Safety Concerns Surge in Pattaya as Low-Hanging Signs Pose Threat to Tourists

[Accidental Tourist]

How was the famous song: Boots are there for walking... Eyes are there for looking...

[madmitch]

I've cut my head twice on low signs, one right outside a hospital when I was going to visit someone. Quite a good spot if you are going to have an accident :)

[JensenZ]

2 hours ago, John Drake said:

 

Walk slower. Scan farther down stream.

LOL. You might be the next person to smash into a sign or fall into a pothole... which would be fun to witness. You talk tough, but it only requires a momentary lapse of concentration. Someone might be talking to you, or you might have received a call or text message, etc. Everybody slips up sometimes, except you of course.

[Thumbs]

This country will be bankrupt when the “where there’s blames there’s a claim”cases start

[Surasak]

8 hours ago, Gsxrnz said:

Maybe it's just me but I tend to look where I'm walking, and therefore avoid walking into static objects.

It'll get you one when you ain't looking. Its sods law!

[Woof999]

7 hours ago, edwinchester said:

Raise the sign or lower the sidewalk..... decisions decisions.

 

More likely to ban tall people.

[Surasak]

Why should Pattaya be singled out? Its the same all over the country. I have been lucky up to now, but that maybe because I don't do a lot of walking on city streets? One thing missing on this thread are stairs, there is no set standard for height or depth of the tread nor the angle of incline, and as for a hand rail on both sides of the stairwell?

[ChipButty]

A friend of ours went out cycling early one morning almost hung himself a cable had dropped down from TOT he was in a bad way, 

 

 

[Jumbo1968]

If the signs don’t get you a vehicle/motor bike will when you try and cross the road at the crossing.

[geisha]

9 hours ago, jacko45k said:

Having an issue caused by the missing paving stones I tend to be looking down a lot... need eyes like a Chameleon. 

The whole of Thailand is a shambles. Nuff said. 

[ChipButty]

Nobody takes any notice of the crossing so why put a sign there? 

 

 

[Xonax]

Every day I meet lots of "Zombies" walking around with their eyes on the phone, instead of on the sorroundings. Typically they also walk slower than normal people, maybe to limit the damage, if they should walk into something. 

[harrycallahan]

Compounded by the fact that the bright sign is surrounded by dull grey which blends into the background, so people might think they're missing it but aren't. 

[ABCDBKK]

How can a Walking-ATM, doing its duty of handing out cash to everyone on the street, be expected to be able to watch out for pedestrian hazards too. 😤

[ABCDBKK]

1 hour ago, Xonax said:

Every day I meet lots of "Zombies" walking around with their eyes on the phone, instead of on the sorroundings. Typically they also walk slower than normal people, maybe to limit the damage, if they should walk into something. 

Many people walk more slowly in tropical countries. It's how they keep their shirts dry. 

[phetpeter]

Looking like they should also have a word with the shopkeeper who seems to have taken over half the sidewalk as well. as well as the food carts in the background

[richard_smith237]

6 minutes ago, phetpeter said:

Looking like they should also have a word with the shopkeeper who seems to have taken over half the sidewalk as well. as well as the food carts in the background

 

Agreed, happens with all types of encroachment in Thailand... be it encroachment into public space (sidewalks by shops and streetstalls), encroachment onto private land by stalls, BTS walk ways etc...  or encroachment into legal infringements (no helmets etc)...  the lack of enforcement by an apathetic officials (city officials and police forces) enables a sense entitlement to set in...  and thats it, everyone else copies and we have the general disarray some call character, others call dangerous.....

[sambum]

6 hours ago, DjSilver said:

As always, and what we all have knows for years, is that Thais doesn't care about traffic laws/rules.

Well put! 

 

I am 187cm tall and have to be constantly aware of low signs, low  poles holding up shop shutters/blinds, low doorways etc. ("Duck or Grouse"? ) Once in Surat Thani I turned a corner and could have been blinded by the cross bar sticking out from a street light.

 

OK, this is Thailand, their country, and all things are constructed by Thais with Thais in mind, and head height to them is quite often eye height to visitors or tourists, so a little bit of foresight would not go amiss when they are constructing the shops/stalls etc. As already mentioned, often the pavements are in such a bad state of repair that you need to have eyes like a chameleon to stay safe!!! 

[In Full Agreement]

 

 

The problem is since the sidewalks aren't always safe, looking up for dangerous low hanging signs can be unsafe.

[chris carre]

16 hours ago, webfact said:

 

On January 11, 2024, news broke of an incident in which more than 10 foreign tourists were injured while walking in Pattaya due to a collision with a low-hanging warning sign.

 

The incident took place at the pedestrian crossing near Malaay Curve, Chom Thien, Nongprue, Bang Lamung, Chonburi. Concerned citizens reported the issue, prompting authorities to swiftly respond to the scene and provide assistance, reported Siam Rath.

 

Picture: Siam Rath

 

Among the injured was Ms. Patthanapa Maneemat, a 56-year-old restaurant owner located near the problematic sign. She recounted that two days ago, Japanese tourists collided with the low-hanging sign, which is only 160 centimeters high, while jogging. The impact resulted in severe head injuries for the tourists, with one requiring seven stitches.

 

Notably, at least 10 other tourists have suffered similar head injuries in recent incidents involving collisions with the same low-hanging sign. The sign's height, suitable for individuals below 160 centimeters, poses a significant risk to taller pedestrians.

 

Witnesses are urging relevant authorities to take immediate action, either by adjusting the sign's height or relocating it to prevent further accidents in the area.

 

Top Picture: Siam Rath

 

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Picture: Siam Rath

Picture: Siam Rath

As my Great grandfather used to say "look where you are <deleted>in going"🤣🤣🤣

[natway09]

U did not give me a ladder Boss

[spidermike007]

10 hours ago, John Drake said:

 

Where are you going to start? And how much are people willing to pay for increased safety? Many of the people who voice fear over safety concerns would be the first ones to complain about the increased costs of making Thailand safer. To achieve basic safety, you'll need to do a lot more retroactively than raise signs. You'll also need to:

* increase the height of balustrades

* maintain crosswalks and police them

* enforce laws against scooters riding against the direction of traffic

* maintain safety standards and inspections (remember the people killed in hotels a few years ago by bug bombs?)

Oh, why go on? The list is a mile long. But the point is, if you want all this stuff, you're going to need to pay for it. Who is the first to sign up for their taxes and fees to be increased?

It likely would not require any increases in taxes but rather a Crackdown on corruption within government and trying to locate the hundreds upon hundreds of billions that are siphoned away each year by various government officials and the ridiculously greedy, foul, toxic Army. 

[still kicking]

16 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

It likely would not require any increases in taxes but rather a Crackdown on corruption within government and trying to locate the hundreds upon hundreds of billions that are siphoned away each year by various government officials and the ridiculously greedy, foul, toxic Army. 

Absolute correct 

[Dexxter]

When walking in Australia and about to cross the road I look left, right and left again, then proceed.

When walking in Bangkok and about to cross the road I look left, right, left again, then behind and in front for motorcycles, above for signs and below for trip hazards. By the time I finish looking, I have to start again.

[still kicking]

I guess TAT should ask just for midgets with good eyesight when advertising Pattaya.

[jacko45k]

17 hours ago, wensiensheng said:

Honestly, whatever next. Soon they will have signs saying “Beware of uneven pavements”.

 

dont people realize it’s a jungle out there? You can’t expect the Thai authorities to create a safe urban environment, thats clearly not their job.

Let us just say if they want to fill the place up with tourists, moves in that direction should be made.... I am expecting the bad air quality, when it mixes in with 35 and up  degC in a few months, tourism will be impacted. 

[jacko45k]

17 hours ago, hkt83100 said:

On the other hand I would like to know why most of the toilet doors are lower than the other doors in the house, normally. To be seen in many restaurants.

Perhaps a need to allow airflow for the extract fan in there?

[jacko45k]

21 hours ago, edwinchester said:

Raise the sign or lower the sidewalk..... decisions decisions.

Heaven forbid they start working on the sidewalks again.

[Old Croc]

15 hours ago, Surasak said:

Why should Pattaya be singled out?

Because the thread is on the Pattaya forum and is about one particular hazard there that has injured 10 tourists.

 

Posters have subsequently decided to share their experiences about all sorts of things, in many other places, which makes your complaint even more puzzling.

[sirineou]

Quote

Safety Concerns Surge in Pattaya as Low-Hanging Signs Pose Threat to Tourists

The problem can be easily mitigated by attracting shorter tourists.