Travel safety on the roads in Thailand

[khrab]

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My driving CV:

Made my car license in the late 70s and driving within Germany/Europe. In the late 90s I bought an additional scooter (125ccm) to beat the traffic jams and rode it when ever possible (wheather!)

During that time I learnt a lot.

Bottom line. It doesn't matter if you drive a bike in Germany or Thailand, the result is the same,

BUT the reasons are totally different.

While the Thai car/pick-up/bus/truck driver doesn't care a sh##t about others, the German drivers are just not aware of a (125ccm) scooter. They look out for cars only because scooters and motorcycles are so rare on the streets of Northern Europe. And most of the few scooters are 50ccms anyway. So the car drivers don't "see" you and if so they have no idea about the speed such a vehicle can go.

Many times they threw still burning cigarette butts out of the car windows on me. I was just invisible.

Wearing always a good helmet forced me to turn my head left and right all the time to get the whole picture. The result was that I expected everything could happen, any time. I learnt to watch always the front wheel(s) of cars that could be a potential threat. This is the earliest indicator for any move to come.

I kept this routine ever since driving on 2 or 4 wheels:

You are invisible.

Look out for the front wheel(s).

And check ALL your mirrors as often as possible so you know any given moment if you can do an emergency stop, change the lane or have to divert into the ditch.

These rules take me pretty good through all traffics.

[LuckyLew]

Went out with gfs family recently..... cousin's hubby had a few Hong Thongs then got behind the wheel of a less than well-maintained car.... 140kph (minimum), passing either side of vehicles.... I did gently enquire whether he'd like me to drive, but he didn't seem to hear me. Maybe it was hard to get the voice to carry abobe the rattling and clanking of our trusty steed, or may I was using most of my energy clenching buttock muscles and did not expend energy doing anything else.

Lane changes were frequent, erratic and sometimes unplanned as the car lurched out of potholes and was thrown haphazardly across the road.

We arrived at our destination in one piece, and I guess the upside of it was that the drive did for me what recent and massive doses of laxative could not.

why would you have gotten in the car in the first place?

if you knowingly get in a car and you know the driver is on the sauce ..

well not too good of an ides on your part ... just my opinion

[stonbil]

The Thai transport ministry actually designs unsafe conditions. I travel between Bangkok, and Hua Hin and there is at least 20 "U-turns on 6 lane highway.... absolutely ridiculous.

On the lighter side,, I was telling my Thai wife that Nissan is designing a driverless car. I said they don't have to "design" it, Thailand has it already.

[Andre0720]

We sure do want Thailand to be like "home". Regulated, taxed, controlled in every conceivable way. No risk allowed whatsoever. Everyone has to be made to obey and bend to somebody else's will and concept of what the world ought to be like. The Western mantra is "There ought to be a law", and their lawbooks show it.

Roads have to be pothole-free, police have to be everywhere watching to make sure no one steps out of line, etc. etc. Some control freak who lives life full of fear of something being out of their control is making sure everyone else is living an "approved" lifestyle. We believe that the government is the source of all comfort and peace so we grow it until it consumes our livelihood through every conceivable form of taxation and regulation.

Why do people move to Thailand in the first place if it is so horrid a place to live, work, eat and drive? For instance, ever hear of defensive driving? I drive everywhere and yes, I have to keep my senses alert, but I can see trouble coming and work to avoid it. And I have never come close to having an accident and do not fear going out onto any road in Thailand.

There are many poor in Thailand and some families have only one motorbike. They use that one bike to move their family. I wouldn't do it but I certainly understand why Thais do it and I admire their determination to make the most out of what they have.

I love the Thais, I've read their history, I love living in Thailand and accept it for what it is. I do not belittle them and their customs and their attitudes toward life. But I do try to live by example and not moan, complain, whine and denigrate when I see something I don't like. God love the Thais for doing so much with the little they have.

I love it here and it is tiresome when I hear those who don't seem to.

I love Thailand and I love the people. I also love the way I can walk about in safety in Bangkok and Pattaya. I never walk about in the early hours of the morning. I never drink alcohol and always mind my own business, BUT, the Thai mentality on the roads is dreadful and absolutely disgraceful, I am not a Thai basher, but the truth must be told.

Thank you.

I agree that there are those drivers who have no regard for safety, which is (one of the reasons) why I practice defensive driving. I would rather put it this way..."The mentality of some Thais on the roads is dreadful and disgraceful", perhaps this is what you meant. I have seen the very same in the U.S. and refrain from painting all drivers as such. I believe the majority of drivers in Thailand are just as concerned with protecting life, limb and property while driving as anywhere else. By the way, ever been to Mexico? Talk about crazy drivers.

That said, I believe that education and social pressures will have the desired effect to reduce traffic accidents but maybe not fast enough to suit some. I once had to ride in a car with my brother-in-law. The experience caused me to refuse to ride in a car he was driving ever again. I commented (not in a condemning manner) to my wife that his driving caused me great discomfort and she promptly informed the entire family of my comments. He did not appear to be offended and I will assume that perhaps it has had an effect upon his driving habits. But he does not ask to drive anymore when I am along. Social pressures do have an effect when done in a considerate manner, especially among Thais.

''That said, I believe that education and social pressures will have the desired effect to reduce traffic accidents''

Would appear to me that if there was such a thing as education and social pressures regarding driving, the Thai people would be impervious to it.

The only thing that seems to 'educate' people regarding driving, is the fear of heavy fines. (Other countries are no different).

Thais have been educated about wearing a helmet.

But they wear them mostly to go through the regular police checkpoints to avoid a fine.

And then they remove them...

Countries where people have good driving behaviours, have strict police enforcements, and heavy fines.

[NoshowJones]

No government can do anything about it he said. He might as well just close his mouth as he made it clear that he has no idea what's going on. The government has everything to do with it. Maybe if the government did its best to improve the system so that most people would not be forced to live in poverty..maybe if they stopped robbing people..then maybe thais could afford more than one motosai for the entire family and would have more money in general to improve their lives regarding to safety issues.

Its not the one bike families who jump the red in their new 4WD pickup, it aint the 15 year old kids of these famlies tear themselves up on a weekly basis on charged-up 125cc bikes. Its people with a bit of cash.

The kid who died by launching himself from his fino over the bonnet of a car at 90 km/h without a helmet, his old man was one of the trusty BiB, minimum wager ? .. not.

I would say, money does play a part, but in reverse.

About 80% of driving requires common sense, and that applies to any country, but lovely honest people that the biggest majority of Thais are, they do lack badly in the common sense department, and that will never change.

However, a very small minority of these 15 year olds are legal, they are allowed to ride a motorbikes up to 100cc. It is very common for parents to give their motorbike keys to their ten year old children. Also, what you say about money is very true.

[TheNativeSon]

In plain English. ~ Do you mean that Thailand is not a safety "conscious" culture? You are definitely not a native English speaking person. Consciousness relates directly with "cognitive" processing ability. A Public Safety conscious society is developed only when the general public fears the punitive wrath of Public Safety law.

And, especially when those laws are diligently enforced, by a Public Safety "conscious" police force.

Anything less than that, as a beginning "cognitive processing" level is just plain "bs".

[TheNativeSon]

No government can do anything about it he said. He might as well just close his mouth as he made it clear that he has no idea what's going on. The government has everything to do with it. Maybe if the government did its best to improve the system so that most people would not be forced to live in poverty..maybe if they stopped robbing people..then maybe thais could afford more than one motosai for the entire family and would have more money in general to improve their lives regarding to safety issues.

Its not the one bike families who jump the red in their new 4WD pickup, it aint the 15 year old kids of these famlies tear themselves up on a weekly basis on charged-up 125cc bikes. Its people with a bit of cash.

The kid who died by launching himself from his fino over the bonnet of a car at 90 km/h without a helmet, his old man was one of the trusty BiB, minimum wager ? .. not.

I would say, money does play a part, but in reverse.

About 80% of driving requires common sense, and that applies to any country, but lovely honest people that the biggest majority of Thais are, they do lack badly in the common sense department, and that will never change.

However, a very small minority of these 15 year olds are legal, they are allowed to ride a motorbikes up to 100cc. It is very common for parents to give their motorbike keys to their ten year old children. Also, what you say about money is very true.

Public Safety consciousness has absolutely nothing to do with economic levels. The power elite has managed to pump every other "cultural" value possible, into the mentality of the dumb, driven herds of cattle, throughout the centuries. Why not include Public Safety values, as a major component of the programming process? It's a "no brainer" achievement. Begin the 1st. generation of "Public Safety Conscious" citizens @ the kindergarten level.

[TheNativeSon]

Public Safety consciousness has absolutely nothing to do with economic levels. The power elite has managed to pump every other "cultural" value possible, into the mentality of the dumb, driven herds of cattle, throughout the centuries. Why not include Public Safety values, as a major component of the programming process? It's a real "no brainer" achievement. Begin the 1st. generation of "Public Safety Conscious" citizens @ the kindergarten level, right now, in 2013.

[laurits]

In plain English. ~ Do you mean that Thailand is not a safety "conscious" culture? You are definitely not a native English speaking person. Consciousness relates directly with "cognitive" processing ability. A Public Safety conscious society is developed only when the general public fears the punitive wrath of Public Safety law.

And, especially when those laws are diligently enforced, by a Public Safety "conscious" police force.

Anything less than that, as a beginning "cognitive processing" level is just plain "bs".

Thailand is a Buddhist country where karma and dharma rules! You don´t get it, do you? Life is cheap here, you´ll get a new life when you die, they are not scared and stupid "Christian One Lifers" - they have all of eternity, right here, right now, do you understand this kind of consciousness?

I don´t think so...

[khrab]

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laurits

"...Life is cheap here, you´ll get a new life when you die..."

That's why there are so many stray dogs in Thailand.