Focus On Road Accidents Over The 7 Dangerous Days

[Jai Dee]

ALL AGENCIES NEED TO WORK TOGETHER TO REDUCE ROAD ACCIDENTS DURING SEVEN DANGEROUS DAYS

Deputy Minister of Interior SERMSAK PONGPANIT (เสริมศักดิ์ พงษ์พานิช) reiterated that all sectors have to cooperated together to successfully reduce the number of road accidents during the New Year’s “Seven Dangerous Days”. This period will be from December 29th to January 4th.

Mr. SERMSAK yesterday (Dec. 9th) handed the road accident prevention policy during the upcoming New Year’s Festival to the government officials in 19 northeastern provinces of Thailand. They included provincial governors, deputy governors, district chiefs, police commanders, provincial CEOs, mayors, and other related government agencies.

The Deputy Minister of Interior said all provincial officials have to be geared up to implement the road accident prevention policy effectively. He said the goal is to reduce the number of road accident victims by 15 percent from last year. Checkpoints will have to be set up, while public relations activities will be carried out to all communities. Thus, every sector would be able to work in a more integrated manner.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 10 December 2005

[juggler]

How about introducing drink driving bans and enforcing the law with breathalyzers. I know this point has been raised before, but i didn't pay much attention to it untill coming back home last night, around 2AM. In the taxi driving us from khao san area back to don muang we say three seperate accidents along the way. First one nearish to khoa san. Police and ambulance there. Looked pretty bad with loads about 20 or 30 people on the scene. My guess is that it was a motorcylce crash. Maybe death.

Next crash was on the elevated part of wippawadi road next to central lard prao. One of the lanes was closed as a car had spun out and crashed in to the side of the road. Luckily the guy was out of his car and no other cars were invoved, but it had me and my girlfriend thinking,,,,,hmmmmmmmm, two crashesh, not goood.

Lastly, 5 or 10 km down the road, more flashing lights and on approach we were waved into one of the outer lanes, uesd to transfer to the local roads (this is a big road with about 5 lanes, the one under the expressway linking the airport to the city) This accident was the real shocker, with one car overturned and another spun out, petrol over the floor. More shocking was the fact the police were still arriving. If we had left khao sarn road five or ten minutes earlier..........

I was a little suprised by the taxi driver, who on driving past, laughed and said something like kon die leo (people dead) - i certainly didn't see the funny side!...Anyhow, i asked him if every friday and saturday night saw accidents like this and he told us he did. We talked about whether people fall asleep at the wheel or are drunk. Although it's surely a mix of the two in reality, he blamed "drunk" for the accidents mostly, and racing ofcourse.

I can't see the situation here changing much untill, like another poster suggested in another thread, some tough laws are passed. Recently, it seems too many unneccesary laws are being pushed in Thailand, which seem to be of no significant benefit (just MHO). I think a heavy heavy fine for drink driving, with the chance for some jail time thrown in somehow, maybe for repeat offenders (whats the point in taking away a driving license when it's not really that important to have one in the first place?) might be a way of curbing this problem.

rant over

[sonthaya]

I beleive most days of the year are dangerous on the roads in Thailand, but I can see the point of excessive drinking during the holidays makes it even more dangerous.

[Schmuddel]

What do you expect when even the cops arrive drunk at the scene.

[Scott]

I get a fair amount of time off around Christmas/New Year, but never go anywhere because it is so dangerous (and crowded). Not worth the effort, so I stay pretty close to home.

Problems are:

1. Drunk drivers

2. Unlicensed drivers (drivers who actually don't know how to drive)

3. Speeding

4. Extremely poor enforcement of any laws.

[qualtrough]

I used to travel fairly frequently late at night from Victory Monument up to Lumlukka. It was very rare not to pass the scene of at least one serious accident on those trips. While driving in the day is hazardous, late at night is extremely so, and best avoided unless absolutely necessary. Then again, it is not unusual to find drivers drinking beer or whisky for breakfast in roadside restaurants, so you will still be contending with drunks in the daytime, along with the other sober but careless/reckless drivers...If you live here it is one of the things you should be aware of so that you can take appropriate precautions.

[Nignoy]

I used to travel fairly frequently late at night from Victory Monument up to Lumlukka. It was very rare not to pass the scene of at least one serious accident on those trips. While driving in the day is hazardous, late at night is extremely so, and best avoided unless absolutely necessary. Then again, it is not unusual to find drivers drinking beer or whisky for breakfast in roadside restaurants, so you will still be contending with drunks in the daytime, along with the other sober but careless/reckless drivers...If you live here it is one of the things you should be aware of so that you can take appropriate precautions.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

But this is not just a thai problem folks!! , visit us here in sunny queensland,last friday night the police collected over 50 driving licences for drunken driving and we are just a sleepy little town north of brissie, we have at least 3 traffic deaths a week in our area it can go upto 8 if we include the main highway 10 kms away,if Oz drivers hold true to form there will be at least 120 traffic deaths in australia over the christmas and new year period, when you think there are more registered vehicles in bangkok than in the whole of australia, always drive when we are in thailand which is now at least 6 months of every year,feel a lot safer there than here in queensland, and as far as drunken and corrupt police goes, the thai police can take lessons off queenslands finest.Of course there are lots of accidents in Bangkok , there is lots of &lt;deleted&gt; traffic, but what is the excuse for multiple accidents and deaths on roads where there is hardly any traffic!! sorry about getting on my soapbox , but it is the same everywhere!! Nignoy