EDITORIAL
We must stop using Songkran as an excuse
The Nation

Road carnage year-round shows failure of law enforcement on a daily basis

BANGKOK: -- Think of Songkran and two things immediately come to mind: water-splashing fun and deadly road accidents. Midway through the "Seven Dangerous Days", dozens have been killed in auto accidents, snuffing caretaker Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra's hopes for "seven days of happiness".

Worse, the number of road accidents has risen. The first three days of the festival, Friday through Sunday, saw 1,539 accidents, compared with 1,446 last year. No surprise, then, that injuries rose from 1,526 in 2013 to 1,640 this year.

The number of deaths - 161 - is thus far lower than last year's 174, but that could easily change by the end of the festival.

The major causes of accidents remain unchanged. We know them well: drunk driving, speeding, and failure to wear helmets or safety belts. Each is longstanding and preventable, but we lack the determination and collective will to tackle them.

Instead there is a tendency to shrug shoulders at the annual tragedy, as if it were an inevitable downside of the national holiday. In fact, people are killed in auto accidents every day in Thailand, whose roads rank as the 6th most deadly in the world.

The spike in accidents over Songkran should be taken seriously, but road safety should be a concern year-round. The death toll over the festival period last year was 321, accounting for just 1.2 per cent of the 26,000 people killed in road accidents every year in Thailand. In fact, the numbers of road users killed outside festival periods is not much lower. Meanwhile 90 per cent of all accidents involve motorcycles or pickup trucks.

Since 1996, motorcyclists and their passengers have been required by law to wear helmets, but only 43 per cent of them complied last year, down from 46 per cent in 2012. More shocking still, only 7 per cent of child passengers wear a helmet, according to the Thai Roads Foundation. The result is that Thailand ranks among the top five countries in the world for annual motorcycle-related deaths.

All motorcyclists should wear helmets, and not because doing so is mandatory, but because it can save their life. Likewise, drivers of pick-up trucks and their passengers should belt up out of real concern for their own safety rather than anxiety over breaking the law.

It would help, of course, if the laws were more strictly enforced. Meanwhile we need more severe penalties for drunk drivers, another major cause of road accidents. Slapping a 10-year driving ban on anyone caught drunk at the wheel would cut the accident rate dramatically.

But the battle for safer roads must be waged collectively, by government, the law and the public. With our thoroughfares among the top-10 deadliest in the world, road safety must be made a national priority. Big corporations - especially manufacturers of motorcycles and autos and those who sell alcohol - should do their bit. There is no excuse for inaction when we already know the major causes of accidents. The battle against them needs to be waged every day, not just over the Songkran period.


-- The Nation 2014-04-16

Didn't someone point out that the average daily death toll over Songkran is lower than the annual average?

"But the battle for safer roads must be waged collectively, by government, the law and the public."

Pretty much sums up things......nothing will change much with a ...1. Usless and careless Government.....2. Useless police force and 3. The public are pathetic and again, careless.

One good way maybe is to have a complete alcohol ban during Songkran impose stiff penalties with incentives for the police and army to enforce it. Also shorten the Songkran holidays to one day. *thais have too much holidays anyway......totally unproductive country!) . And also increase the taxes on alcohol even more. Impose a new driving license criteria and also more stringent checks on drivers of buses and commercial vans etc. As for the motorbikes, we all know that the various Japanese companies are paying huge amounts of under table monies to the authorities....its about time to increase the taxes on motorbikes by about 500% so as to limit the number fo bikes on the roads....there is already too much on the roads and most iof these drivers are uneducated and mentally underdeveloped and lack safety driving skills, clean up the roads I say. And street kids driving bikes illegally or cuaght racing, lock them up for a longer time and impose penaties like community services aftre serving a long prison time plus confistication of their bikes which can be auctioned off to raise funds for community projects.

Try these things if not do not waste time and monies for stupid campaigns.

This article makes good points but their already are laws in place to tackle the violators of these traffic laws. The RTP use these laws to fatten their wallets though. Part of the reason noone cares to wear helmets is that there is only a small fee to pay if you are caught and no records to show you have been caught many times. If they want to get people to follow any law then first the law enforcers need to stop taking payoffs and bribes. Lead by example and set an example for others to follow. Only then will people use their privilege to drive with regard to the laws for it.

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The major causes of accidents remain unchanged. We know them well: drunk driving, speeding, and failure to wear helmets or safety belts.

uhhh, what about big boys throwing bucket fulls of water at vehicles, including knocking down moving motorbikes. In any non-3rd world country, that would be assault.

I already knew that for this week, I can't ride my motorbike or bicycle, but even driving my car entails dealing with water repeatedly splashed on my windshield. I'm a careful and slow driver, so I didn't crash, but how many Thais drive well? Perhaps 0.4%?

Re; alcohol ban. Does it do any good? Doubtful. If punks want to get fermented sugar, they'll get it. No ploblem.

Interesting that the man appointed to lead Thailand's 'War on Drugs' isn't dealing at all with Thailand's #1 problem drug: Alcohol. Could it have anything to do with the fact that whiskey and wine are his drugs of choice? Naww, there can't be a correlation. Perhaps it has more to do with the fact that all his mafia-wanna-be buddies and his politician friends guzzle alcohol. It's akin to the reason there are no property taxes in Thailand. Why would rich property owners enact a law which adversely affects themselves? Similarly, why would Thai politicians enact legislation which restricts their personal favorite drug? Chang and Singha are two of the richest corporations in Thailand. You can bet their execs have friends in high places.

The Thai press pontificating again about all the things that are wrong with no idea about how to fix it. Law and law enforcement guys.

Blah blah blah... Can't find anything to write about...

Didn't someone point out that the average daily death toll over Songkran is lower than the annual average?

You believe the daily figures issued during Songkran and New Year?

One good way maybe is to have a complete alcohol ban during Songkran impose stiff penalties with incentives for the police and army to enforce it. Also shorten the Songkran holidays to one day. *thais have too much holidays anyway......totally unproductive country!) . And also increase the taxes on alcohol even more. Impose a new driving license criteria and also more stringent checks on drivers of buses and commercial vans etc. As for the motorbikes, we all know that the various Japanese companies are paying huge amounts of under table monies to the authorities....its about time to increase the taxes on motorbikes by about 500% so as to limit the number fo bikes on the roads....there is already too much on the roads and most iof these drivers are uneducated and mentally underdeveloped and lack safety driving skills, clean up the roads I say. And street kids driving bikes illegally or cuaght racing, lock them up for a longer time and impose penaties like community services aftre serving a long prison time plus confistication of their bikes which can be auctioned off to raise funds for community projects.

Try these things if not do not waste time and monies for stupid campaigns.

Perhaps a worldwide ban on happiness is the way. If everyone is too depressed to leave the house, there should be far fewer accidents

The Thai press pontificating again about all the things that are wrong with no idea about how to fix it. Law and law enforcement guys.

What does the second sentence say?

Strict, consistent law enforcement – which is missing in Lack of Sanctions (LOS) – brings down DUI incidents. In countries with Rule of Law a drunk driver can b e penalized with jail if they repeat driving under the influence (and get caught).

Penalties usually start with a big fine, loss of driving privileges – even 1^st offense – and can result in jail time. By jail time I don’t mean a day or two.

But TIT and no consequences exist and the police are off doing….. not sure what. And the Thai people say it’s their RIGHT to drive on any road in their country. So gathering stats, writing articles etc. are really a waste of time.

A friend of mine reiterates Thailand is changing/developing….. but I really have difficulty seeing it.

They talk about this every year and when Songkran passes so does the rhetoric.

Look at it as culling the herd. It improves the genetic pool.

One good way maybe is to have a complete alcohol ban during Songkran impose stiff penalties with incentives for the police and army to enforce it. Also shorten the Songkran holidays to one day. *thais have too much holidays anyway......totally unproductive country!) . And also increase the taxes on alcohol even more. Impose a new driving license criteria and also more stringent checks on drivers of buses and commercial vans etc. As for the motorbikes, we all know that the various Japanese companies are paying huge amounts of under table monies to the authorities....its about time to increase the taxes on motorbikes by about 500% so as to limit the number fo bikes on the roads....there is already too much on the roads and most iof these drivers are uneducated and mentally underdeveloped and lack safety driving skills, clean up the roads I say. And street kids driving bikes illegally or cuaght racing, lock them up for a longer time and impose penaties like community services aftre serving a long prison time plus confistication of their bikes which can be auctioned off to raise funds for community projects.

Try these things if not do not waste time and monies for stupid campaigns.

Who are you trying to kid? Apathy and greed know no bounds in this country.The collective attitude is "Never Mind".

I have a sure fire cheap way to prevent the annual carnage that is Songkran.

Celebrate the damn holiday on the same day everywhere and stop this stupidity of people rushing home to celebrate and then rushing back to where they live to celebrate again

A friend of mine reiterates Thailand is changing/developing….. but I really have difficulty seeing it.

There are those here that never take off their blinders and repeat the same nonsense everyday.

Thailand is changing. Thailand is developing. Thailand is not xenophobic.

But they are the same people the Thais like. They believe the BS.

One good way maybe is to have a complete alcohol ban during Songkran impose stiff penalties with incentives for the police and army to enforce it. Also shorten the Songkran holidays to one day. *thais have too much holidays anyway......totally unproductive country!) . And also increase the taxes on alcohol even more. Impose a new driving license criteria and also more stringent checks on drivers of buses and commercial vans etc. As for the motorbikes, we all know that the various Japanese companies are paying huge amounts of under table monies to the authorities....its about time to increase the taxes on motorbikes by about 500% so as to limit the number fo bikes on the roads....there is already too much on the roads and most iof these drivers are uneducated and mentally underdeveloped and lack safety driving skills, clean up the roads I say. And street kids driving bikes illegally or cuaght racing, lock them up for a longer time and impose penaties like community services aftre serving a long prison time plus confistication of their bikes which can be auctioned off to raise funds for community projects.

Try these things if not do not waste time and monies for stupid campaigns.

Assuming that is not a p1ss take. (I find it hard to read it otherwise.)

You really don't have a clue do you? As for describing local people as uneducated and mentally underdeveloped I suggest you return to your tutonic Aryan aristocratic wonderland sooner rather than later.

"We must stop using Songkran as an excuse"

We must stop "Mai pen Rai", "I didn't know" or "Saving Face" as an excuse...

Didn't someone point out that the average daily death toll over Songkran is lower than the annual average?

26.000 / 52 weeks = 500

The poor law enforcement always takes the brunt of this year after year. Where I live I see road blocks and police chasing down revelers constantly while trying to be cordial to the people. I wish they'd use their batons more.

What else can you do to stop millions acting like stupid monkeys other than banning alcohol during the whole month of April? I'm not sure they have the resources to do any more.

It's the uneducated people who should know better than acting like unsupervised children. The typical culture here is always 'act stupid until caught or dead'.

I can't believe I actually feel sorry for the poor police.

Didn't someone point out that the average daily death toll over Songkran is lower than the annual average?

You believe the daily figures issued during Songkran and New Year?

I believe I can fly

Didn't someone point out that the average daily death toll over Songkran is lower than the annual average?

26.000 / 52 weeks = 500

There are no cars on the roads, so how can there be accidents?

This is a good article and raises several valid points, I think it's fair to say that most posters here appreciate what the problems are and what may be required to rectify a intolerable situation. It is not only that alcohol is readily available, that there is inadequate training for drivers, or that the policing of the roads is lax. It is a combination of these and many more contributing factors that delivers the carnage on our roads every (and all) year. Yes it is correct that existing laws are in place to deal with the standard of road use, but if the relevant agencies are not diligent in enforcing the current laws... I have quoted a previous post from a short time ago in a related thread,

"What's my point? As long as they allow people who have never ridden a motorbike to hire one, as long as they allow school children to drive on busy roads with 2 or even 3 pillion passengers, as long as they allow unskilled and untrained drivers to be in control of heavy commercial vehicles then there will be fatalities on the roads every day. Somebody, someday has to take a look at the stats and say "Enough is enough" There must be a cultural change in how we use the roads!

Perhaps one day when there is a government that is not hell bent on plundering the economy, but has a conscience and a sense of duty to the people that have elected them and pay their wages, they may actually form a committee of experts that will come up with some immediate and effective changes to the current laws.

Goodness knows we need them now..."

The existing situation will not change any time soon, as long as the incumbent government (from whatever side of the fence) continues down the same weary road nothing will change "If you do what you have always done, you will get what you have always got" There must be a cultural change to how Thai governments approach their responsibilities and duties.

When they start "demanding" the enforcement of currently existing law's, when they tighten up the processes for both owning and using vehicles on Thai roads, when they bring the training and licensing requirements into the 21st century, and when they seriously look at the general standard of education for the next generations then we have a chance. Thailand has a fantastic future in front of it if subsequent governments have the right attitude and an appreciation of why they are there, if the education standards can be improved year on year then ALL facets of Thai life will be improved, not just the country's road stats.

I might not be around long enough to see it happen, but it would be good to see someone make a start...

"It would help, of course, if the laws were more strictly enforced. Meanwhile we need more severe penalties for drunk drivers, another major cause of road accidents. Slapping a 10-year driving ban on anyone caught drunk at the wheel would cut the accident rate dramatically."

Hell if I was determined to drive here I would only need to supply the 1500 bht to the women on my soi and she would supply

a Thai license , thank you very much

Whether or not the revelers have access to alcohol is a secondary consideration. It's like blaming the dog chow, for the dog ripping up the couch.

Thais need to get an added dose of maturity, and learn new paradigms about what courtesy is. Courtesy is more than waiing your grandparents, or whatever else they wai. It's more than being respectful to Sangha and Royalty. Courtesy manifests while driving, and while interacting with other people in non prescribed ways.

Example: When I'm driving on a very narrow road, and another car is is approaching. If I'm Thai, I slow, but keep driving. If I'm farang, I pull over and let the other person pass. Either way, I give a modest wave to the other driver, as acknowledgement. Thais don't have that. Same with phoning. If someone calls me, and its a wrong number, I don't immediately hang up, Thai style. I ask what number they're calling, or some sort of helpful babble.

Parents and teachers need to help youngsters segue towards being better people. It's not enough to claim to respect the Sangha and Royalty. Decency needs to come from within, and emanate to all people. High status and low. Ideally there wouldn't be such profound stratification, in Thai peoples' minds, about status, and appearance. But that's indelible.

And when the whole world is a nanny state - where will you go then?

Road deaths are shocking - the solution is to start training children at school.

It will take time to do but it can be done.

everyone in vietnam wears a helmet religiously when riding a bike or a passenger on a bike

, dozens have been killed in auto accidents, snuffing caretaker Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra's hopes for "seven days of happiness".

Oh damn. They all died and spoiled Yinglucks marketing.

How on earth did they tie these two issues like that? What has Yinglucks wish got tondo with it? Its been carnage for years.

Just think for one moment, if the Thai education standard was that of say Germany or Holland and had been for fifty years, would this road carnage on a daily basis be accepted , and would the tally for the SongKran be the yearly total , now think , the reason why lots of things happen in Thailand is because of the dumb down education system, other countries use this to great advantage also.