who can I talk to about improving traffic safety?

[ghworker2010]

I work in Issan and the intersection of my workplace is on a busy highway just out of town. Im constantly seeing moped riders in accidents at the intersection. I recently saw one of my students lying on the pavement in a pool of blood.

I plan to speak to the boss of my workplace and ask if he / we can go to see someone about putting either traffic lights or new signs to get drivers to slow down. On the other side of the city I recently noticed they had installed a new neon type sign '50' indicating for drivers to slow down. I plan to go back there and take a photo to show my boss.

If we live in a small city in Issan who do we go to exactly? Do we speak to the governor or the police? Who actually makes decisions on traffic light installations?

Everyone is talking about the accidents with our students at the intersection. Nothing will be done unless I try to instigate action....TIT

thanks

[jkinbkk]

It's noble cause you wish to pursue, so hats off to that.

But sadly to catch the interest of the local governor to undertake increased safety measure at this junction there would have to be something (financially) in it for him!

Thats easily done as he could skim a juice slice of the budget raised/allocated to the project.

Say that happens, frankly the hardest obstacle would be to change the mindset of Thai drivers to abide by these measures.

Typically and especially with the locals, they will see the change as unnessary and inconvenient. Therefore they are likely to abide fully by the signals.

Don't forget, Thais consider themselves to be smarter than the average bear!

Not wishing to 'P' on your parade. I hope you get your wish

[geronimo]

Get as many signatures on a petition as you can, then find a Thai who will be able to present it to the local administrator for you. Good luck, as it is hard to make any changes like this.

[Chicog]

I would recommend the trees for all the good it will do you.

Alternatively, try and collect as many videos or photos of accidents at this spot and then splice them into a video with some hip hop music and paste it on social media, entitled "our mayor/governor/whatever is useless".

Share it with some Thais.

Edited October 21, 2015 by Chicog

[farmerjo]

Visit the local golf course,that's where it all happens in my area.

[DILLIGAD]

Your intentions are honourable but be very careful how you approach this matter as it is very close to your place of work so you don't want to get a reputation of a trouble-maker at work.

Have you checked what your co-workers (especially Thai's) think of the situation and are they willing to help with your 'crusade'?

Best of luck.

[cooked]

It is not a matter of putting up new traffic signals or signs, it's about educating people about traffic safety, regulations and courtesy. I haven't seen ANY Thai TV spots about road safety, although I have seen many reports about bad road conditions. The road safety council or whatever it is called in TH periodically calls for increased control of traffic regulations, which mostly crystallises as ฿300 fines for helmet, speed, license or tax and insurance offences, and does nothing about education and prevention as far as I can see. These guys' parents were driving buffalo carts a generation ago.

[PlastikbinLina]

Short answer.... No one!

[Martyjustice]

Put up a sign that says "I will pay you to slow down". Then see how many people actually look at it. Bet it won't cost you much.

[Crazy chef 1]

Easy ask your HR to contact the local BIB's ( including a contribution) and let them know there is the perfect place to set up a road block ( just don't forget the required lieutenant to be present)...

[DILLIGAD]

Put up a sign that says "I will pay you to slow down". Then see how many people actually look at it. Bet it won't cost you much.

You would probably be accused of causing accidents when drivers are reading your sign! LOL!

[ezzra]

Talk to the walls, you have better chance of being heard than talking to anyone else.....

[jacko45k]

Talk to the walls, you have better chance of being heard than talking to anyone else.....

Similar to my thought, 'talk to the hand.... the head isn't listening'....

Bad publicity seems to work here.

[juice777]

Is this a wind up

If not good luck with that mate

Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk

[Langsuan Man]

Take a YouTube video, upload it, and then when it goes viral something will be done, otherwise , as we say in New York, forgetta about it

[leither69]

The wizard of oz maybe he can help, if he's busy forget about it and make sure you wear a crash helmet

[Liquorice]

Sometimes you need to talk to an expert in Thailand about certain issues.

That's why I talk to myself!

[DJH77]

What's the point in having Traffic Lights. In Mukdahan nobody stops at most of the lights and that includes the Police. They drive as they park, anywhere anytime. I have tried to have Road Rule Education included in Schools and even the Top Cops here agreed with me that you would have to Educate the Police first so they could then educate the schools.

[cruisemonkey]

"Buddha is driving" - there's a reason Thailand's roads are the second deadliest in the world.

[kiwikeith]

Short answer.... No one!

Correct, I and I bet many on TV have been in near miss situations, 2 guys on motorbike yesterday overtook the car approaching me on a blind corner as I was aproaching that car. They ended up heading straight for me and nowhere to go.

If I had not swerved immediately (and running into the bushes) they would be reincarnated now, they only scaped through the gap I created.

I wrote to the Bangkok Post editor twice after being in two accidents while travelling in the 10 seater Taxi Vans after a couple of bad crashes where many students were killed in these vans in horific crashes were published in the BK Post.

I recieved no response.

So unfortunately the answer is No -- One .

Honourable cause and very sad that the Police wont even put speed cameras everywhere as this would stop brown envelopes.

[catinthehat]

Easy ask your HR to contact the local BIB's ( including a contribution) and let them know there is the perfect place to set up a road block ( just don't forget the required lieutenant to be present)...

All-

HHow will Thailand ever eradicate corruption if everything that is expected of them is monetized (sp?)

Now that the RTP are in the mode of expecting large payouts (i.e. Erawan bomber case), and the fact that they are only interested in the monetary benefits of traffic stops, and in the case of persuing a case they recieve a downpayment to write a report and follow through, this will only get worse.

[masuk]

It's noble cause you wish to pursue, so hats off to that.

But sadly to catch the interest of the local governor to undertake increased safety measure at this junction there would have to be something (financially) in it for him!

Thats easily done as he could skim a juice slice of the budget raised/allocated to the project.

Say that happens, frankly the hardest obstacle would be to change the mindset of Thai drivers to abide by these measures.

Typically and especially with the locals, they will see the change as unnessary and inconvenient. Therefore they are likely to abide fully by the signals.

Don't forget, Thais consider themselves to be smarter than the average bear!

Not wishing to 'P' on your parade. I hope you get your wish

Who to talk to? Do you know the song "I talk to the Trees'? .... and as the famous Eccles said ' but they don't talk to me'.

Driver education is sadly lacking and the hip pocket is the way to go, and not ludicrous 100baht fines.

Most drivers here seem to have no idea of a 'safety gap' between cars while driving, especially along highways.

If you do leave a gap, then some fool is sure to overtake and squeeze in.

[chicowoodduck]

This must be one of those posts that just tries to yank my chain...?

Try just pissing into the wind...will get much the same results.......?

[fred Kubasa]

Well " Worker ", there are several pages, issued by 37 Government agencies

on just where to complain but we all know complaints are totally ignored

unless, unless someone important, ( connected ), dies and you..............

are not connected !

[Suradit69]

I wonder how many of those expressing negative reactions to the O/P have actually ever attempted anything like this. I agree it won't be a simple task, but accepting defeat before ever trying and then blaming the system is cynical and just feeds the unproven notion that nothing will ever come of your efforts, so why bother.

Probably best to try to generate interest amongst Thai business managers or locals with some influence rather than leading the charge yourself, but if you express genuine concern you could inspire some action. The worst that could happen would be no change, but something might eventually come from your effort. Of course if you approach it all with the all too typical "I'm a farang and I know everything" attitude it will be doomed, but if a diplomatic attempt is made on your part. you (and all the naysayers) might be surprised.

Edited October 22, 2015 by Suradit69

[realenglish1]

Just go out and purchase some stop signs and put them up That would be really fast Then when officials

come around asking give them a few baht and its a done deal

[mike324]

Easiest way is to make a viral video, showing pictures of accidents and bodies of student lying on the ground. Get it on the local news, before you know it the district chief may act on it with the police by installing lights and posing for a photo op showing his good deeds not yours.

The other way is to find a company that can donate or contribute money to purchasing the lights / signs, work with the police in the area to get it approved and installed.

[HerbalEd]

Regarding the topic: "who can I talk to about improving traffic safety?"

Given that WHO just showed Thailand to be number 2 in the world for per-capita highway deaths, I'd say you should talk to God.

[robertson468]

Sorry to say, but Thailand is still like the wild west in many respects. In fact, I think it has just been voted as having the second most dangerous roads in the World! I have often wondered why the Government doesn't have sponsored road safety videos in place of some of the adverts on tv. The answers I suppose is, they would not generate revenue or garner any votes, but hey ho it would save on medical bills so indirectly would be revenue and if more people live, irgo, more votes. Perhaps that's a little too deep for lovely Thailand.

[NickJ]

Driving and Electricity help to Cull the Herd.