Thai Transport Ministry to lower road mortality by 50% in the next 7 years

[PaullyW]

It's funny because most of us Westerners and probably plenty of more sophisticated Eastern countries (Korean, Japan, Singapore, etc.) just read these silly pronouncements knowing that so much more, fundamentally is required to bring about these grandiose changes Thais perpetually talk about.

 

It's truly one of the hallmarks of Thai culture: talking about extraordinary changes while overlooking the deep, fundamental changes that society must undergo rather than the quick and easy fix approach that Thais regulary think they are in a position to make.

 

The ENTIRE system

 

roads - maintenance?  lighting?  consistency?  

drivers - education, FACE, road superiority and abuse through reinforced feelings of superiority (I'm in an expensive car, so I will drive like a 'bat out of hell')

traffic engineers - u-turns on highspeed highway? overpasses that come out on the wrong side?  signage?

 

NEEDS TO CHANGE.

 

They just don't get it.  The rest of the world laughs silently.

 

Meanwhile the rest of the forum laughs loudly at your bombastic, Thai bashing comments ! 

Cheers

[jat1012]

Sooooo what's the plan ?

Only count every other death, ergo 50% reduction.

[semaritual]

Well it's good they know that they have to work on the statistic: nothing more will happen as they have no concept and not interested to change anything!

Some more dead or injured people, who cares. Sure not any of the ministries!

[GAZZPA]

Oh how blind they really are. Went to renew my driving license last week in Pattaya. I took the silly tests for colour blindness, depth perception and reaction time, it took me the whole of 2 or 3 minutes, anyone with functioning eyes and legs can pass, then hey presto new shiny license.

When applying for original license you have multiple choice, a video and about 5 minutes of actually driving as the practical. Basically in and out within a few hours most of it waiting around. I estimate you are actually only doing something for about 30 minutes. It is is ridiculously simple and easy and does not in anyway test that you are ready for driving either a motorbike or car on any road, anywhere,,,, any halfwit can see that.

Then once out on the road in you first car (4 litre, V6 Toyota Fortuner) you have that commercial entity responsible for enforcing the laws of the road, known here as the "police". I was told that there is not a word in Thai for "enforcement" and the closest translation would be "tea money".

The nett result is people hitting the roads (sometimes literally unfortunately) with no lessons, no experience, no effective testing and no enforcement of road laws, often in / on a vehicle completely unsuitable for a learner. Surely, any buffoon capable of dressing and feeding themselves can see this?!

So, tear down the test centre and start again. Stop issuing licenses without real lessons and test measures in place AND replace the "tea money" brigade with transport police who actually enforce the law, and let everyone know there are consequences for driving like a complete imbecile. Then and only then will the ridiculously claimed figure of 50% reduction in road deaths actually be acheiveable.

[EricBerg]

Some idiot produces more of the usual air and we all produce text. Wasting energy. ssdd

[GAZZPA]

these threads usually degenerate into a Thai slagging-fest, mostly by people who it seems know absolutely nothing about road safety,

I am reading through the posts and I don't conclude this is a "Thai slagging fest" as you put it. Some posts are delivered with an element of humour but by and large the content is credible and does not slur Thai people, just the system in place.

Do you agree / disagree with peoples observations here? for example inneffective enforcement, no real lessons, poor quality driving tests, no vehicle standards etc,

These points to me are certainly exacerbating the fatality statistics on Thai roads today.

[atyclb]

About the only thing they could successfully lower would be their IQ

[Angeledge777]

Normal, all those stupid drivers are going to end up dead within the next 7 years. The solution is simple, natural selection

[bigbamboo]

Suddenly putting an end to corruption seems a cinch.

[AbuBacon]

And they will achieve this how exactly? Ban roads?

Sent from my Lenovo A516 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[WhizBang]

Hot air, nothing more, as usual.

You will notice not a single word as to how they intend to actually achieve this magical and unrealistic goal.

I despair for Thailand.

[paulmw]

Forget tourist bus deaths, doubt they amount to 0.01% of the mortality rate. Don't bother about truck crashes, minibus crashes, car crashes etc. Enforce the motorcycle helmet law (even if it goes to tea money...) you will meet the target. Not rocket science.

Just to add to roamers post age to drive a motor bike or car? Never mind getting a driving licence.

[theslime]

14,000 deaths and only 5,000 to 6,000 injuries. In Oz its 4 deaths and 550 injuries, I wonder what Oz is doing wrong.

[thinknirmal]

How come it's not three months anymore?

[sms747]

Bring in a proper way to train drivers and most importantly an EFFECTIVE driving test to replace the mickey mouse one they have at the moment, and where even if you cannot pass that you can still buy the licence. The carnage on the roads is because people have not been taught how to drive, but are still given meaningless licenses.

[Thaddeus]

14,000 deaths and only 5,000 to 6,000 injuries. In Oz its 4 deaths and 550 injuries, I wonder what Oz is doing wrong.

What is Oz doing right would be a more pertinent question. (I know, well I hope, that is what you meant)

Possibly not riding four or more up on one bike and having protective head-gear.

[espinoza]

Somebody is confusing their ambitions with their abilities.

The square faced man publicly stated around 15 + years ago that he would personally solve Bangkok's traffic woes within the following 6 months.

It is now as bad as when he made that statement "if not worse"

Why do these fools open their mouths and confirm what many people already believe "that they are stupid brain dead cretins"

And to quote incorrect figures e.g. 14,000 died in 2012 (when in actual fact is double that figure as quoted here) further compounds the difficulty in achieving their stated objectives.

Thais are the worlds greatest talkers, talking about nothing, talking purely because they like to listen to their own voices 'and in the process spouting pure shyt.

Anyway, Thailand has already got the problem with drugs solved. There are not any illegal drugs present in the country. This former minister of justice promised to clean the country in three months. I did not hear anything about if he failed, so I suppose he did it.

[espinoza]

Somebody is confusing their ambitions with their abilities.

The square faced man publicly stated around 15 + years ago that he would personally solve Bangkok's traffic woes within the following 6 months.

It is now as bad as when he made that statement "if not worse"

Why do these fools open their mouths and confirm what many people already believe "that they are stupid brain dead cretins"

And to quote incorrect figures e.g. 14,000 died in 2012 (when in actual fact is double that figure as quoted here) further compounds the difficulty in achieving their stated objectives.

Thais are the worlds greatest talkers, talking about nothing, talking purely because they like to listen to their own voices 'and in the process spouting pure shyt.

Anyway, Thailand has already got the problem with drugs solved. There are not any illegal drugs present in the country. This former minister of justice promised to clean the country in three months. I did not hear anything about if he failed, so I suppose he did it.

[espinoza]

Somebody is confusing their ambitions with their abilities.

The square faced man publicly stated around 15 + years ago that he would personally solve Bangkok's traffic woes within the following 6 months.

It is now as bad as when he made that statement "if not worse"

Why do these fools open their mouths and confirm what many people already believe "that they are stupid brain dead cretins"

And to quote incorrect figures e.g. 14,000 died in 2012 (when in actual fact is double that figure as quoted here) further compounds the difficulty in achieving their stated objectives.

Thais are the worlds greatest talkers, talking about nothing, talking purely because they like to listen to their own voices 'and in the process spouting pure shyt.

Anyway, Thailand has already got the problem with drugs solved. There are not any illegal drugs present in the country. This former minister of justice promised to clean the country in three months. I did not hear anything about if he failed, so I suppose he did it.

[xen]

The only way you will achieve a lower fatality or injury rate on Thailand's roads is to make it a nanny state . And we all know that is not what we came for !

[jackr]

Transport Ministry to lower road mortality by 50% in the next 7 years

Well that will ultimately be up to the people, won't it? Are they going to personally educate all riders/drivers etc, because that's where the real problem lies, stupidity and not caring for one's actions.

[ozyjon]

How, they should re test everyone and give new driving licences to everyone, can't happen,, not in this country.

[theslime]

14,000 deaths and only 5,000 to 6,000 injuries. In Oz its 4 deaths and 550 injuries, I wonder what Oz is doing wrong.

What is Oz doing right would be a more pertinent question. (I know, well I hope, that is what you meant)

Possibly not riding four or more up on one bike and having protective head-gear.

Yes I didnt word that correctly, for every 4 deaths there are 550 injured. 14000 divided by 4=3500 x 550=1,925,000 injured.

[lonelyrw]

There are so much the ministers have to learn!

Roads have to be repaired everywhere.

Cars, Picups, Trucks and Motobiks have ti be scruteniced yearly.

Tyres and shockabsorbers at 80% of all cars are under safe conditions.

Drivers educations have to be stronger and also have to learn some of the safty rules in the traffic.

Very dangerous to be out in traffic for everybody. Especially for us farrangs. Please do something urgently, if you like to have Tourists coming! There are other more safe places to visit!

[transam]

WOW, the BiB are going to work at last.................

[millwall_fan]

7% in 50 years would be more realistic.

There would be enough money to mount a serious campaign, if they used the billion baht that was found in the permanent secretary to the transport departments house a year or so ago.

[Histavia]

Bandying about statistics is really just a waste of time....you are really just comparing apples with pears. For intance Australia's road safety is in reality rather bad, but this doesn't seem so if you just compared the stats with one other country of your choice.e.g. Thailand.

To improve road safety, Thailand must address ALL OF THE 5 "E"s...... Most posters here seem to think in terms of only one aspect or worse still think there is something intrinsically wrong with Thais as drivers.

[Histavia]

For my views on driving in Thailand see the OP on this thread...most of the rest is rubbish.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/680701-driving-in-thailand-perception-versus-reality/

[10Yen]

Drink driving needs clamping down on big time, last night 3 friends came round my house for a get together, all 3 drove here, all 3 drank far too much, all 3 drove when they left, they were not tipsy, they were drunk.

I thought Farangs knew better.

[Histavia]

Drink driving needs clamping down on big time, last night 3 friends came round my house for a get together, all 3 drove here, all 3 drank far too much, all 3 drove when they left, they were not tipsy, they were drunk.

I thought Farangs knew better.

Some of the worst drivers in Thailand are those arrogant farang who think they are innately superior to Thai drivers and insist on driving exactly as they did back home...which of course was very badly.