Prawit demands action on zebra crossing and traffic law enforcement in Thailand following death of doctor

[fersken]

Why suddenly such a mention, is it because it's a doctor and a police officer and not a street vendor and an "ordinary Thai", it's a shame to say, but it never changes.  It's like someone said to me: Remember where you are.

[itsari]

10 minutes ago, hotchilli said:

I know your point, I stopped the other day for a pedestrian who stared to cross, I was undertook and over took by motorcycles who then ran circles around the person on the crossing who stood still.

No consideration what so ever.

Seen the same and one time i saw a car ready to go around me so i jumped off the bike and made gestures for him to stop .

[Burma Bill]

4 hours ago, SAFETY FIRST said:

I always stop for pedestrians on the zebra crossings and red traffic light crossings

Thank you, so did I and I never had any problems other than irate drivers blowing their horns because I had stopped. Being a Tourist Police Volunteer, maybe the TP stickers on the tailgate of my pick-up prevented potential "road rage" incidents.  To be fair, where I lived in the rural North of Thailand, zebra crossings were not that common but usually present at  school entrances where the local police controlled them to allow the safe passage of children to and from schools. (stock photo)

 

 

[jwbrit]

4 hours ago, SAFETY FIRST said:

I always stop for pedestrians on the zebra crossings and red traffic light crossings but it's dangerous, I always pull to the left and look in my mirrors because very few drivers stop. 

 

Makes me a little anxious, worried if I'm going to get hit from behind 

I used to, warily, stop for pedestrians, but no one expects that.  The car behind might pass you and hit people crossing or hit you from behind. As we know there's minimum driver's ed and this is just another example.

[Gold Star]

51 minutes ago, Smokey and the Bandit said:

Correct, you beat me to it!!

The word pavement is confusing, because in the USA cars drive on the pavement and people walk on the sidewalk, in the UK people walk on the pavement!

'What we're dealing with here, is a complete lack of respect for the law.'

 

[Titan1962]

I give them about the same chance as they have of stopping the burning seasons and pollution created from that as they have of stopping the amount of idiots on Thai roads. The law states that you must wear a helmet,and everyone follows that law to a tee. The law says you must have a license to operate a motor vehicle,yeah right. As long as you can perform a Wai and become a monk for awhile nothing will change,it’s Thai culture. 

[Accidental Tourist]

4 hours ago, Geoffggi said:

In most civilised countries a zebra crossing is referred to as a pavement crossing the road, and the police are quick to fine anyone who does not stop or allow pedestrians to cross.

Yea, in a civilize country...

[sambum]

3 hours ago, AhFarangJa said:

Typical, it needs a Doctor to die before the toad surfaces and croaks an order. We all know that nothing will change. They will have their committee meetings on top of committee meetings, the end result being a big fat ZERO.

Education is again a contributary factor. Let me site you an example if I may........A few years ago my Wife got her car license. The very next day I stopped at the red light crossing outside Bangkok hospital in Hua Hin. My Wife asked me why I stopped. I told her the light is red, she replied, that if there was no one crossing then you do not need to stop...............needless to say, words failed me..........

Have you seen the farce that masquerades as a "Driving Test" here in Thailand? I don't know about anywhere else, but where I live it is conducted in what can only be decribed as a converted car park, and many people that pass have never actually driven on a main road!!!

[sawadee1947]

4 hours ago, Geoffggi said:

In most civilised countries a zebra crossing is referred to as a pavement crossing the road, and the police are quick to fine anyone who does not stop or allow pedestrians to cross.

If you live here crossing a street is like being a fox on the run or chasing a hare.????

[Confuscious]

2 hours ago, wensiensheng said:

Why? Does it hurt less when you get hit by an electric vehicle?

 

i would have thought the problem wil get worse. At least at the moment you might hear something is about to scythe you down and take avoiding action.

 

I’d also like to place a bet that by 2024 electric vehicles make up about the same percentage of road traffic in Thailand as it does now. This is Thailand, talk doesn’t translate into action.

Not sure about that.

Electric cars are far more expensive than classic cars and the mileage per charge is far less as a classic car.

I don't see any electric car driving overloaded as the pickups now.

And this was an impounded motorcycle.

In 2024 there will be far less motorcycles similar to that Ducati.

[JonnyF]

Prawit is just appearing to do the right thing because the victim was of relatively high status and very attractive.

 

Let's be honest, had this been a poor, dark skinned cleaner from the hospital none of us would have even heard of the incident. That's how Thailand works.

 

As others have said, stopping on a busy road often endangers the pedestrian because cars on either side of you fail to stop. They end up 'trapped' in front of your car, peering around to cross the lane next to you as cars and motorbikes speed past.

[trevoromgh]

4 hours ago, SAFETY FIRST said:

I always stop for pedestrians on the zebra crossings and red traffic light crossings but it's dangerous, I always pull to the left and look in my mirrors because very few drivers stop. 

 

Makes me a little anxious, worried if I'm going to get hit from behind 

Once stopped at a crossing on a wide road in BKK when an old lady pedestrian wanted to cross the 4 lane street.  3 lanes of traffic stopped for her but the last lane was empty and in the mirror I could see a pickup speeding towards the crossing and it flashed through without even slowing down and missed her by inches. I closed my eyes and waited for the thud which luckily never came.

[eggers]

Should have lights on all the crossings, drivers just ignore pedestrians waiting to use crossing!!

[overherebc]

2 hours ago, Tropicalevo said:

 

I know that the UK law has changed this year. (Most pedestrians in the UK never understood that one.)

Is that also true in Thailand?

Not sure but at one time you had to 'signal' your intent to use the crossing by placing one foot off the pavement (sidewalk) and on the crossing.

Don't know if that was a suggestion or a rule (law). UK.

Edited January 25, 2022 by overherebc

[off road pat]

4 hours ago, MrJ2U said:

Its more just plain Sh**✓ Thai driving.

 

Many times cars and trucks driving driving 120 kilometers down rural roads and by evening markets next to the road.

 

Just a stray dog or toddler walks out that vehicle swerves and kills a few people.

 

Its more of missing common sense gene in the population that can't be fixed.

 

There are good Thai drivers, its the few knuckle heads creating the problems.

 

 

Indeed , I have been with a few Grab drivers in Chiang Mai and Bangkok that were excellent drivers !

[off road pat]

7 minutes ago, trevoromgh said:

Once stopped at a crossing on a wide road in BKK when an old lady pedestrian wanted to cross the 4 lane street.  3 lanes of traffic stopped for her but the last lane was empty and in the mirror I could see a pickup speeding towards the crossing and it flashed through without even slowing down and missed her by inches. I closed my eyes and waited for the thud which luckily never came.

Have been in exactly the same situation several times.

[djayz]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

a committee meant to reduce traffic accidents.

 

Critics have said that this has been a total failure since its instigation in 2019 as the carnage on the Thai roads that sees 25,000 die annually continues unabated

Who is going to hold this committee and its members accountable for these unabated deaths? What have they been doing since 2019 when it was established? What plans and procedures have been implemented to tackle the problem? How much are these members receiving to have the privilege of sitting on the committee? So many questions, my head is spinning. 

[geisha]

If crossing on a Zebra, like Thepprassit Pattaya , I’d like to say the most drivers drive straight at you !!
only foreigners stop.

[Surasak]

5 hours ago, meechai said:

Yeah what ever..........Start with the fact the poor doctor was killed by a Cop who then left the scene without so much as a sorry

 

Anarchy is way over due & would be a vast improvement over this ruling class of swine

You insult the swine, who in fact have nothing to do with this, I personally would use stronger language, but fear I would be cancelled. However, swine are clean beast by comparison to the filth running the show at present.

[Surasak]

4 hours ago, Geoffggi said:

In most civilised countries a zebra crossing is referred to as a pavement crossing the road, and the police are quick to fine anyone who does not stop or allow pedestrians to cross.

You are correct. In the UK if you set foot on a Zebra crossing, then you have right of way.

[Mavideol]

maybe, potentially elections will be happening so these "wannabe" politicians start to come up with some BS ideas, this guy hasn't proposed anything for the past 8 years and all of a sudden here he is with the "bright" idea   555

[spidermike007]

When a policeman mows down a pedestrian, then flees from the scene of the homicide, you know you are in deep trouble as a society. 

 

When Prawit vows to get tough, you know nothing will be done. He and Prayuth are as weak as them come, when it comes to follow up. 

[Cake Monster]

5 hours ago, SAFETY FIRST said:

I always stop for pedestrians on the zebra crossings and red traffic light crossings but it's dangerous, I always pull to the left and look in my mirrors because very few drivers stop. 

 

Makes me a little anxious, worried if I'm going to get hit from behind 

I also worry about getting rear ended when stopping at Zebra Crossings.

I know it wont prevent some Idiot shunting me, but when I start to slow down and stop, I always engage the Hazard Warning Lights on the Pickup truck.

This seems to garner more attention than just your Braking Lights.

[Uroller]

Pedestrians have no status in Thailand, your just as likely to get run over on a sidewalk by a bike going the wrong way as being hit on the road????????????

[AhFarangJa]

55 minutes ago, sambum said:

Have you seen the farce that masquerades as a "Driving Test" here in Thailand? I don't know about anywhere else, but where I live it is conducted in what can only be decribed as a converted car park, and many people that pass have never actually driven on a main road!!!

It gets worse Sam, My Son passed his motorbike test last year. Afterwards we were discussing the multiple choice questions. one was about stopping distances. He said the question asked that if you were travelling at x kilometres an hour ( I cannot remember the exact figure), the stopping distance would be one of the following....

A...20 metres

B....30 metres

C....whatever you feel safe at........

Guess which one was the correct answer after he had guessed twice...........un--be--lie--vable...

[VocalNeal]

25 minutes ago, Surasak said:

You are correct. In the UK if you set foot on a Zebra crossing, then you have right of way.

We are not in whatever equates for Kansas, in the US.

[recom273]

4 hours ago, darksidedog said:

 

I wouldn't object to seeing cops at the lights or the crossings, but I do object to their tea money habits, which I suspect will not change even if a few politicians blow off hot air, on a subject that never sees any action taken.

 

I wouldn’t give a flying one what they did with the money. I would love to see one on the radio and a whole crew down the road alternating between the major junctions on every ring road every day in every city in Thailand. 1000B a car, morning and night. I’m confused why the RTP haven’t contended on yet. It’s got to be worth at least 50,000B an hour. 

[scorecard]

5 hours ago, 473geo said:

First cars parking near the crossings would have to be stopped, crossing lights would really need to be installed to give a signal to motorists people are waiting to cross, not easy to see many poorly painted road marked crossings. 

Also yes stopping for a pedestrian at the moment when the driver behind cannot see the road markings is a definate invitation to be rear ended.

Upping the fines alone is not enough!!

From above:  "...crossing lights would really need to be installed ... .

Twenty + years ago a number of Zebra crossing were painted on roads in Pattaya, then traffic lights installed.

 

All OK except that the button to press to stop the traffic for pedestrians to cross was installed at about top of head height for typical adults.

 

Many folks complained 'but what about kids needing to cross the road to get home from school etc?'

 

Pattaya mayor responded 'yes but were afraid kids will just press the button to have fun, and in any case young kids can run across when there's a brief break in the traffic.'

 

Subject closed, within a few months all of these lights were out of order, then removed. Total waste of money and no value in terms of saving lives. 

[chicowoodduck]

2 hours ago, tgw said:

good plan if you want to catch a bullet or a machete from clueless Thai drivers believing you want to challenge them on their territory and possibly in front of their wife or mistress...

I wish, I am always locked and loaded! ????????. Some <deleted> wants a showdown, bring it on…if it Is Thai, so much the better! ????

[SAFETY FIRST]

4 hours ago, Tropicalevo said:

 

4 hours ago, SAFETY FIRST said:

Nope, the law has been changed 

New rules, you must stop 

I know that the UK law has changed this year. (Most pedestrians in the UK never understood that one.)

Is that also true in Thailand?

Not too long ago we had a crackdown on pedestrian crossing at marked crossings and red light crossings here in Pattaya 

Lots of fines issued