The Ministry of Public Health has set a target to reduce road accidents during New Year holidays by 5% this year, by emphasising no drinking and driving, Public Health Minister Cholnan Srikaew announced today.

 

He noted that there is a possibility that road accidents during the festive period may increase, due to the government’s decision to allow pubs to stay open until 4am, and until 6am on New Year’s Day.

 

It is, therefore, necessary that measures be tightened up to prevent road accidents by drawing on support from public health volunteers, local administrative officials and the police to man road blocks to test the blood-alcohol levels of drivers and motorcyclists.

 

According to statistics, there were 2,440 road accidents between December 29, 2022 and January 4, 2023, resulting in 317 deaths and 2,437 people injured, said Dr Cholnan, adding that the most shocking finding is that 96% of those involved in the accidents were over the legal alcohol limit.

 

To achieve the 5% cut in road accidents, he said all parties concerned must cooperate, including drivers, who should not drive when they are drunk. He has also asked all hospitals to be on standby to support the police and local officials.

 

Full story: Thai PBS 2023-12-21

 

- Cigna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here.

 

Get our Daily Newsletter - Click HERE to subscribe

To 5% not by 5% would be sensible! with some "strong deterrents" and pickup seizures surely good luck everyone some won't make it is the only guaranteed 🤔

Deja Vu

What a glorious exiting new idea.

Did anybody ever mention that maybe it would help if the police would actually do their job all year long?

Or would that be too much of a challenge for the boys in brown in this beautiful country? 

Unlikely!

5 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

What a glorious exiting new idea.

Did anybody ever mention that maybe it would help if the police would actually do their job all year long?

Or would that be too much of a challenge for the boys in brown in this beautiful country? 

In my city, they have a special little club house, where you can find them easier than visiting the police station.

I predict they will be up on last year!

There seems to be an elevated level of recklessness in the air due to police inactivity of late. 

Edited December 21, 20232 yr by jacko45k

BEST Way to r3educe accidents apart from POLICE actions is to remove ALL drivers#riders with NO licences, remove all drivers with NO insurace , stop all lorries on holidays. with 50% less vehicles job done 

So an even greater number of folks sitting around at roadside checkpoints that I have never seen in the last six years ever stop anyone, let alone do anything else to reduce the toll.

18 minutes ago, BoganInParasite said:

So an even greater number of folks sitting around at roadside checkpoints that I have never seen in the last six years ever stop anyone, let alone do anything else to reduce the toll.

Checkpoints?  I thought they were some kind of alcohol sampling sites?

New minister same old useless message 

 

why only reduce at new year, what not all year round? are accidents at other times of year acceptable? bizarre logic.

12 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

said Dr Cholnan, adding that the most shocking finding is that 96% of those involved in the accidents were over the legal alcohol limit.

 

shocking to whom ? 

 

43 minutes ago, BoganInParasite said:

So an even greater number of folks sitting around at roadside checkpoints that I have never seen in the last six years ever stop anyone, let alone do anything else to reduce the toll.

It is not their job to stop anyone nor do they have the authority to do so. Only the police can do that. Their role is to advice and assist.

12 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

road accidents during New Year holidays by 5%

As a standard deviation, 5% from the norm is essentially zero change.

Sadly, the Health Ministry will not effect changes in the road carnage.

It really is up to the Police and they are not motivated to enforce the regulations, so thousands of Thai's and others will continue to die on the roads every year,

12 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

the most shocking finding is that 96% of those involved in the accidents were over the legal alcohol limit.

I know let's allow more hours of drinking to achieve a 5% cut in deaths!

Tokenism, as is usual this time of year.

The vast majority of fatalities are motorcycle riders and most of these fatalities are from riders without a helmet.

 

Just enforce the helmet law to 100% and the total fatalities will drop by more than 50%. In most neighboring countries they manage to do this by here in Thailand they don't care.

1 hour ago, Moonlover said:

It is not their job to stop anyone nor do they have the authority to do so. Only the police can do that. Their role is to advice and assist.

How can they advise and assist when sitting there watching TV or playing on their phone. 

My BiL does it because he gets paid for doing Sweet FA!

21 minutes ago, KannikaP said:

How can they advise and assist when sitting there watching TV or playing on their phone. 

My BiL does it because he gets paid for doing Sweet FA!

They give advise when it's asked for  and assistance when it's necessary. If neither are called for then they sit and wait. That's what a lot of 'first responders' do by the way. Sit and wait for something to happen.

 

The reason why they're by the roadside is so that they be quickly called upon when needed and hopefully act as a sort of soft deterrent, a reminder to motorists to behave. Whether that works or not I've no idea.

What?? Only 5%?? Let these policemen get out of their tents and off their phones and do a bit of work, then maybe it will increase to about 30%.

11 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

What a glorious exiting new idea.

Did anybody ever mention that maybe it would help if the police would actually do their job all year long?

Or would that be too much of a challenge for the boys in brown in this beautiful country? 

According to Police Boss Man they don't have enough money for Patrol Cars and not enough Men either !!

With extended drinking hours the death toll is much more likely to go UP by 10%.   Watch this space.

6 hours ago, Gottfrid said:

In my city, they have a special little club house, where you can find them easier than visiting the police station.

Ah yes; same here....it's called a Casino !

On 12/22/2023 at 7:05 AM, Nicholas Paul KNIGHT said:

BEST Way to r3educe accidents apart from POLICE actions is to remove ALL drivers#riders with NO licences, remove all drivers with NO insurace , stop all lorries on holidays. with 50% less vehicles job done 

 

A Thai driving licence is so easy to get in Thailand, that it is no proof of competence to operate a motor vehicle.

 

With or without a Thai licence, for locals, the skill levels will be about the same. 

 

They need a complete overhaul of the licencing system to include proper driving tests and periods of probation after the test has been passed (displaying P plates etc.) as well as proper enforcement of the laws. 

 

As they can't manage to do a simple task like wiring a plug properly, proper competence of drivers will never, ever happen here.

On 12/22/2023 at 11:41 AM, trainman34014 said:

According to Police Boss Man they don't have enough money for Patrol Cars and not enough Men either !!

 

Maybe if they bought Toyotas or Hondas instead of Teslas and BMWs they would have enough patrol cars. 

 

With 230,000+ officers nationwide they have more than enough manpower. 

On 12/22/2023 at 9:32 AM, pattjock said:

The vast majority of fatalities are motorcycle riders and most of these fatalities are from riders without a helmet.

 

Just enforce the helmet law to 100% and the total fatalities will drop by more than 50%. In most neighboring countries they manage to do this by here in Thailand they don't care.

If anything, post covid in my Pattaya area, I would say helmet wearing is far less than pre-Covid. There has been a distinct drop in policing. Used to see many carrying a helmet on Sukhumvit, ready to pop it on their head when they turned into town proper, they don't bother now!