Road Tolls In Thailand Among Highest In The World

[Calach]

As a scarred old biker, i'd just like to note that a huge number of the motorcycle-deaths will of course have been caused by car, truck and bus drivers, not any stupidity on the part of the bikers.

As a younger (I guess) biker, I'd say that one on a 2 wheeler, even in Europe, has to be conscious that a car is always a potential danger and to anticipate all the time that they will commit something dangerous and unexpected, and of course in Thailand they do more then elsewhere. But Thai 2 wheelers fly to their death.

[phutoie2]

We have a senior ranking Police man who likes to come and drink with the resident ex-pats on Fridays, mainly to practice his English language skills. He told us that next month is the Thai annual population reduction exercise. When asked to explain that, he just said Songkran.

[masuk]

I've often wondered why people here are so casual when it comes to flouting the law. One in three motor cyclists have no helmet, many are banked up on their bikes, mum, dad, two or three kids, no helmets, vastly under-aged kids riding motorbikes.

Then we get to motor vehicles, and it's so common, in fact usual, to see motorists running red lights, tailgating, overtaking on dangerous corners, pickups crowded with passengers on the back.

As for the poor pedestrian - the lowest form of life - where marked zebra crossings are usually ignored, and crossing a busy road such as Huay Kaew Rd in front of the shopping complex, it taking one big risk. Pity the poor tourist who thinks they have any sort of right of way on such a crossing.

What does all this boil down to? Total lack of respect for the law, OR fines nowhere near enough to worry anyone.

One day last week, at the RAM hospital corner, I saw 12 policemen of varying ranks, stopping motor cyclists and checking licences. I couldn't help wondering if they might not be doing a better job, patrolling zebra crossings, traffic lights, overloaded motor bikes.

If fines for minor infringements were a day's pay, and even more as the violation increases in its seriousness, people might actually stop and think about this. Adding a 'points system' to the fines which means repeat offenders have to walk or catch a bus for a year or two would also lower the accident rate.

The average western country has a number of disincentives for speeding, drunken driving, running red lights, and in the few instances where cameras are installed at lights, they're allowed to break down and left that way.

As it is, the fatalities in Thailand are at near-epidemic proportions, and as one reader has said, if it were SARS or similar, there would be panic.

Give the police the power to fine, and fine heavily. Ensure that all funds are paid direct to Treasury and not tea funds. Computerise the system and keep a track on points lost.

[walter@kirz]

Any info on a per capita comparison?

x/100000 = 26000/67000000 gives about 38.8 per 100000 population I think.

Well, that's what WHO calculated as well: ( http://www.who.int/violence_injury_prevention/road_safety_status/2013/data/table_a2.pdf )

But "Up to 26,000 people get killed in road accidents every year in Thailand, which puts the country on the 6th spot in terms of road casualties." is not true. Following the study, Thailand came out second (crossing out Niue with 1 person dead) after Dominican Republic. Thailand - hub of road accidents.

[carib102]

I've often wondered why people here are so casual when it comes to flouting the law. One in three motor cyclists have no helmet, many are banked up on their bikes, mum, dad, two or three kids, no helmets, vastly under-aged kids riding motorbikes.

Then we get to motor vehicles, and it's so common, in fact usual, to see motorists running red lights, tailgating, overtaking on dangerous corners, pickups crowded with passengers on the back.

As for the poor pedestrian - the lowest form of life - where marked zebra crossings are usually ignored, and crossing a busy road such as Huay Kaew Rd in front of the shopping complex, it taking one big risk. Pity the poor tourist who thinks they have any sort of right of way on such a crossing.

What does all this boil down to? Total lack of respect for the law, OR fines nowhere near enough to worry anyone.

One day last week, at the RAM hospital corner, I saw 12 policemen of varying ranks, stopping motor cyclists and checking licences. I couldn't help wondering if they might not be doing a better job, patrolling zebra crossings, traffic lights, overloaded motor bikes.

If fines for minor infringements were a day's pay, and even more as the violation increases in its seriousness, people might actually stop and think about this. Adding a 'points system' to the fines which means repeat offenders have to walk or catch a bus for a year or two would also lower the accident rate.

The average western country has a number of disincentives for speeding, drunken driving, running red lights, and in the few instances where cameras are installed at lights, they're allowed to break down and left that way.

As it is, the fatalities in Thailand are at near-epidemic proportions, and as one reader has said, if it were SARS or similar, there would be panic.

Give the police the power to fine, and fine heavily. Ensure that all funds are paid direct to Treasury and not tea funds. Computerise the system and keep a track on points lost.

In America (and I think in other Western countries) the fines and court costs for drinking and driving add up to 2-3 months wages. On top of that are community service requirements, loss of drivers PRIVILEGES for 6-24 months, 3 days to several months in jail and the social stigma associated with drunk driving. Until Thailand gets to this level (decades away at a minimum), nothing will change on the drunk driving front.

Now to address all the other issues with Thai drivers, driving in Thailand, and road fatalities in Thailand...oh nevermind, I don't have months to prepare a hundred thousand word treatise...let's just say that the blood will continue to run red on the roads for a very long time here in the LOS.

[akampa]

this topic is very close to all of us here on the forum and i have a very simply solution .

TEACH THE MOTHER F#@#@#@ERS HOW TO DRIVE

Edited March 18, 2013 by akampa