Thailand Road Carnage: One motorcyclist dead, 3 injured as Bangkok cabby goes through red light

[VocalNeal]

If it wasn't for road accidents the site traffic on AN would drop about 25%????

[jcmj]

Just a quick note for all those interested in statistics. Thailand only records deaths on the scene. Not on the way to or in the hospital so I’m sure the figures are much higher than anyone really knows. 

[Chongalulu]

On 1/28/2023 at 1:34 PM, Burma Bill said:

Sadly, no crash helmet?? RIP young pillion passenger.

But almost certainly wearing a mask ????.. ????‍♂️ 

[Chongalulu]

11 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

Helmets help, if they are good quality. No doubt about that. But when you are standing still, and some maniac rams into you at high speed, all bets are off. Remember Sonny Bono? He ran into a tree skiing with a good ski helmet on. Died of a broken neck. 

 

We should do what we can to protect ourselves and our heads, with the best helmet we can afford. The skull is quite fragile. I for one, have enough problems without an injury to my head, which if survived, could change the course of our remaining years. 

I would not consider a helmet (full face minimum) under £500 (20k baht) . It’s only ever got to work once for it to have paid for itself many times over . And if it never has to work… we’ll that’s an even better result ! I only drive a Honda Wave . I’ll replace my Arai helmet (several years old) when I go to uk in June . If I have to pay £700 I will. I can’t afford not to … Cheap helmets are for cheap heads. 

[Liverpool Lou]

On 1/28/2023 at 10:05 AM, Dmaxdan said:

So the taxi driver who ran the red light will now be facing the absolutely catastrophic punishment of having a couple of points deducted from his license?

Why would that be his only punishment for causing someone's death?

[Liverpool Lou]

On 1/28/2023 at 12:56 PM, gerritkaew said:

Yes, the driver who killed the jung guy must face charges by sent him to jail for murder.

 

 

How could he be charged with murder when he did not murder anyone?

[Liverpool Lou]

9 hours ago, BananaStrong said:

BEFORE you comment....

 

1.  Do you own a motorbike/scooter/etc....?  YES?   

2.  Have you even been on a motorbike in Thailand?  YES?

 

If everyone had cars, these deaths would be much less.

 

Ban motorcycles in Thailand!!!  Charge farangs 100,000 more and buy Thais cars!!!!

 

A motorbike is a coffin.    YES, you might die and it's not your "fault," but you are way more 

safe in a car.

 

a good helmet is only a slight help........

 

even in super poor places in Mexico, everyone has a car.  

 

It's no wonder that Thailand is known as “the land of 100 million scooters.” 

 

 

Good gawd...

[Reigntax]

11 hours ago, BananaStrong said:

BEFORE you comment....

 

1.  Do you own a motorbike/scooter/etc....?  YES?   

2.  Have you even been on a motorbike in Thailand?  YES?

 

If everyone had cars, these deaths would be much less.

 

Ban motorcycles in Thailand!!!  Charge farangs 100,000 more and buy Thais cars!!!!

 

A motorbike is a coffin.    YES, you might die and it's not your "fault," but you are way more 

safe in a car.

 

a good helmet is only a slight help........

 

even in super poor places in Mexico, everyone has a car.  

 

It's no wonder that Thailand is known as “the land of 100 million scooters.” 

 

 

If they replaced all cars and motorbikes with buffalos as it used to be there would be no deaths from collisions. Buffalos aren’t that stupid and can think.

However, Somchais would still find ways to die unrelated to the travelling skills of his said buffalo

[maddermax]

It all comes down to a complete failure of law enforcement in Thailand. Until appropriate penalties are set/fixe, enforced and reported to the public there will be no change.

At the least the taxi driver will have to live with the fact that he killed a 22 year old man for the rest of. his life.

[Mr Meeseeks]

 

On 1/28/2023 at 3:28 PM, richard_smith237 said:

The statistics are damning, but they need to be considered with intelligent balance. 

 

Firstly I’ll deal with 4 wheeled vehicles and up...

Thailand has approx 25,000 road deaths per year, 76% are motorcyclists. 

Thus: 6000 motorists die each year on Thailands roads. 

Thailand’s population: 71.6 million

= 8.37 Motor vehicle deaths per 100,000 of population per year. 

 

According to Wikipedia:

Thailands total is 32.7 road fatalities 100,000 of population per year. (minus 76% for motorcycles)

= 7.85  vehicle deaths per 100,000 of population per year (4 wheels or more)

 

The USA figure:

Thailands total is 12.89 road fatalities 100,000 of population per year. (minus 14% for motorcycles)

= 11.08  vehicle deaths per 100,000 of population per year (4 wheels or more)

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_traffic-related_death_rate

 

The US has a higher road fatality rate for 4 wheels or more. 

 

-------------------

 

Dealing only with motorcyclists in Thailand.....

 

76% of road fatalities are motorcycles... 

How many were....

- Not wearing a helmet

- Drunk

- Speeding

- Not riding defensively

- Untrained

- Riding at night

- taking unnecessary risk

 

When we remove many of the above facets to asses our own risk profile with can recognise that the vast proportion of that 76% of road fatalities does not apply to us - the figure is a much much less when the ’stupid stuff’ is taken out of the equation. 

 

Thats not to suggest risk is eliminated, of course motorcycling is more dangerous than driving a car. The point I want to raise here is that Thailands damning statistics are ‘aggregate’ and not representative of the individual risk profile many of us who do ride fall within. 

 

 

 

You have to remember that Thailand only reports deaths at the scene and that their record keeping and statistical analysis will be far less accurate than the USA. 

[richard_smith237]

1 hour ago, Mr Meeseeks said:

You have to remember that Thailand only reports deaths at the scene and that their record keeping and statistical analysis will be far less accurate than the USA. 

OK.. So what are the figures ? (total road deaths per year)

 

Deaths reported at the Scene ? (Thai figures?)

Estimates made by international organisations: WHO ?

 

 

 

 

 

[richard_smith237]

48 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

2 hours ago, Mr Meeseeks said:

You have to remember that Thailand only reports deaths at the scene and that their record keeping and statistical analysis will be far less accurate than the USA. 

OK.. So what are the figures ? (total road deaths per year)

 

Deaths reported at the Scene ? (Thai figures?)

Estimates made by international organisations: WHO ?

 

Answers: 

 

WHO quote:  25,000 road deaths per year on Thailands roads.

76% are motorcyclists. 

Thus: 6000 motorists (4 wheels or more) die each year on Thailands roads. 

Thailand’s population: 71.6 million

 

Thus: = 8.37 deaths per 100,000 of population per year are those in cars, lorries, vans, busses etc. 

That is less than the USA for 4 wheeled vehicles and larger. 

 

There would need to be a total of 33,000 total road deaths per year for the 4 wheeled vehicles+ tally to match that of the USA.

 

The stats clearly show the USA is a more dangerous place to drive a car, regardless of how illogical this seems. 

[Jimjim1]

We all know what should happen to this taxi driver but stand by for him to receive serious payment and a new car for doing his civic duty by adding to the government sponsored death toll.

 

RIP to the dead guy whose short life was ended so needlessly when a little government action to increase awareness, common sense, and education may well have attributed to him enjoying a long life had they done their job.

 

we can all be assured that those drivers used to shuttle government officials around will be trained to the enth degree so why can’t they increase the difficulty for Thais to get a licence and force them to take proper training?

It is not good enough to say the people can not afford it, they spend a million or more baht to buy the car so is it too much to ask them to pay perhaps 10,000 for the correct training?

Thankfully this time only one died when it could so easily have been three 

[Sig]

On 1/28/2023 at 1:42 PM, spidermike007 said:

Helmets help, if they are good quality. No doubt about that. But when you are standing still, and some maniac rams into you at high speed, all bets are off. Remember Sonny Bono? He ran into a tree skiing with a good ski helmet on. Died of a broken neck. 

 

We should do what we can to protect ourselves and our heads, with the best helmet we can afford. The skull is quite fragile. I for one, have enough problems without an injury to my head, which if survived, could change the course of our remaining years. 

Agreed. I spent a good amount on a helmet that had the highest safety marks passing through the ECE 22.06 tests. Many of my friends thought I was nuts spending so much on my helmet when so many much cheaper, yet good quality helmets were available. I figured that my head was worth the investment. In the end, it saved my life.
That said, as you mentioned, it really is amazing how vulnerable our bodies can be even if well protected. When your time is up, it's up. Heck, my friend's father died from slipping and falling in the shower!