Is Phuket the Most Dangerous Place in the World to Drive?

[NamKangMan]

This country direly needs police that actually patrol and aren't corrupt so that fines are issued, insurance rates rise and people think twice before speeding. Van drivers losing their jobs due to insurance rates rising for their companies? Yes, please.

If Thai's don't care about Thai laws, why would they care about "insurance rates?"

If Somchai, the som tum vendor, can't pay a fine, how can he pay for insurance, and how can he pay for your damage when he crashes into you, let alone, your medical bills - you can't get blood out of a stone.

Again, police patrols and enforcement. Pull people over doing dangerous things, when you find that they're not paying their insurance, impound their vehicles. Everyone wins.

Less vehicles on the road, less dangerous roads, the sale of the vehicle goes back to the tax payers through funding government programs, thus requiring less taxes later.

But, once again... it all comes down to police enforcement of existing laws.

Do you live on Phuket?

There would be blockades, protests, riots, transfers to inactive posts etc etc.

The police are not in control here.

[stevehaigh]

Phuket is about 1% as crazy as Hanoi, Vietnam. Personally I think Rome and Paris are more crazy for driving that Phuket.

[ghworker2010]

I have to agree with OP. Phuket has some of the most aggressive drivers that I have ever seen. Phuket is full of low class crazy thais...

[Roel]

Surely in most third world countries the death toll statistics are completely unreliable.

I often hear people say that victims not count as traffic casualties when they die later in hospital. Anyone know if this is actually true or just something people read on the internet and keep repeating. And if so, is there a fixed time frame like for instance within 24 hours after the accident or is it decided case by case?

And how is this counted in the West?

So nobody knows then.

For the time being I put this in the category "had the farang not been in Thailand the accident would not have happened". Probably never uttered by a Thai but invented and repeated over and over by farangs.

Every time the subject of road fatalities comes up someone immediately shouts "and then they even don't count them when they die in hospital later". The same knee jerk reaction when a farang death is reported and the inevitable "there is more to this story" is posted instantly.

Anybody on here who knows a doctor or a police officer who can enlighten us?

There must be procedures in place. Thais love their paperwork.

This is how it is defined in the Netherlands (and in the UK) which looks pretty universal:

Road fatality means any person killed immediately or dying within 30 days as a result of a road injury accident. Suicides involving the use of a road motor vehicle are excluded.

Could it not simply be that this is also how it is counted in Thailand?

[KamalaRider]

No.....Try Riyadh in Saudi......compared to them the Thais are Courteous, gentle, well mannered drivers.

Edited November 8, 2015 by KamalaRider

[bapoboy]

there are few reasons why there are so many accidents on the roads in Thailand..

1.high speed driving

2.drunk driving

3.and the amount off veichles on the roads

Thailand have most motorbike on the roads after vitenam in the world..

i read somewhere that during songkran festival 89% off all the accidents was motorbike accident.

i have been to many countries and where they drive more crazy then they do in Thailand but there are not the same high amount of veichles on the roads.

more veichles+highspeed = more accident.....

[KamalaRider]

I've ridden my scooter around most of Thailand including 6 months or so in Phuket... And Phuket is the most dangerous by far. Full of drunks and/or A holes

"And Phuket is the most dangerous by far. Full of drunks" - what did you expect, with no proper public transport here?

>>Sidneycraig, You really generalise and offend everyone here, my Phuket isn't what you say even though the west coast with Patong as number one probably have the highest numbers of what you said.

But as I'm living in Phuket and don't see myself as your description of Phuket people, I feel highly offended and so would the majority of my fellow friends.

THERE are a lot of people driving drunk, but that's because of non existing public transportation after midnight, except for taxis or tuk tuk which all are found on the west coast at that hour, not anywhere near where I live and me going bar hopping.

But to say that Phuket are full of drunks and A holes and also most dangerous isn't true even if Phuket probably keep Thai standard, because we have our share of drunks and A holes, but most of them only stay around 6 months or so.

I have also been driving around Thailand and I'm more scared driving in Ubon than Phuket.

Here, most have actually learned over the years to drive safer and to obey some rules and laws, it's still not anywhere acceptable, but bit by bit, it's becoming better, not the traffic situation but people are better year by year, less and less speeding, not counting in taxis and minivans.

I drive more than 30 000 km per year around in Thailand and compared to 2006 when I first arrived to Thailand, it's much, much better but still have long way to go before being good, but that goes for all of Thailand, not just Phuket.

One more thing, the statistics are screwed up as statistics count number of deaths per capita, which means people not registered in Phuket aren't counted in as population. Thai people come here to work from all over Thailand but they don't change their address to Phuket.

[puukao]

IF you fear for your life......but likely on vacation, or extended "vacation" (retirement).....why not save your life and move ASAP!!!!?!?!?!

I can't imagine what would offset such risk........hmmmmm.......

i value my life......you will NOT see me there...

[KamalaRider]

This country direly needs police that actually patrol and aren't corrupt so that fines are issued, insurance rates rise and people think twice before speeding. Van drivers losing their jobs due to insurance rates rising for their companies? Yes, please.

If Thai's don't care about Thai laws, why would they care about "insurance rates?"

If Somchai, the som tum vendor, can't pay a fine, how can he pay for insurance, and how can he pay for your damage when he crashes into you, let alone, your medical bills - you can't get blood out of a stone.

But you have to agree that when hitting Thais pockets, they tend to obey the law, look at the helmet law that was and is enforced.

[samsensam]

lebanon is probably the most dangerous place i've been in respect of road safety. sheer lunacy.

[grumpyoldman]

IF you fear for your life......but likely on vacation, or extended "vacation" (retirement).....why not save your life and move ASAP!!!!?!?!?!

I can't imagine what would offset such risk........hmmmmm.......

i value my life......you will NOT see me there...

Alarmist exaggeration of a topic, thus this post............

Lets look at the topic title,,,,,,the answer is no. A couple posts even claim Samui is more dangerous, with which I will agree.

About riding and driving in Phuket as long as you are familiar with how most drive you'll be fine. Have to anticipate that the locals will turn out using the inner part of the lane, so thats why in a car you stay in the right lane, on a bike you hug the middle line in the left lane. Bikes stay left, cars on the right.

Educate yourself on the road rules here by experiencing it and you'll be fine.

Now, how many threads can we take up space w*nking on about the public transpo issue here, aye?

[FBlue72]

^ Do you have any definitive info that Samui has more deaths than Phuket ? I believe it has far less population. Pertinent to this query is population figures in Phuket are vastly under reported - as much as 60 % by some estimates.

It seems if traffic fatalities in Thailand are under reported by as much as 42% as a UN report states, and Phuket is the worse in Thailand , then yes, we are driving in the world's most likely place to die.

Easy to see why the tallies are kept low with creative stats. This could lead one to conclude it is a deliberate lie.

Edited November 8, 2015 by FBlue72

[LivinginKata]

Alarmist exaggeration of a topic, thus this post............

Lets look at the topic title,,,,,,the answer is no. A couple posts even claim Samui is more dangerous, with which I will agree.

About riding and driving in Phuket as long as you are familiar with how most drive you'll be fine. Have to anticipate that the locals will turn out using the inner part of the lane, so thats why in a car you stay in the right lane, on a bike you hug the middle line in the left lane. Bikes stay left, cars on the right.

Educate yourself on the road rules here by experiencing it and you'll be fine.

"Educate yourself on the road rules here by experiencing it and you'll be fine."

And there lies much of the problem here in Phuket. Many of the Thai locals are bad enough with poor driving at speed and no lights, but the short time tourists who hire a m/bike with no previous driving experience of a bike present the most danger ... to themselves and other road users. I used to think that the westerns were bad, but this new influx of Chinese are really astonishingly bad drivers, not usually fast, just no idea of road rules.

[grumpyoldman]

Alarmist exaggeration of a topic, thus this post............

Lets look at the topic title,,,,,,the answer is no. A couple posts even claim Samui is more dangerous, with which I will agree.

About riding and driving in Phuket as long as you are familiar with how most drive you'll be fine. Have to anticipate that the locals will turn out using the inner part of the lane, so thats why in a car you stay in the right lane, on a bike you hug the middle line in the left lane. Bikes stay left, cars on the right.

Educate yourself on the road rules here by experiencing it and you'll be fine.

"Educate yourself on the road rules here by experiencing it and you'll be fine."

And there lies much of the problem here in Phuket. Many of the Thai locals are bad enough with poor driving at speed and no lights, but the short time tourists who hire a m/bike with no previous driving experience of a bike present the most danger ... to themselves and other road users. I used to think that the westerns were bad, but this new influx of Chinese are really astonishingly bad drivers, not usually fast, just no idea of road rules.

I'll not argue with you there, for sure roads here are not the safest in the world but also not the most dangerous either. B.A.P. applies in this thread for sure!

[FBlue72]

Alarmist exaggeration of a topic, thus this post............

Lets look at the topic title,,,,,,the answer is no. A couple posts even claim Samui is more dangerous, with which I will agree.

About riding and driving in Phuket as long as you are familiar with how most drive you'll be fine. Have to anticipate that the locals will turn out using the inner part of the lane, so thats why in a car you stay in the right lane, on a bike you hug the middle line in the left lane. Bikes stay left, cars on the right.

Educate yourself on the road rules here by experiencing it and you'll be fine.

"Educate yourself on the road rules here by experiencing it and you'll be fine."

And there lies much of the problem here in Phuket. Many of the Thai locals are bad enough with poor driving at speed and no lights, but the short time tourists who hire a m/bike with no previous driving experience of a bike present the most danger ... to themselves and other road users. I used to think that the westerns were bad, but this new influx of Chinese are really astonishingly bad drivers, not usually fast, just no idea of road rules.

The last few weeks I've seen some really scary motorcycle driving , and by westerners, young men of course.

That's a portion of this question that's missing from the debate. Male drivers being the deadliest due to a show-off/ machismo attitude.

[FBlue72]

Alarmist exaggeration of a topic, thus this post............

Lets look at the topic title,,,,,,the answer is no. A couple posts even claim Samui is more dangerous, with which I will agree.

About riding and driving in Phuket as long as you are familiar with how most drive you'll be fine. Have to anticipate that the locals will turn out using the inner part of the lane, so thats why in a car you stay in the right lane, on a bike you hug the middle line in the left lane. Bikes stay left, cars on the right.

Educate yourself on the road rules here by experiencing it and you'll be fine.

"Educate yourself on the road rules here by experiencing it and you'll be fine."

And there lies much of the problem here in Phuket. Many of the Thai locals are bad enough with poor driving at speed and no lights, but the short time tourists who hire a m/bike with no previous driving experience of a bike present the most danger ... to themselves and other road users. I used to think that the westerns were bad, but this new influx of Chinese are really astonishingly bad drivers, not usually fast, just no idea of road rules.

I'll not argue with you there, for sure roads here are not the safest in the world but also not the most dangerous either. B.A.P. applies in this thread for sure!

You have a personal opinion of course, and are entitled to state it, but the statistical info runs contrary to it.

[FBlue72]

IF you fear for your life......but likely on vacation, or extended "vacation" (retirement).....why not save your life and move ASAP!!!!?!?!?!

I can't imagine what would offset such risk........hmmmmm.......

i value my life......you will NOT see me there...

Alarmist exaggeration of a topic, thus this post............

Lets look at the topic title,,,,,,the answer is no. A couple posts even claim Samui is more dangerous, with which I will agree.

About riding and driving in Phuket as long as you are familiar with how most drive you'll be fine. Have to anticipate that the locals will turn out using the inner part of the lane, so thats why in a car you stay in the right lane, on a bike you hug the middle line in the left lane. Bikes stay left, cars on the right.

Educate yourself on the road rules here by experiencing it and you'll be fine.

Now, how many threads can we take up space w*nking on about the public transpo issue here, aye?

I am educated to the realities , and I feel safer with myself driving than say... taking a random taxi. However tourists are at the mercy of taxis, and their irresponsible reckless driving, barely a week goes by that a tourist is not critically injured or killed taking a taxi.

Surely the taxi drivers are " educated" about the realities of driving in Phuket, yet they are involved in deadly crashes routinely.

I believe the stats published are all to present a false view of Phuket a safe destination, when in reality, it may well be one of the most dangerous tourist destinations in the world- not just from traffic fatalities, but a systemic lack of safety in all aspects, and a concerted effort to hide it.

How many drownings this past summer? Those accounts are no longer published.

[Shot]

Maybe.

Edited November 8, 2015 by Shot

[grumpyoldman]

Maybe.

no no, posts 45,46,47...................B.A.P. !!

[bearpolar]

speaking of chinese. Saw one in a very old used mercedes leaving wallen the other day. Before getting to big buddah she had almost caused 4 accidents. Pro driving skills from a Chinese woman :>

[NickJ]

It's also conditioning.......All the adds everywhere . Having pick up's and small economy cars racing thru cities, beachs and mountains at F1 speeds.......mixed with an almost permament mentality of. about 12........

[animatic]

Phuket seems relaxing after driving on Samui.

The drivers seem more orderly and the passing is less lunatic fringe.

Not to say Phuket is safe, oh no, but safer than Samui.

[mihalis]

ahahaahahahahah, have u driven in Russia, China, India, where else Italy.. Think its time to stop the booze.. aahahaahahahah

[stevenl]

ahahaahahahahah, have u driven in Russia, China, India, where else Italy.. Think its time to stop the booze.. aahahaahahahah

Agree.

The question and some posters agreeing with the OP shows very limited driving experience worldwide.

[NamKangMan]

ahahaahahahahah, have u driven in Russia, China, India, where else Italy.. Think its time to stop the booze.. aahahaahahahah

Agree.

The question and some posters agreeing with the OP shows very limited driving experience worldwide.

And some posters refuse to acknowledge the damning statistics that clearly show the roads on Phuket are dangerous, very dangerous.

[bbbbooboo]

To put it plainly Thailand is a very dangerous place to drive in, fullstop.

[Hugh Geen]

Patong is the only town I know where you can drive at 60kph right through the centre at mid day.

[LeungKen]

It is so dangerous here in Phuket that a policeman on duty near the airport was struck & killed by a mini-van a short time ago today.

Please drive carefully.

,

[LivinginKata]

It is so dangerous here in Phuket that a policeman on duty near the airport was struck 7 kiiled by a mini-van a short time ago today.

Please drive carefully.

And perhaps don't make a motor bike u-turn on a very busy road, as this policeman did. And he was chief of traffic division at his police station for the past 10 years.

Still does not excuse the perhaps reckless and drunk minibus driver.

Edited November 9, 2015 by LivinginKata

[LeungKen]

This is what I was referring to in my post (#60)

The policeman was well within his right to make a U'turn here.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/869465-drunk-minivan-driver-kills-phuket-police-officer-video/