Bad, Bad Drivers: Who's to Blame for Bangkok's Traffic Problems?

[webfact]

Bad, Bad Drivers: Who's to Blame for Bangkok's Traffic Problems?
By Thitipol Panyalimpanun

BANGKOK: -- Hit-and-run rich kids in Ferraris, lane-hopping traffic jam jockeys, daredevil motocy sidewalk-surfers—here’s a look at how terrible Bangkok’s drivers really are.

Q&A



Pol Col Weerawit Wajjanapukka, chief of the Traffic Police Division's ticket information centre

What is the major cause of Bangkok’s traffic problems?
Many factors contribute to it. For starters, there are too many vehicles which automatically leads to congestion on our roads. Other hindrances include poor road conditions and heavy rain. But another significant problem that worsens traffic is bad driving habits. While we cannot do much to fix our city’s physical limitations, driving behavior is very easy to improve. So it’s a shame that instead of taking some responsibility, many drivers just make the problem worse. It’s important we make improvements now before traffic gets out of hand.

How bad is the problem?
Earlier this year, the BBC ranked Bangkok as the worst city for traffic. In second, I think, was Jakarta. That sums up how big and serious the problem is. It’s crucial that every relevant party helps each other. Another shocking statistic came from World Health Organization, which this year listed Thailand as number one for fatal road accidents in Southeast Asia. It’s been recorded that about 38 out of 100,000 people die from road accidents. This is a serious issue that needs society’s full attention. It will only get worse unless we come together now.

“It’s all down to a lack of responsibility and discipline from drivers.”

What are the most common situations causing traffic congestion?
We see it every day: many cars parking in restricted areas, driving in the wrong lane and not stopping at red lights only to clog up intersections. We get many complaints about public buses parking illegally, too. Sometimes it’s understandable because other cars are clogging up the left lane or, even worse, parking at bus stops. When a public bus can’t get to the bus stop, it has to stop in the next lane and ends up blocking the second lane, too. You see here how one little irresponsible action causes a chain reaction. One traffic problem on one street always affects the nearby roads, and it’s worse at rush hour. It’s all down to a lack of responsibility and discipline from drivers.

Full story: http://bk.asia-city.com/city-living/article/bad-bad-drivers-whos-to-blame-bangkok-traffic-problems

-- BK - Asia City Network 2013-12-06

[draftvader]

Wow, what a refreshing read. There are so many factors but I am pleased to see that this article contains an unusual amount of honesty and, fairly, reflective data.

[jpp2bkk]

One of the main problem is the police playing with traffic lights without coordination, it should be automatic.

[espinoza]

He is totally wrong. it's not lack of responsibility from the drivers. It's lack of responsibility from the government and the traffic authorities, as the police.

[Credo]

I could make so many comments, but I have so little time.

Even if the police made the most remedial attempt at enforcing traffic laws, the situation would improve immensely.

[kriswillems]

If you can drive like a madman just by paying 100B corruption money to the police - why would you follow the rules?

[mgjackson69]

The title of the article sort of shows the intent: Not to find a solution, rather to find someone/something to blame.

[VocalNeal]

He is totally wrong. it's not lack of responsibility from the drivers. It's lack of responsibility from the government and the traffic authorities, as the police.

He's wrong it is not all " It’s all down to a lack of responsibility and discipline from drivers" and I believe so are you.The primary problem is the bad design of the majority of road junctions, cars entering and exiting at the same time as an example.

Then there is the road design vis a vis the type of vehicle . Like giant pickups that take up 4 lanes to do a simple U turn. Like Borris and his SUV's in London I think giant pickups should be banned from the centre of bangkok, unless on course they are business vehicles with green plates..

OR non phased lights at junction close together. Sure most drivers here are selfish but that tends to happen in most places. There are some bad habits like stopping on yellow cross hatched junctions, trucks trying to drive into congested streets and blocking the junction but driving every day I still think road design at junctions is number one.

Yes in Bangkok BMTA should take over traffic management and re-instigate the computer traffic control that the police never used but even so.

Giving away 1 million eco cars didn't help! As 90% of them seem to be here!

I do not see any behaviour exhibited by drivers in particular that I do not see walking down the street.

[mca]

Look into my eyes......not around the eyes.................look into my eyes............you are getting very sleepy...........now listen carefully.......there are no traffic problems in Bangkok............policemen are your friends...............policemen are public servants..........from now on when you are stopped by a traffic officer you will think the 1000 baht note in your wallet is your driving license................OK. 3, 2, 1 you're back in the room."

[JoeThePoster]

I'm disappointed there's no announcement to introduce his naraak sidekick doll (in picture) at every intersection.

[kblaze]

cant be a standard issued police watch

[whybother]

If the police actually got out of their police boxes and directed traffic at intersections, stopping 3 lanes of turning traffic when there should only be 1, maybe the traffic would flow a bit better.

[CraigSchuler]

The statue in the background looks just like the chief!

[Cloggie]

If everybody bought a bicycle instead of a car, there would be no traffic problems.

[ezzra]

In general, Thai drivers are well behaved, the biggest issue I encounter time and time again

and again are people making a right hand turns in to driveway, parking, business and into

very small sois trying to sneak in on an oncoming a torrent of traffic, blocking all the

traffic behind them, ban all right hand turns unless it's a proper intersection or a controlled

traffic flows....

[hkt83100]

One idea might be to prohibit parents to show off their Benz, BMW, or Volvo by bringing the kids to school and pick them up with the priviate car. This adds thousands of cars twice a day. And the poor kids got no feet to walk, so the cars have to park two hours before school ands at the location nearest to the exit, engine running to keep the aircon on. What a nonsense!

[gerry123]

It’s important we make improvements now before traffic gets out of hand. 555???????????????

[Johnnie99]

“It’s all down to a lack of responsibility and discipline from drivers.”

He is absolutely correct. He just forgot to add "ability".

[Asiantravel]

It doesn't address the question of whose agenda is it to pack as many cars on the road as possible? And who is responsible for doing nothing about revising or upgrading driving licence and driving test standards?

[jacko45k]

One of the main problem is the police playing with traffic lights without coordination, it should be automatic.

I do agree....... whenever I am in a long tailback it is generally behind a junction where the lights are under police control. They seem to leave them for an extremely long time before changing, a single direction being held open for one or 2 stragglers while 3 others just wait, not very efficient. I have seen them pull a bike over and forget all about the lights!

[Johnnie99]

He is totally wrong. it's not lack of responsibility from the drivers. It's lack of responsibility from the government and the traffic authorities, as the police.

He's wrong it is not all " It’s all down to a lack of responsibility and discipline from drivers" and I believe so are you.The primary problem is the bad design of the majority of road junctions, cars entering and exiting at the same time as an example.

Then there is the road design vis a vis the type of vehicle . Like giant pickups that take up 4 lanes to do a simple U turn. Like Borris and his SUV's in London I think giant pickups should be banned from the centre of bangkok, unless on course they are business vehicles with green plates..

OR non phased lights at junction close together. Sure most drivers here are selfish but that tends to happen in most places. There are some bad habits like stopping on yellow cross hatched junctions, trucks trying to drive into congested streets and blocking the junction but driving every day I still think road design at junctions is number one.

Yes in Bangkok BMTA should take over traffic management and re-instigate the computer traffic control that the police never used but even so.

Giving away 1 million eco cars didn't help! As 90% of them seem to be here!

I do not see any behaviour exhibited by drivers in particular that I do not see walking down the street.

One can only hope that your post was either sarcastic or meant to be funny. We all laughed at it here. 'Bad design of the majority of road junctions' scored the highest and most vocal approbation.

[IDL]

One of the main problem is the police playing with traffic lights without coordination, it should be automatic.

A few years back I read an article on BKK-GOV employing a British team to come sort out the traffic light situation, to automate the bloody thing.

The story ended something like this:

"Hey, we are not paying the final bill, it doesn't work!"

"Excuse me? We left a skeleton crew behind for a few months to monitor performance of what we implemented, and almost all of the status entries I read stated that those bloated little fellas in brown uniforms had overridden the computers, at the most crucial times..."

"That is wrong, they are under instruction not to operate the lights manually..."

Whatta place

[Businessman]

So assuming that misbehaving drivers are part of the problem. .. my next question to the esteemed Col is... who's job is it to make these unruly drivers behave? ...Exactly! Then get to it ol chap.

[dave d]

How can we expect Thai drivers to understand when they have never been taught how to drive in the first place ,at least most farangs have had driving lessons,To learn common road sense. They need teaching first

[asean]

Look into my eyes......not around the eyes.................look into my eyes............you are getting very sleepy...........now listen carefully.......there are no traffic problems in Bangkok............policemen are your friends...............policemen are public servants..........from now on when you are stopped by a traffic officer you will think the 1000 baht note in your wallet is your driving license................OK. 3, 2, 1 you're back in the room."

That is the funniest thing i have read on TV ever!!

[robertthebruce]

Bad Bad Drivers, is not just contained to ''Bangkok' its the whole of Thailand..

Definetly not for the faint hearted..

[IAMSOBAD]

Terrible traffic is because of the terrible traffic police.

[IDL]

Terrible traffic is because of the terrible traffic police.

...largely, at least

[catweazle]

Look into my eyes......not around the eyes.................look into my eyes............you are getting very sleepy...........now listen carefully.......there are no traffic problems in Bangkok............policemen are your friends...............policemen are public servants..........from now on when you are stopped by a traffic officer you will think the 1000 baht note in your wallet is your driving license................OK. 3, 2, 1 you're back in the room."

Hilarious!!! Thanks for making my day!!!!!

[sprq]

Making the road traffic flow -- which is the issue here -- has almost nothing to do with what the police say or do, even if they are effectively in charge of that matter in Bangkok. The only thing that will make Bangkok's roads efficient is a total and comprehensive transportation plan for the city. That is how it works in London or Paris or New York, where getting around the city is relatively easy due to the massive provision of modern public transport in the forms of buses, subways and suburban trains and the limitation of road traffic by various measures.

In cities that are efficiently run, the police are merely enforcers of what the city planning authorities and politicians have planned and decided. But that kind of situation will never ever occur in Bangkok, therefore things will only get worse. It's third world incompetence, Thai-style.