Thailand.. The land of spectacular car crashes

[eeeya]

First up.. I'm not bashing

But.. Every day on the news, be it television, news paper or internet, there is yet another story and accompanying photo of a car upside down, in a lake, up a tree, fallen off a bridge.. Actually nothing surprises me anymore.

Then there's the 30 min sob story, the injured in hospital, broken limbs, brain injuries, death. Families talking about the effect its had on their lives. Everybody watches, everybody sees the results.

Yet the crazyness continues. What will it take to get people to slow down and stop putting their lives to chance?

[giddyup]

Just saw a young lady on Thai television tonight whose restaurant and car were demolished, her husband killed and her 5 year old daughter a vegetable, all by an inexperienced speeding motorist who was allegedly racing other cars. Seven years later and all she's received is 140,000 baht, hardly enough to compensate for losing a husband, daughter, car and business. The problem with irresponsible drivers (a lot) in Thailand is that there's little in the way or repercussions, they just don't have any sense of guilt or responsibility for their actions, it's always someone else's fault. Needless to say the driver and passenger of the car responsible were uninjured. Makes my blood boil.

Edited November 11, 2014 by giddyup

[Aussieroaming]

Come on...I've seen plenty of cars wrapped around trees...driver young,white, drunk

[lovelomsak]

It will continue for ever accept it. Life is cheap here and always will be. The culture values willnot change just because they have new toys. Concerning vehicles it is much the same as most countries. Have an accident with a person owning an old beat up car and its your fault, you pay a lot less for personal damage than if you hit a person in a Mercedes.

What I donot understand is why bother broadcasting one accident in one place,I am sure there is more than one grand fatal crash everyday here in the land of smiles.

[lust]

Why do people always want to interfere with Darwinism?

[eeeya]

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Just saw a young lady on Thai television tonight whose restaurant and car were demolished, her husband killed and her 5 year old daughter a vegetable, all by an inexperienced speeding motorist who was allegedly racing other cars. Seven years later and all she's received is 140,000 baht, hardly enough to compensate for losing a husband, daughter, car and business. The problem with irresponsible drivers (a lot) in Thailand is that there's little in the way or repercussions, they just don't have any sense of guilt or responsibility for their actions, it's always someone else's fault. Needless to say the driver and passenger of the car responsible were uninjured. Makes my blood boil.

I was watching this tonight too. This is what inspired my post

Come on...I've seen plenty of cars wrapped around trees...driver young,white, drunk

Agreed, ive lost mates back in oz too. But here its on another level

[Jdiddy]

Why do people always want to interfere with Darwinism?

And turn the place into a revenue raising nanny state while they are about it

[greenfox]

The OP has never driven in Italy.

[samuijimmy]

Just another attempt of Thai bashing..... just as bad everywhere....

[Kitsune]

Lost cause.

It will take decades before anything is done (no gives a damn, plus, no one enforces any rule).

When something will be done (improving driving skills) it will takes more decades to change the habits.

[steve187]

figures road deaths per 100,000 people per100,000 vehicles

uk 2175 3.5 6.2

thailand 26,000 38.1 92.4

usa 36166 11.6 13.6

italy 3753 6.2 7.6

australia 1196 5.2 7

brasil 43869 22.5 67

[greenfox]

it will takes more decades to change the habits.

Thais don't change behavioral habits. It indicates that they were doing something incorrectly in the first place. Impossible. They Thai. They perfect.

[ThaiSmarterThanYou]

The army is going to fix all these things in an instant ! Trust them <3

[crazygreg44]

why do you bother or wonder ? Accidents, mai ben rai! A real thai buddhist will be reborn into an afterlive, so it's okay to die. You will be reborn and being taken care of.

Big Buddhist amulets help when passing a car inside a curve which one cannot overlook, didn't you know ?

Why wonder about all the racing, speeding, way-cutting daredevils on the roads here . . they all know they will be reborn, so why care if you bite the dust ?

[wwest5829]

Why do people always want to interfere with Darwinism?

And turn the place into a revenue raising nanny state while they are about it

Yes, it is a dilemma, either feed the poor or have military coups to keep the poor in their place.

[greenfox]

I was on my big bike last month, stopped at a junction.

Local on a scooter jumped the lights and started dancing (wiggling) his scooter in victory.

Hilux came around the bend and almost took him out, the scooter was ran in to the kerb. He pulled out from behind it and started his dancing again. I suppose to show that it meant nothing to him.

You seriously have to wonder at the mental state of some of these people.

[raffo77]

The OP has never driven in Italy.

any further info you wish to share?

[trianglechoke]

Just another attempt of Thai bashing..... just as bad everywhere....

MMMmmmmmmmmm just another attempt to keep wearing rose tinted glasses:

figures road deaths per 100,000 people per100,000 vehicles

uk 2175 3.5 6.2

thailand 26,000 38.1 92.4

usa 36166 11.6 13.6

italy 3753 6.2 7.6

australia 1196 5.2 7

brasil 43869 22.5 67

When Italy beats you hands down, you're in trouble. Your statement was nutsak

[paulchiangmai]

The accident rate will drop when the police get some training in traffic regulation, when the police have a desire to do the job for which they are paid to do, when those that have no wish to work are got rid of, when Thai's and not falangs want change. They could start with the useless policemen who are supposedly directing traffic on the 118 Doi Saket to Chiang Mai road,

[oneday]

Come on...I've seen plenty of cars wrapped around trees...driver young,white, drunk

Yes, but whatever Western country you are thinking about that country does NOT have the accident rate that Thailand does. And so, there is every reason to bring up the senseless deaths that happen on Thailand highways everyday as opposed to the much reduced rate of accidents in Western countries.

Certainly you have ventured out your door, yes? So then you've seen the crazy driving that a vast amount of Thai drivers exhibit. Maybe you've even had the pleasure of being inside one of those death vans that take you from city to city. I've experienced driving in this country that I have NEVER seen in my country.

[greenfox]

The accident rate will drop when the police get some training in traffic regulation, when the police have a desire to do the job for which they are paid to do, when those that have no wish to work are got rid of, when Thai's and not falangs want change. They could start with the useless policemen who are supposedly directing traffic on the 118 Doi Saket to Chiang Mai road,

I disagree that enforcement of rules will change the behaviour, in any meaningful way. It would require one traffic cop per 10 meters of road.

The mindset of the people must change, for changes to happen.

Thais don't do changes of mindset, it indicates that they were doing things incorrectly to begin with. too much for their ego to accept.

[oneday]

The OP has never driven in Italy.

List of countries by traffic-related death rate (wiki)

Deaths per 100,000 by Motor Vehicle

Thailand 92.4

USA 13.6

Italy 7.6

Australia 7.0

UK 6.2

Viet Nam 65.3

Laos 125.6

Cambodia 118.8

Myanmar 308

Central African Replublic 13,472.8

It would seem Italy is quite tame compared to Thailand and even the US for that matter. However, Thailand is better than the surrounding countries except for Viet Nam. I certainly wouldn't want to live in the Central African Republic. Now that is one hell of a death rate at 13.73%.

There are about 90 countries that come in worse than Thailand, which did surprise me. Some of these countries, many of them in Africa, have no stable government to speak of and so there would be no emphasis on safety at all. Life is very cheap in these countries, even more than in Thailand.

[Greg Nixon]

I saw two accidents in Thailand I never saw in North America after driving a million miles. One was a bus on its side with all the windows broken at a major intersection. I think there was a collision between a sugar truck and the bus. I think someone blew a red light. Another was between a bus and a mobile crane. The bus was pulled over on the left hand side of the road in order to make a right U-turn. When the bus was making the turn a mobile crane stuck its load hook thru the back side window.

Also two high school girls were riding a motorbike on the wrong side of the road on the shoulder. A car was backing out of the driveway onto the highway. The driver was obviously looking in the correct direction for oncoming traffic but failed to notice the motorbike coming in the wrong direction. When I went by the motorbike and two girls were laying on the road. That is one accident that would be extremely rare in other parts of the world.

[Greg Nixon]

You failed to mention Canada which has only 6 traffic related deaths / 100,000 people. Seems to be very low. Driver training and defensive driving is emphasised. There is a high school driver training program.

The OP has never driven in Italy.

List of countries by traffic-related death rate (wiki)

Deaths per 100,000 by Motor Vehicle

Thailand 92.4

USA 13.6

Italy 7.6

Australia 7.0

UK 6.2

Viet Nam 65.3

Laos 125.6

Cambodia 118.8

Myanmar 308

Central African Replublic 13,472.8

It would seem Italy is quite tame compared to Thailand and even the US for that matter. However, Thailand is better than the surrounding countries except for Viet Nam. I certainly wouldn't want to live in the Central African Republic. Now that is one hell of a death rate at 13.73%.

There are about 90 countries that come in worse than Thailand, which did surprise me. Some of these countries, many of them in Africa, have no stable government to speak of and so there would be no emphasis on safety at all. Life is very cheap in these countries, even more than in Thailand.

[WitawatWatawit]

The accident rate will drop when the police get some training in traffic regulation, when the police have a desire to do the job for which they are paid to do, when those that have no wish to work are got rid of, when Thai's and not falangs want change. They could start with the useless policemen who are supposedly directing traffic on the 118 Doi Saket to Chiang Mai road,

I disagree that enforcement of rules will change the behaviour, in any meaningful way. It would require one traffic cop per 10 meters of road.

The mindset of the people must change, for changes to happen.

Thais don't do changes of mindset, it indicates that they were doing things incorrectly to begin with. too much for their ego to accept.

Sadly, I have to agree with this statement. No one should underestimate the significance of ego AND arrogance in this regard. Dozens upon dozens of times I have had to walk away fuming with anger from arguments with Thai friends and rellies over road safety, driving skills and road craft - and the wierd thing is that most of the arguments revolve around simple common sense, not rocket science or metaphysical concepts.

Edit: wierd, wried, wired, WEIRD -- aha! Got it!

Edited November 12, 2014 by WitawatWatawit

[RedDemon88]

Seriously, why would everyone like to speeding? I can go up tp 210kph with my bike. 385kph to 415kph on video games. Most of that speed end up with unstable grid and crash. Human is just typical, emotional and harsh at same time. You know what you need to do but you aint doing it right.

You think you are ironman or superman ? Car or bike have spare part, human do not have it. That why it called "Total Loses"

If you can not value your own life! or one will value it too.

If you do not repect others while on the road, why should we respect you in first place?

[rotorbreeze]

I was on my big bike last month, stopped at a junction.

Local on a scooter jumped the lights and started dancing (wiggling) his scooter in victory.

Hilux came around the bend and almost took him out, the scooter was ran in to the kerb. He pulled out from behind it and started his dancing again. I suppose to show that it meant nothing to him.

You seriously have to wonder at the mental state of some of these people.

The scooter driver was practicing for his new job in Pizza Hut delivery...this idiots are out for death..flying the flag behind them the idiot thinks he is important...passing everyone as if it were life and death..death for him... did see him last year with is bike down and riding on the back on Taxi bike. I keep an eye on WHOM is coming up FAST...I encourage them to pass on the right..while I put my Left signal on. Seem the idiot pizza delivery drive finds out on the red light...we all start again...him being the first to stop!...so hope he rushes the red light and see him run over by another idiot whom is doing the same..oh time is so important here..a hour or day late...same same..this is Thailand...Tired land of knowledge.

Edited November 12, 2014 by metisdead
Oversize font reset to normal. Again.

[Thaiready]

The numbers are no way correct as to total accident numbers.

I work with the Highway Rescue and I see first-hand the stupidity on a daily basis.

[greenfox]

The accident rate will drop when the police get some training in traffic regulation, when the police have a desire to do the job for which they are paid to do, when those that have no wish to work are got rid of, when Thai's and not falangs want change. They could start with the useless policemen who are supposedly directing traffic on the 118 Doi Saket to Chiang Mai road,

I disagree that enforcement of rules will change the behaviour, in any meaningful way. It would require one traffic cop per 10 meters of road.

The mindset of the people must change, for changes to happen.

Thais don't do changes of mindset, it indicates that they were doing things incorrectly to begin with. too much for their ego to accept.

Sadly, I have to agree with this statement. No one should underestimate the significance of ego AND arrogance in this regard. Dozens upon dozens of times I have had to walk away fuming with anger from arguments with Thai friends and rellies over road safety, driving skills and road craft - and the wierd thing is that most of the arguments revolve around simple common sense, not rocket science or metaphysical concepts.

Edit: wierd, wried, wired, WEIRD -- aha! Got it!

yup.

If they are doing something stupid, and it is seen by others, to stop doing it and change incurs a loss of face greater than being seen to do something stupid, so they continue.

[mercman24]

i had the "pleasure" of being a passenger in a car driven by a Thai lady for one week, phone glued to her ear all the time- texting, scared me shi* less and me an ex rally driver, they just seem to have no fear or road sense.