Stricter laws needed to ensure road safety in Thailand

[727Sky]

I hear this all the time:

***"Driving is a privilege and not a right. Unless Thailand is ready to implement all this they are never going to be serious about road safety".***

Maybe so (privilege) but it is also a matter of survival for many unless you want to go back to water buffalo and Elephants.

Enforce existing laws and have the police move out of their shady spots and actually patrol.

Educate the population with infomercials during news hours and in the schools starting at a young age.

The big important (in their minds) doing over 160 to 180K on the roads need to have their Pee Pees knocked in the dirt with hefty fines... and after being ticketed not be free to continue with a free 200/400 baht pass for the rest of the day to super speed...

Face it, many roads are to narrow already and there is absolutely no space for parking. The difference in speeds is very problematic already. There is a reason approximately 26,000 a year die at the scene of an accident and I would dare say most are not drunk.

Educate, work on the roads so they have real shoulders bikes and slower traffic can actually travel on without having to drive through an encroaching jungle or in the already congested lane, Some roads are so narrow in towns motor bikes take the sidewalks if they are trying to get someplace....... and have the police patrol not just sit and block off roads.. Some roads are inappropriate for bikes IMO as there are roads Tuk Tuks have no business being on.

Driving is a privilege in one way.... but as I said, for many it is a matter of survival. Even in first world countries those who lose their licenses have a certain percentage who go pay a small amount for a fake I.D. and continue on their way. The out of state license used to be around $56 USD for I knew several underage girls (21 to drink in bars, they were usually 19+) who had them..

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Here's my idea...

Take away all the police's motorcycles, and put them out to do their patrols on bicycles... (which is something many cities do, having police patrol their communities on bicycles.)

That might give the police some incentive to actually begin enforcing the existing laws on traffic safety...instead of ignoring them, as they do now.

[Lovekorat]

Oh really.....you think!

There are probably enough laws. What you need is an honest police force to enforce them.

Oh and explain to many of the Thai's this isn't a bloody race track and they can drive how they want.

I don't think they seem to have grasped the concept that a car can actually kill you!

[NongKhaiKid]

Just get the cops on the street instead of running their own business.

Easy really, I wonder why no one has thought of it.............

It starts at the top and isn't the national chief a big stock market player which probably interferes with his day job ?

[alien365]

I heard the guy who killed the two Brits got a 2 years suspended sentence (no prison) and a 1,000 baht fine. The news has been very low key though which is surprising considering the latest incidents.

[genset]

There is, IMO, only one sensible and workable plan to fix traffic safety in this country...

1. No one can get a license without first passing a comprehensive government sponsored and highly subsidized driving school. It's the only way I can see in getting rid of very bad habits that one generation passes on to the next generation. Establish driver education classes in high schools where practical. i.e. in richer hi-so areas where children are likely to end up owning a car, especially one bought by their rich parents. A passing grade exempts them from the comprehensive schools. (won't work if corruption continues to be rampant).

2. Secondly, they must have roving motorbike and car patrols on all roads and highways ready to track down and pull over offenders and ticket them. The government must blanket the airways saying they do not have to EVER pay money to an officer on the road, but must pay at the nearest station or develop a system of mailing the tickets to the offenders home and to report any officer requesting money.

3. Make tickets and accidents hurt financially. To this end create a national database for traffic violators and at-fault accidents. Make the database available to all insurance companies who can start charging higher premiums for offenders. Offenders cannot get the lowest premiums unless they have a clean record for 3 years. Insurance companies need to provide "good driver" discounts.

4. Make it mandatory that all motorist obtain insurance and they must show proof of insurance in order to renew there auto registration. (won't work if corruption continues to be rampant)

Driving is a privledge and not a right. Unless Thailand is ready to implement all this they are never going to be serious about road safety.

I must be dreaming...

Agreed...

My business has me on the road more often than I like, given the standard of driving i see everyday in Thailand. Getting from A to B by car here is my least favorite activity and I agree with the comments posted above.

If all drivers (not just Thai's, i see a lot of expats driving like maniacs as well), were mindful of the fact that weaving from lane to lane at high speed, tailgating at high speed, undertaking 3 lanes of traffic at 100mph and terrible lane discipline (30 mph in the fast/overtaking lane) might result in them being pulled over and ticketed (not fined on the spot), it may go some way to reducing some of the terrible accidents that occur on Thai roads.

If the Thai authorities truely want to reduce the carnage on the roads here, rather than empty platitudes; making sure that people are properly tested by applying a good solid driving test, with an incorruptable driving instructor might be implemented as current licenses expire, as the maximum expiration date for every license held in Thailand is a maximum of 5 years from issue. In parallel a relatively small investment in mobile traffic enforcement, no fines on the spot, but to stop offenders and 'instruct' them as to the rules of the road and ticket them for formal payment and a possible points system added to licenses might be a good start.

It's easy to dismiss these suggestions as 'unrealistic' for implementation in Thailand, but as 'oneday' suggests, things will never improve until they take some serious steps to address the madness out there, and these are hardly radical suggestions.

Cheers Genset.

[carenot]

Subject has been done to death on T.V if you don't like it here feel free to leave many of you seem to have moved to thailand so you can complain how it's not like your home country why not go back ,keep your need to be controlled and your self righteous socially conservative views to yourselves

[NongKhaiKid]

Subject has been done to death on T.V if you don't like it here feel free to leave many of you seem to have moved to thailand so you can complain how it's not like your home country why not go back ,keep your need to be controlled and your self righteous socially conservative views to yourselves

Another don't criticise, don't have an opinion and leave comment.

Is it junta style only positive comments permitted and can't you see there's a lot of serious comments and fun ones too ?

[loxley99]

YET AGAIN ..I repeat ..no need for new laws ....UNLESS the police start to enforce the current laws, nothing will alleviate the carnage on Thai roads. It always comes back to incompetent law enforcement !
My plea continues to be on behalf of the widows, mothers, fathers and orphans of the 25,000 road death victims that there will be recorded this year ..STOP pontificating !!

[Thaddeus]

YET AGAIN ..I repeat ..no need for new laws ....UNLESS the police start to enforce the current laws, nothing will alleviate the carnage on Thai roads. It always comes back to incompetent law enforcement !

My plea continues to be on behalf of the widows, mothers, fathers and orphans of the 25,000 road death victims that there will be recorded this year ..STOP pontificating !!

The lawmakers pontificate and the police procrastinate.

It has always been thus.

[hlj]

New laws are stupid if the ones on the books are not enforced now. Put the RTP on the highways 24 hours a day 7 days a week and make them enforce the laws or lose their jobs and pensions.

[tingtongfarang]

Some of my shorter commutes are done by bicycle, i try to stay off the roads as much as possible often taking short cuts, few weeks ago i was shocked while taking a short cut through the park when a security guy on a bicycle rode up and told bikes are not allowed in the park i still take the same route but now walk while pushing the bike in the park,

Cant remember being in any other country where cycling is not allowed in the park.

Edited May 8, 2015 by tingtongfarang

[PeVee1st]

I regularly ride a bicycle, stepthru & large motorcycle on the roads. Many vehicles downright refuse to give right of way!! If you occupy a road lane on any type of cycle most Thais will force you to move by driving straight at you.

[Spaniel]

http://www.tampabay.com/news/courts/criminal/woman-gets-30-year-prison-sentence-for-hit-and-run-deaths/2118798

Do you think this kind of sentence would ever be possible here?

Edited May 8, 2015 by Spaniel

[carenot]

Subject has been done to death on T.V if you don't like it here feel free to leave many of you seem to have moved to thailand so you can complain how it's not like your home country why not go back ,keep your need to be controlled and your self righteous socially conservative views to yourselves

Another don't criticise, don't have an opinion and leave comment.

Is it junta style only positive comments permitted and can't you see there's a lot of serious comments and fun ones too ?

your free to make whatever comment you like unless the state says so! If you don't like a place it's customs it laws or it's enforcement of laws why be here ??? Most of us made the choice to live here . Hopefully we all want the country to do well but those of you who see more laws and control by the state as a good thing over personal freedom need your heads read

[torpedo1970]

"motorists should understand the meaning of the words "mercy and compassion".

In any other country, yes...

BUT TIT

My girlfriend once said to me when driving motorbike, oh, you have to give way to that car.... according to signage and traffic rules it was all wrong, so i had to ask why? (silly me!)

Because it is a car and they are more hi-so than us driving motorbike.....

There you go, i should have kept my mouth shut....

[gandalf12]

It is just bad driving by Thai's (and some foreigners) and no real punishment for accidents

[gandalf12]

All road users irrespective of means of transport or nationality need to know the rules and the rule must be enforced no matter who it is that breaks them

[nev]

For a start ban people from riding in the back of pick up trucks they have no chance if there is a major accident, maybe a 500 baht fine for each passenger caught in the back would do the trick.

Also no more than two on a motorcy and no children allowed on motorcy"s full stop how many times have you seen you children being carried in what is the death position and enforce it, yes it would hurt the poor who use the motorcy to transport the whole family, but i have seen accidents with the whole family scattered all over the road.

This is only 2 to start with, but these two would never be seen happening in your own country.

[richard_smith237]

Subject has been done to death on T.V if you don't like it here feel free to leave many of you seem to have moved to thailand so you can complain how it's not like your home country why not go back ,keep your need to be controlled and your self righteous socially conservative views to yourselves

Another don't criticise, don't have an opinion and leave comment.

Is it junta style only positive comments permitted and can't you see there's a lot of serious comments and fun ones too ?

your free to make whatever comment you like unless the state says so! If you don't like a place it's customs it laws or it's enforcement of laws why be here ??? Most of us made the choice to live here . Hopefully we all want the country to do well but those of you who see more laws and control by the state as a good thing over personal freedom need your heads read

If you think personal freedom includes the lack of adequate law enforcement for existing laws resulting in excessive road deaths then I suspect someone else not only needs their 'head read' they require some serious re-programming in basic intelligence.

Perhaps you'll change your tune when someone close to you is unnecessarily hurt. Emulating the attitudes of some of the more careless around you is not intelligent justification to oppose the opinion of those Westerners and Thai's who would like to see less people get hurt.

The 'If you don't like it go home' argument is one of the most fundamentally flawed and unintelligent responses we read on ThaiVisa.com. With an equal absence of IQ I could argue that if you don't like a thread, don't read it !...

[ToddinChonburi]

I see so many violations every day that would make this place tons of money if the boys in brown just did there jobs. I only see them picking on motorbikes at certain times but never bother anyone riding on the sidewalk.

[janpharma]

Again...it's all about e d u c a t i o n ...

[jmacken306]

I agree with one of the writers below, enforcement! Also look at the USA what they have done! My biggest beef is with the scooters, going between cars, cutting you off and when the Taxi pulls up to the curb, the bike hits the door because he wants to pass you.............. Bicycle lanes yes, scooters should follow cars.....wait their <deleted> turn, because they jam up the intersection..

Edited May 8, 2015 by metisdead
Profanity

[diehard60]

There is no need for stricter laws to insure road safety. What IS needed is stricter law inforcement. But that may be asking too much from the police. First they would have to go back to school and learn the laws themselves and learn to respect those same laws themselve.

[oneday]

Subject has been done to death on T.V if you don't like it here feel free to leave many of you seem to have moved to thailand so you can complain how it's not like your home country why not go back ,keep your need to be controlled and your self righteous socially conservative views to yourselves

I guess your board name says everything about you that is needed to be said.

...you are so right...that's the answer...don't try to improve a culture of driving that kills so many people...exactly what a person who CARES NOT would say...until the day you are hit and seriously injured or even killed by a crazy or drunk or lawless driver on these crazy roads and then I bet you change your tune. Happy driving "carenot".

With attitudes like yours we would still be in caves. You don't happen to have hair all over you...do you?

Edited May 8, 2015 by oneday

[Remi080]

Higher punishments! Cant do the time, dont do the crime.

They all drive like a Sunababitch. Haha.

[outsider]

I guess 'enforcement' does not exist in Thai vocabulary...

Edited May 8, 2015 by outsider

[carenot]

Subject has been done to death on T.V if you don't like it here feel free to leave many of you seem to have moved to thailand so you can complain how it's not like your home country why not go back ,keep your need to be controlled and your self righteous socially conservative views to yourselves

Another don't criticise, don't have an opinion and leave comment.

Is it junta style only positive comments permitted and can't you see there's a lot of serious comments and fun ones too ?

your free to make whatever comment you like unless the state says so! If you don't like a place it's customs it laws or it's enforcement of laws why be here ??? Most of us made the choice to live here . Hopefully we all want the country to do well but those of you who see more laws and control by the state as a good thing over personal freedom need your heads read

If you think personal freedom includes the lack of adequate law enforcement for existing laws resulting in excessive road deaths then I suspect someone else not only needs their 'head read' they require some serious re-programming in basic intelligence.

Perhaps you'll change your tune when someone close to you is unnecessarily hurt. Emulating the attitudes of some of the more careless around you is not intelligent justification to oppose the opinion of those Westerners and Thai's who would like to see less people get hurt.

The 'If you don't like it go home' argument is one of the most fundamentally flawed and unintelligent responses we read on ThaiVisa.com. With an equal absence of IQ I could argue that if you don't like a thread, don't read it !...

richard_smith237 Please don't try and bring intelligence levels into this as your responce itself is one that would be expected of someone of low intelligence it's also rather myopic and more than a little self righteous but to be expected onThaiVisa.com

A quick example of the personal freedoms i was refering to but you didn't ask about are the wearing or not of a crash helmet or seat belt neither of these affect you or your safety.

I am personaly fully aware of the dangers I would put myself in if I were to choose not to wear either but what has this to do with you or the state or anyone else for that matter.

Of course I want to see the idiots taken off the road or educated to drive in a more sensible fashion but for all I know you could very well be one of these people that "require some serious re-programming"!!

oneday I'll sleep easy knowing that statisticlly speaking it is still highly unlikley to happen

[LawrenceN]

"In the Chilean cyclist's case, the driver of the pickup truck was arrested on charges of causing death by dangerous driving and released on bail."

And? Waiting for the other shoe to drop. Is the legal system here aware that "out on bail" is synonymous with "awaiting trial"? There is no indication in that statement of how that case was resolved. I suppose that's where it stands.

[Kaalle]

Why pretend there are real laws and a police force capable of enforcing them? The guy who wrote the article is trying to stay on the face saving side of things instead of blatantly admitting road safety is non existent, laws are not relevant, and the police themselves are far worse than the criminals they are suppose to be policing.

Edited May 8, 2015 by Kaalle