Thai Provinces Kick Off Road Safety Campaigns

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Provinces Kick Off Road Safety Campaigns

Provinces across the country have kicked off road safety campaigns ahead of this weekend's New Year festivities.

Earlier today at the Muang district City Pillar Shrine in Phayao province, Deputy Governor Nimit Wanchaithanawong presided over the opening ceremony for the national traffic accident prevention campaign.

The deputy governor also opened the road safety center to reduce the number of road accidents during the New Year celebration.

The northern province is targeting to reduce the number of accidents from last year by five percent with no more than two traffic related fatalities.

Highway Police Station 4 Inspector Police Captain Yutthanan Channet stated that officers have been briefed and are fully prepared to facilitate public traveling during the New Year.

Local police have set up checkpoints on the main and back routes in the North, particularly in Nakhon Sawan province, which is the gateway to the North.

Special lanes have been designated to reduce traffic congestion during the New Year travel.

Meanwhlie, Khon Kaen highway police have dispatched a special unit to assist the public and facilitate road travel during the holidays.

Police have set up checkpoints and rest stops and will be checking drivers' alcohol level.

Drivers found to have violated the law will face severe legal punishments.

In Mukdahan province, the state and private sectors have collaborated to launch a road safety campaign and opened an accident reduction center to cut down the number of road accidents during the festive period.

Like Phayao province, Mukdahan has targeted to cut down its road accidents by five percent and expects no more than two fatalities.

Head of the Narathiwat Accident Prevention Center, Mahama piski Wamae, said that the province has implemented its New Year accident prevention measures.

Thirty two checkpoints have been set up along the province's key routes to ensure public safety.

Police will also conduct breathalyser tests to make sure all drivers are fit to use the road.

More than 1,000 officers have been assigned to facilitate public travel and the province targets reducing injuries and accidents by five percent.

-- Tan Network 2010-12-28

[Bagwan]

I expect this to be the usual one off effort. In a week things will be back to normal - and more's the pity.

[Colabamumbai]

Watching TV at 5:30 a.m this morning, Thai Police showing off a monkey dressed in a Thai Police shirt, and looking so proud, part of the force, or representative of all the force? Will he be helping with the road safety campaign?

[Colabamumbai]

"drivers who have broken the law will face sever legal punishment? 100 Bhat tea money?

[mca]

" I was bloody driving on Mittraparp Highway near Phon district and this cop stopped me for speeding. I never spotted him. He was hiding in a bloody tree. Cost me 2 bunches of bananas to get let off."

[Colabamumbai]

" I was bloody driving on Mittraparp Highway near Phon district and this cop stopped me for speeding. I never spotted him. He was hiding in a bloody tree. Cost me 2 bunches of bananas to get let off."

Love your sense of humour, and not far from the truth. I'm still laughing. You made my day.

[mca]

Cheers. I've got a mental image of this chimp in a police uniform screeching and bouncing up and down on some blokes car bonnet, bending the aerial in half, ripping off the wing mirror and then frenetically wanking with a big grin on its face as the bloke says " Excuse me is there a problem officer?"

[robert00]

I expect this to be the usual one off effort. In a week things will be back to normal - and more's the pity.

They should start by doing proper driving courses before handing out licences.I have recently watched a driving course

in order to obtain a licence. I thought I was in a Kindergarden session, watching a movie showing road signs and crossings

and what you should and should not do. Many people walked in and out during the showing, getting a coup of coffee or having a snack outside

and when the movie was finished they lined up for eye tests and asked some questians.

That was the test, motorbike drivers had to drive over a 4meter 10 cm wide strip of concrete and in between witches hats, but dont

worry the testing officer never even looked. One young Guy run the entire 4m beside the strip, I just had to laugh.

This being why we have soooooo many accidents on the roads.

[transam]

Cheers. I've got a mental image of this chimp in a police uniform screeching and bouncing up and down on some blokes car bonnet, bending the aerial in half, ripping off the wing mirror and then frenetically wanking with a big grin on its face as the bloke says " Excuse me is there a problem officer?"

I'll settle for the chimp in uniform as in Ubon there's nothing else to enforce the new crack down.

[scotto]

I love tv always makes me laugh

A monkey in uniform still laughing thats a classic!!!!!!!

[neverdie]

Seems appropriate that on the day they kicked off their campaign there was dozens killed on the roads. 15 dead in just two accidents.

[Payboy]

" I was bloody driving on Mittraparp Highway near Phon district and this cop stopped me for speeding. I never spotted him. He was hiding in a bloody tree. Cost me 2 bunches of bananas to get let off."

You paid too much - they usually settle for peanuts.

[slapout]

The breath test will not determine if those who are not drinking are qualified to drive. Using the numbers put out by the powers that be, that 30 to 40% of the accidents involve a drinking driver, what about those others out there on the roads causing mayhem?

[mca]

" I was bloody driving on Mittraparp Highway near Phon district and this cop stopped me for speeding. I never spotted him. He was hiding in a bloody tree. Cost me 2 bunches of bananas to get let off."

You paid too much - they usually settle for peanuts.

Corny mate. Corny.

[asiawatcher]

So what's the point of a checkpoint? Most of the idiots do damage anywhere 'other' than a checkpoint, crossing double lines, overtaking on blind curves, overtaking on the left side of vehicles, running red lights and so on. Start on the open highway and a minimum of Baht 1,000 fine and a points system to alleviate the repeat offenders of their right to drive.

[mca]

Over the years of personally observing at least 5 fatal accidents ( one of which still brings me out in goosebumps when I recall it 10 years later ), the aftermath of a whole lot more and the countless fender benders and arse-pinching near misses seen the thing that still perplexes me is why a whole load of people still drive like a bunch of *****. I mean, these folks must have seen the same sort of stuff as me and it still doesn't stop them or give them pause for thought as to their own actions.

My previous neighbours lad got killed in the usual " underage/at night/no lights/wrong side of the road/motorcycle" scenario and, despite his mother keening and wailing at the funeral just before I moved house her youngest son got into his early teens and was whipping up the road in exactly the same fashion as his deceased brother while mum and dad looked on.

A bit like somebody handing round a vial of something nasty and everyone taking a chug and dying in horrific convulsions and when it gets your way you still take a swig.

Definitely not on an " all Thais are stupid " bash here. My God. 80% of the people I cherish are Thai. But anybody with a modicum of common sense and after driving here for a while must think about a large number of locals " What the f#ck is wrong with these people?"

[apetley]

Definitely not on an " all Thais are stupid " bash here. My God. 80% of the people I cherish are Thai. But anybody with a modicum of common sense and after driving here for a while must think about a large number of locals " What the f#ck is wrong with these people?"

Education, education, education.

[mca]

The visual evidence is all around them everyday so what form would that education take mate? I wasn't ever taught not to eat a house brick but instinctively know it's not a good idea.

[apetley]

Well, their never taught to drive a car or ride a bike and without wanting to be controversial the religious philosophy here is a hindrance to road safety imho.

I'd also like to add that my own wife, Thai, also doesn't eat bricks so maybe there is hope.

[mca]

With all due respects I think a little too much credence is given to the Thais supposed fatalistic attitude to death. They want to keep on breathing as much as the next bloke.

I'll catch up later. I'm dying for a shit!

Edited December 29, 2010 by mca

[apetley]

With all due respects I think a little too much credence is given to the Thais supposed fatalistic attitude to death. They want to keep on breathing as much as the next bloke.

I'll catch up later. I'm dying for a shit!

Too much information!

As for Thais fatalistic attitude to death, I'm not sure but what I do know is that there are millions who put their faith in 'The Amulet' to look after them.

Look at all the paraphernalia hanging from the drivers mirror in cars, minibuses and coaches.

[transam]

With all due respects I think a little too much credence is given to the Thais supposed fatalistic attitude to death. They want to keep on breathing as much as the next bloke.

I'll catch up later. I'm dying for a shit!

Dying is the wrong word ol' chum, Require is the correct term.

Edited December 29, 2010 by transam

[edwinchester]

With all due respects I think a little too much credence is given to the Thais supposed fatalistic attitude to death. They want to keep on breathing as much as the next bloke.

I'll catch up later. I'm dying for a shit!

I agree, oh course Thais want to stay alive as much as the next person but what I would also point out is that with the lack of driver/rider education here then the consequences of not driving responsibly, of not wearing a crash helmet are not learnt.

I remember years ago, when i was at school in the UK having road safety lessons. Before your allowed to get near a vehicle now you have to take and pass a driving theory exam. It's a pita but then again the UK's death rate on the roads is about one eighth that of Thailand.

[mca]

With all due respects I think a little too much credence is given to the Thais supposed fatalistic attitude to death. They want to keep on breathing as much as the next bloke.

I'll catch up later. I'm dying for a shit!

Dying is the wrong word ol' chum, Require is the correct term.

I dunno tran. The way I was feeling...... A definite touching cloth scenario.

[mca]

I agree, oh course Thais want to stay alive as much as the next person but what I would also point out is that with the lack of driver/rider education here then the consequences of not driving responsibly, of not wearing a crash helmet are not learnt.

I hear ya but to me the basic fact is when one frequently observes the consequences of accidents here then being educated in those consequences should surely instinctively become unnecessary. If you see a guy teasing a pitbull by sticking his mush right up to the dog's and then the dog takes a chunk out of his face you don't have sit through classes to know that doing that to that particular dog isn't a good idea.

A really bad one I saw was on the Mittraparp Highway near Big C Khon Kaen last year. You've got about 4 lanes of traffic going in both directions at a fair rate of knots. The lights were green with about 30 seconds left on the timer. It wasn't one of those " amber gambler " situations. 2 college girls on a motorcycle coming from a side road ( traffic light controlled as well) simply rode at full speed past all the cars queuing in that side road straight out onto the main highway without slowing ( they were riding straight across the highway not making a turn or anything ) and got wasted by this Fortuner doing about 80. This is the main Nong Khai-BKK highway remember. Cars, trucks, buses etc everywhere. Not a suburban set of lights at 2 in the morning with not a car in sight.

What's to be taught in situations like that? It's not a case of sitting in a classroom being taught you must stop at a red traffic light. Treat 8 lanes of heavy motorway traffic as if they simply don't exist?

[Bagwan]

I'll catch up later. I'm dying for a shit!

Would that be Thaksin? Jatuporn? Who? Such self sacrifice!

[bangon04]

So what's the point of a checkpoint? Most of the idiots do damage anywhere 'other' than a checkpoint, crossing double lines, overtaking on blind curves, overtaking on the left side of vehicles, running red lights and so on. Start on the open highway and a minimum of Baht 1,000 fine and a points system to alleviate the repeat offenders of their right to drive.

How does a points system work? Don't you need a licence first before you can receive points?