Picture: Daily News

 

Daily News continued their campaign to raise awareness of the dangers on Thai roads along with their reporting of "at the scene" road accident death stats.

 

Quoting figues from Dr Thaejing Siriphanich of the anti-drink driving foundation they gave the following figures for deaths:

 

2019 was 14,907

2020 was 14,825

2021 from January 1st to September 2nd has been 8,773.

 

In the same period last year it was 9,335 - 562 more fatalities. 

 

51 people have died in the first two days of September.

 

Picture: Daily News

 

One was a motorcyclist in Phatthalung in the south of Thailand - a case the media highlighted in a warning about overtaking. 

 

ASEAN NOW notes that the figures for at the scene death do not include those that die in and on the way to hospitals.

 

Fatalities on Thai roads each year are thought to be in the region of 25,000 people with perhaps 70-80% being motorcyclists. 

 

-- © Copyright  ASEAN NOW 2021-09-04

 

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When you can buy a license for 1500 baht this will never change.

13 minutes ago, Will B Good said:

When you can buy a license for 1500 baht this will never change.

This really surprises me... 

 

.... not that you can buy a licence, but that its as high as 1500 baht !!!.... 

3 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

This really surprises me... 

 

.... not that you can buy a licence, but that its as high as 1500 baht !!!.... 

Was qouted much higher for a bike licence... 1500 must be the Thai price.

In 1993 I was in Thailand and had met up with Serving British Police officer (at the time) who was part of "traffic" for 4 days who was on holiday with wife who I had known since I was 17

 

He simply could not believe the driving and was apoplectic with rage. Vividly remember on the highway between Bangkok and Pattaya and his absolute fury at the full on undertaking. He was utterly speechless

 

He never came to Thailand again.

I know it is controversial and will never happen but if they really want to reduce road deaths then they need to ban people from getting their cars and motorcycles blessed by monks. 

Way too many people here are brainwashed at an early age into believing that by having vehicles blessed gives them some sort of divine protection and therefore they can do what they like, when they like and no harm will befall them 

 

31 minutes ago, Chivas said:

In 1993 I was in Thailand and had met up with Serving British Police officer (at the time) who was part of "traffic" for 4 days who was on holiday with wife who I had known since I was 17

 

He simply could not believe the driving and was apoplectic with rage. Vividly remember on the highway between Bangkok and Pattaya and his absolute fury at the full on undertaking. He was utterly speechless

 

He never came to Thailand again.

Haha.

 

It is quite a culture shock after the relatively orderly motorways and autobahns of the UK and (northern) EU.

 

Whacky Races and Dick Dastardly spring to mind.

1 hour ago, Will B Good said:

When you can buy a license for 1500 baht this will never change.

License? You need a license? 

40 minutes ago, Dmaxdan said:

I know it is controversial and will never happen but if they really want to reduce road deaths then they need to ban people from getting their cars and motorcycles blessed by monks. 

Way too many people here are brainwashed at an early age into believing that by having vehicles blessed gives them some sort of divine protection and therefore they can do what they like, when they like and no harm will befall them 

 

After my Mrs has the vehicle for a few days, on a visit to 'buffalo shxt village', and I use it, I have several swinging amulets to remove from my line of sight. 

1 minute ago, Phuketshrew said:

License? You need a license? 

Good point, well made.

 

I think in the last 'purge' something like 17,000+ were found to have no license and no insurance.

1 minute ago, jacko45k said:

After my Mrs has the vehicle for a few days, on a visit to 'buffalo shxt village', and I use it, I have several swinging amulets to remove from my line of sight. 

Do they get in the way of the big fluffy dice?

1 hour ago, Dmaxdan said:

I know it is controversial and will never happen but if they really want to reduce road deaths then they need to ban people from getting their cars and motorcycles blessed by monks. 

Way too many people here are brainwashed at an early age into believing that by having vehicles blessed gives them some sort of divine protection and therefore they can do what they like, when they like and no harm will befall them 

 

Brainwashing is part of the National Curriculum; a large part of it ! 

of course it is down... how many days were there a lockdown or travel restrictions.....Not because the traffic is better, no it only seems to get worse by the day if you are on the road

Coming over the border from Malaysia , where everyone wears a helmet,

follows the rules of the road, 50 meters from border post, the chaos starts,

regards worgeordie

 

 

2 hours ago, Dmaxdan said:

I know it is controversial and will never happen but if they really want to reduce road deaths then they need to ban people from getting their cars and motorcycles blessed by monks. 

Way too many people here are brainwashed at an early age into believing that by having vehicles blessed gives them some sort of divine protection and therefore they can do what they like, when they like and no harm will befall them 

 

I'm glad the same thing doesn't apply to aircraft pilots who have their planes blessed.????

3 hours ago, Will B Good said:

Do they get in the way of the big fluffy dice?

GOOOD one !!!

 

This carnage would or could stop over night if powers Too be did there jobs.. but we all know this won't happen ..but why.......

I will tell my friend about the license,She has never had a one but talks about getting one.One in cnx and udon think the same.the road deaths will continue as usual along with a thais with a license

11 hours ago, Will B Good said:

When you can buy a license for 1500 baht this will never change.

Who needs a license? ????

17 hours ago, Phuketshrew said:

License? You need a license? 

Yeah  of  course you  know ....007  licence to  kill

21 hours ago, webfact said:

2019 was 14,907

2020 was 14,825

2021 from January 1st to September 2nd has been 8,773.

In '99 the BKK post quoted 35,000 and I remember at the time comparing to the UK, which was then around 3000+ (currently give or take 1700, so relative,ish)...........................................it's heading in the right direction............gotta be a good thing.....right?

10 hours ago, yeahbutif said:

This carnage would or could stop over night if powers Too be did there jobs.. but we all know this won't happen ..but why.......

I think  its because the powers that be  drive the same careless way and they see no wrong in it  + laziness

 

20 hours ago, Will B Good said:

Haha.

 

It is quite a culture shock after the relatively orderly motorways and autobahns of the UK and (northern) EU.

 

Whacky Races and Dick Dastardly spring to mind.

Ah yeh, but when you see a cracking Penelope Pitstop get out of a Porsche and go to 7-Eleven it makes living in Thailand worthwhile.

I'm Phuket based, I would say 50% of the accidents here are speed related/tail gating, 50% rain related, some on drugs or M150...

and the rest cos the drivers just don't seem to care !

(Where's my calculator....)

 

Always make me wonder why the Cops don't install speed cameras, there apparently 1 or 2 in Phuket, one now and again by the airport tunnel where there's very little traffic. Near where I live they installed a huge over the dual-carriageway metal structure with cameras 1-2 years ago but never switched them on. A friend was killed there by a motorcyclist a few years ago....

 

Do they not install cameras cos the fines would be automated therefore less opportunity to line their pockets ?

That's the only conclusion I can think of....

Well that and they just don't care anyways (Cops and Drivers that is) !

So slightly fewer deaths than Covid which has shut the country down; had millions spent on it; the whole medical profession put on high alert; the population fed daily death figures. Yet nothing is done about traffic deaths.

The post above mine advocates CCTV to inflict fines yet over 90% of tickets are unpaid.  A working police force would half these figures in a year.

On 9/4/2021 at 10:30 AM, Will B Good said:

When you can buy a license for 1500 baht this will never change.

Was that a gold plated one?

14 hours ago, bristolgeoff said:

I will tell my friend about the license,She has never had a one but talks about getting one.One in cnx and udon think the same.the road deaths will continue as usual along with a thais with a license

The licence is a nothing if you haven't got a brain to develop spatial awareness and this  hi-so im in a car attitude, i followed a guy yesterday and he put his left indicator on and was obviously looking for something, i held back a bit and after about 100 mtrs  or so he saw what he was looking for and turned, but it was on the right hand side and over he went left indicator still winking at me.

23 hours ago, jacko45k said:

After my Mrs has the vehicle for a few days, on a visit to 'buffalo shxt village', and I use it, I have several swinging amulets to remove from my line of sight. 

Did she get the marker tattoos on visor and overhead as well. Mine has it. 

It’s only down because of lockdowns, they should ban all trucks cars bikes in Thailand just have Buffalo carts, elephants and samlors, that should cut down accidents and deaths by 50%

Hardly surprising as the amount of traffic on my main road, the 202, in Isaan must be down by 75%.

As a result local independent fuel stations have closed along with many other roadside businesses.