Tragic accident inspires illustrations highlighting lack of road safety in Thailand

[webfact]

 

The recent killing of a doctor on a zebra crossing in Bangkok is still the subject of vigorous debate on social media, with many more satirical memes criticising Thailand’s lack of road safety.

 

Satirical artist “Uninspired by Current Events” posted illustrations reflecting on the fatal accident. One of them being named “Criss Crossing”, which shows police officers painting a motorcycle sign over a pedestrian crossing, which has seen over 85,000 retweets and 34,000 reactions on Facebook so far.

 

The most recent illustration, called “Rag Time”, satirically criticising the alleged perpetrator for entering monkhood after the fatal accident, also gained 35,000 retweets and 31,000 reactions on Facebook.

 

Full story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/tragic-accident-inspires-illustrations-highlighting-lack-of-road-safety-in-thailand/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2022-01-26

 

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[RandiRona]

If Satire can stop people from breaking laws and following road rules, then I would say run BORAT on loop on every TV channel...... Its terrible that these road deaths cause no rage, no anguish whereas a Tourist hunting becomes a national sport.

[Puccini]

The sad fact is that the Thai traffic law gives pedestrians no right of way on pedestrian crossings.

[mikebell]

All the satire in the world cannot disguise the fact that Thailand has no police force.

[hotchilli]

4 minutes ago, mikebell said:

All the satire in the world cannot disguise the fact that Thailand has no police force.

And paint won't change a damned thing.

[law ling]

The word "accident" carries with it, does it not, that something was both:

1. unintentional (OK, I don't say that it was intentional), AND

2. that there was no apparent or deliberate cause (I do wonder here if there was a cause: such as careless indifference to others on the road).

 

My point is: by (the police) calling it an "accident" seems to be forgiving, and indeed just plain ignoring, the culpabality of the motorcyclist.

 

I'm no lawyer, but shouldn't the headline read "manslaughter" rather than "accident"?

 

End of rant.

[seajae]

Pedestrian crossings in Thailand mean taking your life in your own hands as a lot of thai road users simply ignore the law requiring them to slow down/stop for pedestrians especially if it will make them stop/inconvenience them. There is no road edicate here, many simply look at it as everyone for themselves and to do as you please because there is simply no law enforcement, even when the police are at intersections in the mornings they do not pull over anyone going through red lights etc and in some cases its the police themselves that do it. Enforcement of the road laws will never happen here even with all the deaths, drivers/road users ignore the law because they know no one will do anythng to them if caught, the thai police force is a total joke, they really are the keystone cops and are only in the force so they can get in on the graft/corruption that is rife in it. Even if they put lights in for pedestrian crossings it would make no difference as the culprits would still run the red light as they just dont want to stop for any reason what so ever, deaths/injuries will continue to mount up on crossings because the govt doesnt give a rats ar*e about it.

[bbbbooboo]

Hmm… using a “pedestrian crossing “in Thailand  is like signing your own death warrant. From my experience traffic does not slow and stop but instead speeds up and aims for you: Remember TIT

[yeahbutif]

2 hours ago, mikebell said:

All the satire in the world cannot disguise the fact that Thailand has no police force.

They must have see many photos of them standing to attention and pointing after something happened ..that should have been prevented..

[samtam]

2 hours ago, hotchilli said:

And paint won't change a damned thing.

As well-demonstrated yesterday at the exact same crossing the doctor was killed; a wheelchair bound person was using the crossing with a friend checking ahead of him to see that no one raced through; and of course they did, narrowly missing both people. You might have expected that after the death, after the paint job etc, there might be some surveillance for at least a week or so. Negligence at its finest, by the finest. 

 

https://publish.twitter.com/?query=https%3A%2F%2Ftwitter.com%2Fpuvadet_sun%2Fstatus%2F1485865642867982336&widget=Tweet

Edited January 26, 2022 by samtam

[Tropicalevo]

6 hours ago, Puccini said:

The sad fact is that the Thai traffic law gives pedestrians no right of way on pedestrian crossings.

Most people do not realise that the pedestrian has to wait until the traffic stops.

The UK has changed that law this year. Now vehicles must stop for pedestrians.

Not sure if Thailand plans something similar.

 

The really sad thing for this young doctor was that the traffic had stopped for her and thus, she had the right of way once she was on the crossing.

RIP Doc.

[Pique Dard]

8 hours ago, webfact said:

The recent killing of a doctor on a zebra crossing

desperate situations need desperate measures! i'd suggest to the thai government that they import real zebras from africa

Edited January 26, 2022 by Pique Dard
omissions

[JonnyF]

I saw a passenger van today with a huge sticker covering the back door/window reminding people of safety and to stop for pedestrians at zebra crossings. I guess it was a recent addition following this 'hot topic' with the pretty young Doctor.

 

I noticed after he aggressively moved into my lane, forcing me to either brake suddenly or swerve to collide with oncoming traffic.

[Tubulat]

I don't understand this, why oh why get this so much attention, how many fatal accidents every year without any improvement with road safety.

And now?

[Tubulat]

2 hours ago, bbbbooboo said:

Hmm… using a “pedestrian crossing “in Thailand  is like signing your own death warrant. From my experience traffic does not slow and stop but instead speeds up and aims for you: Remember TIT

Speed reduction, road narrowing from 2 to 1 lane, and speed bumbs are the only things who will help.

[rudi49jr]

35 minutes ago, Tubulat said:

Speed reduction, road narrowing from 2 to 1 lane, and speed bumbs are the only things who will help.

The only thing that will help is installing barriers, like at railroad crossings. If there is no physical barrier, Thai drivers and motor cyclists simply will not stop, period! 

[Golden Triangle]

1 hour ago, Tubulat said:

I don't understand this, why oh why get this so much attention, how many fatal accidents every year without any improvement with road safety.

And now?

Ever heard the term " from small acorns "

 

If not, try Google.

[Confuscious]

I don't understand why this is even "Newsworthy".
With 65,000 humans a year ending their life on Thai roads and 1,000,000 ending normal life and entering the handicapped life, why is this isolated case even "News"?
Don't think in "Western" terms, but start to realise that you live in Thailand where a human life has no worth at all.
"Schadenfreude", a German word for this, is the best way to describe this "news".

[Ralf001]

2 minutes ago, Confuscious said:

I don't understand why this is even "Newsworthy".
With 65,000 humans a year ending their life on Thai roads and 1,000,000 ending normal life and entering the handicapped life

Please link the source to your numbers.

[Enoon]

3 hours ago, Tubulat said:

I don't understand this, why oh why get this so much attention, how many fatal accidents every year without any improvement with road safety.

And now?

A gift of a "co-star":

 

Attractive, young,  metroploitan woman, in a "virtuous" occupation, from middle class family.

 

A "worthwhile", "good", person..........as opposed to the usual livestock who make up the bulk of victims.

 

I'm assuming that it how it is seen in the minds of the majority of, specifically, "correct thinking", "indignant" and "outraged" Thais.

 

Definitely so in the minds of Thai journalists.

 

 

Edited January 26, 2022 by Enoon

[mikebell]

23 hours ago, yeahbutif said:

They must have see many photos of them standing to attention and pointing after something happened ..that should have been prevented..

They are not real police, just photocops.

[Artisi]

On 1/26/2022 at 7:56 AM, mikebell said:

All the satire in the world cannot disguise the fact that Thailand has no police force.

They have police, but no force. 

[petermach]

causes of accidents are well known for long,long time, 1 speed ,2 Alcool/drug , 3 telephone when driving , we can add trafficked motorbike with very often no light . If police confiscated car or motorbike to these  criminals  may be the situation could improve .And also put in jail, as it is in many countries, people driving when they are drunk.