First of 7 dangerous New Year holidays see 39 killed, 399 injured in road accidents

[lostmebike]

Having driven north with the family myself for Christmas and the new year, I can tell you first hand, there are plenty of idiots on the roads. Small men driving big, SUV's with an even bigger attitude.

Be safe and good luck to those that head out on to the roads.

[marko kok prong]

saw a girl today,maybe 10 years old driving motorsai,with two younger siblings,on back,she could hardly operate it,no road sense,nearly got cleaned up by a cane truck,what the hell are the parents thinking,letting her go out on it,but i spose Budda care!

[falangadang]

After the holidays there will be the usual committees set up, no doubt with huge expense allowances, to discuss what went wrong, but again as usual nothing will happen.

Let the givernment delegate road safety to a team of safety experts with authority to act.. Introduce meaningful penalties to all motorists breakling the law YEAR ROUND. Make young drivers LEARN how to drive and take a proper test...TOO late for the current drivers. They can be fined into action!

And above all punish the police who fail to take action against everyone who breaks the law. Stop the kids on motorbikes, make everyone wear a helmet, and punish severely those motorists who NEVER NEVER move from the outside lane of dual carriageways!

Better still, make it an INTERNATIONAL team of safety experts...

.... oops, NO!.... that would mean inviting advice from Farangs - and THAT would never do !!

Yeah, cos Farangs never drink and drive, never drive dangerous and never have accidents.

Why can't these pesky Thais be more like us?

Nearly every Farang I know who drinks alcohol and rides a motorbike or drives a car in Thailand, does so whilst way over the drink drive limit on a regular basis, and stick to the speed limits, yeah right, of course they do.

In 2010 1.4 Million Americans were arrested for DUI, not all were of Thai descent surely.

http://www.rita.dot.gov/bts/sites/rita.dot.gov.bts/files/publications/by_the_numbers/drunk_driving/index.html

Many posters on this website are so anti Thai they forget the mess that is their home countries that they chose to leave in order to come to Thailand.

No,... the west isn't perfect but your referencing is way out of whack when considering the overall picture.

Deaths/injuries per 1,000 and also the number of accidents,.. over 80% as a generality are motorcyclists not wearing helmets and drunk (not just DUI).

In Australia yes we have many DUI cases and other idiots causing fatalities but nowhere near the ratio we see here.

Like many western countries the road policing has gone to the extremes and we have coppers who are not motivated by bribes (that's a good thing) but are hell bent on raising revenues and out on the hunt for any minor little things that they can give motorists canings and big fines for. It's gone completely too far and there is a lack of fair policing and balanced governance.

That said,... I will say that I have seen many farangs here driving like complete idiots (especially on motor cycles). They drive without helmets and in the middle of the road in the middle lane of a 3 lane highway on a scooter as though they're on a Harley and they dont give any signals either. Big bike riders aren't much better with their racing in and out of traffic as though they're at Silverstone raceway without giving two hoots what anyone else is doing.

The problem isn't so much the Thais,.. but the Thai authorities who carry with the lofty title of office a burden of responsibility to making Thailand a safer and better place to live for its citizens. In this regard they fail dismally and it is these Thai officials that I for one am willing to unashamedly give a bashing to any day of the week as they deserve it!

[LuckyLew]

They had better get those monks from Chumpon to work a little overtime ...

[slapout]

The Thaland road death toll figures are calculated by most of those with access to real numbers as 26.000+ per year. I believe that is somewhere around 70+ per day.

Every year we are subjected to the "7 dangerous/deadly days". count of this holiday seazon and each year we see figures well below the everyday toll. Combine this with the apparent lack of improvement in road fatilities count, maybe they should just quote the amount of baht injected into the local tills for the average cost for funeral expenses. Just maybe this number would get some notice, at least by the commerace Department.

The only postive suggestion I have seen for the drivers this year is the instruction to "turn on your headlamps" during the daytime. Of course this was for political reasons, but sometime a brain fart will result in a positive outcome.

[Felt 35]

The Thaland road death toll figures are calculated by most of those with access to real numbers as 26.000+ per year. I believe that is somewhere around 70+ per day.

Every year we are subjected to the "7 dangerous/deadly days". count of this holiday seazon and each year we see figures well below the everyday toll. Combine this with the apparent lack of improvement in road fatilities count, maybe they should just quote the amount of baht injected into the local tills for the average cost for funeral expenses. Just maybe this number would get some notice, at least by the commerace Department.

The only postive suggestion I have seen for the drivers this year is the instruction to "turn on your headlamps" during the daytime. Of course this was for political reasons, but sometime a brain fart will result in a positive outcome.

Agree they should drop this "dangerous days" announcement at Songran and New year because it start to look like its a springboard to be idiot+ for a few days.

[Briggsy]

I went past what looked suspiciously like a dead body at the scene of a multiple vehicle incident on the 7 Motorway about 40 km north of Pattaya. Motorcyclist, no helmet, at one of those dual-purpose entry and exit "Russian Roulette if you don't give way" points. That one may be chalked up tomorrow.

[metisdead]

Some posts in which flames were issued inside the quoted post have been removed:

4) Not to flame fellow members.Flaming will not be tolerated. 'Flaming' is defined as posting or responding to a message in a way clearly intended to incite useless arguments, to launch personal attacks, to insult, or to be hateful towards other members. This includes useless criticism, name-calling, swearing and any other comments meant to incite anger.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

My wife and I were traveling between Sakon Nakhon and Udon on the highway today...

Must have passed a dozen or more police or govt checkpoints along the way with their tents and equipment set up. But from morning to mid afternoon, we didnt see a single one actually staffed or in operation...

Maybe they only come out at night.

[mrtoad]

Have made a couple of trips today around the island. Now safely back at home. I have witnessed moronic driving of cars and motorbikes from both tourists and Thais. Really is unsafe with the way these morons drive around. If the BIB actually enforced laws properly, it would be far safer.

[paz]

I doubt that anybody will pay much attention to what I'm saying, but I'll try anyway.

People routinely blames poor driving, but facts show a different reason:

The high death rate in Thailand is mostly due to the fact that motorbikes are so numerous, unlike any other country that is being compared. If there were statistics separating motorbike and non-motorbike accidents and casualties, one would see that Thailand ranking similarly to developed countries of the world.

Drunk driving was identified as the cause of 30.36 percent of road accidents followed by 23.47 percent of reckless driving

That is bad enough, should be improved but is still similar to statistics from any country of the world.

Motorcycles were involved in most accidents accounting for 81.82 percent of the accidents followed by pick-up trucks with 7.37 percent.

In my European country, driving is much more aggressive, and I see many more traffic violations. Most cars show previous accident damage. But, altough there are many motorcycles, there aren't as many as in Thailand, so not so many deaths.

A fender bender accident between cars, easily kills or permanenty disables one or two motorcyclist.

Before blaming on the "no helmet / cheap helmet", please be aware that many motorbike accidents are basically not survivable anyway, due to neck/spine injury and/or massive trauma.

All that said by a passionate motorcyclist. If you and your dears only travel in cars, you really do not have to worry much.

One day, with the futher economic development, Thailand will probably achieve better driving records, more cars, less motorbikes and less traffic deaths. Also will have more pollution, more traffic, and less personal freedom of movement.

[paz]

5 dead in the protests...........39 dead in road accidents and more to come unfortunately.

And then people complain about the protests!!!!!!!

Well you know, accident are accidents, killings and attacks to democracy are deliberate actions.

You will also find that cancer kills many more, do we want to forgive homicides because of that ?

[DrTuner]

Strange it's 39 and 399. bit like 399bht for a shirt sale, down from 400 bht. figures given are a coincidence ???................these are again died at the scene ??? how many of the 399 injured, that died later will be added to the second days total ???? and so on.

Time to play the lottery. You know the number.

[apetley]

I doubt that anybody will pay much attention to what I'm saying, but I'll try anyway.

People routinely blames poor driving, but facts show a different reason:

The high death rate in Thailand is mostly due to the fact that motorbikes are so numerous, unlike any other country that is being compared. If there were statistics separating motorbike and non-motorbike accidents and casualties, one would see that Thailand ranking similarly to developed countries of the world.

Drunk driving was identified as the cause of 30.36 percent of road accidents followed by 23.47 percent of reckless driving

That is bad enough, should be improved but is still similar to statistics from any country of the world.

Motorcycles were involved in most accidents accounting for 81.82 percent of the accidents followed by pick-up trucks with 7.37 percent.

In my European country, driving is much more aggressive, and I see many more traffic violations. Most cars show previous accident damage. But, altough there are many motorcycles, there aren't as many as in Thailand, so not so many deaths.

A fender bender accident between cars, easily kills or permanenty disables one or two motorcyclist.

Before blaming on the "no helmet / cheap helmet", please be aware that many motorbike accidents are basically not survivable anyway, due to neck/spine injury and/or massive trauma.

All that said by a passionate motorcyclist. If you and your dears only travel in cars, you really do not have to worry much.

One day, with the futher economic development, Thailand will probably achieve better driving records, more cars, less motorbikes and less traffic deaths. Also will have more pollution, more traffic, and less personal freedom of movement.

Take out the motorcycle figures and the Thai death rate on the roads is still about 6 times that of my home country the UK.

Sent from my GT-I9003 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[paz]

Take out the motorcycle figures and the Thai death rate on the roads is still about 6 times that of my home country the UK.

The UK has an extraordinarily low traffic death rate with 2,75 - congrats.

Now if we take another G7 country ar random eg France with 6.4 it compares with Thailand ratio of 40 overall but only 8 excluding motorbike related that are 4/5th of the total.

Source Wikipedia.

[edwinchester]

Take out the motorcycle figures and the Thai death rate on the roads is still about 6 times that of my home country the UK.

The UK has an extraordinarily low traffic death rate with 2,75 - congrats.

Now if we take another G7 country ar random eg France with 6.4 it compares with Thailand ratio of 40 overall but only 8 excluding motorbike related that are 4/5th of the total.

Source Wikipedia.

To do a fair comparison did you take motorcycle deaths out of the French rate?

[paz]

Take out the motorcycle figures and the Thai death rate on the roads is still about 6 times that of my home country the UK.

The UK has an extraordinarily low traffic death rate with 2,75 - congrats.

Now if we take another G7 country ar random eg France with 6.4 it compares with Thailand ratio of 40 overall but only 8 excluding motorbike related that are 4/5th of the total.

Source Wikipedia.

To do a fair comparison did you take motorcycle deaths out of the French rate?

Sure, let's say one third. So Frace's 6 is adjusted to 4, comparing to 8 or Thailand.

Twice as bad, but still much better of most other countries where there are virtually no motorcycles but are well into the double digits rate.

[edwinchester]

So now all that has to happen is educate the road users to respect the law and each other and over 20,000 thousand lives will not be needlessly wasted every single year.

[paz]

So now all that has to happen is educate the road users to respect the law and each other and over 20,000 thousand lives will not be needlessly wasted every single year.

What I'm afraid what you and most people fail to understand, is that considering the number of motorcyles in circulation, Thailand drivers would have to be multiples times better and law obeying than other countries to achieve the same levels of road safety.

[1ma]

Perhaps only allow Thais to operate buffalo and carts during every holiday period.

Though I guess the death toll would still be large due to machete attacks and people throwing 'explosive devices' at each other.

[Sunisalom]

I will be leaving the car in the garage for a few days, that's for sure. It's bad enough when they're sober...

I left my car to stand alone 27 years ago.

First imprssions last!

-m.

[Commander Tamson]

Think about it this way. As you read this there are about 300 people out there somewhere, watching television, eating noodles, talking on the phone, who don't realise that they will be dead by this time next week. A further 3,000 will see their lives changed forever.

Yip! That is one scary thought.

[Mrjlh]

Just curious, didn't 29 die at one time in a bus crash during this period? That it' self throws the numbers off. But anyone dying in a traffic accident is one too many.

[tilac2]

The comparison is between traffic accident rates outside of Thailand and in Thailand. It is irrelevant what foreigners do within Thailand because that would not be reflected in the accident rates.

The important thing to remember is that accident rates in Thailand are so high. What will be done about it?

After the holidays there will be the usual committees set up, no doubt with huge expense allowances, to discuss what went wrong, but again as usual nothing will happen.

Let the givernment delegate road safety to a team of safety experts with authority to act.. Introduce meaningful penalties to all motorists breakling the law YEAR ROUND. Make young drivers LEARN how to drive and take a proper test...TOO late for the current drivers. They can be fined into action!

And above all punish the police who fail to take action against everyone who breaks the law. Stop the kids on motorbikes, make everyone wear a helmet, and punish severely those motorists who NEVER NEVER move from the outside lane of dual carriageways!

Better still, make it an INTERNATIONAL team of safety experts...

.... oops, NO!.... that would mean inviting advice from Farangs - and THAT would never do !!

Yeah, cos Farangs never drink and drive, never drive dangerous and never have accidents.

Why can't these pesky Thais be more like us?

Nearly every Farang I know who drinks alcohol and rides a motorbike or drives a car in Thailand, does so whilst way over the drink drive limit on a regular basis, and stick to the speed limits, yeah right, of course they do.

In 2010 1.4 Million Americans were arrested for DUI, not all were of Thai descent surely.

http://www.rita.dot.gov/bts/sites/rita.dot.gov.bts/files/publications/by_the_numbers/drunk_driving/index.html

Many posters on this website are so anti Thai they forget the mess that is their home countries that they chose to leave in order to come to Thailand.

[yooper2001]

Thailand needs to first have a government that truly cares about it's citizens, then have a realistic plan how to Fire the transportation minister and Get rid of all the police and have thai military take control of the highways until a new police force can get proper training to know traffic rules and ticket offenders. There is not 1 thai citizen who respects a policeman. The police only look out for themselves and I have observed countless times where I have seen a policeman watch some driver break the law and do nothing about it. Then Thailand needs proper drivers training and not this stupid little driving course that only watches to see if you can back into a parking spot. I know of 2 people that bought a driving license and cannot drive a car. Then to top off all stupidity the government puts 1,000,000 first time car buyers on the road. This is a recipe for disaster. In my opinion this is a worse plan then the rice subsidy for the farmers. Forrest Gump could do a better job of running the government

[paz]

Thailand needs to first have a government that truly cares about it's citizens, then have a realistic plan how to Fire the transportation minister and Get rid of all the police and have thai military take control of the highways until a new police force can get proper training to know traffic rules and ticket offenders. There is not 1 thai citizen who respects a policeman. The police only look out for themselves and I have observed countless times where I have seen a policeman watch some driver break the law and do nothing about it. Then Thailand needs proper drivers training and not this stupid little driving course that only watches to see if you can back into a parking spot. I know of 2 people that bought a driving license and cannot drive a car. Then to top off all stupidity the government puts 1,000,000 first time car buyers on the road. This is a recipe for disaster. In my opinion this is a worse plan then the rice subsidy for the farmers. Forrest Gump could do a better job of running the government

I'm afraid that someone trying to implement even just one of the utopic ideas abobe would not last 1 hour in whatever gov.t postion.

By the way, Thailand has much bigger problems to solve than road safety.

[Lite Beer]

39 die on first of New Year's '7 dangerous days'
The Sunday Nation

Pathum Thani

BANGKOK: -- A total of 39 people were killed and 399 others injured in road accidents yesterday, the first day of the so-called "seven dangerous days" of the New Year holiday period, the Road Safety Centre announced.

With drunk driving considered the root cause of most accidents, provincial authorities set up checkpoints to screen drivers, including those responsible for public transport.

Transport Ministry inspector-general Chanchai Suwisuthakul said the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department's figures showed the numbers had increased from first-day figures last year, when 32 people were killed and 321 injured in 313 road accidents.

The major causes of accidents this year was drunk-driving, at 30 per cent, followed by speeding, at 23 per cent.

Of the accidents which occurred, 82 per cent involved motorcycles and 7 per cent involved pick-up trucks.

Some 2,200 checkpoints were manned by 62,780 officials around the country, with 73,944 violations recorded. Nearly 22,000 drivers failed to produce a licence and a similar number - 21,682 - motorcyclists were stopped for riding without helmets.

The highest number of accidents occurred in Phitsanulok and Samut Sakhon, with each recording 20, while the provinces with most deaths were Pathum Thani, Prachin Buri and Surat Thani, with three deaths each. Phitsanulok recorded the most injuries, at 23.

Horrendous traffic

Roads to the Northeast and the North were congested yesterday and bus stations were crowded, as people headed home for the New Year break.

Nakhon Ratchasima's Mitraparp Highway was paralysed with 10km-long tailbacks, forcing police to open special lanes and detours.

In Sa Kaew's Ta Phraya district an accident at 1am added to the traffic, with tailbacks of 5km to 10km. The accident was caused by a container lorry, which collided with another 10 vehicles in the opposite lane after its breaks failed.

Six people were slightly injured in the accident, the Ta Phraya police chief said.

The lorry driver reportedly fled the scene. Other vehicles involved in the incident included two vans, three pickups, three sedans, and a six-wheel truck.

The road eventually re-opened at 3pm after police investigations of the crash site were done, police said.

Caretaker Transport Minister Chadchart Sittipunt urged Land Transport chief Asdsathai Rattanadilok Na Phuket to put up signs warning motorists about accident-prone spots nationwide.

His comments followed an accident on Thursday in which 29 passengers died after the bus they were on skidded off a bridge and plunged 50 metres, killing 29 and seriously injuring four, in Phetchabun’s Lom Sak district.

-- The Nation 2013-12-29

[Sakeopete]

I remember a few years ago when Thaksin said he was going to reduce road deaths during Songkran. The local police were caught claiming a pickup truck accident with 6 dead as a lightning strike LOL. They didn't want big boss mad at them.

Similar to the claim that 200 000 chickens suddenly died of fright from lightning during the bird flu crisis.

[edwinchester]

So now all that has to happen is educate the road users to respect the law and each other and over 20,000 thousand lives will not be needlessly wasted every single year.

What I'm afraid what you and most people fail to understand, is that considering the number of motorcyles in circulation, Thailand drivers would have to be multiples times better and law obeying than other countries to achieve the same levels of road safety.

I fully understand that it will take a major change in attitude by both the Govt and population to reduce the tragic death toll here. For whatever reason such an attitude seems not to exist and until it does the carnage will continue which is both desperately sad and infuriating at the same time.

Happy New Year and keep safe.

[tartempion]

Well it's hopeless.

Friday (first of 7 dangerous days) drove to Udon Thani to buy some food until the craziness gets over.

It was bad driving with all these idiots who have no clue, useless to say more.

Decided to stay put until Jan 5, but our usual village restaurant was closed last night (Saturday) and wife suggested we drive to next one 12kms further. That was a bad choice. Luckily we made it safely, driving back home around 8pm was bad also.

Definitely won't get further that the village shop.