i believe is 100 kph but good luck achieving anything like that. 

 

Thailand is a victim of it's own good roads system added to relative affluence of the population to be able to afford motorbikes and cars.

 

Lack of enforcement is not the real problem. Lack of respect for other road users and other people in general is the cultural root of the problem. Thailand is a me first society.

I cannot believe a person,  a reporter???, who actually attended an English speaking school could come up with a seriously flawed headline such as that!  Or maybe I ask to much of the, allegedly, learnered class.

I just find it mind boggling just seeing kids driving from school no helmets @ some mum dads helmets on but babies n kids no helmets etc...

Yet since I been here no improvement of any road discipline if that's right word ..sad ..

1 minute ago, Grumpy John said:

I cannot believe a person,  a reporter???, who actually attended an English speaking school could come up with a seriously flawed headline such as that!  Or maybe I ask to much of the, allegedly, learnered class.

 

 

"Learned"

3 hours ago, rooster59 said:

A policeman speaking in English says that he does not accept bribes.

They must've searched really hard. A Thai police officer speaking quite passable English AND (allegedly) not taking bribes. That ought to be about as rare as finding a 800-carat diamond.

The Policeman not taking bribes can be 100% true. I have been in cars where

bribes ( or, immediate payments for fines ) were offered. The policeman politely

instructed the driver to go to the police station to pay.

As for the death and injury toll - when the Upper Echelon of Thai Folks start being

brought to Justice, perhaps then things can change and locals may start caring about

rules and laws.

2 hours ago, redwood1 said:

Just make all the road deaths Covid deaths.....Thailand can then claim zero road deaths....

I think the answer is pretty obvious. Thailand has not controlled the virus.  No reporting means no virus.  As per the roads it is simply lack of enforcement.  I see countless drivers speeding past police on all occasions and idiot farang as well with windows tinted so dark you couldn't see the sun.  

Foreigners again tarnishing the immaculate immage of Thailand!

>sarcasm off<

37 minutes ago, SomchaiCNX said:

Captain, is the highest rang an honest cop can reach, higher up and be prepared to pay or have the right connections.

Ok maybe out of concept but anyway. My Finnish friend have high position Police friend close Udon! He's honest coz also farmer, farm 4 rai weed!

Edited August 23, 20205 yr by 2 is 1