Thailand - It's time that we get serious about pedestrian crossings

[Chicken George]

I used to stop but not anymore. Cars overtook me and motorbikes on the inside. Oncoming traffic continued . Then the people who I let cross got knocked down. It's safer to keep going!!

[JOC]

To expect anyone give you the right of way in Thai traffic is playing with death!!

[HeijoshinCool]

why doesnt Thailand introduce TV public information film clips during the soaps in order to educate drivers??

.

Great idea. And clip is an appropriate word; when in the advertisement a car clips someone in the crosswalk, you'd hear: BO-IIING!

[ThailandLOS]

They put in crosswalk, with signals, flashing lights etc near my condo Jomtien 2nd road about a month ago. Has run for perhaps 5 days total (perhaps that is a good thing?). One time it was working thought I'd try it out. I'd say perhaps 50% of cars stopped. Only takes 1% to kill you.... I think Thai drivers would rather give up their mia nois than apply foot to brake pedal, especially when it is one of those obviously poor people (anyone who walks must be loso). Size is all that matters, and nothing smaller on the road than a pedestrian.

I live close by too and have studied this crosswalk. Most drivers would not stop at this crosswalk (or any other for that matter) due to the risk of being hit from behind by another vehicle. The risk of running over a pedestrian seems safer for them.

Same applies as when riding in a swarm of motorbikes. If you stop you get killed.

[JustinCider]

Lived across from GMM Grammy on Asoke and went there everyday to use the gym. The pedestrian light would work for a month and then be out of commission for a month. Around the 5th year of living there I started to see the policemen actually turn off the traffic lights in the morning and in the evening. I called the BMA and police and no one gave a rat's ass about it. They said they did it to reduce the traffic while us lowly pedestrians would play real life Frogger with our lives. This is just another reason why I am happy I moved out of Thailand and back to civilization.

[Tecumseh]

why doesnt Thailand introduce TV public information film clips during the soaps in order to educate drivers??

I think for those watching the soaps, the brain is beyond receiving such information.

[Paratrinque]

It would also be a good idea if they painted the SPEED BUMPS (Sleeping Policemen as we call them in the West), YELLOW and BLACK as they do in other countries rather than Black and White as they do here thus distinguishing them from the Pedestrian Crossings. But, as others insinuate here, WHY BOTHER!

[razer]

Simple ... Put a SPEED BUMP at the Zebra crossing.

[Tecumseh]

It would also be a good idea if they painted the SPEED BUMPS (Sleeping Policemen as we call them in the West), YELLOW and BLACK as they do in other countries rather than Black and White as they do here thus distinguishing them from the Pedestrian Crossings. But, as others insinuate here, WHY BOTHER!

I say raise the height of speed bumps another six inches or more!

[samsensam]

three words: cloud. cuckoo. land.

[Asiantravel]

Basically, if theres nothing crossing your path (ie another vehicle) then thais WILL NOT stop for a red light as they know better than some stupid idea a farang invented.

Theres something different about green lights tho. When the green comes on they sit there wondering what it means for 5-10 seconds before crawling off just before it changes back to red.....which the following 10 cars ignore

[Pib]

Thais simply believe vehicles versus people have the right of way in a pedestrian crossing due to higher weight and energy of faster motion--Thais must have this belief because of the way they are taught physics in school.

[sawati]

If the authorities cant organize the price of a lotery ticket...do you think they can organize-enforce a zebra crosing???

Too much work...leave it like that!!

[daiwill60]

Basically, if theres nothing crossing your path (ie another vehicle) then thais WILL NOT stop for a red light as they know better than some stupid idea a farang invented.

Theres something different about green lights tho. When the green comes on they sit there wondering what it means for 5-10 seconds before crawling off just before it changes back to red.....which the following 10 cars ignore

That is probably because they know the other cars watching the next green light will also wait 10 seconds before moving. Don't you get the Thai logic behind that. 5555

[WhizBang]

The first time I took the girlfriend to Singapore, we were walking down to Clarke Quay. We came to an intersection with a crosswalk and I just stepped out onto the road (and yes, I looked both ways first), the gf stayed on the footpath. Traffic came to a halt to allow us to cross. Once on the other side, I explained to her that it was the law, traffic HAD to stop for pedestrians. Only in third world countries were pedestrians at risk. She was flabbergasted.

[Tecumseh]

They wouldn't stop even if you used a dead Zebra as a speed bump!

[DLock]

"According to Thai law, drivers are liable to a maximum fine of Bt1,000 if they fail to stop their vehicles for pedestrians at marked crossings. In the events of a road accident taking place, drivers involved must compensate victims or their families. In the case of death, reckless drivers are liable to up to 10 years in jail and a fine of up to Bt20,000."

...and what was the fine for hitting a policeman on an unmarked crossing, dragging his lifeless body 100 meters, running home and encouraging the Domestic help to take the blame again?

Exactly.

[daiwill60]

I used to stop but not anymore. Cars overtook me and motorbikes on the inside. Oncoming traffic continued . Then the people who I let cross got knocked down. It's safer to keep going!!

Additionally, when one does stop for pedestrians they just look stupid at you and don't cross the road anyway??? As you rightly point out it is probably due to a fear of being knocked down by another jerk off driver who has no road ettiquette.

[Lupatria]

It says a lot about this society that the awareness only surfaced after a celebrity died...

[AloisAmrein]

Pedestrians have not right at all on Thai roads, every road crossing is an adventure.

[boomerangutang]

In Chiang Rai, where I reside, I stop to let people cross, whether they're waiting at a crosswalk or not. Sometimes I have to do a quick blip of a honk (on my car horn), because Thais are often not even aware that some might stop. Even when they then cross, they need to look carefully, because motorbikes in particular (but sometimes even cars) will want to pass my stopped car. However, it might be catching on, or maybe northerners are just nicer people (we have a lot less crime up here than central and southern regions). I've noticed local drivers slowing and even stopping once in awhile, whereas months/years earlier they wouldn't.

Another related problem, everywhere in Thailand: At busy markets, with many people milling about, motorbikes will come charging through. Some drivers drive as fast as they can, and seem to get some glee at forcing people to react. I've noticed it at Burmese markets also (more so at tourist markets, than at local markets). What a great past-time: riding fast thru tourist markets, to remind tourists they're in Asia, and therefore can't relax while shopping.

[lvr181]

No police, no enforcement = no action

And no learning from farang ways either, unfortunately. Thai people can solve their own problems (?) - but only if they knew how

[Bloodnut]

"...Many have been overheard saying that if their vehicles hit a victim, they would prefer to see the casualty dead rather than injured, because a dead person wouldn't be able to complain or seek justice in the courts."...

I've heard of this too. Makes sense. Far better if the pedestrian is dead not wounded. Soooooo - If I get run over and am lying broken up there on the road and I hear the vehicle gear box going into reverse - I just bloody hope I can roll out of the way fast enough before they 'back up' over me to make sure I'm dead. OMG! Keystone Cops stuff...

[Tuskfish]

"In civilised countries like the United States"

Must.... resist.... commenting....

[meatboy]

In the villaparks i see Thai family's going for a walk and their children are free to run whereever they like, even onto the road where cars are driving fast. It is not done to correct children and teach them to walk on the paths/pavement.

Pavement sucks anyway because it was made by......Also there they don't dare to correct the builders/designers.

Better have accidents then correcting eachother...

pavements are for vendors not pedestrians.

[empireboy]

It seems some treat them similarly to a dart board 'Bullseye'

[wow64]

Increase the fines. It's the only way to make drivers here understand. If it affects their pocket they will not break the rule.. But then these law would have to be enforced. I guess that's where it fails.

[kaorop]

whats ironic is "they" are likely to stop or swerve for the in-numerable dogs who live, sleep and eat on the roads.

for humans its dog eat dog.

[Pinot]

No police, no enforcement = no action

That's it. Police don't enforce traffic laws. That's why Thailand is the craziest place in the world to drive. It's why people don't stop at red lights, drive insanely fast, ignore any common courtesy, drive with broken headlights, allow children to drive, pass on curves, etc. etc. etc.

Police don't see it as their job to enforce traffic laws. They are not trained to do that and they don't have the equipment to do it.

Thailand will never get serious about pedestrian crossings or anything else. TIT

My mantra is: "It doesn't matter." I repeat it constantly while driving.

[choff56]

"According to Thai law, drivers are liable to a maximum fine of Bt1,000 if they fail to stop their vehicles for pedestrians at marked crossings. In the events of a road accident taking place, drivers involved must compensate victims or their families. In the case of death, reckless drivers are liable to up to 10 years in jail and a fine of up to Bt20,000."

...and what was the fine for hitting a policeman on an unmarked crossing, dragging his lifeless body 100 meters, running home and encouraging the Domestic help to take the blame again?

Exactly.

As a percentage of wealth, not much.