A typical week on Thailand's roads

[anchadian]

Never changes and never will.  Shame on Thailand's road safety:

THAI NEWS REPORTS: #RoadSafety summary for 29 September - 5 October 2024:

 

306 killed (43/day) & 17,057 injured in road accidents

34 children and 11 foreigners killed

80% of fatalities were motorcyclists

10,543 people have been killed and 642,620 injured this year

 

https://x.com/ThaiNewsReports/status/1843086727248007491

 

[Nemises]

1 hour ago, anchadian said:

 

10,543 people killed this year. 
 

80% of them motorcyclists  

Riding a motorcycle in Thailand?

 

What could possibly go wrong. 
 

 

 

 

 

[ThaiFelix]

What a typical week on Thailand's roads looks like

 

 

[hotchilli]

A typical week on Thailand's roads

 

 

[HuaHinNew]

[fdimike]

RTP could have prevented many of these accidents had they been doing their job!

[harryviking]

4 hours ago, Nemises said:

Riding a motorcycle in Thailand?

 

What could possibly go wrong. 
 

 

 

 

 

Been on MC in Thailand many tears. No problems, but scary at times! I have 50 years on bikes, so I am well aware of ALMOST any situation that can occur! I guess one day I meet the one I did not see coming! Lol! Cross fingers!

[harryviking]

Just now, harryviking said:

Been on MC in Thailand many tears. No problems, but scary at times! I have 50 years on bikes, so I am well aware of ALMOST any situation that can occur! I guess one day I meet the one I did not see coming! Lol! Cross fingers! Or I retire from bikes before it happens....😆

 

[KhunLA]

Oh well ... such is life or death ...

... live or die by your choice, as always UP2U

[OneMoreFarang]

5 hours ago, Nemises said:

Riding a motorcycle in Thailand?

 

What could possibly go wrong. 

 

A lot can go wrong. And many of us motorcycle riders expect the (in Thailand not so) unexpected.

I wonder how many motorcycle riders who ride sensible (the doesn't mean slow) die in accidents.

Of course it can happen to anybody. But it seems many motorcycle riders just ride like stupid idiots. If nobody changes the lane or the speed then they will survive, and maybe they are even the fastest on the road. But if anybody brakes or changes the lane then lots of idiots die because they never thought about that they are not alone on the road.

 

And then there are many car drivers who obviously never rode a bike. And lots of motorcycle riders who never drove a car. They don't understand each other because they don't know the perspective of the other. 

 

[Tropicalevo]

13 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

If nobody changes the lane or the speed then they will survive, and maybe they are even the fastest on the road. But if anybody brakes or changes the lane then lots of idiots die because they never thought about that they are not alone on the road.

 

And then there are many car drivers who obviously never rode a bike. And lots of motorcycle riders who never drove a car. They don't understand each other because they don't know the perspective of the other. 

 

Very true.

I believe that lack of awareness and not 'reading the road' are the cause of many accidents here.

I was told not to look at the vehicle in front, but to look at the ones in front of that one. Then you can anticipate (to a point) what everyone is doing.

On the small roads here, I hate being behind the minivans with blacked out windows - almost impossible to see what is in front of them.

[gomangosteen]

I follow a local emergency responder online (Chanthaburi province), she updates with any road accidents attended each shift; I don't have any statistics and I won't guess one either, but in so many of the motorcycle injury and fatality events, no other vehicle is involved.

 

There'll be a photo of a crashed motorcycle, a pixellated body some metres away.  Often the 'other party' is a corner, a tree, a ditch or a pond/river. 

 

Everyone's a racer, until they're not. 

 

Friday 4th there was one near us, boy of 16 cut unsuccessfully in front of a truck/trailer, his Scoopy was wedged and dragged along under the front of the truck, his body several sets of wheels back. 

 

What a job. And two Fridays before she attended to two motorcycle fatalities in a single shift. 

 

Gets home: "How was your day at work today?"

 

 

[gomangosteen]

The old Seinfeld TV show had an episode 'opposite George' where that character chose the opposite of his instincts.

 

Maybe that's the way to ride/drive to survive here - think 'what would a Thai do?' and do the opposite. 

 

A vehicle ahead does not mean you must overtake/undertake it. See this so often, a driver just has to get past as if it's a race (to their finish sometimes) I just hang back, let them go. And leave plenty of space in case they do cause a crash. 

 

My daughter has referred to my driving as 'like a turtle' no doubt compared to her death-defying risk-taking uni friends.  Even allowing for the age gap, expect I'll outlive a few of them.

[Peterphuket]

3 hours ago, ThaiFelix said:

What a typical week on Thailand's roads looks like

 

 

Is it beef or pig?

[WoodyKenny]

3 hours ago, ThaiFelix said:

What a typical week on Thailand's roads looks like

 

 

Yikes!

 

[WoodyKenny]

3 hours ago, HuaHinNew said:

Nailed It!

[brianthainess]

3 hours ago, fdimike said:

RTP could have prevented many of these accidents had they been doing their job!

I agree.

[johng]

1 hour ago, gomangosteen said:

I just hang back, let them go. And leave plenty of space in case they do cause a crash. 

 

Yes I do the same  its a good strategy IMHO.

 

They undertake on the left  in the hard shoulder/motorcycle lane

then zoom off into the right hand land at warp speed

they overtake on the right then cut straight back into the hard shoulder for a tasty snack,coffee or fuel.

I just keep on cruising along in the same lane  no need to zig zag  in and out of other traffic every few meters...

"Slow is smooth and smooth is fast 😋

 

[nong38]

Very few if any go to a driving school to learn how to use the road.

They do not look for other traffic and give consideration for others.

Rule of the jungle, biggest has priority regardless.

Obeying the rules of the road are optional.

Some of the things I have noticed on the roads of Thailand

[spidermike007]

Maybe a century from now, when  Thailand becomes a first world nation, if that happens.

 

First of all they would have to devote trillions of additional baht to reforming the RTP and the highway patrol, both of which are spectacularly ineffective when it comes to dealing with reckless drivers, with any sort of moving violations. This almost never happens, so there is no deterrent. If I did the kind of things many of the morons on the road do in Thailand, in the US, I would lose my license in a week.

 

Then the indifferent government would have to engage in major public safety campaigns, so Thailand has its work cut out for it, if this is ever going to change. 

 

 

[BoganInParasite]

Likely at the same rate as less corruption, better education system, better footpaths, burying cables, finishing railway lines (of several types), less social inequality and flood/drought preparation and mitigation.

[Snackbar]

Can’t operate a shopping trolley with poise

[Tom89]

21 hours ago, anchadian said:

Never changes and never will.  Shame on Thailand's road safety:

THAI NEWS REPORTS: #RoadSafety summary for 29 September - 5 October 2024:

 

306 killed (43/day) & 17,057 injured in road accidents

34 children and 11 foreigners killed

80% of fatalities were motorcyclists

10,543 people have been killed and 642,620 injured this year

 

https://x.com/ThaiNewsReports/status/1843086727248007491

 

Out of the motorcycle fatalities I'd like to know what percent were single vehicle accidents, unlicensed drives, and more than 2 people on a bike. 

[fredwiggy]

1 hour ago, spidermike007 said:

Maybe a century from now, when  Thailand becomes a first world nation, if that happens.

 

First of all they would have to devote trillions of additional baht to reforming the RTP and the highway patrol, both of which are spectacularly ineffective when it comes to dealing with reckless drivers, with any sort of moving violations. This almost never happens, so there is no deterrent. If I did the kind of things many of the morons on the road do in Thailand, in the US, I would lose my license in a week.

 

Then the indifferent government would have to engage in major public safety campaigns, so Thailand has its work cut out for it, if this is ever going to change. 

 

 

Actually it's getting the police to do their jobs. Doesn't take money but the threat of a job loss. This will take many years to change because they really don't care about life here. Just the one case of letting children sit on top of the school buses is enough for most any country to get laws enforced, let alone the 65 or more than die daily, most of them scooters or motorcycles and most without helmets.

[Korat Kiwi]

1 hour ago, Snackbar said:

Can’t operate a shopping trolley with poise

Yeah what's with that?  Even back in NZ at supermarkets you see people slouched over the shopping trolley. 

 

The bloody thing is for carting groceries not a support structure for fatties.  To me they seem just lazy. 

[Presnock]

20 hours ago, Nemises said:

Riding a motorcycle in Thailand?

 

What could possibly go wrong. 
 

 

 

 

 

Been this way since at least when I first lived hiere in 1972 - one could watch the truck drivers sitting "beside the holy one" instead of directly facing traffic and many times causing an accident.  They are fatalistic so death tolls don't seem to affect them much, even

when so many children are high on those polls too.  Most drivers here learn road knowledge on a motorcycle and if one has ever spent anytime on a bike, one realizes that itis totally different from an automobile/truck.  Drive the mountain roads here and watch every corner where motorcycles cut the corners and drivers that learned that way continue to do so while driving cars, trucks or buses and as you come around a mountainside, directly in front of you is a vehicle coming through the corner in YOUR lane.  If you blow the horn or flash your lights, that person might then attack you due to road rage!  The death tolls just don't affect them.  Look at the latest bus and kids accident - parents  who have not done any raising of one of the victims of this accident,  are CLAIMING the insurance monies  instead of  letting it go to the actual person raising that child - only the thought of money can wake them up!  My opinion anyway based on 30+ years in this country that I do love but also that I know is nowhere near perfect.

[Korat Kiwi]

21 minutes ago, fredwiggy said:

Actually it's getting the police to do their jobs. Doesn't take money but the threat of a job loss. This will take many years to change because they really don't care about life here. Just the one case of letting children sit on top of the school buses is enough for most any country to get laws enforced, let alone the 65 or more than die daily, most of them scooters or motorcycles and most without helmets.

I'm surprised the RTP get away with such poor performance. 

 

They are a bit more proactive in Chiang Mai but in hindsight it was probably more of a money making venture.  Lots of tourists on scooters so a lot more 'road blocks' to check licenses and helmet wearing. 

 

I don't think the RTP gave a damn about the road safety but we're more concerned in getting a days worth of baht as fast as possible. 

[bbbbooboo]

hmm….. in a word, NO

[rramsey]

Thailand has a demographic problem: not enough young people. Given this fact, you'd think the government might make it a priority to preserve the young people that are already here. Here in Chiang Mai I'd guess that helmet usage is at 50-60% . I often see mother, father, and a child (or two) riding together. No helmets. What could go wrong?

[mfd101]

31 minutes ago, rramsey said:

Thailand has a demographic problem: not enough young people.

Demographic issues are longterm - 20 years, 50 years, 100 years.

 

Most Thais can't think beyond dinner tonight.