Thailand's roads second deadliest in the world: World Health Organization

[ClutchClark]

Clearly the roads are the problem. ................

It's a problems among many others but not the most important .

The most important , and many members have already write it but some of them cannot or don't want to read :

The most important is EDUCATION ;

When u are educted, u know that on a dirty road you cannot speed as you are on a 4 or 6 super motorway .

When u are educated you know u must let a minimum of 30 meters between your car and the car which is in front or yours if your speed is 50 km/h;

if it is 80 km/h, the secure distance must be 50 meter; and so on ...

When you are educated, you use the flashing light

etc...

Plenty of well educated folks have horrible driving records.

And I would guess there isn't a Thai alive who hasn't read and seen 100 different photos in the tabloids and news stories about vehicular wrecks with mangled bodies strewn about.

In fact, its sometimes the knowledge that a roadway or driving habit being dangerous that encourages the stupid male behavior to show off in the first place.

[1BADDAT]

I would like to know how many of these deaths occurred at U-Turns.

Every few hundred metres on major 3 lane highways these are just accidents waiting to happen. How many times have you been driving along at 120kph in the outside lane (when there's no overloaded truck or bus blocking your way) and had to slam the brakes on to avoid running into a queue of traffic trying to do a U turn. Madness.

I totally agree with this. It is amazing to me that they go all the out in the fast lane and wait to get hit. All they have to do is continue moving forward (completing the u torn) and it would be a hundred times safer.

But the real people to blame are the ones that design the roads. They don't know what real intersections are. They don't make lanes for motorbikes to travel safely away from speeding cars. The u turns they design don't have large enough turning radius or Adequate area for cars to safety que.

It is perplexing because some roads like the Elavated highways and motorways are very well designed. But the roads where there is a lot of cross traffic and u turns and what not seem to have no thought put into them at all.

[1BADDAT]

Just another chance for expats etc to display their ignorance of road safety and engage in a litany of racist abuse and bigoted misconceptions about Thai drivers and Thai roads.

Thailand has no more or less stupid drivers than any other nation. The problem is how successive governments have allowed the road and traffic systems to develop with little or no science or planning.

...pointing out single items as if they are the sole cause of all Thailand's traffic problems is just banal in the extreme, and endless anecdotes of "bad driving" prove absolutely nothing apart from the ignorance of those posting them.

Thailand has no more or less stupid drivers than any other nation?!?!

I can't even put into words how ridiculous that statement is.

[brling]

Just another chance for expats etc to display their ignorance of road safety and engage in a litany of racist abuse and bigoted misconceptions about Thai drivers and Thai roads.

Thailand has no more or less stupid drivers than any other nation. The problem is how successive governments have allowed the road and traffic systems to develop with little or no science or planning.

...pointing out single items as if they are the sole cause of all Thailand's traffic problems is just banal in the extreme, and endless anecdotes of "bad driving" prove absolutely nothing apart from the ignorance of those posting them.

Thailand has no more or less stupid drivers than any other nation?!?!

I can't even put into words how ridiculous that statement is.

It is indeed the most ridiculous statement posted on this forum, period, and "cumgranosalum says he /she is NOT a Thai apologist.. Ridiculous.

[connda]

I recall two separate incidents where bicyclists who had pedaled around most of the world were each run down and died here on Thailand roadways.

I may be wrong but I think in one accident, both the man and woman were killed while riding...and they had logged like 20K miles.

so you are inferring that this is indicative of what?

It's an indictment of the World Second Most Deadliest Roads - Thailand!

[connda]

Just another chance for expats etc to display their ignorance of road safety and engage in a litany of racist abuse and bigoted misconceptions about Thai drivers and Thai roads.

Thailand has no more or less stupid drivers than any other nation. The problem is how successive governments have allowed the road and traffic systems to develop with little or no science or planning.

...pointing out single items as if they are the sole cause of all Thailand's traffic problems is just banal in the extreme, and endless anecdotes of "bad driving" prove absolutely nothing apart from the ignorance of those posting them.

Thailand has no more or less stupid drivers than any other nation?!?!

I can't even put into words how ridiculous that statement is.

Ok, rewrite:

The rest of the world: Stupid drivers, some of whom are negligent bordering on suicidal.

Thailand: Stupid drivers, most of whom are negligent bordering on suicidal.

[balo]

I recall two separate incidents where bicyclists who had pedaled around most of the world were each run down and died here on Thailand roadways.

I may be wrong but I think in one accident, both the man and woman were killed while riding...and they had logged like 20K miles.

Maybe you're thinking about this tragic story where a Chilean cyclist was killed in Korat this year :

cross-continental-cyclist-killed-in-korat-crash

[ClutchClark]

I recall two separate incidents where bicyclists who had pedaled around most of the world were each run down and died here on Thailand roadways.

I may be wrong but I think in one accident, both the man and woman were killed while riding...and they had logged like 20K miles.

Maybe you're thinking about this tragic story where a Chilean cyclist was killed in Korat this year :

cross-continental-cyclist-killed-in-korat-crash

Bato,

Sadly, I was thinking about this couple from Guernsey; however, its a similar story as the one you posted.

http://www.samuitimes.com/two-british-cyclist-killed-thai-leg-round-world-trip/

[dhream]

We have a "government" whose primary reason for existing and whole focus is on making sure the masses never get the chance to elect a government of their choice again and yet something like this, which kills tens of thousands of Thai citizens yearly is ignored. When exactly does reform of the police begin? That would be a primary solution to much of this bloodshed. Never is the probable answer sadly.

Good job! Managing to bring the present government to task for a situation that has been exactly the same for more than a decade, unless you count Yingluck bringing another million plus cars to public roads without improving driver training, actually making things worse. Way to stick your foot in your mouth!

I think the thrust of most arguments here is that this parliament have ramped up the rhetoric about discipline and 'right thinking' in general, pardon the unintended pun. Therefore, perhaps road safety, and lane discipline, juxtaposed onto this preventable carnage, is a wee bit more important than kindy kids reciting pledges of loyalty, among other dubious 'do as I say, not as I do' directives.

[ClutchClark]

We have a "government" whose primary reason for existing and whole focus is on making sure the masses never get the chance to elect a government of their choice again and yet something like this, which kills tens of thousands of Thai citizens yearly is ignored. When exactly does reform of the police begin? That would be a primary solution to much of this bloodshed. Never is the probable answer sadly.

Good job! Managing to bring the present government to task for a situation that has been exactly the same for more than a decade, unless you count Yingluck bringing another million plus cars to public roads without improving driver training, actually making things worse. Way to stick your foot in your mouth!

I think the thrust of most arguments here is that this parliament have ramped up the rhetoric about discipline and 'right thinking' in general, pardon the unintended pun. Therefore, perhaps road safety, and lane discipline, juxtaposed onto this preventable carnage, is a wee bit more important than kindy kids reciting pledges of loyalty, among other dubious 'do as I say, not as I do' directives.

That has absolutely nothing to do with what I was talking about.

I think the condition of this Country has improved quite a bit under the Junta leadership and I actually see greater harmony on the roadways today.

Edited October 26, 2015 by ClutchClark

[dhream]

I would like to know how many of these deaths occurred at U-Turns.

Every few hundred metres on major 3 lane highways these are just accidents waiting to happen. How many times have you been driving along at 120kph in the outside lane (when there's no overloaded truck or bus blocking your way) and had to slam the brakes on to avoid running into a queue of traffic trying to do a U turn. Madness.

I totally agree with this. It is amazing to me that they go all the out in the fast lane and wait to get hit. All they have to do is continue moving forward (completing the u torn) and it would be a hundred times safer.

But the real people to blame are the ones that design the roads. They don't know what real intersections are. They don't make lanes for motorbikes to travel safely away from speeding cars. The u turns they design don't have large enough turning radius or Adequate area for cars to safety que.

It is perplexing because some roads like the Elavated highways and motorways are very well designed. But the roads where there is a lot of cross traffic and u turns and what not seem to have no thought put into them at all.

The big projects are boilerplate. They buy the elevated highway plans from overseas. And possibly the senior engineers to oversee them built correctly. No mai bpen rai there.

Apart from the drivers, mechanics changing tyres at roadside auto-stands without even a hi vis shirt, let alone bollards, as traffic speeds by inches away.

Roadworks in the fast lane with very little warning signs lights, bollards or space to merge safely, crews wearing regular clothing, not hi vis.

Not a safety issue but a combo of bad design and zombies at the wheel who block the right turn and u turn lanes, thus creating huge tailbacks as turning traffic that can't move, adds to the congestion. Crazy one way systems that mean you have the choice of walking a kilometre or driving 4 to get to the same place.

Motorbikes with this suicidal 'trend' of disabling or not replacing the tail light bulb -why in all that is sacred, WHY!?

[dhream]

We have a "government" whose primary reason for existing and whole focus is on making sure the masses never get the chance to elect a government of their choice again and yet something like this, which kills tens of thousands of Thai citizens yearly is ignored. When exactly does reform of the police begin? That would be a primary solution to much of this bloodshed. Never is the probable answer sadly.

Good job! Managing to bring the present government to task for a situation that has been exactly the same for more than a decade, unless you count Yingluck bringing another million plus cars to public roads without improving driver training, actually making things worse. Way to stick your foot in your mouth!

I think the thrust of most arguments here is that this parliament have ramped up the rhetoric about discipline and 'right thinking' in general, pardon the unintended pun. Therefore, perhaps road safety, and lane discipline, juxtaposed onto this preventable carnage, is a wee bit more important than kindy kids reciting pledges of loyalty, among other dubious 'do as I say, not as I do' directives.

That has absolutely nothing to do with what I was talking about.

I think the condition of this Country has improved quite a bit under the Junta leadership and I actually see greater harmony on the roadways today.

So you believe that road discipline by 'osmosis' is yet another miraculous result of the current state of State Affairs? Well I thought you might be a tanks-r-us apologist, bless your olive drab socks, but that you actually believe the presence of the junta (your word) has led to more harmonious traffic, without them actually DOING ANYTHING deserves the ridicule I'm lavishing upon it.

Assuming you are somehow correct, then all this harmony MUST lead to improved road death statistics, and yet, this is not so! Surely after a year of 'happiness' the road toll would have at least shifted into third worst in the universe?

In all seriousness, I think you are seeing what you want to see on the roadways today (your ailment is called 'delusion' it was very popular in certain parts of Europe in the 1930's) because the present management has done precisely zero about the situation being discussed here, apart from recommending we all get on our bicycles.

I'll do that when the PM cycles to work, after all, as an ex-military man, both you, and one hopes, the right honorable gentleman, would understand leadership by example is the most admired. Parade Disss-miss!

[dhream]

WHO report figures they collect. Thailand's by no means as bad as some Ive driven in. India must be worse but don't report if there is no insurance claim.

China, but only because they use the horn like other people use the brake, it is hellish and incessant noise pollution that achieves nothing, a horn there is meaningless, really.

Malaysia, a place with good roads, but lane markings are meaningless, and almost everyone is determined the next guy just can't get in front of them, or they might lose... what?

Portugal is truly frightening, really cool laid back people get behind the wheel there -and turn into motorised werewolves.

[dhream]

I have driven and cycled here for a few years, and most people I have encountered are actually pretty 'sabai'. They take it slow, they hardly ever use the horn (in CNX anyway) and they defer to, rather than challenge, the nutters.

But then again there is an old saying, "It is amazing how the idiots on the road disappear when I slow down!" I took that to heart early on in life.

Do Idiots abound? No more than anywhere else in my experience, and hey, good to see so many of you right here on this thread!

The appalling death rate here is due to an infernal stew of issues that have been well covered already, but chief among them, lack of the 'E's and bikes 73% fatality rate, good grief!

I also don't think Thais are any better or worse than other people as drivers, it is the system that has failed them. Frankly I'm glad so many have the sense to be 'zen' because if the majority drove like the Portuguese (worst road safety in EU, but who have much better road systems and enforcement) there would hardly be anyone left here by now.

Are you ready for my parting note? (I un-follow so don't waste your time defending the indefensible).

I agree with all that cumgranosalum wrote, those that shot him down showed their reasoning skills to be flawed, never mind he is a traffic EXPERT, this is exactly the blustering know it all type that cause accidents, full of piss and vinegar, they laugh, ha, ha, remove the trees, woo! What self-righteous farang doesn't blame the Thai drivers? ho ho, he, he, these F1-a-bees are blind to their own sense of papal infallibility, regular little James Hunts. Rhymes with?

[Thian]

I would like to know how many of these deaths occurred at U-Turns.

Every few hundred metres on major 3 lane highways these are just accidents waiting to happen. How many times have you been driving along at 120kph in the outside lane (when there's no overloaded truck or bus blocking your way) and had to slam the brakes on to avoid running into a queue of traffic trying to do a U turn. Madness.

I totally agree with this. It is amazing to me that they go all the out in the fast lane and wait to get hit. All they have to do is continue moving forward (completing the u torn) and it would be a hundred times safer.

But the real people to blame are the ones that design the roads. They don't know what real intersections are. They don't make lanes for motorbikes to travel safely away from speeding cars. The u turns they design don't have large enough turning radius or Adequate area for cars to safety que.

It is perplexing because some roads like the Elavated highways and motorways are very well designed. But the roads where there is a lot of cross traffic and u turns and what not seem to have no thought put into them at all.

Without all the U-turns the Thai would just drive against traffic. They don't care for other people's safety.

When you ask a Thai why he doesn't fix his lights on the vehicle the answer is: I can see very well in the dark.

They just are very selfish and get away with it because there's no police.

[connda]

I would like to know how many of these deaths occurred at U-Turns.

Every few hundred metres on major 3 lane highways these are just accidents waiting to happen. How many times have you been driving along at 120kph in the outside lane (when there's no overloaded truck or bus blocking your way) and had to slam the brakes on to avoid running into a queue of traffic trying to do a U turn. Madness.

I totally agree with this. It is amazing to me that they go all the out in the fast lane and wait to get hit. All they have to do is continue moving forward (completing the u torn) and it would be a hundred times safer.

But the real people to blame are the ones that design the roads. They don't know what real intersections are. They don't make lanes for motorbikes to travel safely away from speeding cars. The u turns they design don't have large enough turning radius or Adequate area for cars to safety que.

It is perplexing because some roads like the Elavated highways and motorways are very well designed. But the roads where there is a lot of cross traffic and u turns and what not seem to have no thought put into them at all.

The big projects are boilerplate. They buy the elevated highway plans from overseas. And possibly the senior engineers to oversee them built correctly. No mai bpen rai there.

Apart from the drivers, mechanics changing tyres at roadside auto-stands without even a hi vis shirt, let alone bollards, as traffic speeds by inches away.

Roadworks in the fast lane with very little warning signs lights, bollards or space to merge safely, crews wearing regular clothing, not hi vis.

Not a safety issue but a combo of bad design and zombies at the wheel who block the right turn and u turn lanes, thus creating huge tailbacks as turning traffic that can't move, adds to the congestion. Crazy one way systems that mean you have the choice of walking a kilometre or driving 4 to get to the same place.

Motorbikes with this suicidal 'trend' of disabling or not replacing the tail light bulb -why in all that is sacred, WHY!?

Highway 11 is being repaired south-east of Muang, Lamphun. They are busting up slabs of asphalt-repaired concrete, and refilling the road segments with 100% concrete. The finished road segments look very, very nice, especially with the 1 to 2+ cm of loose asphalt and concrete chips piled onto the shoulders where the motorcycle are legally required to drive. Can't wait for dark. We'll have to check with the local provincial hospital to see how many motorcycle accidents happen when unsuspecting drivers hit those piles of debris that are totally unmarked and unbarricaded. That would be a lawyer's wet dream in the US. Here in the LOS. LOL.

Edited October 27, 2015 by connda

[cumgranosalum]

I recall two separate incidents where bicyclists who had pedaled around most of the world were each run down and died here on Thailand roadways.

I may be wrong but I think in one accident, both the man and woman were killed while riding...and they had logged like 20K miles.

so you are inferring that this is indicative of what?

I am not inferring anything.

what are you inferring by asking me what I am inferring? I would prefer it if you would defer from inferring about things I refer to.

Thank you

That should deter him!

S o sorry, I meant to say "implying" - but I gather from your answer that your post was as I suspected either pointless or just reinforcing a prejudice.

[ClutchClark]

so you are inferring that this is indicative of what?

I am not inferring anything.

what are you inferring by asking me what I am inferring? I would prefer it if you would defer from inferring about things I refer to.

Thank you

That should deter him!

S o sorry, I meant to say "implying" - but I gather from your answer that your post was as I suspected either pointless or just reinforcing a prejudice.

My poor TV friend, my last post was simply in jest. The post prior to that about the two separate incidents of round-the-world bicyclists who had each ridden on seversl continents and in dozens of countries each being killed on the roadways of Thailand was simply a contribution to this topic. If you still fail to comprehend the connection then I fear it is more of a handicap on your part and one I will not have luck helping you with even if I bandied about with you for the next week.

I fear we are on such different paths that a convergence is near impossible so best wishes to you in the future. The final word I leave to you ;-)

Edited October 28, 2015 by ClutchClark

[MZurf]

I recall two separate incidents where bicyclists who had pedaled around most of the world were each run down and died here on Thailand roadways.

I may be wrong but I think in one accident, both the man and woman were killed while riding...and they had logged like 20K miles.

so you are inferring that this is indicative of what?

I am not inferring anything.

what are you inferring by asking me what I am inferring? I would prefer it if you would defer from inferring about things I refer to.

Thank you

That should deter him!

S o sorry, I meant to say "implying" - but I gather from your answer that your post was as I suspected either pointless or just reinforcing a prejudice.

I would prefer if you did not infer that I try to deter you from writing about what can occur!

[cumgranosalum]

There is a bit of talk now about the roads.

Basically, Thailand has dreadful roads.

The first and obvious criticism is the condition of the surfaces - even on a new motorway there is a distinct possibility of suddenly coming across a pothole.

However the underlying problem here is corruption You can get a good indicator of how corrupt a country is by looking at the roads.

New roads are government contracts (this is, of course, a motoring subsidy - try driving without a road). As anyone who knows how corruption works government contracts ae tops for this sort of thing in any country. what then happens is the "contractors" or others involved then try to cream off as much as they can whilst still producing what looks like a road. Underneath foundations, infrastructure and hardcore are compromised and the money saved goes into the pockets of the corrupt. In fact, anything that isn't on the surface or directly checkable, gets trimmed to the poinr of being uselss.

the result of this is that after a few months or in some cases Days even the "cracks" begin to show - sometimes wquite literally.

2 examples in the Cholburi area...firstly when a new section of the route7 motorway was opened in about 2007, the first rians coused a 9 inch deep flood to completely block a seciotn of road at night - the drains were improperly fitted. Anothe rmore recent incident on the new flyover from the same motorway on the new Bang Saen Spur, a large block of concrete fell off a newly completed sction narrowly missing a veicle and partially blocking the roaThe next big problem is that since WW2, thailand has pursued the development of road transport to the exclusion of all other systems and the roads they have built have been in geeral terribly badlt thought out - the solution to any communications problem has been build a road....these roads are HUGE, straight and far too straight, the result is ever faster traffic and of course an exponential increase in traffic - which has been ecouragerd to support the Thai home motor industry. the result has been badlt designed roads populated by pickups and other low safety rating vehicles all driving at high speeds on raods which have poorly marked lanes, bad signing and unpredictable surfaces - anyone who has raced or rallies or owns a motorccle will tell you how criciual road surfaces can be. Then the cherry o the top - add u-turns that involved slow traffic moving into the off side lanes to turn or trucks to block 2 out of 4 lanes to make the turm.....

...and after all this the facilities for road repair in Thailand are just a joke.......the use oof warning signs traffic control and cones are just a joke - it makes be wonder quite apart from driver and passenger deaths, what is the death rate for those unfortanates working on the roads???

[cumgranosalum]

I recall two separate incidents where bicyclists who had pedaled around most of the world were each run down and died here on Thailand roadways.

I may be wrong but I think in one accident, both the man and woman were killed while riding...and they had logged like 20K miles.

so you are inferring that this is indicative of what?

I am not inferring anything.

what are you inferring by asking me what I am inferring? I would prefer it if you would defer from inferring about things I refer to.

Thank you

That should deter him!

S o sorry, I meant to say "implying" - but I gather from your answer that your post was as I suspected either pointless or just reinforcing a prejudice.

I would prefer if you did not infer that I try to deter you from writing about what can occur!

You can't "infer" - - but the inference I draw from you post is that firstly you think this is evidence that Tand you are unaware that the plural of anecdote is not data.

[MZurf]

I recall two separate incidents where bicyclists who had pedaled around most of the world were each run down and died here on Thailand roadways.

I may be wrong but I think in one accident, both the man and woman were killed while riding...and they had logged like 20K miles.

so you are inferring that this is indicative of what?

I am not inferring anything.

what are you inferring by asking me what I am inferring? I would prefer it if you would defer from inferring about things I refer to.

Thank you

That should deter him!

S o sorry, I meant to say "implying" - but I gather from your answer that your post was as I suspected either pointless or just reinforcing a prejudice.

I would prefer if you did not infer that I try to deter you from writing about what can occur!

You can't "infer" - - but the inference I draw from you post is that firstly you think this is evidence that Tand you are unaware that the plural of anecdote is not data.

You should really let this go.

[cumgranosalum]

I recall two separate incidents where bicyclists who had pedaled around most of the world were each run down and died here on Thailand roadways.

I may be wrong but I think in one accident, both the man and woman were killed while riding...and they had logged like 20K miles.

so you are inferring that this is indicative of what?

I am not inferring anything.

what are you inferring by asking me what I am inferring? I would prefer it if you would defer from inferring about things I refer to.

Thank you

That should deter him!

S o sorry, I meant to say "implying" - but I gather from your answer that your post was as I suspected either pointless or just reinforcing a prejudice.

I would prefer if you did not infer that I try to deter you from writing about what can occur!

You can't "infer" - - but the inference I draw from you post is that firstly you think this is evidence that Tand you are unaware that the plural of anecdote is not data.

You should really let this go.

I'm perfectly aware of the incident(s), however, the point is that people post anecdotes about single instances as if this is some kind of validation of an argument - in fact they haven't even put forward an argument at all and so there is nothing to validate. Yet you get the feeling that these people have the impression that they are actually contributing to the debate, but unless they draw some conclusion this is not possible.

Edited October 28, 2015 by cumgranosalum

[cumgranosalum]

I would like to know how many of these deaths occurred at U-Turns.

Every few hundred metres on major 3 lane highways these are just accidents waiting to happen. How many times have you been driving along at 120kph in the outside lane (when there's no overloaded truck or bus blocking your way) and had to slam the brakes on to avoid running into a queue of traffic trying to do a U turn. Madness.

I totally agree with this. It is amazing to me that they go all the out in the fast lane and wait to get hit. All they have to do is continue moving forward (completing the u torn) and it would be a hundred times safer.

But the real people to blame are the ones that design the roads. They don't know what real intersections are. They don't make lanes for motorbikes to travel safely away from speeding cars. The u turns they design don't have large enough turning radius or Adequate area for cars to safety que.

It is perplexing because some roads like the Elavated highways and motorways are very well designed. But the roads where there is a lot of cross traffic and u turns and what not seem to have no thought put into them at all.

Without all the U-turns the Thai would just drive against traffic. They don't care for other people's safety.

When you ask a Thai why he doesn't fix his lights on the vehicle the answer is: I can see very well in the dark.

They just are very selfish and get away with it because there's no police.

on a properly designed road (seldom available in Thailand) it is virtually impossible to drive against traffic. This is "E" engineering as it applies to traffic engineering. In the UK if an elderly couple end up going the wrong way down a motorway it makes local or eve national TV.......why, because it is just about physically impossible to turn the wrong way onto a motorway, the junctions are designed to prevent this. This is just one example of how road design and traffic engineering actually manipulate driver behaviour...and driver are usually completely unaware of how this is done. It also acknowledges the fact that idiot drivers exist in about the same proportions in ALL countries regardless of anyone's quasi-racist pseudo-theories about Thai people

Edited October 28, 2015 by cumgranosalum

[1BADDAT]

I would like to know how many of these deaths occurred at U-Turns.

Every few hundred metres on major 3 lane highways these are just accidents waiting to happen. How many times have you been driving along at 120kph in the outside lane (when there's no overloaded truck or bus blocking your way) and had to slam the brakes on to avoid running into a queue of traffic trying to do a U turn. Madness.

I totally agree with this. It is amazing to me that they go all the out in the fast lane and wait to get hit. All they have to do is continue moving forward (completing the u torn) and it would be a hundred times safer.

But the real people to blame are the ones that design the roads. They don't know what real intersections are. They don't make lanes for motorbikes to travel safely away from speeding cars. The u turns they design don't have large enough turning radius or Adequate area for cars to safety que.

It is perplexing because some roads like the Elavated highways and motorways are very well designed. But the roads where there is a lot of cross traffic and u turns and what not seem to have no thought put into them at all.

Without all the U-turns the Thai would just drive against traffic. They don't care for other people's safety.

When you ask a Thai why he doesn't fix his lights on the vehicle the answer is: I can see very well in the dark.

They just are very selfish and get away with it because there's no police.

on a properly designed road (seldom available in Thailand) it is virtually impossible to drive against traffic. This is "E" engineering as it applies to traffic engineering. In the UK if an elderly couple end up going the wrong way down a motorway it makes local or eve national TV.......why, because it is just about physically impossible to turn the wrong way onto a motorway, the junctions are designed to prevent this. This is just one example of how road design and traffic engineering actually manipulate driver behaviour...and driver are usually completely unaware of how this is done. It also acknowledges the fact that idiot drivers exist in about the same proportions in ALL countries regardless of anyone's quasi-racist pseudo-theories about Thai people

Virtually impossible to drive against traffic?

Scenario 1: I have seen on Motorway 7 near the exit for Suvarnabhumi going towards Chonburi in broad daylight someone backing up the motorway because they missed their exit. This is one of the most well designed roads in the country and with adequate signage and shoulders and safety features that rival any other developed country. The exit is CLEARLY marked, but it didn't stop the incompetent and lazy driver from backing up on a major highway with cars traveling at speed. Never once in all my years of driving have I seen someone do this. But in two years of driving in Thailand I have seen it dozens of times.

Scenario 2: Second road in Pattaya is a one way. Twice at around 3am I have seen cars driving the wrong way with their flashers on clearly acknowledging they are going the wrong way. Drunk drivers everywhere and if that isnt bad enough there are ones going the wrong way at top speed.

Scenario 3: Any intersection anywhere in the world you have the option to go the right way or the wrong way. If you put barriers up to keep them from doing that then it wouldn't be an intersection would it?

Scenario 4: Motorbikes have a turning radius of a few meters. They can switch direction wherever and whenever they want. How do you plan on designing the roads to counter act that? Make the lanes one meter wide? Put spike strips every 50 meters?

I am still shocked that you are trying to make the point that percentage of idiot drivers are the same all over the world. Give it a rest already, the Thai apologists wont even come to support you on this one.

Edited October 28, 2015 by 1BADDAT

[brling]

Just another chance for expats etc to display their ignorance of road safety and engage in a litany of racist abuse and bigoted misconceptions about Thai drivers and Thai roads.

Thailand has no more or less stupid drivers than any other nation. The problem is how successive governments have allowed the road and traffic systems to develop with little or no science or planning.

...pointing out single items as if they are the sole cause of all Thailand's traffic problems is just banal in the extreme, and endless anecdotes of "bad driving" prove absolutely nothing apart from the ignorance of those posting them.

Thailand has no more or less stupid drivers than any other nation?!?!

I can't even put into words how ridiculous that statement is.

YUP, there are no words, period. Even on this forum I would not expect a Thai apologist to say that "Thailand has no more or less stupid drivers than any other nation". How many more replies is "cumgranosalum", going to post on this thread ? Please get a life.

[Thai at Heart]

That figure is underrated. Thai only count the dead AT THE SCENE. If you die later in the hospital, you don't don't get counted. Fact, not fiction.

Interesting. Who at the "scene" is qualified to pronouns a person is actually dead,?

Could you please supply a reference for this "fact not fiction" you quoted. Thanks

It has been known for years. If they scoop you up from the scene and die in hospital, it doesn't count as a road fatality. Seems the statistics have a statute of limitations.

[Thai at Heart]

That figure is underrated. Thai only count the dead AT THE SCENE. If you die later in the hospital, you don't don't get counted. Fact, not fiction.

Interesting. Who at the "scene" is qualified to pronouns a person is actually dead,?

Could you please supply a reference for this "fact not fiction" you quoted. Thanks

Actually "fiction," more like it. The road accident follows the injured to the hospitals and through the registrations of "cause of death," reports and into the court system and National registry. Nice try there, however you almost got away with that Porkey!

http://asiancorrespondent.com/131679/thailand-road-deaths/

It should also be noted that statistics taken inside Thailand only includes victims who died at the scene, while WHO statistics include persons that died within 30 days of the accident.

[puffy]

No Helmets, 4 people on a tiny scooter, Cars undertaking and swerving in and out of traffic.

Constant tailgating. Parking wherever you like eg on a blind corner. Pulling out into

oncoming traffic and hoping the car will stop in time. Even bicycles cycling erratically in the middle

of the road. Sudden u turns. Driving half in your lane and half into oncoming traffic.

This is just what I have seen today.

Sorry I forgot nonsensical right of way laws.

[MarkmBha]

So sad.