Royal Thai Police to consider removing crosswalk at Kidney Institute Hospital following fatal road accident in Bangkok

[webfact]

 

By  Nop Meechukhun

 

Bangkok – The Royal Thai Police is planning to discuss with the Bhumirajanagarindra Kidney Institute Hospital regarding the removal of a pedestrian crossing following the fatal accident of female doctor Waraluck Supawatjariyakul last week.

 

Royal Thai Police Deputy Commissioner Damrongsak Kittipraphat along with Transport and Traffic officials inspected the crossing near the hospital on Phayathai Road in Bangkok this afternoon, January 26th.

 

The Deputy Commissioner told the press after the inspection that there were no signal lights at the crosswalk as it was located near Phayathai Intersection where most vehicles would drive at high speed to pass the green lights. Vehicles on the right lane may be visually blocked by other vehicles on the left side, possibly invisible to see any pedestrians.

 

Full story: https://thepattayanews.com/2022/01/26/royal-thai-police-to-consider-removing-crosswalk-at-kidney-institute-hospital-following-fatal-road-accident-in-bangkok/

 

-- © Copyright The Pattaya News 2022-01-27

 

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[rodknock]

sure blame the pedestrians, not the person who hits them.

is this going to be the new Thailand, remove zebra strips from crosswalk that has an accident.

with that mentality why not remove all the zebra crosswalks in Thailand, then you can never blame a driver.

it will only make it a nightmare for pedestrians that want to cross.

the zebra strips at corners with lights are useless!!!!!

set up a random cross walk watch and do there job of writing tickets, that would be a novel idea!!!!! 

[Chang_paarp]

One way of preventing people getting hit at a pedestrian crossing.

 

Another would be to install the warning devices listed as missing in the article and then enforce the law without fear or favour.

[jaiyen]

Look at how many unconcerned people it takes to inspect a Zebra crossing ! And none of them know the answer as to what to do so they want to get rid of it !! Pathetic.

[robblok]

They might have a point, but i think they have alternate motives. By removing it it looks as if it was just a bad place to have an passing and the accident is caused by that not because of the guy and the inability of the police to enforce the law.

 

Sometimes crossings are placed wrong, that is an option too. Maybe a pedestrian bridge is possible ? Or put warning sings or even maybe beams like on a rail crossing. There are many possibilities and it depends how far the next crossing is and how much this one is used.

 

So they might have a point but at this time its more a ploy to aliviate the shame of having a police officer mowing down a pedestrian. It sounds a lot better when they can say but its also the mistake of the designers. 

[IAMHERE]

Thai logic could be if the Zebra Crossing is removed then it wasn't needed. If it wasn't needed then the Corporal shouldn't be punished for it being there, a victim himself of bad traffic planning.

[ChrisY1]

Much simpler to remove the crossing...it will take away any form of liability that the RTP could have imposed on them.

They don't police crossings anywhere.... and most likely believe that pedestrians are always at fault!

[Bangkok Barry]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

signal lights at the crosswalk as it was located near Phayathai Intersection where most vehicles would drive at high speed to pass the green lights.

Well, put in speed bumps to prevent the 'high speed'. There is a growing trend in my native UK for a 20mph speed limit in all built-up areas. The speed that so many drive in towns and cities in Thailand is insane. Why, in what is portrayed as a laid-back country, is everyone always in a tearing hurry? I've lost count of the times I've been out and someone has pulled out of a side turning in front of me and made me slow down or change lane, when the road behind was empty. They can't wait even five seconds. Baffling. Just more of the Me First Thailand I suppose.

[RandiRona]

Please consider skyways to cross big and traffic heavy roads,  cheap to build and safe for everyone.

[worgeordie]

After they painted all those little squares on the  side and down

middle of the road, then they thought a bit more ,and decided

the best way was to get rid of it, leaving people to run over the

road to cross it.

regards Worgerdie

[Asquith Production]

The road could easily be made safer by installing rumble strips and speed bumps. All roads can be designed to make them safer. Any long stretch of road without some form of barrier will invite speeding

[CrunchWrapSupreme]

43 minutes ago, robblok said:

its more a ploy to aliviate the shame of having a police officer mowing down a pedestrian

Indeed. Tremendous loss of face in having one of their fellow men hit a pedestrian, in what was obviously the wrong place, the crosswalk. Solution? Remove the crosswalk.

 

Now if it happens again, what was that naughtly pedestrian doing there without a crosswalk? Shameless.

 

Also, forget all those rumours about the bike not having a plate, not being registered, not even his bike, "borrowed" from the well known RTP toy box called police impound. All FAKE NEWS.

 

Image credit: Siam Rath, Walmart

Edited January 27, 2022 by CrunchWrapSupreme

[JayBird]

4 hours ago, rodknock said:

sure blame the pedestrians, not the person who hits them.

is this going to be the new Thailand, remove zebra strips from crosswalk that has an accident.

with that mentality why not remove all the zebra crosswalks in Thailand, then you can never blame a driver.

it will only make it a nightmare for pedestrians that want to cross.

the zebra strips at corners with lights are useless!!!!!

set up a random cross walk watch and do there job of writing tickets, that would be a novel idea!!!!! 

Probably smart to remove all zebra crossings.  No driver pays attention, and it gives a false sense of security.

 

Better drivers?  Law enforcement?  Let's be realistic ????

[hotchilli]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

The Royal Thai Police is planning to discuss with the Bhumirajanagarindra Kidney Institute Hospital regarding the removal of a pedestrian crossing following the fatal accident of female doctor Waraluck Supawatjariyakul last week.

The reason for the crossing point outside the hospital is for the convenience of the public & staff using the hospital.?

What does plod think... move it a mile up the road?

 

[actonion]

Move the crosswalk means moving the accident black sport to another location....

 

Thailand has no safety experts, so import some, to show you how to do it,  & how to drive while they're at it .. but  Thailand knows best !!  it will never happen, the police drive the same as all other Thais   so what do they know ...

[Boomer6969]

How about start removing motor vehicles from certain areas, or at least ruthlessly enforce a 30kmh speed limit, charge with manslaughter any driver who kills a pedestrian and whatever the circumstances. All these changes make steady progress on the different planet I come from.

[Enzian]

I like to walk the path along the Saen Saep canal, from the RR tracks under the freeway near Suk soi one, all the way to Asoke. The terrible part is at one-way soi 3 where there is no ped crossing, no way to walk under the bridge, and the traffic is coming fast from the intersection a bit north at Phetchaburi Road. One just has to wait for a gap. Thrilling, not.

[KhunLA]

Guessing most people replying have no idea where said crosswalk is.  It's on a major road, 6 lane divided road.  

https://www.google.com/maps/@13.7591474,100.534994,3a,75y,37.08h,93.43t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s-fUJP2Q-_NvNQljSw6MCow!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

Sorry, as wrong as the officer 'may' have been, the responsibility of pedestrians crossing is to look before crossing, to make sure it's safe to, then proceed.  Especially at that location, as vehicle cruise rather quickly on that road.  Even though there is an overhead, flashing yellow crosswalk warning sign for drivers, I wouldn't expect anyone driving < 60 kph.

 

TBH, I would have been cruising rather fast myself on that road.  60 kph easily.

 

Considering that road, I find it hard to believe the doc did that, looked carefully before proceeding.  As it is straight away, both direction with no blind spots.  People really do need to take responsibility for themselves.

Edited January 27, 2022 by KhunLA

[RocketDog]

Royal Thai Police to consider removing crosswalk at Kidney Institute Hospital following fatal road accident in Bangkok.

 

So much 'consideration', so little action, as with all government functions.

Hope is not a plan.

[JonnyF]

My god they're all trying to jump on the bandwagon. Typical knee jerk reactions all round to try and appear virtuous.

 

"Quick, say something for god's sake. It doesn't matter if it's ridiculous - just look like we're doing something until this awkward incident blows over".

 

And all because of the status and attractiveness of the victim. As I said on another thread, if this had been some poor, dark skinned, "ugly" cleaner from the same hospital we'd never have even heard of it. It's not like traffic fatalities are rare in Thailand, there have probably been a dozen already today and it's only 10:30am.

 

This is the Thai equivalent of missing white woman syndrome. 

[big dendrobenaes]

and what are they going to put there as replacement ??????!!!!!

[big dendrobenaes]

2 hours ago, JayBird said:

Probably smart to remove all zebra crossings.  No driver pays attention, and it gives a false sense of security.

 

Better drivers?  Law enforcement?  Let's be realistic ????

i give way to people on a zebra......I WAS TAUGHT to do such........

But here NO ONE is taught.....or reads the highway code.........

[big dendrobenaes]

5 minutes ago, big dendrobenaes said:

and what are they going to put there as replacement ??????!!!!!

they coud build a footbridge or dig out a subway !!!!!

[nahkit]

1 hour ago, KhunLA said:

Considering that road, I find it hard to believe the doc did that, looked carefully before proceeding.  As it is straight away, both direction with no blind spots.  People really do need to take responsibility for themselves.

If you watch the video you'll see that a large white van stops for the lady, only problem with that is that the motorbike rider can't see her now as she is obscured by the van. Similarly, the lady has no chance of seeing the motorbike until she steps past the front of the van.

 

When the lady was out in the middle of the crossing, in plain sight of oncoming traffic, cars still failed to stop and drove around her. In my opinion, they are no less guilty than the policeman who hit her.

[NanLaew]

12 minutes ago, big dendrobenaes said:

18 minutes ago, big dendrobenaes said:

and what are they going to put there as replacement ??????!!!!!

they coud build a footbridge or dig out a subway !!!!!

A spirit house.

 

Sorted.

[kcpattaya]

I cannot believe the stupidity of these clowns...
Let's remove all traffic lights so nobody ignores the red light.

 

[big dendrobenaes]

7 minutes ago, NanLaew said:

A spirit house.

 

Sorted.

with samsong.....hong thong......vodka.....whiskey......gin and rum !!!

[connda]

That's how it's done people!!!  If someone get's killed in a crosswalk - REMOVE the crosswalk!!!  ????????????

[paddyfield7]

Why always force pedestrians to use under- and overpasses, so that the traffic can go straight and fast? How about the motorized traffic going through underpasses or over bridges, and let pedestrians safely walk at ground level?

[KhunLA]

6 minutes ago, paddyfield7 said:

Why always force pedestrians to use under- and overpasses, so that the traffic can go straight and fast? How about the motorized traffic going through underpasses or over bridges, and let pedestrians safely walk at ground level?

Well it is 6 lane divided road / highway.  And a long stretch of for city road.  I think the hospital should have built an overpass to accommodate staff & customers, if crossing is needed.

 

Any 6 lane divided hwy should in itself scream ... be extremely careful when crossing.  Didn't watch the vid, but if described as above, doc should have peeked around that van to make sure the coast was clear before proceeding.  Surely she did not.