19,000 dead and a million injured: Anti DUI chief calls on Thais to mark "Dr Kratai's" death with light show

[webfact]

Picture: Siam Rath

 

Siam Rath reported that it will have been a full year on Saturday since the death of Thai opthalmologist Dr Kratai on a Bangkok zebra crossing.

 

She was killed by a speeding policeman on a Ducati. He was prosecuted and the case inspired much national soul-searching and improvement at crossings.

 

Dr Thaejing Siriphanich, head of an anti drink driving group, said he had written to Thai PM Prayuth Chan-ocha about marking the anniversary of her death with a light show.

 

Thai motorists are being asked to put on ther headlights or use the torch from their phones for one minute at 3.09 pm on Saturday afternoon, the time when Dr Krathai died on January 21st last year.

 

Thaejing admitted that Thai driving discipline was appalling and this was never more true than at zebra crossings.

 

Few stopped at them and some even hooted for pedestrians to hurry up or sounded their horns at motorists that did stop.

 

Thailand was seen throughout the world as having poor driver discipline and no culture of safety.

 

He said that 19,000 die annually on the roads and a million are injured.

 

60,000 are left handicapped in some way.

 

He hopes that by marking the death of the female doctor with such a promising future ahead of her the issues on Thailand's roads could once again be aired publicly.

 

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[Geoffggi]

May as well beat your head against a brick-wall, authorities have been too soft for too long ...,.

[jak2002003]

Well... Worse then covid., yet they will wear face masks on motor bikes but not helmets or even have lights working.  

 

 

[ezzra]

With all due respect, her loss of life is no different to ANY other loss of life on Thailand's roads, those who perished mothers and families hurts as much as her family, let's remember ALL of them as much as we can...

[Photoguy21]

Only yesterday whilst going to the gym I watched a lorry with a trailer behind go flying through the traffic lights which was on red. This was down Sai Mai road. He was going a lot fast than any of the cars and with such a load and length of the vehicle he couldn't have stopped even if he had wanted to.

No police around and it was at the busiest time of the day when everyone was going to work. Until they get serious nothing will change.

[Artisi]

14 minutes ago, Photoguy21 said:

Only yesterday whilst going to the gym I watched a lorry with a trailer behind go flying through the traffic lights which was on red. This was down Sai Mai road. He was going a lot fast than any of the cars and with such a load and length of the vehicle he couldn't have stopped even if he had wanted to.

No police around and it was at the busiest time of the day when everyone was going to work. Until they get serious nothing will change.

did he hit anyone - no- well that's ok, carry on regardless. 

[Photoguy21]

8 minutes ago, Artisi said:

did he hit anyone - no- well that's ok, carry on regardless. 

In your twisted mind it may be but it isnt ok.

[zyphodb]

7 minutes ago, Photoguy21 said:

In your twisted mind it may be but it isnt ok.

Sarcasm, I think...

 

[John Drake]

Just about every day I see cars and trucks speed into Phutthamonthon Sai 3 and the newly painted crosswalk. They seem to speed up as they see the crossing. Not uncommon to see vehicles whip around from behind a slower moving car or truck and head into the crosswalk almost blindly. There is a police station literally less than 10 meters from the curb of the crosswalk. All the police need to do in order to mint money is come out of their station and pull over offenders. Should clear at least 50,000 baht every 15 minutes.

[Foghorn]

They don’t want to stop the deaths , it ain’t difficult to drastically reduce the death rate if the will was there

[Foghorn]

Offer every mp 1000 baht each for every death below 20,000 a year and see the action put in place to drop the deaths , 

[pokerface1]

I think the police are off chasing the big dollar pay offs and figure getting in the way of the crazy drivers in order to pickup a few Baht is not worth the risk of being run over. So nothing will change until the police have their priorities adjusted big time. 

[hotchilli]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

She was killed by a speeding policeman on a Ducati. He was prosecuted and the case inspired much national soul-searching and improvement at crossings.

And a year on proved to have changed nothing.

[Artisi]

1 hour ago, Photoguy21 said:

In your twisted mind it may be but it isnt ok.

Did you miss something??? 

[kingstonkid]

Enforce stricter rules.  Like I said instead of fining impound the bikes.  Make people have to make other arrangements.  Imagine somchai doing home and tell mom police have bike until you and dad go to get it and show receipt for new helmet. License and insurance.

[aussienam]

The appalling driving manners and general standards of Thais, reflected by sheer massive carnage statistics and what is seen by outsiders, make Thais appear to be extremely unintelligent, idiotic, uneducated and uncivilized.  

 

Of course, a Thai person has capacity to be intelligent, etc (and many are very smart). But this is the perception that others see. 

The insane driving behaviours are deeply entrenched in culture as acceptable. 

 

It's a ground up approach needed from virtually a Thai toddler to change this.  Combined approaches from school education, media, significant law enforcement, penalties and points, politicians implementing policies and laws, proper driving schools, harder licensing requirements and tests.  A whole social shift is needed.  I really don't know if it will ever happen to be honest.  Too hard basket.  Sorry for the deceased lady, but this is going to keep happening here.  TIT.

 

[RichardColeman]

I dare say if there was a 'marking' ceremony, half the drivers would turn up drunk

[fusion58]

Better idea: How about “marking her death” by creating a police which actually prioritizes law enforcement?

 

/pipe dream

[richard_smith237]

6 hours ago, hotchilli said:

8 hours ago, webfact said:

She was killed by a speeding policeman on a Ducati. He was prosecuted and the case inspired much national soul-searching and improvement at crossings.

And a year on proved to have changed nothing.

Very sad but very true...  Most of the posters on this forum predicted exactly that... (that nothing would change)....  

... Sadly, its too easy to predict that nothing will continue to change - simply put those in positions of decision making power do not care enough enact from the ground up the cultural shift required for any improvement to be recognise.

 

Thailand had an opportunity 20 years ago to start doing something about this issue and today it would be recognising the benefits today....  Thailand now need to start educating todays children so tomorrows adults can protect tomorrows children....   

 

Exactly as Aussienam wrote, a ground up approach is required to completely shift the culture into a mindset of one in which its people are considerate of others outside of their immediate circle of influence. 

 

 

I look at Thailands road users and I see a society of people who behind the veil of a windscreen show their true colours otherwise not observed in person due to enforced cultural expectations of kraeng-jai and face...  This is a horrible blight on a people who would otherwise be considered very caring and considerate.... 

 

... When visiting other countries I often wonder if the mindset of its road users offers an insight in the the true soul and character of a nation - I hope not for Thailands sake. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited January 19, 2023 by richard_smith237

[metisdead]

A post using profane language and a reply has been removed.