UK group funds roundabout at deadly Phuket spot

[rooster59]

UK group funds roundabout at deadly Phuket spot

SALINEE PRAP
THE SUNDAY NATION



PHUKET: The UK-based non-profit Safer Roads Foundation will fund the construction of a roundabout at Phuket's deadly Narisorn-Surin intersection in a bid to reduce accidents.

The southern island province had 108 road deaths last year and is in Thailand's top five provinces for road casualties over the past decade.

The Narisorn-Surin intersection in Muang district has claimed five lives this year while 36 others have been injured.

After the Safer Roads Foundation offered to help prevent road carnage at a key location in the province, the Phuket Network for Road Accident Prevention came up with this project, Phuket police chief Maj-General Theerapol Thipcharoen said.

The roundabout was designed by a Phuket Rotary Club of Tongkah architect and approved by Prince of Songkla University Professor Pichai Taneerananon. It will be built by Nakhon Phuket Municipality at a cost of Bt2.8 million.

The roundabout will provide motorists with enhanced visibility, while its aluminium-composite frame will be durable and will require low maintenance.

The globe frame will comprise small octagonal shapes and there are meanings associated with it.

"Octagonal" suggests the unity involved in the project; the round shape represents an Andaman pearl, which is Phuket's nickname; while the overall look resembles the pattern of a turtle back, signifying longevity.

Phuket's public and private sectors have initiated a number of measures to try and reduce the number of accidents in the province. The 108 deaths last year are marked improvement on previous years when about 200 deaths a year was typical.

The measures included the repairing of 20 accident-prone road sections from 2008 to 2011 and a serious campaign for people to wear helmets on motorcycles in 2011.

The Phuket office of Road Safety Thai said in August the ratio for the number of people in Phuket injured in traffic accidents was 4,952 per 100,000 people, while the death toll was 72 per 100,000 people.

About a third of road accident casualties were linked to drink driving, and Theerapol admitted that police in the provinces didn't have enough breathalysers.

The other leading factors associated with road accidents are speeding, reckless driving and accident-prone spots.

Theerapol praised the Safer Roads Foundation, which has been working hard to try and reduce road accidents in 31 countries.

He said the foundation had also donated more than Bt1 million for provincial traffic police division to buy 39 breathalysers in July, resulting in a crackdown on drink driving.

He said of the 4,952 motorists stopped at checkpoints in October and November, 416 were arrested for drink driving - a big improvement on previous years. Police arrested 140 drink drivers in 2012, 323 drink drivers in 2013 and another 341 drink drivers in 2014.

On Wednesday, Phuket Governor Chamroen Tippayapongthada received the design of the roundabout from Safer Roads Foundation president Michael C Woodford at Phuket City Hall.

More than 14,000 Thais and foreigners are killed in road accidents on average every year, with the country third worst in the World Health Organisation's 2013 world rankings for road deaths.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/UK-group-funds-roundabout-at-deadly-Phuket-spot-30274794.html

-- The Nation 2015-12-13

[Rooo]

All fine, but who will teach them how to use it?

[Crossy]

All fine, but who will teach them how to use it?

Exactly.

[CarolJadzia]

This is a case of trying to fix a problem without understanding the cause.

What use is a roundabout if most road users do not understand how to use it?

The money would be far better spent on driver and rider training.

[steve187]

Will it be signposted and road marked to make it clear who has right of way - I doubt it.

A good gesture but a lack of understanding of Thai driving habits

[kingalfred]

Give way to traffic coming from the right and signal left before exiting on the left. Tell that to Thai drivers. What could go wrong? Hahaha

[craigt3365]

This is a case of trying to fix a problem without understanding the cause.

What use is a roundabout if most road users do not understand how to use it?

The money would be far better spent on driver and rider training.

Spot on. Perhaps better enforcement of the laws would also help? Along with substantial, and recorded, fines. Police do little here for traffic safety other than stop scooters for not wearing helmets. Even then, 50-100B and you're on your way. With no helmet.

[Briggsy]

It has been scientifically proven over decades that roundabouts are a step too far for the vast majority of Thai drivers. The concepts involved in using them in a correct manner integrated with other road users have proved too challenging. Locals tend to fall back to simpler concepts such as "Me first", "Might is right" and the use of amulets and garlands. I suspect it is genetic.

Edited December 13, 2015 by Briggsy

[WhizBang]

A roundabout? In Thailand? Oh, Please, that will cause more accidents, not less.

There is a roundabout in North Pattaya somewhere. Trying to get through it is a nightmare because the Thai drivers entering will not give way to those in the roundabout trying to get out. Plus, last time I was there, they had it partially closed off, so I think you cound not actually do a 360. It has been a while since I subjected myself to that, so things may be different now.

[futsukayoi]

Will it be signposted and road marked to make it clear who has right of way - I doubt it.

A good gesture but a lack of understanding of Thai driving habits

Surely the same right of way rules will apply as the rest of Thailand. Someone driving the biggest truck that they don't have to pay for has the right of way.

[CarolJadzia]

This is a case of trying to fix a problem without understanding the cause.

What use is a roundabout if most road users do not understand how to use it?

The money would be far better spent on driver and rider training.

Spot on. Perhaps better enforcement of the laws would also help? Along with substantial, and recorded, fines. Police do little here for traffic safety other than stop scooters for not wearing helmets. Even then, 50-100B and you're on your way. With no helmet.

I do understand why you suggest enforcement, it is the standard approach used around the world at at face value it is an easy fix.

Unfortunately however when you scratch beneath the surface the enforcement option is not a fix all, nowhere in the world with huge sums invested in the enforcement approach has anybody managed zero road fatalities.

It is often assumed that because other countries have lower road accident statistics then this must be due to extra enforcement when in fact there are many other reasons that need consideration.

Top of the list being training. I have spent many years training people to ride in the UK. Everybody wanting to ride a motorcycle must do a Compulsory Basic Training course before being allowed on the Road. This is similar in Standard to the practical part of the Thai Driving Test. But the CBT is training and includes a two hour escorted road ride on top. The UK Motorcycle test is aimed at experienced riders but there are intensive training courses which are five days long and then there is a high proportion of test fails.

With the Thai test standard so low, open to corruption and many drivers having bought driving licences, a huge number of Thai drivers do not understand the rules of the road. Then as the Land Traffic Act regulations are vague and confusing drivers revert back to what they know. They use the roads as pedestrians would.

I have raised the issue of helmets with Thai friends, many say they do not see the point because of their beliefs in reincarnation. It is hard for a Police officer to enforce a rule that he does not believe in while trying to avoid confrontation.

Add with the 'Mai Pen Rai' attitude, the avoidance of confrontation, beliefs in reincarnation and the protection of amulets, we get a perfect storm.

[craigt3365]

The Thai test has gotten harder and it's now pretty much impossible to buy your license. Believe me, I've tried as did my friend just yesterday. He didn't want to wait all day, but no luck. Which is good. He also said watching the video is now mandatory and the driving test is mandatory. I believe the written test has gone to 100 questions now also.

The big problem here is lack of accountability. No license? 100B fine. Free to move on. No helmet? 100B fine. Free to move on. Run a red light? No worries. Never get stopped for that...or rarely. Speed down the road? Rare to see radar traps outside the major highways. Hit somebody? Small fine and you are on your way. None of these infractions increase your insurance.

Back home, that was the #1 reason for not violating traffic laws. It was just too expensive financially as every state in the US reported infractions to your insurance company. Got caught driving without insurance? You'd lose your vehicle and maybe even go to jail...with no possibility of just paying a few hundred bath and then be allowed to move on! Get caught drunk driving? Wow...a super big deal, as it is in most Western nations. I was with a friend from Sweden on Friday. Zero tolerance there. If you're on a bender, you can even be in trouble the next day! Serious stuff. Due to this, they just don't drink and drive.

[fatfather]

... and then they will install traffic lights all over the roundabout and all its entrances and all the benefits of a roundabout are gone. Happened with the big Elephant Roundabout in Buri Rum... what a waste of time and money. Teach the Thais how to drive and how to respect traffic rules. And teach them that the rules apply to everyone equally

Fatfather

[timbothaivisa]

To be fair, they've done that in many places around the UK now too, though perhaps to draw more budget rather than because nobody used them properly

[trogers]

Shall I turn left or right? The right is the correct way as it is the shorter route to that road I intend to travel.

Others should give me the right of way at all times.

[CarolJadzia]

The Thai test has gotten harder and it's now pretty much impossible to buy your license. Believe me, I've tried as did my friend just yesterday. He didn't want to wait all day, but no luck. Which is good. He also said watching the video is now mandatory and the driving test is mandatory. I believe the written test has gone to 100 questions now also.

The big problem here is lack of accountability. No license? 100B fine. Free to move on. No helmet? 100B fine. Free to move on. Run a red light? No worries. Never get stopped for that...or rarely. Speed down the road? Rare to see radar traps outside the major highways. Hit somebody? Small fine and you are on your way. None of these infractions increase your insurance.

Back home, that was the #1 reason for not violating traffic laws. It was just too expensive financially as every state in the US reported infractions to your insurance company. Got caught driving without insurance? You'd lose your vehicle and maybe even go to jail...with no possibility of just paying a few hundred bath and then be allowed to move on! Get caught drunk driving? Wow...a super big deal, as it is in most Western nations. I was with a friend from Sweden on Friday. Zero tolerance there. If you're on a bender, you can even be in trouble the next day! Serious stuff. Due to this, they just don't drink and drive.

I do agree that the Thai Driving Test has improved however it is still a long way from the standards of other countries.

The reason that Sweden has such a low tolerance is more guided by the attitude of the Swedes than by the law.

survivinglifeinsweden.blogspot.co.uk/2011/06/drinking-and-not-driving-in-sweden

There are huge penalties in the UK for drink driving as well, but that does still not stop everybody. Big thing at the moment is police stops for the morning after effect, big campaign, lots of enforcement, does not stop everyone, It takes a change in attitude. In the UK most of my biker friends abide by the law and do not drink and ride, however it is still a problem with the youngsters. How ever heavy the penalties are for being caught.

I have been reliably informed recently that the best time to take the Thai Driving Test is just before lunch as often the examiners cut the test short to get a longer break.

Also the Phuket Provisional Land Transport Office is still showing the same 'Random' test papers with confusing questions so I assume no change there

http://phuket.dlt.go.th/index/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=98&Itemid=65

You mention the USA, the WHO Road Traffic Accident Statistics

WHO estimated rate per 100 000 population at Sweden 2.8 - UK 2.9 - U.S.A.10.6 - Thailand 36.2

But Thailand has fifteen times the amount of Motorcycles on the road compared to other similarly sized countries. 72% of reported fatalities on Thai roads involve Motorcycles.

Thailand with a similar population to the UK has 19 169 418 while the USA with vastly more people only has 8 437 502 motorcycles

With motorcycles being so inherently dangerous then you could ask why the Thai stats are not higher or even why the U.S.A Stats are not lower?

(data http://www.who.int/violence_injury_prevention/road_safety_status/2015/Country_profiles_combined.pdf?ua=1 )

I have spent thirty years teaching people to ride in the UK where enforcement has lead road safety for years. Constantly the answer to road safety has been to enforce more laws. We now have fixed speed cameras, average speed cameras, mobile speed cameras and police car cameras all aimed at enforcing speed limits. Only the Government statistics show that it is normal every day drivers driving within the speed limit that kill pedestrians on UK roads. While the speed enforcement never slowed my dad on his cafe racer in the 50's, it has never slowed me other than where enforced and the same applies to my son. It is a misguided assumption that enforcement is a cure all. But old assumptions are hard to challenge. But there is a reason for that, it's called Correspondence Bias (link to PDF)

[craigt3365]

Be careful with stats here in Thailand. Same with China. They are drastically under reported.

[smedly]

A roundabout? In Thailand? Oh, Please, that will cause more accidents, not less.

There is a roundabout in North Pattaya somewhere. Trying to get through it is a nightmare because the Thai drivers entering will not give way to those in the roundabout trying to get out. Plus, last time I was there, they had it partially closed off, so I think you cound not actually do a 360. It has been a while since I subjected myself to that, so things may be different now.

wierd thing is that roundabouts in Thailand work, they have the effect of slowing traffic right down even though they don't know how to use them, the people that may cause an accident at a roundabout are people like us that do know how to use them and stupidly expect everyone else too

At this junction to options were

- do nothing

- install traffic lights, well we all know how dangerous that is

- install ramps to slow people down, possibly an option

- install roundabout, has the effect of ramps and traffic filtering (the Thai version)

[craigt3365]

A roundabout? In Thailand? Oh, Please, that will cause more accidents, not less.

There is a roundabout in North Pattaya somewhere. Trying to get through it is a nightmare because the Thai drivers entering will not give way to those in the roundabout trying to get out. Plus, last time I was there, they had it partially closed off, so I think you cound not actually do a 360. It has been a while since I subjected myself to that, so things may be different now.

wierd thing is that roundabouts in Thailand work, they have the effect of slowing traffic right down even though they don't know how to use them, the people that may cause an accident at a roundabout are people like us that do know how to use them and stupidly expect everyone else too

At this junction to options were

- do nothing

- install traffic lights, well we all know how dangerous that is

- install ramps to slow people down, possibly an option

- install roundabout, has the effect of ramps and traffic filtering (the Thai version)

I think one problem with that roundabout is too much traffic. Drivers get impatient and start nudging their way so they can get through.

Lights work pretty well here. In Central Pattaya, I've not seen a car run a red light in some time. Except for the ones at ped crossings! LOL

[madmitch]

All these negative comments. Chalong Circle works perfectly and definitely doesn't need an underpass.

[smedly]

A roundabout? In Thailand? Oh, Please, that will cause more accidents, not less.

There is a roundabout in North Pattaya somewhere. Trying to get through it is a nightmare because the Thai drivers entering will not give way to those in the roundabout trying to get out. Plus, last time I was there, they had it partially closed off, so I think you cound not actually do a 360. It has been a while since I subjected myself to that, so things may be different now.

wierd thing is that roundabouts in Thailand work, they have the effect of slowing traffic right down even though they don't know how to use them, the people that may cause an accident at a roundabout are people like us that do know how to use them and stupidly expect everyone else too

At this junction to options were

- do nothing

- install traffic lights, well we all know how dangerous that is

- install ramps to slow people down, possibly an option

- install roundabout, has the effect of ramps and traffic filtering (the Thai version)

I think one problem with that roundabout is too much traffic. Drivers get impatient and start nudging their way so they can get through.

Lights work pretty well here. In Central Pattaya, I've not seen a car run a red light in some time. Except for the ones at ped crossings! LOL

agree, not every solution works for every situation, roundabouts do work here in certain situations even though Thais have no clue how to use them, like I said above I think the primary effect is slowing the traffic down and providing a filtering mechanism - the problem starts when a farang tries to use it properly lol

[mr_lob]

How much of that budget will be syphoned away by the fat cats at the Or Bor Tor?

[topt]

A roundabout? In Thailand? Oh, Please, that will cause more accidents, not less.

There is a roundabout in North Pattaya somewhere. Trying to get through it is a nightmare because the Thai drivers entering will not give way to those in the roundabout trying to get out. Plus, last time I was there, they had it partially closed off, so I think you cound not actually do a 360. It has been a while since I subjected myself to that, so things may be different now.

wierd thing is that roundabouts in Thailand work, they have the effect of slowing traffic right down even though they don't know how to use them, the people that may cause an accident at a roundabout are people like us that do know how to use them and stupidly expect everyone else too

At this junction to options were

- do nothing

- install traffic lights, well we all know how dangerous that is

- install ramps to slow people down, possibly an option

- install roundabout, has the effect of ramps and traffic filtering (the Thai version)

I think one problem with that roundabout is too much traffic. Drivers get impatient and start nudging their way so they can get through.

Lights work pretty well here. In Central Pattaya, I've not seen a car run a red light in some time. Except for the ones at ped crossings! LOL

craigt3365 unfortunately I see it all the time especially at the lights on Third Rd. halfway between Klang and Nua. Several times on the bike I have had to wait to turn on one of the filter lights as a truck/car just barrelled straight through long after it went red or took a chance and shot across third on the same filters.

[Gandtee]

Do have to take the test when renewing you license?

[stoneyboy]

They've got a long way to come yet.

This is in Milton Keynes England.

[Assurancetourix]

A roundabout? In Thailand? Oh, Please, that will cause more accidents, not less.

There is a roundabout in North Pattaya somewhere. Trying to get through it is a nightmare because the Thai drivers entering will not give way to those in the roundabout trying to get out. Plus, last time I was there, they had it partially closed off, so I think you cound not actually do a 360. It has been a while since I subjected myself to that, so things may be different now.

There are four roundabout in Udon Thani downtown and never a traffic jam ..at these places;

Maybe people of E-san can drive better than in the south ?

Edited December 13, 2015 by Assurancetourix

[siliconvalley]

Wow......

Everyone is spot on...

If I had any say, or something to contribute, I'd want you'al to run the government.

We/Thailand needs you folks. It is unfortunate, these wonderful ideas hit a dead end.

[NCC1701A]

well meaning but clueless do gooders wasting time and money.

this will do nothing but provide a distraction at a point where drivers need to keep their eyes on the road.

i just got my copy of the Thai driving and highway safety video "Max Mad Fury Road". Very educational.

[grumpyoldman]

All these negative comments. Chalong Circle works perfectly and definitely doesn't need an underpass.

Agree with you MM. Still haven't figured out where exactly this is in the OP, can someone provide a better location description? Thanks, GOM

Edited December 13, 2015 by grumpyoldman

[Gandtee]

They've got a long way to come yet.

ImageUploadedByThaivisa Connect1449980133.573410.jpg

This is in Milton Keynes England.

A man made nightmare!! Imagine that coming to Thailand.