Five Phuket Tourists Die In Cha-Am Horror Crash

[cup-O-coffee]

I have just had a recent near accident driving to Khon Kaen where at around 4am I was driving in the inside lane at an average speed where I nearly hit a truck who was traveling at a very slow speed but had no rear lights on so if I had have hit him whos fault would that be. I have found this a lot with motor bikes the worst offenders but does the police do anything about it NO

Just for posterity's sake, what do you consider a safe average speed at 4am here on Thai roads? My Thai wife constantly pi sses me off by driving no more than 40kph. I tell her that all the other cars are passing her and this is a rediculously slow speed. Her response is that this is not the west and that drivers and driving conditions are not like the western roadways. One must adjust to the safe driving speeds of the locale you are driving in. In Wisconsin in January, one must reduce speed due to ice and snow hazards. In Florida one must adjust driving speed due to downpours that reduce visability to zero. In Thailand one must also drive with speeds reasonable for the hazards that exist and hazards that will not ever change such as non-signalling drivers, lack of taillights, crappy road surfaces, sporatic and unpredictable driving practices of other drivers, etc... In the end analysis, it goes back to what your driving instructor taught you when you were 15 - 16 : DRIVE DEFENSIVELY. Thai divers, especially these van drivers of whom we speak, drive neither defensively or safely. They ARE the ones at fault in these types of accidents ---- period. In the states, if you rearend another vehicle, you have a heck of a time trying to make the court rule against the other vehicle, and there is logic in that. If you are diving in a defensive manner, that meaning at speeds in accordance with the conditions, actively aware and reactive to all conditions in front of you, there should never be an excusable instance for you to hit an object from behind. If you are driving in a place where you KNOW there are vehicles that regularly have non-functioning taillights at a speed that would cause you to not be able to respond in time to avoid hitting that vehicle, YOU are at fault. Seem fair? Maybe not, but that is reality. Going back to using Wisconsin as an example, if you drive too fast for conditions and slide off the roadway, whose fault is that? If there is a Floridian downpour and you fail to brake and you run into the car in front of you, whose fault is that? Same with these adverse roadway conditions, even though, by western standards, the other driver is wrong in not having taillights, it is a predictable condition that you should be adjusting your driving practices to accomodate.

100% agree, and will add that, between 3am until about 5:30am, it is the bewitching hour for all the drunks to be on the road, making their way home. To go out and actually drive at this time will prove the theory to be irrefutable. My opinion is that about 1 of every three other vehicles will be under the influence during these times; truck drivers included. Motorbikes? I don't even want to go there.

The kink in this is that if you clamp down on the trucking, then you cut off major food supplies to the country.

[silp1979]

I've used the mini-van buses from Victory Monument now about 10 times and the only near miss happened when we were doing 120km in the outside lane and a semi pulled out from the opposite central reservation to do a three point turn!!!!I'll catch the train from now on!!

safety and health concerns are very low ranked in thailand, on all levels across the country

the train lines are in a very, very bad state and accidents common!!!

[Pib]

I notice when I have been in mini vans ( usually AOT van commute at airport) I am the only one that fastens the seat belt, others look at me and smile ( thais)

is there some kind of loosing face thing about using a seat belt?

Although I commend you for wearing a seatbelt - you seem to have a blind faith that they have been installed correctly and that these vehicles have the anchor points and seating required for the seat belts.

I would have more faith in seat belts (anchored properly or not) than I would an amulet hanging around my neck....unless Thai's possibly build an amulet one day that has a crash air bag in it.

[Pib]

I have just had a recent near accident driving to Khon Kaen where at around 4am I was driving in the inside lane at an average speed where I nearly hit a truck who was traveling at a very slow speed but had no rear lights on so if I had have hit him whos fault would that be. I have found this a lot with motor bikes the worst offenders but does the police do anything about it NO

Sometimes the BIB do collect a 200 baht fine for not wearing a helmet. After they issue the 200 baht ticket or immediately collect the 200 baht fee "unofficially" rather than wasting everybody's time in writing up the ticket, then you can ride away with your motorcycle (still wearing no helmet). Safety First in Thailand.

[pedro01]

As ever this has proved to be an opportunity for idiots who know nothing of the circumstances, reporting or in fact even driving in Thailand, to air their prejudices.

There is NEVER only one person to blame in a road incident - blame if you really need it can be apportioned by percentage.

A bit of a contradiction there. You accuse people of being idiots and then come out with an idiotic statement.

A bus drove into my car on New Years Eve. The car was stopped at a set of red traffic lights when the bus drove into our car & a number of other cars at full speed.

There WAS only one person to blame in that road accident - the bus driver.

An unbelievably - yet predictable "reply" which of course it isn't as you clearly don't understand the basics of the argument.

Well - if I don't understand the basics of the argument - perhaps you'd care to explain. Given your statement that something can be unbelievable and predictable, it should be a hoot.

It is fairly straightforward – an accident can be the fault of a single person or it can be caused by a combination of factors/people.

To say that an accident cannot be the fault of a single individual is ludicrous.

[pedro01]

It's absolutely disgusting how virtually no poster seems to understand even the most basic concepts of what lead to this incident.In fact they are no better than a pack of baying hounds.

And you do understand do you?

Why not educate us?

You are disgusted yet you are unable to put forward a counter-argument. Your posts on this topic have no meat on them.

[61guitarman61]

As ever this has proved to be an opportunity for idiots who know nothing of the circumstances, reporting or in fact even driving in Thailand, to air their prejudices.

There is NEVER only one person to blame in a road incident - blame if you really need it can be apportioned by percentage.

A bit of a contradiction there. You accuse people of being idiots and then come out with an idiotic statement.

A bus drove into my car on New Years Eve. The car was stopped at a set of red traffic lights when the bus drove into our car & a number of other cars at full speed.

There WAS only one person to blame in that road accident - the bus driver.

An unbelievably - yet predictable "reply" which of course it isn't as you clearly don't understand the basics of the argument.

Well - if I don't understand the basics of the argument - perhaps you'd care to explain. Given your statement that something can be unbelievable and predictable, it should be a hoot.

It is fairly straightforward – an accident can be the fault of a single person or it can be caused by a combination of factors/people.

To say that an accident cannot be the fault of a single individual is ludicrous.

deeral - Was the driver a relative of yours or something? You seem very passionate about his guilt/ innocence or blame/fault.

[sawadeeken]

NOT ONLY IN THAILAND............ THIS FROM CALIFORNIA, USA

Driver dies, 10 seriously hurt as bus careens down a mountainside near Lake Arrowhead

The bus, carrying more than 20 teens and their chaperones home from a weekend church retreat, came around a sharp curve and hit an SUV head-on. Rescuers had to cut the bus open to extract the injured.

Photos: Bus crashes in mountains near Crestline

Bus crash

Map: School bus crash

February 22, 2011

A bus carrying teenagers and their chaperones home from a weekend religious retreat collided with another vehicle on a treacherous mountain road and careened down a steep, snow-covered embankment Monday in an accident that killed one and left at least 10 others seriously injured.

The bus, belonging to a Korean church in Pasadena, was winding its way down the sharp curves of the two-lane California 189 outside of Twin Peaks in the Lake Arrowhead region shortly before noon, fire and police officials said.

As it rounded a nearly hairpin turn, the bus struck an SUV traveling in other direction, according to California Highway Patrol Officer Mario Lopez. The bus sheared through a utility pole but remained upright as it plunged about 25 feet into a small grove of cedars and white firs. It slammed into a large tree, Lopez and others said, coming to rest a few feet from a snow-fed stream. The impact crumpled much of the cab.

The driver of the bus, identified by the San Bernardino County coroner as 61-year-old Won Seok Chae of Los Angeles, was killed in the crash. John Cho, a deacon at the Light of Love Mission Church, described Chae as a former professional tour bus driver who volunteered to drive the church's bus on weekend excursions. It was not known how long it had been since Chae drove professionally or if he had the required license.

The coroner's office released a statement late Monday saying that Chae had lost control of the bus as it rounded the curve, crossed into the on-coming lane and struck the other vehicle. Chae was pronounced dead at the scene.

Twenty-two people — most of them teenagers — were aboard the bus, which was not equipped with seat belts. Dozens of firefighters, police and paramedics quickly swarmed the scene. Rescuers had to use special metal-cutting tools to remove seats from the bus in order to extract some of the passengers.

A man who said he was driving past the crash told KNX-AM (1070), "I hear kids screaming, there's this bus down. Oh, God, it was terrible." The man said he helped rescue two girls, one with a broken leg. He described the other girl as "dazed and confused."

"A lot of them were crying, but this little girl, she's saying, 'I'm sorry. I'm so sorry.' She's trying to apologize," he told the radio station.

A triage area was set up on the road where medical personnel assessed injuries and dispatched the injured to a fleet of waiting ambulances. Within about 90 minutes all 23 of the survivors had been taken to hospitals, with two of the most seriously injured flown by helicopter. The ages of the injured were not known.

The accident snarled traffic in the region as authorities closed a section of California 189 for a few hours.

At Arrowhead Regional Medical Center, where eight of the passengers were admitted, two people had been rushed into surgery, said nursing supervisor Joy Flint. In all, 10 people were listed in critical condition, according to Lopez.

News of the crash sent panicked parents rushing to the small, maroon-shingled church on East Colorado Boulevard in search of information about their children. Members of one family arrived and then quickly departed for Loma Linda University Medical Center, where their son was being treated for minor injuries.

"My child was hurt," said the mother of another teen as she got into an SUV with her husband, daughter and a church official.

The church has about 1,000 Korean American and Korean immigrant congregants and has been operating for about 18 years, Cho said.

"We're hoping none [of the injuries] are life-threatening. We're hoping they all pull through," Cho said. "The church is in shock. Faith is what's keeping us together." A prayer service was planned for Monday night.

By Monday evening, some of the victims had been released from Arrowhead hospital. One 18-year-old left the medical center with bad bruises and cuts on his face.

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[oldsailor35]

Another tragic van accident. May all RIP. When will something be done to reign in these reckless van drivers???

Trouble is, many of these high speed mini van drivers are just 'jumped up' buffalow drivers who's brains are programmed to know that no one would be silly enough to run into them. On Samui along with the concrete truck drivers, they are the most dangerous things on the road !

[oldsailor35]

The thais arnt the only fools here, everybody has tried and found the minivan driver guilty, with no evidence whatsoever, nuff said.

Hi sandgroper....................I just guess that "everybody" have obviously got a lot more experiance at driving in Thailand than you have . nuff said .

[oldsailor35]

Amazing only the passengers get hurt and die. The driver that caused the whole mess, with his reckless driving, walks away without a scratch. He does regret the accident though???

The passengers never wear seat belts whereas the driver is forced to by law.

In Queensland everybody has to wear the safety belt, if stopped by police and belt is not worn then the driver is held responsible with a fine and loss of points.

[harleyclarkey]

I must admit I don't often agree with you sorrow lot's of condecending notions on how this country should be run. But on traffic and the culture of driving here I fully agree: If the laws are lacking, it is the Governments duty to implement them, and now! And then wait and hope to survive another generation or three for them being enforced. Where are the emoticons in uniform, by the way? - A necessity in most threads these days

If you as a foreigner feel the laws are lacking you are certainly free to go to another country. I for one don't think the Thais need falang telling them how to run their own country

Yes for sure there is a whole lot lacking in this jolly, happy, smiling land of Thailand. It sucks as far as their total disregard for road laws. There are no rules and laws as far as most of the drivers are concerned. The enforcement of the rules are totally arbitrary and subject to the whims of the local thugs in brown, and their financial needs on any particular day..

And yes, the poster has every right to make his point without the usual bull of telling him/her to get lost and go elsewhere. What rubbish.

And yes yet again....the Thais need foreigners to help them run their country because they do a cr*p job it it themselves. The hospitality/hotel industry, as just one example, would in my opinion collapse without foreign input.

We all know the score here, prick up your ears "It will not change," and if any change does come about it will not be because a bunch of westerners are complaining that they can't get to their beach holiday with the same service and safety they would get in their own country.

I said it once and I'll say it again; This is Thailand, if you don't like it go home!!

Something fishey here trout.

Guess you are right trout. We all like the knife at our throat as happened on Pattaya beach to 3 Irishmen who were being scammed over a jet ski. Probably one of many others. The scam on Patong beach with the same con and violent thugs like the infamous JJ. This has gone on for years and has clearly affected hundreds of innocents. The thug police who come to "help". Help that is to extract enough money to cover their bribe and protection racket. Yep. We sure do like our beach holiday without this cr*p and danger. Guess you like it this way??

You are one guy who for sure should swim back up the river you came from wherever you came from, and get out of Thailand before you start to condone what happens to far too many foreigners, and Thais. Things will never change with attitudes like yours.

Edited February 22, 2011 by harleyclarkey

[oldsailor35]

interprovince travel is restricted for the native population.

Really?

Please clarify as i do not understand this. And it is the first time i have heard it ?

[oldsailor35]

I must admit I don't often agree with you sorrow lot's of condecending notions on how this country should be run. But on traffic and the culture of driving here I fully agree: If the laws are lacking, it is the Governments duty to implement them, and now! And then wait and hope to survive another generation or three for them being enforced. Where are the emoticons in uniform, by the way? - A necessity in most threads these days

If you as a foreigner feel the laws are lacking you are certainly free to go to another country. I for one don't think the Thais need falang telling them how to run their own country

But, they definately need to be told (taught) how to drive.

[metisdead]

A derogatory slur has been removed.

[Thongkorn]

This is nuts! When will the police clamp down on these cowboys ? Probably never.

Van drivers are brain dead, we know that by the way they drive. Thailand is to blame for this, the whole system fails the people.

It will take years to sort this mess out.

RIP

R I P the passengers of the Mini bus,

The majority of Van drivers are mainly brain dead in every country. Even if you wear a seat belt in these things it may not save your life, they are built like cardboard boxes. they just crumple. its all down to Driving standards and policing of the laws, We call the British police but the standard of driving is kept high, And driving license are checked frequently.

[Nisa]

I must admit I don't often agree with you sorrow lot's of condecending notions on how this country should be run. But on traffic and the culture of driving here I fully agree: If the laws are lacking, it is the Governments duty to implement them, and now! And then wait and hope to survive another generation or three for them being enforced. Where are the emoticons in uniform, by the way? - A necessity in most threads these days

If you as a foreigner feel the laws are lacking you are certainly free to go to another country. I for one don't think the Thais need falang telling them how to run their own country

But, they definately need to be told (taught) how to drive.

Some places you go you don't drink the water while other places you go you are advices to stay off the roads . Thailand makes it easy ... don't do either

What is interesting; in my opinion is the things I see most people complain about really cannot be changed without effecting the whole balance of things here and it becoming more like the countries we left. But no need to worry as Thailand is moving forward and will lose many of things on their own without our complaints.

[oldsailor35]

It's absolutely disgusting how virtually no poster seems to understand even the most basic concepts of what lead to this incident.In fact they are no better than a pack of baying hounds.

Deeral--I dont know if I am a baying hound, I must be if you say no posters understand. I go for the easy(if there is one) answers. 1) Buses must have to comply with safety standards.. 2) Companies have to registered ..3)drivers should have the said licence for that people carrier.. 4) Companies should shoulder much of the blame for selecting a non experienced driver....these drivers should have seperate tests for private hire/ public transport..............I could go on. but last ...5) the police can act only after the event is stupid, they should be taking an active roll in enforcing the rules regarding companies and drivers....Am I a baying hound deeral ???

Oh ginjag, you nasty baying hound you ! whooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo ooooooooo

[ginjag]

It's absolutely disgusting how virtually no poster seems to understand even the most basic concepts of what lead to this incident.In fact they are no better than a pack of baying hounds.

Deeral--I dont know if I am a baying hound, I must be if you say no posters understand. I go for the easy(if there is one) answers. 1) Buses must have to comply with safety standards.. 2) Companies have to registered ..3)drivers should have the said licence for that people carrier.. 4) Companies should shoulder much of the blame for selecting a non experienced driver....these drivers should have seperate tests for private hire/ public transport..............I could go on. but last ...5) the police can act only after the event is stupid, they should be taking an active roll in enforcing the rules regarding companies and drivers....Am I a baying hound deeral ???

Oh ginjag, you nasty baying hound you ! whooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo ooooooooo

I,m an old dog (sailor) and deeral was barking up the wrong tree, Someone ought to ..coller..hold of him-maybe his paw..lifes a bitch at times 55555555555

[johncat1]

Was in a minivan, with other foreign tourists, some years back heading to Phuket airport. Driver thought a cute trick would be to overtake approaching the crest of of a hill. Nobody squeaked, but I screamed rather loudly at the dumbass driver -- he complied. Think the other passengers were Europeans. They were obviously still in holiday mode. Pathetic all around. Is it the religion I wonder. Self-preservation sure ain't the first rule in the dear old LOS

You obviously haven't travelled on Thai roads much

Thai drivers ONLY overtake when they cannot see what is coming , crest of a hill , on a bend etc .. etc .. they do not care they just flash their lights as if they are in the right and expect other drivers to get out of their way

I think it is because ALL Thais have their vehicles blessed by the monks and that makes them think they are protected from harm or accidents

[Deeral]

As ever this has proved to be an opportunity for idiots who know nothing of the circumstances, reporting or in fact even driving in Thailand, to air their prejudices.

There is NEVER only one person to blame in a road incident - blame if you really need it can be apportioned by percentage.

A bit of a contradiction there. You accuse people of being idiots and then come out with an idiotic statement.

A bus drove into my car on New Years Eve. The car was stopped at a set of red traffic lights when the bus drove into our car & a number of other cars at full speed.

There WAS only one person to blame in that road accident - the bus driver.

An unbelievably - yet predictable "reply" which of course it isn't as you clearly don't understand the basics of the argument.

Well - if I don't understand the basics of the argument - perhaps you'd care to explain. Given your statement that something can be unbelievable and predictable, it should be a hoot.

It is fairly straightforward – an accident can be the fault of a single person or it can be caused by a combination of factors/people.

To say that an accident cannot be the fault of a single individual is ludicrous.

Life would seem simple....to a simpleton

[Deeral]

It's absolutely disgusting how virtually no poster seems to understand even the most basic concepts of what lead to this incident.In fact they are no better than a pack of baying hounds.

And you do understand do you?

Why not educate us?

You are disgusted yet you are unable to put forward a counter-argument. Your posts on this topic have no meat on them.

When it comes to "arguments on this thread - it is a truly vegetarian affair.

It's not my job to educate you - that's your responsibility

.......... and only a fool would argue with a fool.

[Colabamumbai]

Was in a minivan, with other foreign tourists, some years back heading to Phuket airport. Driver thought a cute trick would be to overtake approaching the crest of of a hill. Nobody squeaked, but I screamed rather loudly at the dumbass driver -- he complied. Think the other passengers were Europeans. They were obviously still in holiday mode. Pathetic all around. Is it the religion I wonder. Self-preservation sure ain't the first rule in the dear old LOS

You obviously haven't travelled on Thai roads much

Thai drivers ONLY overtake when they cannot see what is coming , crest of a hill , on a bend etc .. etc .. they do not care they just flash their lights as if they are in the right and expect other drivers to get out of their way

I think it is because ALL Thais have their vehicles blessed by the monks and that makes them think they are protected from harm or accidents

That is so, and some want to get to Buddah land and leave their stinking lives behind, not thinking of the passengers they carry.

[Oberkommando]

Should I be worried about the minivans between Victory Monument and Cha-am? I take them regularly but I am usually zoning out and not watching the road/driver. This is unsettling.

YES!!!!

The big buses are much safer but if you choose to ride in a minibus make sure it has seat belts.

The big buses are also more comfortable and probably a bit cheaper but you need to go to the Thonburi station and the big bus will probably take 3.5 hours as opposed to 2.5 hours by minibus.

The big buses are not safer.

One of those big buses went over a cliff yesterday in Nan Province killing 13 (so far) including the driver.

[Oberkommando]

What is interesting; in my opinion is the things I see most people complain about really cannot be changed without effecting the whole balance of things here and it becoming more like the countries we left. But no need to worry as Thailand is moving forward and will lose many of things on their own without our complaints.

In what way would improving road safety in any way make Thailand "like the countries we left?" You mean actually enforcing the law and punishing people would be a bad thing because you wouldn't have that misplaced sense of freedom to do what you please in a foreign country? I say misplaced because Thailand is anything but a free country in anything other than name.

And your assumption that Thailand is moving forward especially in this regard is puzzling. Road deaths are higher now than ever and there's nothing being done. With almost a million new vehicles on the current crumbling infrastructure each year the problem will assuredly get much worse.

Not to mention road accident fatalities are deliberately under-reported by the authorities. The totals only include those dead at the scene of the accident. They do not include victims that subsequently die after the accident in hospital for example.

I see no cause for optimism in this regard.

[Nisa]

What is interesting; in my opinion is the things I see most people complain about really cannot be changed without effecting the whole balance of things here and it becoming more like the countries we left. But no need to worry as Thailand is moving forward and will lose many of things on their own without our complaints.

In what way would improving road safety in any way make Thailand "like the countries we left?" You mean actually enforcing the law and punishing people would be a bad thing because you wouldn't have that misplaced sense of freedom to do what you please in a foreign country? I say misplaced because Thailand is anything but a free country in anything other than name.

And your assumption that Thailand is moving forward especially in this regard is puzzling. Road deaths are higher now than ever and there's nothing being done. With almost a million new vehicles on the current crumbling infrastructure each year the problem will assuredly get much worse.

Not to mention road accident fatalities are deliberately under-reported by the authorities. The totals only include those dead at the scene of the accident. They do not include victims that subsequently die after the accident in hospital for example.

I see no cause for optimism in this regard.

Road improvements as well as proper enforcement takes money including paying police more than 7k baht a month (starting par for cop in BKK) as well as paying everyone involved with improving and monitoring road conditions more to eliminate the accepted and understood corruption. This would mean more taxes and more enforcement and regulations across the board as well as more reporting and accountability. As these things begin to happen they spread thought out society.

As for your doom and gloom view of things there really isn't any sense debating as you are expressing an overall negative opinion when the facts remain that Thailand is moving forward and not backwards when it comes to modernizing itself as a nation. As the Thai Auto Industry continues its rapidly incredible growth we will see more and more car owners and more and more regulations (as has already been the case) as autos effect much more greater people.

I love Thailand and its people and feel more free and less stressed here than I do in the United States not to mention living here is much cheaper. This is of course my personal opinion and I wouldn't be here if I didn't feel this way. Are there down sides such as driving .. of course but as I said, this is part of the overall stage Thailand is at in its growth that also provides many great benefits to expats living here.

[Nisa]

Should I be worried about the minivans between Victory Monument and Cha-am? I take them regularly but I am usually zoning out and not watching the road/driver. This is unsettling.

YES!!!!

The big buses are much safer but if you choose to ride in a minibus make sure it has seat belts.

The big buses are also more comfortable and probably a bit cheaper but you need to go to the Thonburi station and the big bus will probably take 3.5 hours as opposed to 2.5 hours by minibus.

The big buses are not safer.

One of those big buses went over a cliff yesterday in Nan Province killing 13 (so far) including the driver.

Plane crashes happen too but they are still safer than driving. A big bus to Cha-am is a much safer bet, less expensive and more comfortable as well as the drivers in general being more qualified..

[Oberkommando]

Road improvements as well as proper enforcement takes money including paying police more than 7k baht a month (starting par for cop in BKK) as well as paying everyone involved with improving and monitoring road conditions more to eliminate the accepted and understood corruption. This would mean more taxes and more enforcement and regulations across the board as well as more reporting and accountability. As these things begin to happen they spread thought out society.

Where is the evidence of any headway being made?

The facts are there is absolutely no headway being made. Things are becoming gradually worse and worse including a worsening of corruption since the 2006 coup.

As to the "they are only being paid 7000thb a month" excuse for systematic corruption that is quite a naive view indeed given corruption is endemic in the Thai Police force and the kickbacks go all the way up the tree and to officers in the top pay brackets because that is how things work. Often officers go into the Police force because of corruption and the basic wage is not a concern because they are willing to extort, bully and steal their way up the ladder. Indeed, many officers do not progress without kickbacks to ensure promotion.

The rest of your post I will ignore as it's the usual "I love Thailand, you must be a negative person" tosh that you spout all too frequently to disguise your lack of knowledge on a multitude of subjects.

[Oberkommando]

A big bus to Cha-am is a much safer bet, less expensive and more comfortable as well as the drivers in general being more qualified.

So you'll be able to prove that statement by providing some statistics of bus vs minivan accidents for us.

Thanks in advance.

[Nisa]

Road improvements as well as proper enforcement takes money including paying police more than 7k baht a month (starting par for cop in BKK) as well as paying everyone involved with improving and monitoring road conditions more to eliminate the accepted and understood corruption. This would mean more taxes and more enforcement and regulations across the board as well as more reporting and accountability. As these things begin to happen they spread thought out society.

Where is the evidence of any headway being made?

The facts are there is absolutely no headway being made. Things are becoming gradually worse and worse including a worsening of corruption since the 2006 coup.

Since this topic is about road deaths / accidents ....

Year....... Deaths.......Registered Vehicles

2003.......14,446.........26,378,862

2004 .......13,766....... 20,624,719*

2005 .......12,858....... 22,571,062*

2006 .......12,069 .......24,807,297*

* New definitions of "registered vehicles".

I couldn't find anything for after 2006 but I imagine you will find fault in these numbers that show the trend of vehicles on the road increasing while deaths deaths have gone down in Thailand.

Edited February 22, 2011 by Nisa