First 'dangerous day' toll higher than last year's

[Dibbler]

Only dangerous because traffic police do as little as possible to enforce road rules!

[bangon04]

2243 Checkpoints manned by 64505 officers? Near 30 officers to cover each checkpoint? seems a little excessive. Maybe thats why I see 8-10 officers in every single arrest photo

Now you understand the essence of "inactive posts".

[alocacoc]

There is a new law:

Before: According to the former law, the person who refuses to perform the test will be fined up to 1,000 baht.

Now: Meanwhile, the person who refuses the officers to perform the breath test will be jailed for 1 year and will be fined 10,000-20,000 baht or both.

from PDN

Edited January 1, 2015 by alocacoc

[Just1Voice]

Tougher laws won't make a difference.

Actual enforcement of existing laws would.

[billd766]

"The Royal Thai Police will take extra precautions on preventing criminal activity and will provide traffic management and assistance for the countdown events tonight, said an official."

One more successful government program.

Same program, same police as under the previous governments.

Failure.

The common denominator between all the governments, the program and the police is the police.

THEY are the problem.

[spermwhale]

I haven't seen an extra traffic enforcement on the streets during the holidays. In fact, daytime hours, as with EVERY day in Thailand, police are rarely to be found.

Thai police erroneously think that traffic enforcement is conducted via checkpoints, and I've said it many times, that the only way to nab the worst offenders is to have the police plying the streets in their cruisers and motorcycles so they can pull over offenders.

I've been driving here for 11 years and I have NEVER seen a police pull someone over for a traffic infraction. That only occurs at check points where they can only get them for small stuff like not wearing seatbelts, talking on the phone, having out of date registrations...etc.

But speeding, wreckless driving, all that.. GO AHEAD> nobody will ever stop you.

[diehard60]

I would be willing to bet that if you mutiplied their figures by 2 - 3 times that, it might be more realistict.

[smotherb]

So over 82% involved motorbikes and over 48% were not of working age.

While there would have been a few who may have been older than working age a lot of the casualties would have to have been kids on motorbikes.

Yeah, another case of ignorance when reporting/editing the stats. So, 48.17% of traffic fatalities were what, >60 or <18 years of age?

[outsider]

I'm not sure if sharing statistics like this year in, year out, makes a difference. If it's lower than last year, applause applause. If it's higher... oooh... we need to do something. For the next holiday season, that is. And that is the problem. Can't understand why they can't just come up with something affirmative and enforced - all year round. Instead of random campaigns during holiday seasons.

[smotherb]

So over 82% involved motorbikes and over 48% were not of working age.

While there would have been a few who may have been older than working age a lot of the casualties would have to have been kids on motorbikes.

Yeah, another case of ignorance when reporting/editing the stats. So, 48.17% of traffic fatalities were what, >60 or <18 years of age?

[GAZZPA]

Official number of road fatalities per year: 26000

Divided by 365: 71 a day. So using statistics, 58 deaths is pretty good.

There is obviously something very Thai going on.

In other words the numbers, as always are a load of old bullocks.

Until the Thai authorities make the real changes nothing will every change,,, proper tests, insurance linked to person, immediate confiscation of vehicle if no insurance or licence or if not road worthy. Education in all schools about road safety, enforcement of non wearing seat belts, enforcement and punishment against reckless driving such as speeding, tailgating, undertaking and not using indicators.

And finally, serious action against drink drivers,,,

Anyway, we all know this, anything else will not work. It needs a wholesale change of driving attitude from the Thais before anything changes and it will take years.

[GAZZPA]

Low income earners?

Middle and high income earners don't drink and drive?

Pretty stupid comment.

I think the assumption behind this comment is according to statistics 84% of accidents were motorbikes and generally low income earners use motorbikes,, middle and high income earners probably have cars. I suspect there is some truth behind this.

[bitcoinbob]

pop u.s. 325 million give or take 48,000 road deaths. thai pop 60 million thai should have 8000 road deaths making that comparison but 26000 is excessive embarrassment to any government. or is it that the population does not matter--- the &lt;deleted&gt; them let them eat cake mentally. try to drop it by 10% anything lower would be an improvement but i guess thai's dont care about thai's. nice thainess and Buddhism-- guys try harder buddha is watching

[Old Man River]

So over 82% involved motorbikes and over 48% were not of working age.

While there would have been a few who may have been older than working age a lot of the casualties would have to have been kids on motorbikes.

The dead body I saw yesterday was a young guy who had been on a motorcycle. It was on a straight part of the road and was between 4PM and 8 PM, hence, it fits the norm as brought out in the article. RIP.

[Alwyn]

82% involving motorbikes and almost half of those involved people below "working age". Parents have to accept blame for allowing their kids to !. Ride motorbikes and 2. Get drunk. It would be interesting to see the income levels of the people involved in these accidents

[Tomtomtom69]

I wonder how many of the poor souls that end up dying each year and end up in these statistics expect this to happen to them?

Prevention is better than cure, but nobody here cares about prevention, so the fatalities (and injuries) keep on occurring.

58 people killed on the roads in one day would be considered a national tragedy in Japan, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, the USA, the UK etc. but here in Thailand it's just another normal day and considered fate.

[ChiangmaiRob]

"The 2,243 main checkpoints manned by 64,505 officers" .... that's an average of almost 29 officers per check point, which is way more than I've ever seen at any check point, but I guess that's 3 or 4 actually stopping and checking and the other 25 or 26 playing cards or sleeping in the tent!

[JungleBoy2]

Let's see--- Of the 530,00 people stopped, 14% were prosecuted(fined)-- mostly for helmet-lack or no license.

They did confiscate 2 Pistols. 64,000Cops involved in the 2,200 Roadblocks.

If they only charged 20 Baht(Tax?) for each stopped-- They could have collected over 10 Million Baht!!!

And still-- the record is worse!!

[berybert]

Funny I'm not a fan of the Thai police, but everyone seems to be blaming them rather that the idiots that drink and drive.

Drink and drive, Good luck, I don't care if you die but I hope to god you don't take anyone with you.

Edited January 1, 2015 by berybert

[JungleBoy2]

Sperm Whale has a year on me! I've been driving in mostly Koh Samui for 10 years-- but have reached everywhere

in Thailand--from Som Guy Koluck (sp?) to Chang Mai to Non Kai to Eastern wborder--- saw enforcement a bit

outside of Samui, but NEVER on Samui!! Have visited many Westerners in Nathon Hospital-- all motorbikes.

Most of the car accidents are fatal. No respect for the police-- actually, not sure if they are needed.

[spidermike007]

Official number of road fatalities per year: 26000

Divided by 365: 71 a day. So using statistics, 58 deaths is pretty good.

There is obviously something very Thai going on.

Somebody I met in a pub told me that the official road death toll includes only those that actually die on the road. If you are collected and die later elsewhere, then this is not considered a road death.

And that is what is known throughout the world as a lie, and a fabrication. Anything to look better, and mask the ugly truth. If only there was law enforcement in this country, the people would get the traffic safety they deserve. But since the police do not care about traffic safety there is no deterrent for most drivers, other than their desire to preserve the lives of their family, and perhaps their desire to avoid wrecking the lives of other families. As much jawboning as the top people are making, in regard to this issue, it does not appear that much is being done to create long term change and improvement. That is a shame, and a national travesty and tragedy.