Thai DLT to crack down on speeding vans and driver misbehavior

[Badrabbit]

The last time my family and I took a minivan was from Victory Monument to Trad in March of this year. The driver drove at speeds up to 140 km/h, averaging 110 the whole time. (We were sitting directly behind him and watching the speedometer.) He often came up behind other cars, motorcycles, vans, buses, etc. within 2 inches of them forcing them over to the other lane, each time looking over at them and uttering "kwai!". If a motorcycle was crossing the highway up ahead he would slam the palm of his hand on the horn with no intention of slowing down. He would often take telephone calls on his mobile telephone, at times arguing with someone and drive with one hand on the steering wheel while he held his mobile with the other. A group of students in the back pleaded with him to slow down and told him they were afraid. He chuckled and kept on driving recklessly at 110+. My partner asked him 3 times if we could stop and take a bathroom break to which he refused. My seat belt was broken and there was not one available in the center for our child. When we got to Trad my palms were sweaty, my shirt was soaked and I had a stiff neck and I was a nervous wreck. I honestly thought we were going to die that day. My partner told him when we got out that he was a very dangerous driver to which he just laughed at her.

We will never take another minivan again in Thailand.

Exactly these idiots are unintelligent inconsiderate animals, they do what they like because the police are mostly drinking coffee, it will be the same forever!

[Travelman868]

This is no more of a crackdown than any other just the usual hot air.

Apart from fines drivers need to to have their offences hammered home with proper periods of disqualification not a week then a month and any one driving while disqualified should be jailed for contempt of court.

Note I use the words ' need ' and ' should ' being well aware such stringent action will never take place.

It's all very well saying "take their licences away" BUT when you live in the villages how do you get around.

[changsinghleo]

First of all the companies they drive for should also be seen as the culprits. If they were required

to give the drivers strict timetables with much slower speeds required to get to the destinations most of the problem would be solved as they wouldn't be able to speed in order to maintain their schedule

It might make sense to require the drivers to wear spiffy looking uniforms so they might eventually

acquire the feeling of pride in doing their jobs. And, how about a more caring manner of those doing

the hiring? If the guy appears to be an idiot do not hire him! And, why are females never hired? They too are drivers and more likely to be more caring and sensitive of their passengers. At least that is my thought, but as a male maybe my thinking is off on that idea!I do believe they'd be less likely to be smokers which in and of itself would be marvelous! Also, the silver vans are equally as horrific

as the white.

[wilcopops]

Vulgar behaviour? Well I hope that is just a crap translation.

Yet again another bumbling attempt by those who apparently haven't a clue about road safety.

Ineffectively targeting one issue at a time especially as a knee jerk reaction to social media will never be an effective approach to raod safety.

It is of course a matter for concern that those in charge appear to be so out of touch that they consider this at all.

What is needed is a holistic approach that addresses ALL aspects of road safety.

This requires both finance and intelligence....... I see little of either so far.

Completely agree with you, a holistic approach is what is needed.

To be honest I think the Thai's should probably not try to reinvent the wheel. They should do some research and see how road safety is tackled by other countries with good safety records then simply bring back the parts that are enforceable.

They could start with the basics, driving tests, personal insurance, graphic road safety campaign for teenagers etc,,, in the UK if you are caught driving without insurance they now impound your vehicle by the roadside. You then have to go to the police pound and prove you have valid insurance and pay the fine before you can drive it away. I would do the same here, no license, no insurance, take the vehicle..

drivers are only part of the problem.....I've posted many times what is needed is the "5 Es" - unless they are all tackled no progress will ever be made.

[wilcopops]

The last time my family and I took a minivan was from Victory Monument to Trad in March of this year. The driver drove at speeds up to 140 km/h, averaging 110 the whole time. (We were sitting directly behind him and watching the speedometer.) He often came up behind other cars, motorcycles, vans, buses, etc. within 2 inches of them forcing them over to the other lane, each time looking over at them and uttering "kwai!". If a motorcycle was crossing the highway up ahead he would slam the palm of his hand on the horn with no intention of slowing down. He would often take telephone calls on his mobile telephone, at times arguing with someone and drive with one hand on the steering wheel while he held his mobile with the other. A group of students in the back pleaded with him to slow down and told him they were afraid. He chuckled and kept on driving recklessly at 110+. My partner asked him 3 times if we could stop and take a bathroom break to which he refused. My seat belt was broken and there was not one available in the center for our child. When we got to Trad my palms were sweaty, my shirt was soaked and I had a stiff neck and I was a nervous wreck. I honestly thought we were going to die that day. My partner told him when we got out that he was a very dangerous driver to which he just laughed at her.

We will never take another minivan again in Thailand.

Exactly these idiots are unintelligent inconsiderate animals, they do what they like because the police are mostly drinking coffee, it will be the same forever!

The4y do what they do because there is a culture/belief amongst drivers that they impress their passengers by their "cool" driving. They believe that driving "fast" gets the passengers there quicker - in reality on a long journey this is a fallacy.

They believe they are experts and that other road users are ignorant, they have a flse sense of self-importance and a classic Thai attitude to customer service "the customer is always wrong".

someone needs to educate them to see how irrational and stupid their driving is.....their macho driving culture needs to be destroyed.

....but of course that will have little or no effect until all other aspects of road transport,design and management are addressed as well.

[maynard420]

Take a drivers license???? 1/2 of them don't have a license, they crash and they run, if they can after the crash...

[maynard420]

More people should put video clips of these Kamikaze van drivers on Youtube as its the only way to get things done here as its all about saving face by the authorities. I still see these mini bus drivers Not getting stopped at check points. They are the most offensive drivers on the roads in Thailand. They have no respect for fair paying passengers safety.

Ive said it before on thai visa and I have been in one of them that smashed into another vehicle and kept going only to be chased by the vehicle he hit, then after a brief disscussion he jumped back in the van and continued lunatic driving.

After another hour of this and several more near misses ,nearly being killed as he was a complete lunitic did i give him a mouthfull and he slowed down the thai people in the back thanked me with big smiles my wife told me thai people will say nothing as the driver will loose face and drive even faster to piss them off even more.

Several of these lunatics have killed themselves and passengers all over thailand I have even written to the editor of the nation and the BK post who did not even reply.

I have also been in several where the drivers have been bolicked by other passengers its time these stupid lunatics were stopped but how ? is the question.

But a car or rent a car and quit complaining, I took a van to Laos and got out halfway there and I got out of the van and took my stuff with me and found the nearest airport and flew the rest of the way, no one puts my life ar risk like that, renting a car is cheap or rent a driver and tell him to drive slow or he does nor get paid, worked for me, just be nice about it.

[maynard420]

More people should put video clips of these Kamikaze van drivers on Youtube as its the only way to get things done here as its all about saving face by the authorities. I still see these mini bus drivers Not getting stopped at check points. They are the most offensive drivers on the roads in Thailand. They have no respect for fair paying passengers safety.

Ive said it before on thai visa and I have been in one of them that smashed into another vehicle and kept going only to be chased by the vehicle he hit, then after a brief disscussion he jumped back in the van and continued lunatic driving.

After another hour of this and several more near misses ,nearly being killed as he was a complete lunitic did i give him a mouthfull and he slowed down the thai people in the back thanked me with big smiles my wife told me thai people will say nothing as the driver will loose face and drive even faster to piss them off even more.

Several of these lunatics have killed themselves and passengers all over thailand I have even written to the editor of the nation and the BK post who did not even reply.

I have also been in several where the drivers have been bolicked by other passengers its time these stupid lunatics were stopped but how ? is the question.

But a car or rent a car and quit complaining, I took a van to Laos and got out halfway there and I got out of the van and took my stuff with me and found the nearest airport and flew the rest of the way, no one puts my life ar risk like that, renting a car is cheap or rent a driver and tell him to drive slow or he does nor get paid, worked for me, just be nice about it.

[Beng]

Been there how many timtes in the past ? Nothing has changed.

[wilcopops]

More people should put video clips of these Kamikaze van drivers on Youtube as its the only way to get things done here as its all about saving face by the authorities. I still see these mini bus drivers Not getting stopped at check points. They are the most offensive drivers on the roads in Thailand. They have no respect for fair paying passengers safety.

Ive said it before on thai visa and I have been in one of them that smashed into another vehicle and kept going only to be chased by the vehicle he hit, then after a brief disscussion he jumped back in the van and continued lunatic driving.

After another hour of this and several more near misses ,nearly being killed as he was a complete lunitic did i give him a mouthfull and he slowed down the thai people in the back thanked me with big smiles my wife told me thai people will say nothing as the driver will loose face and drive even faster to piss them off even more.

Several of these lunatics have killed themselves and passengers all over thailand I have even written to the editor of the nation and the BK post who did not even reply.

I have also been in several where the drivers have been bolicked by other passengers its time these stupid lunatics were stopped but how ? is the question.

But a car or rent a car and quit complaining, I took a van to Laos and got out halfway there and I got out of the van and took my stuff with me and found the nearest airport and flew the rest of the way, no one puts my life ar risk like that, renting a car is cheap or rent a driver and tell him to drive slow or he does nor get paid, worked for me, just be nice about it.

There is definitely are point to be made here.

Surely it is better to drive oneself than let some junked up moron give you a displsy of his idea of high speed multi-tasking?

[Big Daddy]

I've been warned by my Thai relatives to avoid the vans. I'll take more time and take the trains or other transport. It's my time and safety after all.

[thailand49]

This is no more of a crackdown than any other just the usual hot air.

Apart from fines drivers need to to have their offences hammered home with proper periods of disqualification not a week then a month and any one driving while disqualified should be jailed for contempt of court.

Note I use the words ' need ' and ' should ' being well aware such stringent action will never take place.

It's all very well saying "take their licences away" BUT when you live in the villages how do you get around.

Sidecart like their father and mother is doing! 555! or even better in their wheelchair!

[thailand49]

What Thailand old school people who run this country do best is practice the 'Art of war " this is what China, North Korea, Russia, and Iran do best? When there is a problem turn the tables around and have the light pointed at someone or something else! This situation Crackdown as noted it will not be the first time and it will not be the last time. Years from now if we are alive we will still be commenting on the same shit! When I came here they were I think number 8? worse in the world today they are #2, while the WHO has year after year pour in millions and not baht $$$ to help them reduce the problem.

You ask where are all the BIB, too busy taking all the brides and trying to find a way to hide it like placing it behind the walls of their homes. What is the number now? Corrupt million 2 or 3 years ago estimated at 200 billion certainly it has grown, on top cop, found over a billion in cash along with Assets and the number is growing along with the list of people involved?

Currently trying to sway my Thai son to be a BIB? I can use that extra cash at the Go Go's?

[thaiden1]

A group of us hired a van from Pattaya to Chon Buri . We told the driver "no speeding on the motorway". He actually listened to us and didn't go over 100 kms per hour. The problem was we didn't tell him not to tailgate. At times he was so close to the vehicle in front of him you couldn't see the license plate. I am not sure if they know what safe driving is or they drive the way they do because everyone else does. More education required!!!

[Badrabbit]

A group of us hired a van from Pattaya to Chon Buri . We told the driver "no speeding on the motorway". He actually listened to us and didn't go over 100 kms per hour. The problem was we didn't tell him not to tailgate. At times he was so close to the vehicle in front of him you couldn't see the license plate. I am not sure if they know what safe driving is or they drive the way they do because everyone else does. More education required!!!

I hate it so much when I have a mini van or pick-up inches from my rear, what is wrong with these people? is it lack of intelligence? I have never been able to work out the mentality!

[spidermike007]

I will believe it when I see it. Thailand is probably one of the least safe countries to be on the road, and alot of that has to do with the very ineffective policing, and the lack of traffic safety enforcement. Speeding tickets? Reckless driving? DWI? What, are you kidding? The police here actually doing real police work?