73 people dead, 574 injured in Thailand’s national road carnage on New Year’s Day

[VocalNeal]

After reading all this BS on here. One has to think if all this is that you guys have to complain about life here must be pretty good.

[2009]

17 hours ago, Thunglom said:

 

"More than 40 per cent of those killed suffered severe head injuries. Of this number, over 62 per cent were not wearing a helmet." - the Nation -  Thailand Accident Research Centre (TARC)

 

You're not even addressing the problem  - you comments are purely conjecture and subjective - It is impossible to discuss with someone who doesn't have the very first concepts of road safety in Thailand. You are so ill-informed, there is just nowhere to start.

What do you think I'm denying?

You are denying the problem is mostly with the attitudes of the road users.

 

You seem to be absolving them of responsibility and putting blame on the system the government has.

 

While, I agree with this to an extent (I think they just need to hit their pockets harder with fines) I don't think any additional government action or education will help while the locals drive without a care in the world (they need to be hit where it hurts and that means heavy fines; the prospect of head injuries and death don't seem too concerning apparently).

 

I don't think any more road signs or rules will help cos they are ignored anyway.

 

[Thunglom]

2 hours ago, 2009 said:

You are denying the problem is mostly with the attitudes of the road users.

Your post is an example of all the commonly held misconceptions about road safety.

 

Your premise “the problem is mostly with the attitudes of the road users” – is incorrect.   - Would you think someone is in “denial” if they said the earth was not flat? The result is your concept of Road safety in Thailand, the situation, the causes and the solution is completely wrong

 

You are even using the expression “in denial” incorrectly - A denial is a refusal, and often means a refusal to believe or accept something as the truth. 

Basically it is referring to cognitive dissonance, As I’m putting forward a process that is based on rea, solid evidence, not assumption and prejudice.

 

Your premise is basically a racist misconception about Thai people. What on earth do you mean by “attitude”? Since when have you been an authority on Thai psyche?

This means like many others on ThaiVisa and in the government that you can’t actually see how the situation can be practically improved.

Until people learn what road safety involves there can be no progress.

You also make the classic mistake of making wild unsubstantiated generalisations, misunderstanding and misusing the statistics

 

” I think they just need to “ - you suggest single issues as solutions – 

Fines – without any suggestion as to how this can be enforced

you don’t realise that most western countries has exactly the same problems as Thailand has now and it didn’t take “fines” to change that.

The reality is that because you are not aware of either the whole picture or the science behind road safety, all your conclusions are the equivalent of a flat earther – they have no basis in scientific evidence or the science of road safety.

 

 

“You seem to be absolving them of responsibility and putting blame on the system the government has.” – this is a complete misunderstanding of how road safety works.

The most effective way to reduce accidents in any country has been shown to be the “Safe System” – it’s not not about blaming the driver, it’s about accommodating and anticipating inevitable human error…

Unlike the traditional approach to road safety, the Safe System approach recognises that human error is no longer the single cause of accidents. Rather, a failure of the road system is the cause of many collisions that result in death or serious injury. It also shapes interventions to meet the long-term goal of zero deaths and serious injuries, rather than relying on traditional interventions to set the limits of any long-term targets

 

“I don't think any more road signs or rules will help cos they are ignored anyway.” – you clearly haven’t given road signs and there function any thought at all.

 

[2009]

2 hours ago, Thunglom said:

Your premise is basically a racist misconception about Thai people. What on earth do you mean by “attitude”? Since when have you been an authority on Thai psyche?

Have you not noticed:

 

1. Ignoring speed limits

 

2. Tailgating like it's a sport

 

3. Driving up the wrong side of the road

 

4. Driving on the pavement

 

5. Ignoring safe distance

 

6. Not wearing helmet

 

7. Allowed children to drive motorbikes (and cars)

 

8. Aggressive, competitive driving

 

9. Flashing lights, instead of slowing down

 

10. Driving without a license

 

11. Drunk driving

 

12. Cutting in front closely

 

13. Using phone while driving

 

14. Running red lights

 

15. Ignoring stop signs

 

16. Not giving way to anyone, ever.

 

17. Not stopping at pedestrian crossings

 

18. Jumping queues at U-turns

 

19. Not looking out for hazards

 

20. Cutting across lanes when going around a bend

 

21. Overtaking someone while turning a corner (lol)

 

I have been driving in Thailand for a decade (both Isaan and Bangkok) and these behaviours are common. I think virtually all of them are down to attitude. It's not racist to point that out.

 

No "Safe System" will help without an attitude adjustment and a change in driving culture. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Thunglom]

11 minutes ago, 2009 said:

Have you not noticed:

 

1. Ignoring speed limits

 

2. Tailgating like it's a sport

 

3. Driving up the wrong side of the road

 

4. Driving on the pavement

 

5. Ignoring safe distance

 

6. Not wearing helmet

 

7. Allowed children to drive motorbikes (and cars)

 

8. Aggressive, competitive driving

 

9. Flashing lights, instead of slowing down

 

10. Driving without a license

 

11. Drunk driving

 

12. Cutting in front closely

 

13. Using phone while driving

 

14. Running red lights

 

15. Ignoring stop signs

 

16. Not giving way to anyone, ever.

 

17. Not stopping at pedestrian crossings

 

18. Jumping queues at U-turns

 

19. Not looking out for hazards

 

20. Cutting across lanes when going around a bend

 

21. Overtaking someone while turning a corner (lol)

 

I have been driving in Thailand for a decade (both Isaan and Bangkok) and these behaviours are common. I think virtually all of them are down to attitude. It's not racist to point that out.

 

No "Safe System" will help without an attitude adjustment and a change in driving culture. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

making a numbered list doesn't alter the fact that your argument is purely subjective and at best is asscociation  as opposed to causation.

 

Sadly you just don't get it. You ae not addressing the causes of the deplorable road safety situation in Thailand - you just don't begin to understand instead you roll out a lot of old cliches without realising that this says more about your own driving skills that anything to do with road safety in Thailand.

 

These driving behaviours can happen anywhere in the world - it's only a racist thinks thy are reserved for Thais.

You may also notice that road safety in Thailand has remained unchanged for nearly 3 decades - this is because the authorities like you subscribe to age old theories of road safety the were abandonned by the rest of the wold back in the 1960s.

 

"No "Safe System" will help without an attitude adjustment and a change in driving culture." - this would indicate you don't know what the safe system is and you r still clinging to some national stereotype of "attitude" - blaming a nation rather than than road safety which is a public health problem.

 

The "Safe System" is the ONLY way to address road safety and has been shown to work all over the world. Many countries are now aiming at ZERO deaths on their roads, which Ove time is achievable in Thailand too if they adopt this system.

 

Edited January 5, 2022 by Thunglom

[2009]

50 minutes ago, Thunglom said:

making a numbered list doesn't alter the fact that your argument is purely subjective and at best is asscociation  as opposed to causation.

 

Sadly you just don't get it. You ae not addressing the causes of the deplorable road safety situation in Thailand - you just don't begin to understand instead you roll out a lot of old cliches without realising that this says more about your own driving skills that anything to do with road safety in Thailand.

 

These driving behaviours can happen anywhere in the world - it's only a racist thinks thy are reserved for Thais.

You may also notice that road safety in Thailand has remained unchanged for nearly 3 decades - this is because the authorities like you subscribe to age old theories of road safety the were abandonned by the rest of the wold back in the 1960s.

 

"No "Safe System" will help without an attitude adjustment and a change in driving culture." - this would indicate you don't know what the safe system is and you r still clinging to some national stereotype of "attitude" - blaming a nation rather than than road safety which is a public health problem.

 

The "Safe System" is the ONLY way to address road safety and has been shown to work all over the world. Many countries are now aiming at ZERO deaths on their roads, which Ove time is achievable in Thailand too if they adopt this system.

 

Lol, you know you write a lot without actually saying anything. Lol.

[Thunglom]

15 minutes ago, 2009 said:

Lol, you know you write a lot without actually saying anything. Lol.

QED

 

[kimamey]

On 1/2/2022 at 11:40 PM, Nicholas Paul KNIGHT said:

 may lament the appalling accident statistics, I smile to myself as this mgovernment here in Thailand spend more time getting angry and very upset over the breaking of Pandemic Rules which MAY KILL a couple while doing absolutely nothing to address the mounting problem of Rad Accident Deaths which they say is caused by a high percentage of Drunk Drivers. 

 

Shows just how remote this Government has always been from the situation and its inability to instruct the Enforcement agency ie: The ROYAL THAI POLICE to do their job correctly without fear or favour and bribes`. 

I think what the government did at the start of the pandemic by shutting borders slowed the spread a lot. What you point out just shows what happens if they don't bother to do anything other than talk. If they want to cut the deaths on the roads they need to actually do something about it. If they don't they are partly responsible for those deaths. 

 

As has been said many times the 2 most important measures that are needed are a proper driving test on the road and proper policing. There are plenty of good examples to follow around the world. They could probably find a lot of what they need on YouTube.

[RandiRona]

On 1/2/2022 at 7:36 PM, Almer said:

Quite surprising 2 days running the same amount injured as there are collisions, 574 injured 574 collisions!!!

Different number confuses people and they might ask questions... These are all made up number anyways.

[Almer]

4 hours ago, RandiRona said:

Different number confuses people and they might ask questions... These are all made up number anyways.

Agreed

[VocalNeal]

There is a series on Youtube called Deadliest Roads.

 

There is a program about China, Gabon, Bhutan and even one about Australia but not one about Thailand.

 

So one must deduce that Thailand's roads are not that bad?

[big dendrobenaes]

On 1/3/2022 at 2:57 AM, RichardColeman said:

So, basically Thailand has managed wipe out the equivalent of every starting 11 players of every team in the English Premiership in a handful of days. Insane.

the other big question IS.......how many were wearing masks ?????!!!!!