Thailand’s New Year road carnage claims 85 deaths and injures 786 in 2 days

[webfact]

 

Forty-four people died and 426 others were injured in 422 road accidents across the country on the second day of the long New Year long holidays.

 

Total casualties for Wednesday and Thursday include 85 deaths and 786 injured, according to the Department of Disasters Prevention and Mitigation.

 

Speeding and drunk driving were the two main causes of accidents, accounting for 33.20% and 29.6% respectively. Motorcycles accounted for 82.7% of the accidents. 81.80% occurred on straight roads, 43.1% occurred on highways and 32.9% on secondary roads in villages. Most accidents took place between 6pm and 9pm.

 

Full story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/thailands-new-year-road-carnage-claims-85-deaths-and-injures-786-in-2-days/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2022-01-01

 

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[RichardColeman]

5 minutes ago, webfact said:

81.80% occurred on straight roads

the mind boggles

[Willy Wombat]

The old stereotype of Asians are <deleted> drivers really rings true in ting tong Thailand

[metisdead]

An off topic post trolling about Covid deaths and a reply has been removed. 

[meechai]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

Total casualties for Wednesday and Thursday include 85 deaths and 786 injured

They need to start a 14 day quarantine for all Thai drivers leaving their province

 

[hotchilli]

8 hours ago, webfact said:

Speeding and drunk driving were the two main causes of accidents, accounting for 33.20% and 29.6% respectively.

I guess some people didn't listen to the transport ministers request.

Maybe next year they'll come up with a policy which will MAKE people listen.

[mikebell]

All that wasted overtime money paid to Thai police to stare at their phones with no discernible improvement!

[new2here]

I agree that it’s appalling…. but… i also think it’s a problem that IS manageable to some degree… 

 

The reality is that the police can’t be everywhere and watch everything or everybody.. so .. any real solution will require a large measure of the publics “buy-in” and self-compliance… and worldwide that’s always going to be problematic… 

 

but.. to me, my opinion only is that here in Thailand, it seems to me that in a very generalized way, road crashes and the resulting deaths are just somehow accepted as “a matter of fact” of life here, or are “just how it is” ….. and not really a true “problem” that needs fixing.

 

On the law enforcement side, I’m very much a “take a firm position” kind of person … and with that, i don’t see a real active position taken by police with respect to traffic matters - starting with the more “minor” traffic issues — which to me, when left largely unchecked, tend to lead to more major traffic issues like driving intoxicated, true reckless driving etc.

I’d personally be a supporter of mandatory vehicle seizure immediately upon arrest for selected major vehicle crimes… Also, minimum mandatory fines and incarceration imposed by the judiciary. To me, i don’t think you can effectively “police” your way out of issues like this… the public will be where any real solution comes from… but… law enforcement has a role too — and here in thailand, i don’t see the law enforcement side as being anywhere near effective and any actions they do take as being anywhere remotely firm enough to create a deterrent effect and to lessen the risks to the public. 

 

If you want to drive drunk or reckless solely on your own property and risk just your own life - i’m ok with that… it’s just your property and you’re only risking your own life.. but … once you drive in public, now others become “at risk” and I think the government has an onus to take all necessary actions to protect the publics’ interests and safety… 

[trainman34014]

It's all going to the normal plan of talk a lot and do nothing different.   Until some Thai Government somewhere in the future (if ever) decides people need to be taught to drive 'Properly' and take 'Proper Tests', both written and practical and taught to 'Obey' the Road Rules and the so called 'Police' are taught to 'Enforce' the Laws, then there is no hope of changing anything.   Just reporting numbers every year and then patting themselves on the back for not doing anything is Oh so Thai !

[KannikaP]

10 hours ago, webfact said:

Speeding and drunk driving were the two main causes of accidents, accounting for 33.20% and 29.6% respectively

So what was the cause of the other 37.2% ?

And surely the drink driving leads to the speeding.

[Derek B]

Any mention of Pot Holes being the root cause of any of the accidents.

 

[mancub]

2 hours ago, KannikaP said:

So what was the cause of the other 37.2% ?

And surely the drink driving leads to the speeding.

People blindly pulling out onto the "straight" roads probably !

 

[Mr Meeseeks]

I had an interesting and eye-opening experience the other day after I overtook a Honda on a quiet road in Chonburi. 

 

The inadequate male driver was so hurt by this he followed me until I stopped, then began to chastise me from inside his vehicle for overtaking him, accusing me of "driving too fast" and "driving danger", even though he attempted to speed up to stop me overtaking as many of them do.

 

The reason I highlight this anecdotal incident is that for many, their ego will not allow them to be safe and careful drivers, and any loss of face will cause them to lose control of their emotions, act irrationally and drive dangerously.

 

 

[toofarnorth]

1 hour ago, Derek B said:

Any mention of Pot Holes being the root cause of any of the accidents.

 

Pot Holes.  Yup , like that , Brake Fail so last year.

[it is what it is]

25 minutes ago, mancub said:

People blindly pulling out onto the "straight" roads probably !

 

or simply deciding to drive/ride on the wrong side of the road

[Ralf001]

Fantastic numbers and way below the typical daily average.

 

Kudo's to the people making it happen, should be more of it all year round.

[alien365]

I'm surprised it wasn't more based on my short drive on Phet Kasem yesterday. It felt a lot darker than normal with the streetlights and headlights not helping visibility at all. I think this made some drive with full beam on making it even more difficult to see anything. Bikes were so hard to spot, mostly going very slowly as were random cycles. 

[starky]

16 hours ago, RichardColeman said:

the mind boggles

What that someone who is blind drunk and speeding on a motorcycle wearing zero safety gear could die on a straight road. Lol, please.

[Dont confuse me]

Another year and the same old noises and next year and every year for the foreseeable future it will be the same lip service and more or less the same fatalities! 

Why bother worrying about it? 

[Nurseynutcase]

17 hours ago, toofarnorth said:

Pot Holes.  Yup , like that , Brake Fail so last year.

Nah - i reckon it was the power poles wot done it.  You know how they jump out into the road to catch drivers unawares!!!!!

[ezzra]

Thai people it seems, are on a endless quest to kill themselves on the road as Thailand's roads are the deadliest in Southeast Asia and among the worst in the world, according to the World Health Organisation. About 20,000 people die in road accidents each year, or about 56 deaths a day. Despite a myriad of government measures to reduce road casualties, they show no sign of abating... and like the Sargent in Hill St. blues used to say: be careful out there...

Edited January 2, 2022 by ezzra

[Lemonltr]

19 hours ago, Derek B said:

Any mention of Pot Holes being the root cause of any of the accidents.

 

Absolutely. So many times have motorbikes and even cars abruptly swerved in front of me to avoid potholes. One of my biggest fears rarely mentioned is motorbikes without lights. Mainly rear but often front. Police seem to think this is not important. Strikes fear when an overtaking one approaches. Even have seen one or two with red headlight. Crazy.risks.

[KannikaP]

19 hours ago, toofarnorth said:

Pot Holes.  Yup , like that , Brake Fail so last year.

No, it was Microsleep last year!   LOL  Brakes were 2020.

[NoshowJones]

20 hours ago, Derek B said:

Any mention of Pot Holes being the root cause of any of the accidents.

 

Yes, especially on roads in and around villages, especially where motorbikes are concerned, which are also full of underaged and unlicensed drivers and riders.

[Road Warrior]

idiots !!!!!   IQ 1/10 ???

[NoshowJones]

19 hours ago, it is what it is said:

or simply deciding to drive/ride on the wrong side of the road

In my village/small town, the carriageway passing through it was divided in the centre with a concrete wall with spaces for U turns, and motorbike riders are going up and down both sides freely all the time.

[stereolab]

On 1/1/2022 at 8:01 AM, meechai said:

They need to start a 14 day quarantine for all Thai drivers leaving their province

 

Leaving their house would be a better idea.

[Nong Khai Man]

On 1/1/2022 at 10:24 AM, hotchilli said:

I guess some people didn't listen to the transport ministers request.

Maybe next year they'll come up with a policy which will MAKE people listen.

MAKE Thai People Listen ?? Yer Having a Giraffe M8 !!