Passenger Van Drivers In Thailand Undergo Training To Increase Road Safety

[sangfroid]

Part of the problem is that there is a chronic shortage of drivers in Thailand. It's common to see signs on the back of trucks and buses inviting applications for drivers. There are hundreds of taxis parked in the suburbs with no one to drive them! A vehicle standing idle is not producing income. As a result any Somchai who has the ability to propel a vehicle along a road can get a job with few questions asked about his previous driving record. A policeman told me once that some taxi drivers in Bangkok have been involved in multiple fatal accidents in their driving careers.

[ib1b4]

Aparently the 200 minibus drivers were informed to keep well clear of under age non licenced drivers belong to wealthy families,

[sirchai]

This is good news. When is the government going to tackle the problem withe bus drivers?

Apart from the seminar, the Department of Land Transport has been conducting thorough inspections of passenger vans and drivers to make sure their conditions are ready for service.

.To make sure that they're breathing? :jap: Sorry, but my friend died laughing reading this article. RIP:jap:

[drdoom6996]

Just paying lip service to the problem, nothing will change as people will just once again turn a blind eye, it was only a few weeks ago that they were instructed to fit seat belts, then that died down and we won't hear about it again until the next fatal crash involving one of these vehicles (so probably this week).

Agree - wow - 200 to be 'trained'. Well that takes care of Nakhon Nayok

Agree--200 as said will take care of about 1% of the drivers. TIT

[Payboy]

to reduce accidents on toll ways

Hope this doesn't allude to that accident on the DM tollway which was not caused by a van driver.

[TechnikaIII]

I remember her indoors telling me you will never change these people, not in your lifetime... She was right. Its not about driving, the problems lie deep rooted in their society. Growing up with no responsibility or accountability where face is an excuse for all your indiscretions. If they are not caught at birth forget it.. Their immature anti social behaviour will be with them throughout life. Driving is just one of the ways it shows itself to us farangs.

Sadly you're right, drivers training has nothing to do with the driving problems here, it's much deeper than that. The childishness and selfishness is cultural and the manner in which they drive is a logical extension of that cultural problem. Even a grocery cart in Big C or Lotus will almost invariably be stopped in the middle of the aisle with complete disregard to others who cannot get around it, and there is no driver's training for those.

I have highlighted a few of your words in bold type, which speak for many Norwegians too, and partly explains why there are now direct Thai Airway flights daily Oslo>Bangkok. They feel at home amongst the selfish. You think I'm making this up? You take a RyanAir flight from the UK to Norway someday, and watch how they push and shove, jump ques, just to get to the prized middle seat with extra leg room. ... and of course ignoring all requests to turn off mobiles before entering the aircraft. They flout every rule in the book, and can be incredibly discourteous. Talking to RyanAir staff, they said they draw straws to do the Norway flights, and the losers get the shift. Get my drift?

So yes, the drivers in Thailand are not the best, and the reckless van drivers drive that way because the Thai passengers pay them to, and don't complain. In the UK I have witnessed the most horrific 'road rage' imaginable, and many of the road-rule conformists, doing all things 'perfectly', are neurotic about it and bitch about every one else who isn't as perfect as they are. The grocery cart thing also mirrors my experience in Norway, where I lived for nearly two decades. So I have seen a bit. The out-of-car courtesy extended to me wherever I have been in the UK is always heart warming, especially as I have usually arrived from Nor-bloody-way.

40 years in Australia, I knew very well the silly rivalry between Sydney and Melbourne, which was often focused on the way people drive in those two places. It's a tribe thing.

By the way, in Thailand now, I have just returned from a busy supermarket ... not a problem. I don't get all pissed off if there's the odd grocery cart .. out of place. I may have a British passport, but I am not so pedantic. (I am glad my parents emigrated to Australia - there is a bit of the 'Breaker Morant' it me. And I'm thankful for it.)

"Grocery cart unattended? ... out of place??!!" Ja vol, mein Herr!!

(Said whilst jumping to attention and and clicking heals. Ohh .. sorry, that's not very British is it. But it may as well be. Get my drift?)

As for a family of 5, plus dog, gas bottle, wok and a broom, all on the family motor bike, don't stop it. I love it. Besides, that is usually a local thing and they don't go fast.

[ozzieovaseas]

Just paying lip service to the problem, nothing will change as people will just once again turn a blind eye, it was only a few weeks ago that they were instructed to fit seat belts, then that died down and we won't hear about it again until the next fatal crash involving one of these vehicles (so probably this week).

Lip service is just about right.

I use the local vans occasionally but only during certain times of day when there is very heavy traffic (i figure the eggheads driving them can't get up a good speed in heavy traffic) ......yet I havent seen a single van with seatbelts fitted since the ruling was applied.

Funny,in this land of HUBs and CRACKDOWNS (on every other silly agenda known to man), we rarely see a CRACKDOWN on issues that might actually save lives.

No no..definately better to save lives by having a CRACKDOWN on kiddies buying condoms on Valentines day

If they were serious about this issue they should have a taskforce of BiB going around issueing 500baht fines for vans without seatbelts...

As a bonus, there would undoubtably be option of paying 200baht on the spot, instead of doing it the long way for 500baht...

everyone HAP-PEE...and a slight chance of getting the job done

edit: such obvious things already suggested by other posters

Edited March 9, 2011 by ozzieovaseas

[Tanaka]

What about all the other reckless, uneducated drivers?

You know, the person who first writes a book defining "Thai Logic" will be rich and famous!

Well, if we just shoot them on sight, it will help. As trying to educate them to take responsibility for themselves and others, is futile, it is best just to remove them. Hopefully before they kill someone else.

[johncat1]

Undergo training ? That is a laugh ha ha ha

I am a farang teacher and I have been on many " Training courses / Seminars " Run by Thais

All Thais have to do is turn up first day and they will get a certificate to say they have studied a particular subject and are now expert in it.

Training courses are a joke to a Thai they are only a paper exercise