Higher accidents in this year Songkran, says Transport Minister

[webfact]

Higher accidents in this year Songkran, says Transport Minister

BANGKOK, 18 April 2016 (NNT) – This year's Songkran holidays recorded higher accident counts compared to the previous year, with trucks, vans and personal cars being the most common vehicles involved in accidents, says the Transport Minister.

Minister of Transport Arkhom Termpittayapaisith has revealed that the number of accidents during this year's Songkran holidays is higher than the previous year. The most common cause of accidents is alcohol intoxication.

He said the increased use of personal vehicles have also contributed to the higher accident counts, while fewer travelers this year decided to use public transportation, lower than last year by 6.8 percent, and 10 percent below forecasts.

The Minister of Transport has said the government still prioritizes on travelers' safety by implementing strict regulation to public transportation such as the installation of GPS system, which will relay all bus data back to the Ministry of Transport, as well as assigning drivers to introduce themselves and instruct passengers to wear safety belts.

The measures also include the plan to renovate roads and railway crossings in local areas.

-- NNT 2016-04-18

[Smiley Face]

The Minister of Transport has said the government still prioritizes on travelers' safety by implementing strict regulation to public transportation such as the installation of GPS system, which will relay all bus data back to the Ministry of Transport, as well as assigning drivers to introduce themselves and instruct passengers to wear safety belts.

Wouldn't it be better to put GPS units on the drivers so that they can be found more easily after they run away from accidents they cause?

And certainly, the cause of most bus fatalities is the failure of the passengers to wear seat belts. Here I was foolish enough to think it was because drivers were speeding, or falling asleep at the wheel, or that the buses were poorly maintained. I'm so relieved to find that the problem can at last be solved just by having passengers wear seat belts!!! Wow, the Minister of Transport is a genius. He found the answers that we all have been looking for.

[Nigeone]

Guess I'm missing something here!! So the use of public vehicles is down,so let's deal with that problem!! Also no mention of the main cause of accidents being alcohol related! No mention of dealing with that. Oh dear..So all the efforts!! to improve traffic fatality numbers would seem to have failed big time..Back to the drawing board. He's a idea,how about jailing for a long time people caught drink driving. And introducing a European style driving lessons and tests and uphold the road traffic rules that they already have. Not going to hold my breath ! As a footnote..another report of statistics say nearly 81% of accidents involved bikes..somebody's figures are wrong!

Edited April 17, 2016 by Nigeone

[bangkokfrog]

...with trucks, vans and personal cars being the most common vehicles involved in accidents.

Good thinking Sherlock. Could this be because these are the most common vehicles on the road? Also, what about motor cycles? The "official" statistics all point to them as being the main source of deaths.

[MaiChai]

Probably doesn't help that every Thai decides to head home for 3 days and then return back, all at the same time! The traffic is terrible and crawls at a snails pace. Cars bumper to bumper, stop, start. Maybe the answer is to encourage employers to give people more holidays at this time and thus the crouding on the roads is staggered and spread over a week or so? Compare to Christmas and New Year in the west?

Edited April 17, 2016 by MaiChai

[Nigeone]

...with trucks, vans and personal cars being the most common vehicles involved in accidents.

Good thinking Sherlock. Could this be because these are the most common vehicles on the road? Also, what about motor cycles? The "official" statistics all point to them as being the main source of deaths.

See my edited post above!! As usual who's statistics do we believe !!???

[Jeremy50]

Nothing will change until outside help is brought in, and a proper police force is installed. Oh, and a population actually willing to change too.

[scorecard]

What a crap statement, blame it all on more cars.

So if there are more cars then no doubt we can expect double the number of roadside tents with numerous cops relaxing, that should fix the problem.

Here's a thought - what about a shuffle to bring the intelligent cops who haven't 'found' their way to the top into critical jobs and start again with traffic policing, etc.

Edited April 18, 2016 by scorecard

[Mosha]

Let's ignore the fact the so called dangerous days are no worse than the other 358 days shall we.

Sent from my SMART_4G_Speedy_5inch using Tapatalk

[NongKhaiKid]

Five days of accidents, death and casualties followed by 48 hours or so of BS, maybe some pseudo hand wringing then forget everything until December when we get to do it all over again !

[selftaopath]

What a crap statement, blame it all on more cars.

So if there are more cars then no doubt we can expect double the number of roadside tents with numerous cops relaxing, that should fix the problem.

Here's a thought - what about a shuffle to bring the intelligent cops who haven't 'found' their way to the top into critical jobs and start again with traffic policing, etc.

I suspect the real point re: Police - is a business. With more "rule breakers," more unofficial "fines" can be dolled out. The profit from said "business" increases making it a "good business" model. To hell with law/order/safety.... the bottom line people.... the bottom line.

[ezzra]

Simply put, the public is not afraid or respect the police should they get drunk and drive, drive while unqualified

of suspended, unroadworthy vehicles, excessive speed and driving dangerously,

They know that they can wiggle themselves out of most of the above if caught, and we all know how,

so unless a drastic overwhelming to the road usage rules and enforcement happened, with REAL police

and real deterrent actions, nothing will change and people will continue to die......

[MaxLee]

Incapabilities by the responsible politicians, that cannot be named due to forums ruled...

[apetley]

Wifey's friends have been posting plenty of videos of on road madness, dead bodies and injured people in Thai hospitals this week so there is an awareness and maybe even frustration at what is going on.

Maybe one day somebody at the top will actually find a way to tap into that frustration and make more than just the twice a year token effort.

Something certainly needs to be done because what you have now is the equivalent of Thai Airways losing one of their fully loaded jumbo jets every single week.

[anon467367354]

...with trucks, vans and personal cars being the most common vehicles involved in accidents.

Good thinking Sherlock. Could this be because these are the most common vehicles on the road? Also, what about motor cycles? The "official" statistics all point to them as being the main source of deaths.

the high rate of motorcyclist deaths is because the Thai law states that motorcycles are not allowed to ride on the right side of the road where

the least amount of traffic is. Motorcycles must stay in the first two left hand lanes and compete with the buses, vans, songteaws, taxis, vendors,

cars entering and exiting businesses etc. Safety doesn't seem to be the issue here, it's what makes it easiest to extort money from the motorcyclists.

Motorcyclists can't use the tunnels where there may be very little traffic, they have to exit and sometimes make a left turn, then a U-turn and then compete with

the commercial vehicles. Motorcycles and roundabouts are particularly scary if you ask me. Stupid is as stupid does and it seems like the fact that Thai roads

are the second most dangerous in the world is just a fact and nothing can be done about it. It just is what it is, sad.

[LannaGuy]

"it's the car's fault as there are more of them and if there were no cars and bikes there would be no accidents"

ahhhh 'Thainess'

[soalbundy]

oh dear, what a shame, never mind

[PeVee1st]

Same same, but nothing different. Ho hum another Songkran has passed.

[Mosha]

...with trucks, vans and personal cars being the most common vehicles involved in accidents.

Good thinking Sherlock. Could this be because these are the most common vehicles on the road? Also, what about motor cycles? The "official" statistics all point to them as being the main source of deaths.

the high rate of motorcyclist deaths is because the Thai law states that motorcycles are not allowed to ride on the right side of the road where

the least amount of traffic is. Motorcycles must stay in the first two left hand lanes and compete with the buses, vans, songteaws, taxis, vendors,

cars entering and exiting businesses etc. Safety doesn't seem to be the issue here, it's what makes it easiest to extort money from the motorcyclists.

Motorcyclists can't use the tunnels where there may be very little traffic, they have to exit and sometimes make a left turn, then a U-turn and then compete with

the commercial vehicles. Motorcycles and roundabouts are particularly scary if you ask me. Stupid is as stupid does and it seems like the fact that Thai roads

are the second most dangerous in the world is just a fact and nothing can be done about it. It just is what it is, sad.

Driving down inside of the white line facing oncoming traffic doesn't help either.

Sent from my SMART_4G_Speedy_5inch using Tapatalk

[SABloke]

Always the focus on alcohol...yes, it plays a large part, but a feel a far greater part is the fact that most Thai drivers drive extremely dangerously with no sense of awareness of the four corners of their cars. I'm sure a lot of those crashes that are marked down as '' caused by alcohol'' would have happened regardless of whether the drivers were drunk or not.

[clockman]

Well, he is informed! Now lets bury the dead. And forget till next time.

[soalbundy]

Same same, but nothing different. Ho hum another Songkran has passed.

It's called idiot reduction and should be welcomed

[legend49]

When will the reports become accurate. Here we are told most accidents were trucks, vans and cars. Yet the daily reports puts the blame on motorbikes quote " Motorcycles accounted for 80.88 percent of the accidents followed by pickup trucks, 10.08 percent."

[tuanku]

Unable to do his job, any mention of resignation?.......No? thought not.

[clockman]

Thai,s are the biggest consumers of alcohol, in Asean. Another accolade to go with highest road deaths! Something to be proud of?

[joebrown]

What a crap statement, blame it all on more cars.

So if there are more cars then no doubt we can expect double the number of roadside tents with numerous cops relaxing, that should fix the problem.

Here's a thought - what about a shuffle to bring the intelligent cops who haven't 'found' their way to the top into critical jobs and start again with traffic policing, etc.

I suspect the real point re: Police - is a business. With more "rule breakers," more unofficial "fines" can be dolled out. The profit from said "business" increases making it a "good business" model. To hell with law/order/safety.... the bottom line people.... the bottom line.

I agree with your point that the Police Force is run as a business with the sole purpose of obtaining revenue, and not for the protection of the citizens. For example, if Khun Somchai is found DUI, what's the point of fining him and then sending him to prison. If he's in prison he can't re-offend and he then becomes a non-performing asset. For revenue purposes, 'on the spot' fines are a far better way of keeping the Police Benevolent fund in good financial order. There is absolutely no business sense in removing fine paying re/offenders from the highways.

[tracker1]

When you actually witness brain dead drivers doing idiotic maneuvers for very little gain makes one wonder what these idiots are thinking some with a car load of people ! coming from Australia where your find for just about anything makes my mind boggle to see what goes on here on the roads !!!! Dont the authorities realize there is a fortune to be made out there on the roads and lower the death toll at the same time hmmmm

[manhood]

Yes always the same story.........every year the hundred of death while celebrating Songkran or New Year or whatever!

Its not only the problem of the roads or the condition of cars: it's the Thais who are driving as they have no idea how to drive properly, they not care about anything, the are ignoring everything that can help to prevent from accidents!

So what should change if the people not change their behavior!!!

And as long this society accepts all of that without any consequence!

[freedom4life]

Yes and?...more people enjoying themselves.

[elgordo38]

...with trucks, vans and personal cars being the most common vehicles involved in accidents.

Good thinking Sherlock. Could this be because these are the most common vehicles on the road? Also, what about motor cycles? The "official" statistics all point to them as being the main source of deaths.

Another example of how cheap talk is. This and northern burning have been talked to death but there is no change. Change of any sort costs money and this is one of the biggest hurdles to change here. Its one of the reasons so many problems exist here but nothing is done till the s**t hits the fan and people get killed then it becomes a big deal. All the "we will crack down on this" crowd come forward blow horns and after a day or two life settles back into the same old path. Its a ritual for wrong.