Tighter Road Safety Measures In Store For Thailand

[barryofthailand]

I just renewed my five year drivers license and their have been changes in the procedures since my last renewal. You also have to watch a film with English subtitles, which was pretty good. They are trying to educate people on proper driving habits, and trying to change undo the bad habits people in Thailand have when driving.

All this will take some time.

Barry

[Cheops]

Some measures to reduce accidents:

• Having compulsery driving lessons with strict exams (but this requires also that the persons who are teaching actually can drive a car as well, which maybe difficult to find in Thailand ! )
  
• Don't allow passengers on the back of a pick up truck
  
• Strictly enforce don't drive while drinking
  
• Enforce the speedlimits!
  
• Make the fines proportional to peoples salaries! Pay about 1 months salary will let people think twice for their next stupid action. The lousy 100/200 baht now only makes people worry about where to get their money for todays drinks.
  
• Enforce the rules
  
• Enforce the rules
  
• Enforce the rules!!!!!!!!!!!!
  
• 
  
• 
  
• Stop selling motorcycles?
  

[pollyog]

[Does Thailand even have roadworthiness tests for vehicles??

If the check they do each year when you renew your tax disc is the roadworthiness test, it's scary:- walk round the vehicle to ensure it has the statutory number of wheels, check the handbrake, look under the bonnet to ensure the engine is present - that's it as far as our 10 year old SUV was concerned. Having emigrated to Thailand from the UK 8 months ago I find this far from reassuring compared to a UK MOT performed annually on vehicles over 3 years old.

The driving permit is another example of poor skills assessment. I've been granted a Thai motorcycle licence yet have never driven one in my life! Admittedly I've been a UK car driver for 40 years and hence didn't have to take a full Thai driving test, but that in itself is a joke

as far as real road skills is required.

Sadly so few Thais actually ever drive a car, and maybe even ride in one or at least pay attention whilst a passenger, that an awful number of Thai motorcyclists are totally unaware of how difficult they make life for car and other 4-wheeled vehicle drivers because they have no conception of the different skills that are required to handle such a vehicle.

On another topic, can someone tell me the legal age in Thailand for driving a motorcycle and driving a car?

[mca]

Sorry for a slight topic wander but the wanke_rs who should be shot are those tossers who drive the old Toyota minivans on the school runs in the mornings. Flat out, undertaking, going the wrong side of a trafic island, jumping red lights, blasting down residential sois etc. with a bunch of 5 year olds on board. C#nts.

Apologies for the extreme profanity. I can think of no more apt a description.

[DP25]

[*]Make the fines proportional to peoples salaries! Pay about 1 months salary will let people think twice for their next stupid action. The lousy 100/200 baht now only makes people worry about where to get their money for todays drinks.

This would be nice, but it's impossible to do in Thailand. The government has no idea what most people really make as most of the economy is grey.

[Nuff Said]

A few years ago a Thai real estate agent drove me in her car to my lawyers office to arrange a condominium transfer. Her car was an automatic, and I asked if she didn't like manual gearboxes. Her reply was words to the effect that she didn't know how to use one, had never passed a driving test, and that her sister had taken it for her.

[Deeral]

Complete drivel!unless the roads themselves are completely revamped any road safety campaign will fall flat on it's face - quite literally in some cases when you look at the pavement in Thailand.

They talk about enforcing speed limits - as there are hardly any speed limit signs how will they do this?????

THe solution lies in traffic engineering - unless Thailand introduces a program of good scientifically placed and designed signage, road junction layouts etc etc there will NEVER be any significant improvement in road safety.

Edited January 19, 2011 by Deeral

[Businessman]

Maybe I am being stupid here.... but when I was young, I was able to get a license at an earlier age than standard (16yrs vs 18yrs old) only after taking a "drivers ed" course. This course taught rules of the road, but more than that, it taught "defensive driving". It taught about how distance between vehicles gives you the needed time to react. It taught many things like proper merging and overtaking. It also included over 20 hours of in-car instruction. It had graphic examples of what can happen when you fail to drive safely. At that time of learning many of things being taught, just became habit. I automatically fasten my seat belt without thinking whether or not I "have to" fasten it. I always change lanes, mirror check, indicator, mirror check, execute. All these skills were instilled on me in the "infancy" of my driving life are now just automatic. Wouldn't that work here? Teach the kids, start a new generation of careful drivers.

Thailand really needs a "demerit point" system, the fines only hurt the poor, and the rich only laugh at the relatively insignificant funds... less than they spend on couple coffee at Starbucks.

Any professional driver: truck, bus, passenger car, song thaew, should have to have a special license. One that requires special training and testing. And one that if they do not have, they will lose thier livlihood.

Enforcement is difficult because of the inherent systemic problems of policiing here. This I do not see that changing. But maybe the new young drivers can be the best place to start group of more responsible and safety aware drivers. If you can get enough drivers, obeying the law, and driving defensively and responsibly they rest will have to fall in line.

[Businessman]

[*]Make the fines proportional to peoples salaries! Pay about 1 months salary will let people think twice for their next stupid action. The lousy 100/200 baht now only makes people worry about where to get their money for todays drinks.

This would be nice, but it's impossible to do in Thailand. The government has no idea what most people really make as most of the economy is grey.

..then how about porportional to the retail price of the vehicle they are driving?

[Foggy Bottom]

One of the simplest and most cost effective measures the government could undertake is so stunningly simple, that I am surprised no-one else has thought of it. It would also have a near-zero cost to government for implementation beyond a relatively small consideration and approval budget at the conception.

Amend the Foreign Business Law to allow qualified driving instructors and testers from foreign countries to ply their trade in Thailand. In particular, if desired by government, restrict eligibility to instructors from those countries whose road traffic laws match Thailand's (e.g. driving on the left) rather than open floodgates to masses of dodgy driving schools from other third world nations.

Apart from the obvious delivery of a higher grade of driving tuition (for all vehicle classes from moped to large passenger vehicles and large goods vehicles), this would also marginally assist motor sales, secondary employment (printing training books etc), the commercial property sector (need for offices and classrooms) the IT sector (computer based training systems) and so on. Further, they could insist the tuition is delivered bi-lingually in Thai plus a foreign language (e.g. English, Chinese, whatever) in order to extend the Thai population's preparation for international driving and trade etc (insert your pet reason why Thais should speak your language). In the case of English, it would reinforce Mark's edict late last year about Thailand needing to improve the national level of English skills.

Currently, outside of the centres that have large farang populations, and only in those where farangs show a liking for learning to drive correctly under Thai law, trying to find a driving school in Thailand is next to impossible. This also leads to a need to introduce vehicle secondary plating for learner and provisional driver status (for example the red "L" plate, and green "P" plate denoting the competence level of the driver under instruction or practice).

Add to that, a minimum age limit for use of inter-province highways and elevated expressways, not just driver age, but driving license experience age - e.g. no using expressways if driver is under "L" or "P" plates and/or vehicle is under X bhp power output (to reduce congestion / driver frustration due to slow vehicles).

Most of all, Mattayom school level driver training is needed, starting with basic highway code and correct use of bicycles on the road, leading to moped and scooter driving for the M5 / M6 students, and a complete ban on using them to get to school for anyone who has not completed this driver training. There should be approved in-school-grounds parking for these students, and every student arriving or leaving in charge of a scooter should have their license and permit checked as they enter / exit the school grounds - no permit = no entry.

Traffic cops should be allocated to invigilate surrounding streets, chaining all scooters in what are obvious student bike parks outside of school grounds. Students able to prove bike ownership and having based the in-school driver training allowed to release their bike free of charge with a warning to park in-school. Unlicensed students made to pay the normal fine and have a licensed driver collect the bike, not the unlicensed student.

Motorist social responsibility is probably a lost cause with most Thais over 30 who don't already have it, but getting them young and in school is one of the best places to begin a concerted and sustained long term re-education of Thais regarding driving. I know this sort of contradicts the proposal to allow farangs to open driving schools, but attitudes can be changed, and for Thais, this is especially true if you hit them in the pocket - get insurance companies on-board to offer discounts if the driver has completed the type of foreign managed tuition described above, or the school delivered training and testing. They'll soon enough sign up for it, and some of the training will stick with them. Gradually, driving standards and adherence to the (safety-based) rules will improve.

Enforcement without training is the long, slow, rocky road to change. Education and encouragement to comply is the smooth way, and the path of least resistance from the masses.

Foggy

[aperturebkk]

It should be remembered , it is not speed that kills , it is the mentality and lack of skill that is the basic cause of the majority of accidents which is an oxymoron in itself , an accident is an unavoidable occurance , collisions are an entirely different kettle of fish , many operators of vehicles should be renamed from driver to motivator , that is all many do .

foolish comment from dumball.... the name says it all....

Speeding on public roads does lead to accidents. Imagine you're speeding along at say 130km on a highway and a farmer decides to edge his koboto only one meter on your road and so you swerve and collide with the car you were speeding past. Had you been doing 100km the chances are you may have had time to correct the situation but as you were speeding you reduced your chance by say 30+ %. Could have been a dog a cow a motorbike - slow down and live longer.

[anterian]

Anyone from a western country knows what is wrong with the Thai driving style, and equally knows how it could be remedied. But without the will to implement and enforce the needed changes nothing will ever change.

However, in time the situation will self correct, as more and more people take to the road the nation will eventually end up in gridlock, as we have seen recently in China and India. The road network will become a national car park where toddlers may safely roam

[cup-O-coffee]

Transport Minister Sopon Sarum stated he has unveiled two urgent policies on road safety.

1) his ministry will strictly control the maximum speed limit for vehicles on highways

2) his ministry will regulate school vehicles nationwide, focusing on their overall conditions.

1) How do you strictly control a mind that has stopped developing at an age range that is similar to that of a 9-year old in a developed country?

2) How does modifying a vehicle's road worthiness affect any improving change on a mind that has stopped developing at an age range that is

similar to that of a 9-year old in a developed country?

Thaweesin further said that a majority of the accidents resulted from speeding and carelessness.

Speeding? I will wager that there are far more accidents that occur within the speed limit than beyond it. So, I guess I disagree with Mr. Thaweesin. I will bet no one else has the cojones to disagree with him, because he is pi and they are nong. And so the baton of stupidity and idiotic, unfounded statistics keeps on spinning out of hand to suit the needs of the ones mouthing off at the podiums. Has anyone ever watched Thai TV, when there is someone giving a speech, and the look of the faces in the audience are similar to a funeral. I see more interest and attention being given by a herd of gazelles watching a lioness in the grass.

And, as if speeding is not a symptom of carelessness? How about just carelessness; and let's add on lack of self-discipline: to fail to do the right thing when no one else is around? This is something most Thais (in my 10 years of experiences) lack completely; self-discipline! Too much crap TV and PC monitors. Staring at a light tube all day, and then shutting their eyes for a little sleep, and then right back at it again the next day.

They really are lunatics when it comes to being empowered with operating a 4 wheeled steel cage or 2 wheeled battering ram, that can hurtle down the road at life threatening speeds.

Fact: Just the other day on Sukhumvit, on the way north on my motorbike, I saw two cars collide at speed and both rolled off the road and into the 10 meter deep meridian that separates both lanes of traffic. There was dust everywhere and the wheels of both cars still spinning. One car had pulled out across all three lanes in order to get to a U turn some 400 meters down the way, instead of pulling out in the near lane and merging as it went along. Nope! Just cut across 4 lanes immediately and cause this to happen.

Funnier than that: On the return trip 10 minutes later, I had to slow down at the scene and there were 10 to 15 coppers all standing in a group on the side of the road watching the medics strap in the injured parties down in the ravine. All the coppers were gawping, and no one was watching traffic that was zooming by. People were stopping on the other side of the road, parking in the outside lane itself! getting out, and running across the two middle lanes without looking, in order to film the scene of the drama on their mobile phones. This lunacy was, in turn, causing the speeding idiots (who were threading the needle) to practically slam on their brakes to avoid hitting the lemmings running across the road. True story. There were about 10 men standing around with their phones pointed at the scene, and the coppers were casually watching the medics work away with all of this chaos going on behind their backs. I had to weave around 3 coppers and two civilians with their backs to me, and who were right in the lane of moving traffic.

I've seen N.A.S.A. space chimps demonstrate better problem solving skills than these lunatics, when a crisis hits.

No apologies here for my comments. When it comes to lives, and my knowledge of safety and self discipline, I get very critical of people who say but do not do. Thais have had years and years to get it right, but instead, all they do year in and year out is regurgitate mindless pap and courageous blather. The results always leave them looking more and more undisciplined and undeserving of being recognized as evolving human beings. This is a fact. It does not take a person of much intelligence to know when they are listening to lies and falsehoods, from people who never really seem to get around to doing the things they spend time making speeches about.

And still; no one ever mentions the underage children that drive on the roads. This is emphatically the most outrageous of violations that can be described about a system that willingly ignores the obvious, and skirts around the issue at every opportunity to address it.

Not evolving; revolving; and at the lowest of levels when one stops to observe it.

Edited January 19, 2011 by cup-O-coffee

[hoaker]

It doesn't really matter on new regulations, new speed limits, international standard highways, age limits on school bus drivers.....whatever publicity hype the ministry plans before this coming election, the roads will always be unsafe in thailand if they are not enforced. It is all words on a piece of paper. Again the toll deaths during Songkran and new years has hovered around 300 since the past 2 years I've been back and this year will not be different!!!

[Deeral]

Enforcement is a secondary problem - first you need a set of rules and regulations that make sense - at present there are so many potential violations that enforcement - even by a non-corrupt police force would be impossible.

If the roads are well laid out, then motoring offences are clear and enforcement is easier.

It REALLY does come down to painting white lines and calibrating junctions properly and putting up clear signs. - then with a well laid out raod most violations will become impossible.

idiot drivers exist in similar numbers in ALL countries - they just aren't given the opportunity to do idiotic things.

Many countries have a long history of "car culture" - i.e. several generations of motorists but there are still significant differences in road incident stats - in Europe where roads are highly regulated and set out, the incident rates are in general much lower than countries like US and OZ where traffic engineering is relativey informal. Thailand can eaily adopt a European approach to traffic management - Japan and Singapore have done so

Edited January 19, 2011 by Deeral

[Cheops]

It should be remembered , it is not speed that kills , it is the mentality and lack of skill that is the basic cause of the majority of accidents which is an oxymoron in itself , an accident is an unavoidable occurance , collisions are an entirely different kettle of fish , many operators of vehicles should be renamed from driver to motivator , that is all many do .

foolish comment from dumball.... the name says it all....

Speeding on public roads does lead to accidents. Imagine you're speeding along at say 130km on a highway and a farmer decides to edge his koboto only one meter on your road and so you swerve and collide with the car you were speeding past. Had you been doing 100km the chances are you may have had time to correct the situation but as you were speeding you reduced your chance by say 30+ %. Could have been a dog a cow a motorbike - slow down and live longer.

I'm sorry aperturebkk, but dumball is spot on with his comment!

It's not the speeding that causes the many accidents (although it does help if you drive slower of course!), since many accidents happen within the speedlimit. It's the tailgating with 1 meter between them and the car in front of them while driving 80km/h. This is (I think) one of the most causes of accidents. And this relates directly to Dumball's comment which is "the mentality and lack of skill". They simply can't/don't think while driving and that is just waiting for an accident to happen.

[Cheops]

[*]Make the fines proportional to peoples salaries! Pay about 1 months salary will let people think twice for their next stupid action. The lousy 100/200 baht now only makes people worry about where to get their money for todays drinks.

This would be nice, but it's impossible to do in Thailand. The government has no idea what most people really make as most of the economy is grey.

..then how about porportional to the retail price of the vehicle they are driving?

Well, they could just start with making the fines 5000 baht per time. If they enforce this it will for sure make a big difference within a few months time. People are sensitive for money. Well, start even with about 2000 baht fines! If you smoke somewhere where it's not allowed they can fine you 2000, so why not make the traffic-fines at least that? I mean even 200 baht will not do anything for the average Thai. But with 2000 they will start thinking and be more carefull the next time.

By the way, this week I saw some 'advertisement' on TV which showed some guys heavily drinking followed by a terrible accident which left them death and the family in grieve! I hope they will continue this campaign and will show more often and in more places like cinema's etc. Make them aware.

[propreperic]

I have to tell you all that Dumball is precisely correct, it seems to be an enormous misconception around the world that speed kills, so much so that governments seem to have a preoccupation in that direction.

I will also say that it's no good asking some academic in a university cos driving is mostly practical and not theoretical.

The essential part that the vast majority miss is ............AWARENES,

being aware of what is going on around you and I mean ALL around you

It should be remembered , it is not speed that kills , it is the mentality and lack of skill that is the basic cause of the majority of accidents which is an oxymoron in itself , an accident is an unavoidable occurance , collisions are an entirely different kettle of fish , many operators of vehicles should be renamed from driver to motivator , that is all many do .

[Cheops]

Transport Minister Sopon Sarum stated he has unveiled two urgent policies on road safety.

1) his ministry will strictly control the maximum speed limit for vehicles on highways

2) his ministry will regulate school vehicles nationwide, focusing on their overall conditions.

1) How do you strictly control a mind that has stopped developing at an age range that is similar to that of a 9-year old in a developed country?

Simply, raise the fines! Thais are sensitive for money, they love money and gold:) Raise the fines to 5000 baht for starters and stricly enforce this. AND in the SAME time educate people. Together this will help. Maybe not for some rich guys, but for the majority it will.

Edited January 19, 2011 by Cheops

[cup-O-coffee]

Enforcement is a secondary problem - first you need a set of rules and regulations that make sense - at present there are so many potential violations that enforcement - even by a non-corrupt police force would be impossible.

If the roads are well laid out, then motoring offences are clear and enforcement is easier.

It REALLY does come down to painting white lines and calibrating junctions properly and putting up clear signs. - then with a well laid out raod most violations will become impossible.

idiot drivers exist in similar numbers in ALL countries - they just aren't given the opportunity to do idiotic things.

Many countries have a long history of "car culture" - i.e. several generations of motorists but there are still significant differences in road incident stats - in Europe where roads are highly regulated and set out, the incident rates are in general much lower than countries like US and OZ where traffic engineering is relativey informal. Thailand can eaily adopt a European approach to traffic management - Japan and Singapore have done so

Good post, but does this stat for other countries have any consideration that these other countries do not allow underage children to operate motor vehicles on public roads, and this law is strictly enforced?

Does this stat have any consideration for the fact that the chief problem in Thailand is the motorbike drivers, who drive in swarms, and condense the mass of congestion at all intersections and roadway access points, thus prohibiting anything larger than a motorbike from being able to drive safely or at a reasonable reaction time that promotes a smooth flow of traffic?

Children and motorbike drivers in general are the bane of smooth flowing, safe traffic. That is not the case in "all countries". Start with these two problems, and I believe that a major portion of your traffic woes will fall by the roadside (excuse the pun).

The inner workings of Thailand's social problems are so complex and interwoven with numerous other problems, that any one problem in Thailand far exceeds any singular solution. Furthermore, there is no solution to these problems, that once engaged, would not create a cascade of so many more problems. As a result, it is far better to simply leave the existing problem intact, and to simply navigate these existing problems like a large, sick, rampaging elephant, and try not to let it get out of hand too much.

I was taught how to drive by my father, mother and brothers. I was also taught self discipline; to do the right thing regardless of my conflicting emotions. To wait in queue, to go when green, to slow down when yellow, and to stop when red, to slow down and let someone in who clearly has been waiting patiently.

Go to Big C and note the traffic, the carts blocking the aisles, the people bumping into you, walking in front of you and stopping and ignoring you. Go to the food counter and see the stampede at the counter, without any queues. Try to wait because you are next, and watch as they cut in front, or interrupt your order and see the cashier forget you and begin listening to the rude person who cut in front and began jabbering their needs. You get the idea. Go to the shopping centers and malls and get a real look at self discipline, and then wonder why the roads aren't any different beyond the ramifications that come along with no self discipline in and around high speeding, heavy, hard objects.

[Arkady]

"The departmen was also assigned to seriously check the conditions of vehicles used in transporting students from and to school to ensure that they remain in good conditions. "

because they tried making a joke out of it and it didn't help.

Does Thailand even have roadworthiness tests for vehicles??

Absolutely Thailand has a roadworthiness test for vehicles that must be passed every year in order to renew road tax. This rigorous test involves careful inspection of the vehicle's log book which must have an essential purple government issued document inserted in it. Bringing the vehicle itself to the test is not recommended, as that is regarded as inefficient and time consuming at the vehicle licensing centre and will normally result in a failed test.

Testing of drivers is also effected at the same licensing centres with similar rigorous standards applied. The only difference is that drivers are normally expected to show up in person and drive around dirt track for a few minutes, as well as present similar government issued documents to the examiner to avoid failure even in the event of failure to avoid the oil drums in the slalam test.

Government officials have been perfecting the vehicle and driver licensing systems for many years and have virtually eliminated the risk of vehicles or drivers slipping through the net without providing the necessary purple and brown government issued documents that guarantee absolute road safety.

Edited January 19, 2011 by Arkady

[Deeral]

"The departmen was also assigned to seriously check the conditions of vehicles used in transporting students from and to school to ensure that they remain in good conditions. "

because they tried making a joke out of it and it didn't help.

Does Thailand even have roadworthiness tests for vehicles??

Absolutely Thailand has a roadworthiness test for vehicles that must be passed every year in order to renew road tax. This rigorous test involves careful inspection of the vehicle's log book which must have an essential purple government issued document inserted in it. Bringing the vehicle itself to the test is not recommended, as that is regarded as inefficient and time consuming at the vehicle licensing centre and will normally result in a failed test.

Testing of drivers is also effected at the same licensing centres with similar rigorous standards applied. The only difference is that drivers are normally expected to show up in person and drive around dirt track for a few minutes, as well as present similar government issued documents to the examiner to avoid failure even in the event of failure to avoid the oil drums in the slalam test.

Government officials have been perfecting the vehicle and driver licensing systems for many years and have virtually eliminated the risk of vehicles or drivers slipping through the net without providing the necessary purple and brown government issued documents that guarantee absolute road safety.

I think a lot of posters here can't see the wood for the trees.They keep on about "examples" or incidents of "bad driving" or breaking of apparent laws - none of this has any real bearing on how to IMPROVE road safety.

You have to create the CONDITIONS and only doing part of it won't work.Thais are no innately or inherently worse at driving than anyone else - so the reasons must be in the environment they drive in. this PRIMARILY is the state of the roads. Education, laws and enforcement all need to follow.

None of this will happen in Thailand unless the authorities have a massive sea-change in the way they approach ALL problems.

At no time do they spend money on research that details the problem NOR do they learn from the experience of others, they merely react in knee-jerk fashion to events as they happen. The resulting solutions are consequently un-thought out and usually don't actually address the problem they just make it look like some "official" is working on it........just FACE in other words - no substance just superficiality.

[cup-O-coffee]

Transport Minister Sopon Sarum stated he has unveiled two urgent policies on road safety.

1) his ministry will strictly control the maximum speed limit for vehicles on highways

2) his ministry will regulate school vehicles nationwide, focusing on their overall conditions.

1) How do you strictly control a mind that has stopped developing at an age range that is similar to that of a 9-year old in a developed country?

Simply, raise the fines! Thais are sensitive for money, they love money and gold:) Raise the fines to 5000 baht for starters and stricly enforce this. AND in the SAME time educate people. Together this will help. Maybe not for some rich guys, but for the majority it will.

Easy to say, but it is out of touch with the reality of the situation. The reality is that there is a road and traffic violation going on every moment at such a rate that there are not enough officers to apprehend, explain, listen to the excuses, write up a ticket, impound the vehicle, wait for the hauler to arrive and haul away, contact the parents, etc. Then there is the administrative at city hall to handle the tsunami of minor and major ticket offenses that would flood the offices. Then you have the arraignment hearings, and the insurance complications, and on and on and on.

But! The real problem is that the government likes to play semantics with their laws that are unenforceable simply because the majority of the people out there have nothing to lose, and could care less about insurance, certificates, license plates, vehicle registration, speeding fines, paper tickets. Most of the people do not have addresses, or ID cards, or any manner of being able to be identified by the local police.

The government is dead when it comes to making laws to control the people's behavior, and they know it. They know that they can not enforce and follow up with these laws. They know their database on their citizens are about as accurate and reliable as a magic 8 ball from the 70's. And finally, the damning thing is that the people know this, or they simply do not care about their government and their stupid laws. The other article in this forum even states that the people are willing to sell their votes.

There is such a disparity between the people and the government, and it defies logic and one's ability to rationalize.

The government and its lesser bodies are a club, for members only. Mentioning the people in their laws are only a matter of giving the illusion that they are a government.

The people run their own little world, and the government is willing to allow that and not interfere. The government accepts the collateral damage as they have no other recourse, because they do not even have any modern system of keeping all of their citizens on radar. Compounding that, the government does not have the manpower, the time, the resources, or the space to actively enforce all of the crap laws that they blather about enforcing. And just as long as there is no one forming demonstrations in BKK to remove them from power, the government is perfectly happy to keep its members only club, and leave the people be; to allow children to behave illegally and in an unsafe manner that endangers their lives and the lives of those around them, and everyone else.

Anyone who does not see the issue of operating a motor vehicle in traffic as that serious enough in nature, does not deserve the office of enforcing it or making laws that govern it. Anything less is uncivil.

[Deeral]

As for roadworthy - do you seriously suggest that most accidents in Thailand are the result of unroadworthy vehicles - incidents may be worse involving an unroadworthy vehicle, but to suggest that a majority are caused by them is ridiculous.All these are tiny measures that will only contribute if they FOLLOW a major re-design of the traffic systems.

[cup-O-coffee]

"The departmen was also assigned to seriously check the conditions of vehicles used in transporting students from and to school to ensure that they remain in good conditions. "

because they tried making a joke out of it and it didn't help.

Does Thailand even have roadworthiness tests for vehicles??

Absolutely Thailand has a roadworthiness test for vehicles that must be passed every year in order to renew road tax. This rigorous test involves careful inspection of the vehicle's log book which must have an essential purple government issued document inserted in it. Bringing the vehicle itself to the test is not recommended, as that is regarded as inefficient and time consuming at the vehicle licensing centre and will normally result in a failed test.

Testing of drivers is also effected at the same licensing centres with similar rigorous standards applied. The only difference is that drivers are normally expected to show up in person and drive around dirt track for a few minutes, as well as present similar government issued documents to the examiner to avoid failure even in the event of failure to avoid the oil drums in the slalam test.

Government officials have been perfecting the vehicle and driver licensing systems for many years and have virtually eliminated the risk of vehicles or drivers slipping through the net without providing the necessary purple and brown government issued documents that guarantee absolute road safety.

I think a lot of posters here can't see the wood for the trees.They keep on about "examples" or incidents of "bad driving" or breaking of apparent laws - none of this has any real bearing on how to IMPROVE road safety.

You have to create the CONDITIONS and only doing part of it won't work.Thais are no innately or inherently worse at driving than anyone else - so the reasons must be in the environment they drive in. this PRIMARILY is the state of the roads. Education, laws and enforcement all need to follow.

None of this will happen in Thailand unless the authorities have a massive sea-change in the way they approach ALL problems.

At no time do they spend money on research that details the problem NOR do they learn from the experience of others, they merely react in knee-jerk fashion to events as they happen. The resulting solutions are consequently un-thought out and usually don't actually address the problem they just make it look like some "official" is working on it........just FACE in other words - no substance just superficiality.

I really have to disagree with Arkady's view on this. Again, the government keep its stats on those it has in its system. Unfortunately, the system is a member's only club that does not include the greater whole of the population that operates motor vehicles on the roads, and who do not give a dam_n about anything mentioned in this comment. They will drive, and there will be no stopping them. They know they can get out of anything because you can not get blood from a rock, and the laws are designed to get blood, and not deal with the rocks.

I also respectfully and adamantly disagree with the Deeral's suggestion that Thai children, or Thais with the mental development of children "are no innately or inherently worse at driving than anyone else". There is a great leap in self discipline and law enforcement when you go to the next level and examine developed countries, where the population to accident ratio puts Thailand's to shame. Added to that, and I can not repeat nor stress enough, in these countries, CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF 16 DO NOT OPERATE MOTOR VEHICLES ON PUBLIC ROADS. Motorbike drivers are also more well-trained and must pass more strict agility and skill tests in order to get a license. Motorbikes in developed countries must also behave in the same manner as vehicles with more than two wheels. There is no cutting and weaving and crowding the way you see here.

And finally, law enforcement in most developed countries is exactly just that; Law Enforcement! In Thailand, there is no law enforcement that meets the standards and definitions of developed countries. Compared to those standards and definitions, the BIB here are nothing more than observers and skimmers who know better than to wade too deep or they'll get sucked under. If they are here to be an example for the citizenry to look up to and follow; to protect, serve, and uphold the precepts of the law, then I am a leprechaun.

[Cheops]

Transport Minister Sopon Sarum stated he has unveiled two urgent policies on road safety.

1) his ministry will strictly control the maximum speed limit for vehicles on highways

2) his ministry will regulate school vehicles nationwide, focusing on their overall conditions.

1) How do you strictly control a mind that has stopped developing at an age range that is similar to that of a 9-year old in a developed country?

Simply, raise the fines! Thais are sensitive for money, they love money and gold:) Raise the fines to 5000 baht for starters and stricly enforce this. AND in the SAME time educate people. Together this will help. Maybe not for some rich guys, but for the majority it will.

Easy to say, but it is out of touch with the reality of the situation. The reality is that there is a road and traffic violation going on every moment at such a rate that there are not enough officers to apprehend, explain, listen to the excuses, write up a ticket, impound the vehicle, wait for the hauler to arrive and haul away, contact the parents, etc. Then there is the administrative at city hall to handle the tsunami of minor and major ticket offenses that would flood the offices. Then you have the arraignment hearings, and the insurance complications, and on and on and on.

Hi cup-O-coffee (I see mostly you post the more sensible answers on TV:)),

you are correct with above of course, BUT once people start to realise that they really need to pay a huge fine, for sure they will start to behave better. I'm from the Netherlands and the fines can be quite substantial there. Within the city it's max 50km/h. If you drive above 80km/h, your drivers-license and even car can be taken by police. For sure people will start to behave. If you drive 53km/h you will get photographed and need to pay about 2000 baht. The more fast you drive, the higher the fine.

Sure, Thailand has a long way to go, but unless you don't up the fines I can tell you that nothing, really nothing will change. To start educating people it will take 10 years or longer to have effect. When you start to give huge fines it will take months to have effect. Same thing some time ago they started to ban calling on cell-phones in car. Well, where-ever I drive in BKK I can see at least a few people around me driving and calling on their phone! This will never ever change unless you up the fines substantially.

[jayjay0]

Transport Minister Sopon Sarum stated he has unveiled two urgent policies on road safety.

1) his ministry will strictly control the maximum speed limit for vehicles on highways

2) his ministry will regulate school vehicles nationwide, focusing on their overall conditions.

1) How do you strictly control a mind that has stopped developing at an age range that is similar to that of a 9-year old in a developed country?

2) How does modifying a vehicle's road worthiness affect any improving change on a mind that has stopped developing at an age range that is

similar to that of a 9-year old in a developed country?

Thaweesin further said that a majority of the accidents resulted from speeding and carelessness.

Speeding? I will wager that there are far more accidents that occur within the speed limit than beyond it. So, I guess I disagree with Mr. Thaweesin. I will bet no one else has the cojones to disagree with him, because he is pi and they are nong. And so the baton of stupidity and idiotic, unfounded statistics keeps on spinning out of hand to suit the needs of the ones mouthing off at the podiums. Has anyone ever watched Thai TV, when there is someone giving a speech, and the look of the faces in the audience are similar to a funeral. I see more interest and attention being given by a herd of gazelles watching a lioness in the grass.

And, as if speeding is not a symptom of carelessness? How about just carelessness; and let's add on lack of self-discipline: to fail to do the right thing when no one else is around? This is something most Thais (in my 10 years of experiences) lack completely; self-discipline! Too much crap TV and PC monitors. Staring at a light tube all day, and then shutting their eyes for a little sleep, and then right back at it again the next day.

They really are lunatics when it comes to being empowered with operating a 4 wheeled steel cage or 2 wheeled battering ram, that can hurtle down the road at life threatening speeds.

Fact: Just the other day on Sukhumvit, on the way north on my motorbike, I saw two cars collide at speed and both rolled off the road and into the 10 meter deep meridian that separates both lanes of traffic. There was dust everywhere and the wheels of both cars still spinning. One car had pulled out across all three lanes in order to get to a U turn some 400 meters down the way, instead of pulling out in the near lane and merging as it went along. Nope! Just cut across 4 lanes immediately and cause this to happen.

Funnier than that: On the return trip 10 minutes later, I had to slow down at the scene and there were 10 to 15 coppers all standing in a group on the side of the road watching the medics strap in the injured parties down in the ravine. All the coppers were gawping, and no one was watching traffic that was zooming by. People were stopping on the other side of the road, parking in the outside lane itself! getting out, and running across the two middle lanes without looking, in order to film the scene of the drama on their mobile phones. This lunacy was, in turn, causing the speeding idiots (who were threading the needle) to practically slam on their brakes to avoid hitting the lemmings running across the road. True story. There were about 10 men standing around with their phones pointed at the scene, and the coppers were casually watching the medics work away with all of this chaos going on behind their backs. I had to weave around 3 coppers and two civilians with their backs to me, and who were right in the lane of moving traffic.

I've seen N.A.S.A. space chimps demonstrate better problem solving skills than these lunatics, when a crisis hits.

No apologies here for my comments. When it comes to lives, and my knowledge of safety and self discipline, I get very critical of people who say but do not do. Thais have had years and years to get it right, but instead, all they do year in and year out is regurgitate mindless pap and courageous blather. The results always leave them looking more and more undisciplined and undeserving of being recognized as evolving human beings. This is a fact. It does not take a person of much intelligence to know when they are listening to lies and falsehoods, from people who never really seem to get around to doing the things they spend time making speeches about.

And still; no one ever mentions the underage children that drive on the roads. This is emphatically the most outrageous of violations that can be described about a system that willingly ignores the obvious, and skirts around the issue at every opportunity to address it.

Not evolving; revolving; and at the lowest of levels when one stops to observe it.

It is so fortunate for the lower beings to have you as there king and mentor.

Do you from time to time feel like a creator?

[cup-O-coffee]

It is so fortunate for the lower beings to have you as there king and mentor.

Do you from time to time feel like a creator?

On your knee when you utter to me, knave! Fah! Off to the pits with this one!

[Darkman]

What about all those songtaws that are seriously overcrowded that transport loads of students?

I don't know that they are dangerous, but will they now be subject to regulation and inspection?

Songtaews drive awful slow. When's the last time you heard of one gathering enough speed to crash? It's the SPEED THAT KILLS.

On at least two occasions I have seen motorbikes drive straight into the back of a slow moving songtaw. Of course if someone drives into the back of you technically its their fault. But not when it comes to songtaw's. They stop on a whim, usually no rear stop lights working, they pull out without giving a care in the world for who is coming along and in some areas usually schools at the end of the school day they stop and start, speed past each other to get in front and then slam the brakes on to pick up a fare.

It's nothing to do with speed it's all to do with driving ability and awareness of things around you. Thai's don't drive, they point the car in the direction they want to go with total disregard for anyone else, and don't get me started on their ability to turn a corner.

[PingManDan]

This Governor of Expressways sounds like he is really dedicated to his work. What ever work would be required for a man with this title. If the expressways do not have high accident rates and and built to International standard, why change the posted speed limit?

Because it is amazing Thailand, nobody ever thinks beyond thier nose. They make changes based on pure speculative BS, then madly ratify these changes, ending back to where they started, scratching thier heads and wondering what went wrong.