New Year Festival Ends With 335 Deaths And 3,375 Injured On The Road: Thailand

[rockderk]

Multiply the official stats by about 18 and you'd be close. Just last weekend I drove past two separate accidents on the same road 4 kms apart with bodies being loaded into ambulances at each. Like they're going to be listed in any official stats!

[ib1b4]

Please you do not have to write flaming posts about Thais. Would somebody write about a specific race it wouldn't be tolerated... Not all Thais have a small brain, many accidents are only because of an educational lack.

So many school kids are sitting on top of Songtaews, not knowing the danger. Can you call them stupid, because everybody's doing it?

This has nothing to do with education and EVERYTHING to do with common sense.

Don't drink and drive, don't ride in the back of a pick-up truck, wear a helmet on your bike, don't ride on top of any vehicle.

Follow those simple rules and Thailand would cut their causality rate down by 80% or more.

So if it has nothing to do with education then where can people get some of this common sense you speak about,and which type of common sense should they get?

[rockderk]

.....Also being an Australian where road rage is very common, I have never ever seen road rage in Thailand'

'Road rage' for me is tailgating, cutting in, not signaling, creeping [not remaining stationary until the road is clear], undertaking

, blocking clearways, wrong way driving, turning right from the middle or left lane and generally driving in a careless fashion, which it seems almost every Thai driver does to a pathological degree. I also drove in Australia for 20 years where road rage is not nearly as common as here.

In 11 years, my highlights include being forced off the road by a police car [apparently for their amusement], threatened with a gun waved out the window and crashed into in a hit and run.

[merlen10002]

Please you do not have to write flaming posts about Thais. Would somebody write about a specific race it wouldn't be tolerated... Not all Thais have a small brain, many accidents are only because of an educational lack.

So many school kids are sitting on top of Songtaews, not knowing the danger. Can you call them stupid, because everybody's doing it?

This has nothing to do with education and EVERYTHING to do with common sense.

Don't drink and drive, don't ride in the back of a pick-up truck, wear a helmet on your bike, don't ride on top of any vehicle.

Follow those simple rules and Thailand would cut their causality rate down by 80% or more.

Your comment is ridiculous, to have common sense you must have education, you must be educated to know what is right or wrong, education about road safety is extremely important and should be a top priorty in all Thai schools.

I spent 7 days up country with my wife and her family, they are all educated, but they all ride in the back of pick up trucks, don't wear crash helmets on motor bikes, and don't wear seat belts in the back of cars and sometimes not in the front also, when I try to tell them about road safety they look at me like I am stupid, common sense is not a strong point with Thai people unfortunately.

I can only speak about Australia and Thailand, never lived anywhere else, in Australia very strong road safety laws are in place and policed rigorously, random breath tests for alcohol and drugs, speed camera everywhere, loss of points for infringments, get to nine points and you lose your licence, never see anyone ride a motor bike with out a helmet, never see anyone ride side sadle like the ladies do here, and a lot more, I don't see any of that here, with out a dedicated education program and strong policing of the laws nothing will change, leave it to common sense and nothing will change.

[Mosha]

What is the carnage in a "normal" 7 day period?

[jonesy2648]

You've got to value your life in order to live it. Why Thais continually insist on riding in the back of trucks like chickens is beyond me. Very dangerous.

Have brain size of chicken maybe thats why??

Anyway Nontahburi no deaths isnt it still partly underwater?

Why is it that every time I read an article on this forum and then scroll down the page only to find some so called expert on everything who just has to make negative insulting remarks about Thais??? Your Remark: Thais have a brain the size of a chicken!! Buddy!!! get a life!! it is obvious that you have a hate for Thais? So why are you in Thailand?? Why do most of you people continually run down Thai People?? at every opportunity you get??

I totally understand that the road accident statistics are horrendous and totally unacceptable, Any Death or Injury is unacceptable but from what I have seen and experienced while driving in Thailand is that most of the problem lies with the Traffic Police...............Lack of numbers, very poor traffic management and obviously not enough driver education when the issue licences. Tuk Tuk drivers obviously go to Kamikaze school before they start work, Taxi drivers are not much better, Truck and Bus drivers seem to think that they totally own the roads, but worst of all I have experienced is the drivers on up country road particularly between Korat and Kon Kaen who tend to drive at 35-40 k/m per hour holding up traffic and creating long convoys behind them! these drivers are the ones that cause most accidents by making the drivers behind them impatient who then take a huge risk by overtaking and in most cases results in an accident.

And then you have the other Kamikaze (Bone Heads) on motor cycles, I call them bone heads because obviously they think that riding without a helmet is safe??

So in summary, Better Policing, Better driver education, and more suspensions for drivers/riders that break the law, But the chance of seeing that happen soon would be the same as visiting a snow ski resort in Arabia!

Also being an Australian where road rage is very common, I have never ever seen road rage in Thailand

So I have had my say...............................But Fellas, how about less criticism of Thai people and more positive type posts and maybe, just maybe the powers to be may read your positive posts and take notice!!

i think this guy can't stand the truth..... Most of them DO have brain size of chicken !!! So what's wrong with telling the truth !? I also love this country, i also stay here long time, but still it's very sad to see all those drunks on the road and 4-5-6 people without helmets on motorbikes, young school kids racing with each other over the full width of the (main)roads on those motorbikes with 2 or 3 on that motorbike without any helmet or other protection, only a white school shirt and a blue or brown school short... just bringing innocent people/kids in danger!!!! AND ALL THIS IN FRONT OF THE POLICE who let happen..... But when a farang passes by even WITH a helmet, they will stop him and check his license, or other stuff, only to get the $$ out of him. And this is all.... NORMAL in this beautiful country, but yeah..... the brainless chicken also are situated in highest levels, starting by the government, so unfortunately nothing else than a snowball effect....

As Jack Nicholson said in one of his movies (YOU JUST CANT HANDLE THE TRUTH!!!

[merlen10002]

.....Also being an Australian where road rage is very common, I have never ever seen road rage in Thailand'

'Road rage' for me is tailgating, cutting in, not signaling, creeping [not remaining stationary until the road is clear], undertaking

, blocking clearways, wrong way driving, turning right from the middle or left lane and generally driving in a careless fashion, which it seems almost every Thai driver does to a pathological degree. I also drove in Australia for 20 years where road rage is not nearly as common as here.

In 11 years, my highlights include being forced off the road by a police car [apparently for their amusement], threatened with a gun waved out the window and crashed into in a hit and run.

The things you have stated are not road rage, road rage is being attacked, physicaly assaulted, forced of the road, being terrified by another road user in one way or another. what you have stated is bad driving.

I lived all my life in Australia before coming to Thailand 4 years ago, Australia has a lot of road rage, I have seen more there than here, I don't see large numbers of young people with hotted up cars terrorizing everyone and everything like they do at Bondi, Southport at the Gold Coast, and the Sunshine Coast and other places. could mention a lot more.

[sbk]

Name calling and derogatory generalizations about all Thais will not be tolerated and the next person to do so will find their posting rights suspended for a minimum of a week. Use your brain before posting please.

[Roj]

Please you do not have to write flaming posts about Thais. Would somebody write about a specific race it wouldn't be tolerated... Not all Thais have a small brain, many accidents are only because of an educational lack.

So many school kids are sitting on top of Songtaews, not knowing the danger. Can you call them stupid, because everybody's doing it?

Surely a thing called common sense might just come into play here? So where does common sense fit in, is it learned or is it inbuilt?

I believe that common sense is a racial trait and isn`t learned. Thais are as intelligent as any other race, you only have to see how innovative they can be, but they do lack common sense.

[Tanuki]

You can criticise Thais, but many states in the USA don't have seatbelt laws and the residents feel safer that way. Thousands have even had airbags deactivated after scare stories about children being injured by airbags (which were the result of not wearing seatbelts or child seats being fitted incorrectly).

It's all about perceived danger. In fact I've seen western families ride around on scooters with their helmetless kids stood up at the front. They'd never do that in their homeland, but partly that's because they are not allowed to. I would bet if western driving rules were relaxed to Thai levels, you'd see a massive spike in road deaths in Europe/USA too.

People can't be relied upon to do the safe thing by choice, as often what they want to do they regard as bending the rules, rather than breaking them, and don't regard it as unsafe.

Of course if the two to a scooter rule was properly imposed, it would present something of a problem for Thai families where the scooter is the only transport they have. One of the things that struck me about Thailand is that there are no small cars anywhere. You go from scooter to Toyota Corolla, with nothing at all inbetween.

Anyone know what the death count is per year for drunk driving in the USA?

I'm sure if laws were relaxed in the western world, it would add to some more deaths, but most westerners have a little bit of common sense. Even if it were allowed, you would not catch many of them riding on the roof top of a work truck in the rain.

I saw a stat that there Thailand has roughly the same population as the UK but that there are 5 times the road fatalities. mai phen rai eh

Ever tap your horn at a motorbike zipping onto the main road without checking for traffic first or have someone honking their horn at you for stopping at an intersection and looking first? Will never understand this total lack of common sense.

[sirchai]

Please you do not have to write flaming posts about Thais. Would somebody write about a specific race it wouldn't be tolerated... Not all Thais have a small brain, many accidents are only because of an educational lack.

So many school kids are sitting on top of Songtaews, not knowing the danger. Can you call them stupid, because everybody's doing it?

This has nothing to do with education and EVERYTHING to do with common sense.

Don't drink and drive, don't ride in the back of a pick-up truck, wear a helmet on your bike, don't ride on top of any vehicle.

Follow those simple rules and Thailand would cut their causality rate down by 80% or more.

So if it has nothing to do with education then where can people get some of this common sense you speak about,and which type of common sense should they get?

Thanks! So many people here are dirt poor and uneducated, but I love them. They do not have a common sense because of their situation. How should kids from a village get to school if there's only a Songtaew' available and they sometimes have to sit on top?

People are used to sit in the back of Pick Up trucks which isn't allowed in other countries, but are they to blame? It's always easier to point a finger to people who seem to be stupid.

Only two things are endless. The universe and human stupidity. But I'm not sure about the universe...

Albert Einstein.

[sirchai]

You can criticise Thais, but many states in the USA don't have seatbelt laws and the residents feel safer that way. Thousands have even had airbags deactivated after scare stories about children being injured by airbags (which were the result of not wearing seatbelts or child seats being fitted incorrectly).

It's all about perceived danger. In fact I've seen western families ride around on scooters with their helmetless kids stood up at the front. They'd never do that in their homeland, but partly that's because they are not allowed to. I would bet if western driving rules were relaxed to Thai levels, you'd see a massive spike in road deaths in Europe/USA too.

People can't be relied upon to do the safe thing by choice, as often what they want to do they regard as bending the rules, rather than breaking them, and don't regard it as unsafe.

Of course if the two to a scooter rule was properly imposed, it would present something of a problem for Thai families where the scooter is the only transport they have. One of the things that struck me about Thailand is that there are no small cars anywhere. You go from scooter to Toyota Corolla, with nothing at all inbetween.

Anyone know what the death count is per year for drunk driving in the USA?

I'm sure if laws were relaxed in the western world, it would add to some more deaths, but most westerners have a little bit of common sense. Even if it were allowed, you would not catch many of them riding on the roof top of a work truck in the rain.

I saw a stat that there Thailand has roughly the same population as the UK but that there are 5 times the road fatalities. mai phen rai eh

Ever tap your horn at a motorbike zipping onto the main road without checking for traffic first or have someone honking their horn at you for stopping at an intersection and looking first? Will never understand this total lack of common sense.

Isn't it the same "common sense" that made loads of us to guests for a long time in this country? There's always a good and a bad side. Is life in the UK still enjoyable? I couldn't live in Europe any more and I love to ride my Chopper without a helmet, knowing the consequences. Live to Ride_ Ride to Live.

[captspectre]

Generally I like Thai people a lot more than my own German coutrymen. But when it comes to driving they really seem to be brainless, care less or not care at all. Not even for their own lives or for the lives of their children.

As before mentioned driving drunk and at highest speed, overtaking while there is oncoming traffic, risking their own lives and the lives of others for the advantage of riding one or two cars ahead, not keeping distance, riding without helmets, children even babies in front (instead of an airbag ?), using the mobile for talking and texting or pressing their pimples from their noses while riding, riding three often four, sometimes five one a bike. Riding at night without lights. Not using thei indicators or using them too late. Many just come driving out of a little soi or out of nowhere on to the main road without looking or stopping. Some drive too slow, while others driving like crazy. And many farangs are doing the same things like the Thais do. Unbelieveable ! I watched some Austrians sitting on regular plastic chairs on the bed of a pick-up. What would happen if the driver has to break hard or has to swerve to avoid an obstacle ? The list could go on and on. When will they ever learn ? Never, I'm afraid.

You hit the nail right on the head. as long as the "police" do nothing more then fine the drivers, nothingwill change! been going on for many years nowand WILL NOT CHANGE SOON!

[Brewsta]

You've got to value your life in order to live it. Why Thais continually insist on riding in the back of trucks like chickens is beyond me. Very dangerous.

Have brain size of chicken maybe thats why??

Anyway Nontahburi no deaths isnt it still partly underwater?

Why is it that every time I read an article on this forum and then scroll down the page only to find some so called expert on everything who just has to make negative insulting remarks about Thais??? Your Remark: Thais have a brain the size of a chicken!! Buddy!!! get a life!! it is obvious that you have a hate for Thais? So why are you in Thailand?? Why do most of you people continually run down Thai People?? at every opportunity you get??

I totally understand that the road accident statistics are horrendous and totally unacceptable, Any Death or Injury is unacceptable but from what I have seen and experienced while driving in Thailand is that most of the problem lies with the Traffic Police...............Lack of numbers, very poor traffic management and obviously not enough driver education when the issue licences. Tuk Tuk drivers obviously go to Kamikaze school before they start work, Taxi drivers are not much better, Truck and Bus drivers seem to think that they totally own the roads, but worst of all I have experienced is the drivers on up country road particularly between Korat and Kon Kaen who tend to drive at 35-40 k/m per hour holding up traffic and creating long convoys behind them! these drivers are the ones that cause most accidents by making the drivers behind them impatient who then take a huge risk by overtaking and in most cases results in an accident.

And then you have the other Kamikaze (Bone Heads) on motor cycles, I call them bone heads because obviously they think that riding without a helmet is safe??

So in summary, Better Policing, Better driver education, and more suspensions for drivers/riders that break the law, But the chance of seeing that happen soon would be the same as visiting a snow ski resort in Arabia!

Also being an Australian where road rage is very common, I have never ever seen road rage in Thailand

So I have had my say...............................But Fellas, how about less criticism of Thai people and more positive type posts and maybe, just maybe the powers to be may read your positive posts and take notice!!

Jonesy2648,

After living in the Land of Smiles for over 13 years (plus visiting since 1990 bextwixt UK, Middle East and Asia); married for 12 of those years to a Thai and being father to two kids by her, I am constantly bemused/saddened/amazed at the 'mai bpen rai' philosophy that may explain the dreadfully cavalier attitude in lifestyle that so many khon Thai exhibit daily, particularly on the roads. Examples are endless and posted in abundance.

IMHO, many posters here on TV are venting frustration and not hate; torn between our love for the country it's unique people/culture and the contradictory insanities that we longtime visitors and expat residents are so used to seeing every, yes every day.

Take care as best you can and the same for your loved ones.......selfish maybe, but practical and delays insanity.

Regards and Happy 2012,

Brewsta

Edited January 7, 2012 by Brewsta

[thailandshasse]

Sorry to say it, but you need only to look at how Thai,s are driving motorcycles, and car sometimes,even without to dink alcohol, to understand why it,s so many accidents in Thailand.

No wonder as the Thai cannot use their, so called "driving licence " in any oher countries.

Be aware when on the road in Thailand !!!

[Macmundi]

It's a goog way of controlling overpopulation.

[Willeyeam]

You've got to value your life in order to live it. Why Thais continually insist on riding in the back of trucks like chickens is beyond me. Very dangerous.

Have brain size of chicken maybe thats why??

Anyway Nontahburi no deaths isnt it still partly underwater?

Why is it that every time I read an article on this forum and then scroll down the page only to find some so called expert on everything who just has to make negative insulting remarks about Thais??? Your Remark: Thais have a brain the size of a chicken!! Buddy!!! get a life!! it is obvious that you have a hate for Thais? So why are you in Thailand?? Why do most of you people continually run down Thai People?? at every opportunity you get??

I totally understand that the road accident statistics are horrendous and totally unacceptable, Any Death or Injury is unacceptable but from what I have seen and experienced while driving in Thailand is that most of the problem lies with the Traffic Police...............Lack of numbers, very poor traffic management and obviously not enough driver education when the issue licences. Tuk Tuk drivers obviously go to Kamikaze school before they start work, Taxi drivers are not much better, Truck and Bus drivers seem to think that they totally own the roads, but worst of all I have experienced is the drivers on up country road particularly between Korat and Kon Kaen who tend to drive at 35-40 k/m per hour holding up traffic and creating long convoys behind them! these drivers are the ones that cause most accidents by making the drivers behind them impatient who then take a huge risk by overtaking and in most cases results in an accident.

And then you have the other Kamikaze (Bone Heads) on motor cycles, I call them bone heads because obviously they think that riding without a helmet is safe??

So in summary, Better Policing, Better driver education, and more suspensions for drivers/riders that break the law, But the chance of seeing that happen soon would be the same as visiting a snow ski resort in Arabia!

Also being an Australian where road rage is very common, I have never ever seen road rage in Thailand

So I have had my say...............................But Fellas, how about less criticism of Thai people and more positive type posts and maybe, just maybe the powers to be may read your positive posts and take notice!!

YOU HAVE NEVER SEEN ROAD RAGE IN THAILAND!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Do you actually go out of the house?

Road rage up in Chiang Mai has become almost as bad as the UK over the past ten years - I have seen them trying to ram each other for cutting down the left hand side in a queue, believe me Thais are getting pent up and frustrated these days and there is a lot more anger and road rage here than there was a few years back.

I agree totally with you about the crap policing, the crap law enforcement about MC helmets etc. But it really doesn't take an Einstein to figure out that if you sit on the roof of a truck and it does an emergency stop, or you fall on your head off of a MC then you are going to get wasted. (As regards driver suspension..............it is 400 Baht fine for not even having a license........so where is the incentive there?)

The problem I see here is that there is simply no responsibility, no accountability, no thought whatsoever about cause/consequence - it is like "Whatever will be will be"

I suppose at the end of the day, as the Thais get into second and third generations of "Drivers" things might improve - in the meantime Darwin and his theories are helping them on their merry way.

As an example - I berate my 10 year old son and have done since his head was big enough to support a REAL helmet (Even on a pushbike) never ever go out without one - now he never does, the most accidents I have seen here involve stupid people (or uneducated) that have come off a bike without a helmet - Their families should be fined for the damage that their thick skulls have done to the tarmac, and they should be made to pay for cleaning the GUNK off the road - if they started fining these idiots it would be a good start, as it seems MONEY is the only GOD in this place.

And just for good measure - All of those Thais or anyone else driving those dam_n MAZDA FAMILIAS (Yes the ones that run on coal or wood at 30KMH) Should simply be crushed by those 10 wheelers - It should be the law! They are usually about 70 years old, completely blind and shouldn't be let loose with a pedal car!

And for the other end of the spectrum, the HiSo's in their Toyota Fortunas with blacked out windows that drive about 3CM from your tailgate should be shunted at high speed into concrete walls or similar - They are even worse.

Edited January 27, 2012 by Willeyeam