Thailand's "Ten Year Plan" to improve road safety has failed - instead of halving the death toll it's nearly doubled!

 

Picture: Voice TV

 

A Zoom conference was told that the last ten years have seen a complete failure to address the carnage on Thailand's roads.

 

The ten years from 2011 to 2020 was billed as a decade to end the carnage. 

 

Instead of halving it has got much worse. 

 

In fact it has nearly doubled. 

 

It didn't need Thaivisa to do the math but we did: If nothing changes a MILLION more people could lose their lives by about the middle of the century.

 

Now a complete rethink is needed with refocus on what is important, otherwise it will just go on and on, said a manager of a road safety study group.

 

Dr Thanapong Jinwong said that the "10 year safety campaign" had failed. He was talking on the subject of "what to do about the roads so Thais don't fall victim to collisions".

 

Back in 2011 the target was to reduce road death from 20 per 100,000 inhabitants to 10.

 

Instead it is now 29 per 100,000. 

 

Earlier this year it looked like there was going to be some improvement but it proved a false dawn.

 

There were now just as many accidents and just as much death as ever on the Thai roads. 

 

He pinpointed the need to focus on three main areas:

 

1. Improving the driving skill and road use behavior of Thais.

 

2. Improving the safety of roads.

 

3. Ensuring law enforcement. 

 

These areas have long been advocated but continuing lip service being paid to the issue as well as a lack of any effective action means that the problems continue unabated. 

 

Dr Thanapong called for an end to a piecemeal approach with a setting up of a national taskforce to deal with the problem rather like the government has done with the Covid-19 pandemic. 

 

He said that concentrating on festivals (like Songkran and New Year when the issue is highlighted in the media and becomes a fleeting top priority), it needs to be a year round, all encompassing approach. 

 

If action is not taken now the problem will just get worse.

 

Thaivisa notes that the death toll on the Thai roads is among the worst in the world with a figure around 25,000 often given for annual deaths, perhaps 70% involving motorcycle fatalities. DPM Prawit Wongsuwean admitted two years ago that it was in excess of 20,000 per annum.

 

It is a sobering thought that if nothing is done to address the problem, the next three to four decades could see a MILLION people lose their lives on the nation's roads. 

 

Source: Voice TV

 

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2020-11-03

 

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The biggest factor contributing to the death toll here is lack of law enforcement. 
Buy a few trucks,set up the road blocks and start pulling over bikes first. No license,bike in the back of the truck,issue the ticket to appear in court. No helmet,park the bike issue a ticket and walk home or get a helmet delivered or go buy one and get the bike back. Drink driving,confiscate the bike or car,cancel the license until court appearance. Have more highway patrol cars on the road actually pulling over dangerous drivers and according to the infringement,park up the car or issue a huge on the spot fine. A better system so the police have access to drivers history,that will determine the course of action taken at the point of being pulled over. 
until that happens,things will not improve.

Can you imagine the change in attitude if they applied these simple adjustments,yes I know it’s Thailand.

Truly awful. The worlds most dangerous roads and it is getting worse. The absolute lack of road law enforcement has to be the number one cause, followed by the ignorance of what those laws are in the first place. Pretty much every road user out there seems to think they always have right of way and that things like traffic lights are a "suggestion."

27 minutes ago, webfact said:

1. Improving the driving skill and road use behavior of Thais.

 

2. Improving the safety of roads.

 

3. Ensuring law enforcement. 

 

Im a bit pessimistic.... 

 

1. Impossible 

2. Takes something similar to Siegfried line between lanes, railwaycrossing and u turns, to stop the nutcases.

3. impossible

At last the time has come for the pen pushers to have a word with the traffic police, or any police to get on with it..????

8 minutes ago, darksidedog said:

Truly awful. The worlds most dangerous roads and it is getting worse. The absolute lack of road law enforcement has to be the number one cause, followed by the ignorance of what those laws are in the first place. Pretty much every road user out there seems to think they always have right of way and that things like traffic lights are a "suggestion."

If they knew about right of way and followed those simple rules it would eliminate 20% of accidents overnight.

 

Going first or pulling out and the other vehicle will stop is not 'right of way'.

Couldn't organize a p I s s  up in a brewery

Despite the enormity of the situation, resolving it could be achieved, through proper education and law enforcement, but there seems to be neither the will from government to do anything about it, or the desire from the general population either. They seem to be happy to die in numbers as long as they don't have to think or obey laws they don't like. 

Yeah but these new requirements for big bike licenses should really do something!

It seems the roads in Thailand have many unlicensed drivers.  As a driver in Thailand you must always expect the unexpected as lane and driving rule violations are very common and a normal part of driving there.

It is definitely a behavioural and 'cultural' issue. 

 

File alongside stray dogs, sewers/drainage, prostitution, corruption, coups and a plethora of other apparently unsolvable problems.

 

Farang think too mut.

6 minutes ago, transam said:

At last the time has come for the pen pushers to have a word with the traffic police, or any police to get on with it..????

It would take more than a talk to get the wasters to do ANYTHING

2 minutes ago, rioD said:

It seems the roads in Thailand have many unlicensed drivers.  As a driver in Thailand you must always expect the unexpected as lane and driving rule violations are very common and a normal part of driving there.

While you are right. In 16 years deriving there every day I had 4 accidents. All 4 went into the rear of my car. How can account and avoid that?

 

Another important point is the design of the roads. Having a U turn in the fast lane doesn't help safety, as many drivers are going to fast to complete the U turn. Having a sign 2 metres before the U turn doesn't help either. 

 

These coupled with the points mentioned and a population who have a mindset that doesn't want to change, I can't see any difference in the next ten years.

 

 

And the Govt. has the Country on it's knees over the deaths of a mere 59 people from CV19...

It would take a year or two to get driving trainers up to a basic standard, which would require the hiring of foreign professionals. Then the police would have to go to driving/riding school and learn the law. Imagine how well that would all go down. LOL.  

 

At the same time driver training would have to be compulsory in school. Xxx forbid letting regular teachers carry out this task. This would be a disaster. 

 

Oh, and I forgot, you'd have to eliminate the culture of corruption leading to the bribe purchase of a licence. And the corruption of paying off a cop to ignore the violation. Oh, never mind. It'll never happen.

Not often that you hear from Thais that they have failed.

54 minutes ago, webfact said:

Back in 2011 the target was to reduce road death from 20 per 100,000 inhabitants to 10.

 

Instead it is now 29 per 100,000. 

 

So it increased by nearly 50% not doubled.

Just now, Calach said:

 

So it increased by nearly 50% not doubled.

So you post a flippant remark about road deaths, sick in my opinion, 1 death is 1 too many.

Myself only alive because of the skill/ care of doctors and nurses here.

Next time think first before you post.

nothing 10,000 disco California Highway Patrolmen couldn't fix in about a month. 

 

 

 

We also tend to forget the motor vehicle manufacturers' roles in this. They lobby hard at the Thai government to sell more vehicles. Their advertising encourages speed in agricultural vehicles (pickups) and scooters totally unequipped to deal with fast maneuvering; cornering, sudden movements and quick braking. 

when I went to renew my licence last year at the video showing the rules everyone in the room was simply playing on their phones, they do not want to know the road laws or take notice of them, time for police to start issuing huge fines for the idiots that simply ignore the rules while on the roads but the police refuse to go out of the air conditioned offices, work at night plus they dont have the right type of road cars & bikes, they should also be on the roads 24/7 pulling all the idiots over. Booze buses on roads would help but again the govt doesnt want to spend the money on the police and the police dont want to work, blocking roads and pulling over every vehicle/bike and checking for licences then seizing any vehicles/bikes from unlicenced people would also make a difference, having computers in all police cars so they can check everyone while driving would enable them to weed out a lot of people too, all too hard for Thailand though and would take out the higher ups pocket money

 

1 hour ago, webfact said:

Back in 2011 the target was to reduce road death from 20 per 100,000 inhabitants to 10.

 

Instead it is now 29 per 100,000. 

Sorry, its already been said.

Road safety is just a joke here:-

 

1. No helmets

2. No tax/insurance

3. No licences (or bought licences)

4. Underage riding

5. No Proper tests

6. No road safety training

7. NO ENFORCEMENT

 

Hard to think the approach to road safety by the Government could be any worse or inept.

 

18 minutes ago, colinneil said:

So you post a flippant remark about road deaths, sick in my opinion, 1 death is 1 too many.

Myself only alive because of the skill/ care of doctors and nurses here.

Next time think first before you post.

 

What it takes to get people offended these days. 

14 minutes ago, Calach said:

 

So it increased by nearly 50% not doubled.

I told them a million times not to exaggerate.

 

i prefer driving in Thailand than Melbourne. In Melbourne they put speed cameras everywhere, if you go 5 kms over you cop a big fine.  It is over the top. 

I enjoy speeding when it is safe on an empty open road, in Melbourne you have sneaky coppers hiding in bushes with radar. 
 

I am guilty of having a few beers and driving, I have used my phone when driving, sometimes don’t bother wearing a seatbelt, sometimes can’t be arsed wearing the helmet on the bike, occasionally drive on the wrong side of the road. I have never caused an accident. 
Most of the foreigners here that I know have done the same. 
 

thai law enforcement is a bit slack, but Melbourne laws are way over the top and mainly about revenue raising. 

 

Only ever copped a parking fine in Phuket town. Paid out thousands living in Melbourne.


 

 

 

In my travels around Thailand, and I have been to most provinces, I have found the roads to be quite good. Sure law enforcement is lacking but for me the most telling contribution to the carnage is the mentality of the road users, they seem to have no concept of self preservation as witnessed by the truly stupid things they do on the roads. Concentration is sorely lacking, and that is the key to survival on Thai roads.

Sadly, having a plan is a waste of time....you need an effective plan that is enacted, monitored and corrected as you go along........something that is way beyond any Thai administration's ability.

 

The Japanese introduced this simple guide in the 1970's.....PLAN-DO-CONTOL-ACTION-REPEAT

ban those squiggly white marks in cars and dashboard amulets that are sold by monks to idiots that believe it makes them invulnerable. 

1 hour ago, webfact said:

1. Improving the driving skill and road use behavior of Thais.

 

2. Improving the safety of roads.

 

3. Ensuring law enforcement. 

1  impossible

2 do -able by removing all U  Turns or at the very loeast staggering alternate carriageways u turn points.

3 impossible

6 minutes ago, PatOngo said:

Concentration is sorely lacking,

in every aspect of their  lives from what I see,  unless its  being nosey.