SURVEY: Are safety standards in Thailand progressing satisfactorily?

[lostinisaan]

How can health and safety be improved in a country which is run by an unelected prime minister.

His concerns are the price of lottery tickets and attitude adjustment of his people.

NOT workplace safety or public safety which is evident from the daily carnage on the roads and news reports like today's building collapse and the Bangkok Bank suffocation incident a few weeks back.

The fact that the prime minister is unelected has nothing to do with safety standards, non existing safety standards were exactly the same with the previous corrupt elected governments...!!!

But that doesn't change the fact that a prime minister should do all for his folks to increase the safety standards.

Elected, erected, or selected. Your statement that the former corrupt government was the same answers the question.

Are less road deaths more important than the price of a lottery ticket?

And wouldn't a much better education reform be the goal of a self elected prime minister who's not really liked by anybody?

But you can't change anything when all the Ministers in important positions are soldiers. How can a general as the boss of the MoE change something, not knowing anything about the topic itself?

And that goes for all the important positions, all taken by military guys who're usually trained to kill, or to fight wars.

Somebody has to kiss snow white to wake her up before it's too late.

Do you really believe a military guy, supposedly trained to analyse dangerous situations is not more skilled than a crappy politician who bought their way into politics and wouldn't know sh1t from clay, even after tasting it?

I don't believe that a military guy is able to change the miserable education system in this country.

I never said that I liked the former guys, excluding Khun Abhisit. But he wasn't long enough in to make the right changes.

Edited June 5, 2016 by lostinisaan

[bazza40]

We (Americans) love to complain about lawyers and tell jokes at their expense, but in more serious moments I have said lawyers are what makes America work. Thanks to lawyers, makers of shoddy or harmful products are held accountable, polluters can be stopped, public facilities are safe and accessible. Yeah, I know there are some odd labels, mattress tags, etc., but overall we're safer and fairer because of the rule of law.

Lawyers make America work? . A country where the prison population is exceeded only by China, it's estimated up to 10% of the people legally executed are innocent, and the mongrels who precipitated the Global Financial Crisis walked away to their gated communities with millions. A country where the Second Amendment, enabling the mass slaughter of children, is zealously protected by a raft of lawyers.

It's quite odd how Americans don't understand why so many people in the world don't regard them as wonderful. However, Americans are so far up themselves they don't even notice.

[selftaopath]

Public Liability lawyers should be the richest people in Thailand!

Nothing is going to change in this country until its businesses and individuals are made to take financial and legal responsibility for the personal injury or property damage they cause to a third party as a result of their total disregard to safety.

All levels of government are just as culpable because of their abject failure to do anything to champion the cause.

We (Americans) love to complain about lawyers and tell jokes at their expense, but in more serious moments I have said lawyers are what makes America work. Thanks to lawyers, makers of shoddy or harmful products are held accountable, polluters can be stopped, public facilities are safe and accessible. Yeah, I know there are some odd labels, mattress tags, etc., but overall we're safer and fairer because of the rule of law.

I totally agree a society is safer and much more because of the rule of law (difficult to see in Lack of Sanctions).

Not so sure a/b lawyers however. lol Aren't all/most politicians in U.S. - lawyers?

[sanukjim]

Oh Do you mean like the safety standards that are keeping up with the speed boat injuries and fatalities each week or the safety standards that see police patrolling the highways to keep the speeding trucks,vans,and cars from killing each other. or the safety standards in the construction of buildings that collapses killing the workers or occupants when finished..Or a simple answer "What Safety Standards" ?

Edited June 5, 2016 by sanukjim

[retarius]

I am not aware of any changes to safety standards. The roads are still lethal with unlicensed drivers and kids screaming about on motorcycles. Foreigners are still falling off balconies all over Thailand. Pavements are still like obstacle courses. No, no change at all.

[elgordo38]

How can health and safety be improved in a country which is run by an unelected prime minister.

His concerns are the price of lottery tickets and attitude adjustment of his people.

NOT workplace safety or public safety which is evident from the daily carnage on the roads and news reports like today's building collapse and the Bangkok Bank suffocation incident a few weeks back.

You left out procurring military equipment. Thats at the top of the list.

[elgordo38]

Too much health and saftey in the west, here far too little to none at all

Why do you think all the large corporations are flocking here to set up business??

[NoshowJones]

Definitely not where road safety is concerned.

[Rancid]

Thailand has safety standards, they are just often not enforced for reasons that should be obvious.

[smotherb]

I don't see many posts which speak of safety in Thailand, yet all seem to think safety is important and blame corruption and remedial policies for Thailand's lack. So, if Thailand is so unsafe, corrupt and backward; why are we all here?

[ozyjon]

In conjunction with this poll

start a new one,,,

Or maybe do a national poll,,,,

'' Do you recognize this wire ''

'' Do you know what this wire is or what it's for''

[Thaidream]

Having a law and enforcing the law are very different. Thailand has safety laws similar to the West. the problem is no one is enforcing them and due to massive corruption the safety standards are signed off as correct by the inspectors. The missing element is the court system that makes business liable for this . In America, if your business or product causes death- you are liable and pay plenty. In Thailand, you might pay a small penalty to make it go away. Again, it is human greed at its worst. No one has any ethics anymore- whether it be Thailand or the West. The West is way too litigious and Thailand is on the other side of the scale- not litigious at all.

[lostinisaan]

In conjunction with this poll

start a new one,,,

Or maybe do a national poll,,,,

'' Do you recognize this wire ''

'' Do you know what this wire is or what it's for''

index.jpg

That's an easy question.

You bring it to a junkyard and receive some good money for it. Am I right or do people really use them for any useless earthing/ grounding?

[stoneyboy]

How can health and safety be improved in a country which is run by an unelected prime minister.

His concerns are the price of lottery tickets and attitude adjustment of his people.

NOT workplace safety or public safety which is evident from the daily carnage on the roads and news reports like today's building collapse and the Bangkok Bank suffocation incident a few weeks back.

The fact that the prime minister is unelected has nothing to do with safety standards, non existing safety standards were exactly the same with the previous corrupt elected governments...!!!

So in his bid to reform the nation and restore happiness to the Thai people what has he done regarding reforming the laws and legislation on the health and safety front.

I do recall the number of deaths over the Songkran period being higher than ever.

The amount of hi profile accidents and prosecutions under the current PM and his cronies seems lower than ever.

[gemguy]

Having standards is only a small part of the overall safety issue. I am assuming but not believing that suitable safety standards exist in Thailand as a starting point. Once you have the standards they must be rigorously enforced with safety inspectors who are trained in the systems corresponding to the standards. From what I have seen there are very few if any safety officers here. In support of my argument just look at the hotel collapse on Koh Chang and the school that burnt down with the tragic deaths of 17 children.

Proper safety officers would never allow that school to be occupied without all the required safety features being in place and tested for functionality.

Building site workers very rarely if ever have proper safety equipment. How many have safety glasses, proper hard hat and safety boots that meet proper internationally recognized standards? I cant ever remember seeing any site with the workers fully equipped.

So, in summary there is no progress that I can point to but to have progress you have to have something in place to start with and that does not appear to be the case here in Thailand.

Absolutely.....

However the problem here in Thailand is such that all those qualified safety inspectors would inevitably and eventually use that position to make money by way of under the table graft and corruption.

The contractors and or the project engineers or project owners would, sooner or later, simply pay off the inspector to pass inspection and turn a blind eye while the inspectors themselves would be gladly accepting the bribes.

If the safety inspectors stood their ground and held up production while costing thousands of baht per day delays then the safety inspectors would be dealt with in a variety of ways including menacing police officers letting them know they are causing problems for their clients...so back off with the inspector authority issue and lets all get along....So..... just take the bribe next time...or this gun of mine will be put to good use...Kow Jai My??

Meantime you are seeing a significant increase in safety practiced on Construction job sites as I clearly remember back in 1987 to 1990 observing major high rise construction projects on the go and I did not see one person at all wearing any personal protection safety gear.

Everyone wearing flip flop sandals and no hard hats or gloves while I watched all the welding done with no eye protection or sometimes with a pair of sun glasses and sometimes they had a scarf wrapped around their face while I never never saw them wearing any gloves while performing all the welding while wearing shorts and flip flop sandals.....And the grinding...Yikes...No face shield ..No glasses...just bare eyes and merrily grinding away.

By 1990 I remember seeing signs up on construction sites saying : Safety First

I began to notice that people were wearing hard helmets and some were wearing running shoes and boots and some had gloves while I began to notice more of the welders wearing welding helmets and gloves....but still many or most smaller construction jobs the welders were not even wearing sun glass, let alone a welding helmet and any other personal protection safety gear while still merrily grinding away with no eye protection at all.

Now I also see that there is a good number of safety equipment and personal protection safety gear companies selling all the same items as you would see in Europe or North America.

When you go to some of the construction related trade fairs you will see numerous companies selling nearly everything we have back there in North America

So the intent is there but any companies working on the cheap seldom if ever practice the safety standards we would practice as it slows things down and there are too many other construction companies that can do the jobs cheaper for the client if safety issues are ignored.

And the clients do not care, nor are they held liable for any injuries or accidents or deaths on their jobsites and neither are the construction contractors..........as this is Thailand.

Cheers

Edited June 6, 2016 by gemguy

[Skeptic7]

SHOCKED that there are actually votes for Choice #1. This poll must have crossed to an alternate universe!

[gandalf12]

Absolutely.....

However the problem here in Thailand is such that all those qualified safety inspectors would inevitably and eventually use that position to make money by way of under the table graft and corruption.

The contractors and or the project engineers or project owners would, sooner or later, simply pay off the inspector to pass inspection and turn a blind eye while the inspectors themselves would be gladly accepting the bribes.

If the safety inspectors stood their ground and held up production while costing thousands of baht per day delays then the safety inspectors would be dealt with in a variety of ways including menacing police officers letting them know they are causing problems for their clients...so back off with the inspector authority issue and lets all get along....So..... just take the bribe next time...or this gun of mine will be put to good use...Kow Jai My??

Meantime you are seeing a significant increase in safety practiced on Construction job sites as I clearly remember back in 1987 to 1990 observing major high rise construction projects on the go and I did not see one person at all wearing any personal protection safety gear.

Everyone wearing flip flop sandals and no hard hats or gloves while I watched all the welding done with no eye protection or sometimes with a pair of sun glasses and sometimes they had a scarf wrapped around their face while I never never saw them wearing any gloves while performing all the welding while wearing shorts and flip flop sandals.....And the grinding...Yikes...No face shield ..No glasses...just bare eyes and merrily grinding away.

By 1990 I remember seeing signs up on construction sites saying : Safety First

I began to notice that people were wearing hard helmets and some were wearing running shoes and boots and some had gloves while I began to notice more of the welders wearing welding helmets and gloves....but still many or most smaller construction jobs the welders were not even wearing sun glass, let alone a welding helmet and any other personal protection safety gear while still merrily grinding away with no eye protection at all.

Now I also see that there is a good number of safety equipment and personal protection safety gear companies selling all the same items as you would see in Europe or North America.

When you go to some of the construction related trade fairs you will see numerous companies selling nearly everything we have back there in North America

So the intent is there but any companies working on the cheap seldom if ever practice the safety standards we would practice as it slows things down and there are too many other construction companies that can do the jobs cheaper for the client if safety issues are ignored.

And the clients do not care, nor are they held liable for any injuries or accidents or deaths on their jobsites and neither are the construction contractors..........as this is Thailand.

Cheers

Do the job properly and there is need to bribe anyone to get it passed. Most of the so called inspectors dont have much idea of what the standards are so effectively they are just there to make it look good.

[Artisi]

In conjunction with this poll

start a new one,,,

Or maybe do a national poll,,,,

'' Do you recognize this wire ''

'' Do you know what this wire is or what it's for''

index.jpg

That's the wire you twitch round the screw that is screwed into the plastic plug what had been put in the hole that was drilled into the concrete wall. It's called the Thai earthing system and it works because Thai electricity is different to the rest of the world.

Unless of course it is discarded as useless.

Edited June 6, 2016 by Artisi

[Partenavia]

NO : Until officials start to take responsibility their actions, nothing is done. Whatever you see written on the backs of trucks, or building sites, its merely wishful thinking.

[monkey4u]

What safety standards??

None to be seen in transport or building industries

[hugh2121]

Are safety standards in Thailand progressing satisfactorily?

What safety standards?

Isn't it about time that electrical goods with metal cases and 2 pin plugs (no earth) were removed from sale?

There are too many unsafe road practices to mention and still nothing done.

You can make all the laws you like but if nobody enforces them things will stay the same.

[nakhonandy]

Are safety standards in Thailand progressing satisfactorily?

What safety standards?

Isn't it about time that electrical goods with metal cases and 2 pin plugs (no earth) were removed from sale?

There are too many unsafe road practices to mention and still nothing done.

You can make all the laws you like but if nobody enforces them things will stay the same.

Not a lot of good having a 3 pin plug when 95% of all buildings are not earthed, or the earth wire is not fitted and just sold for scrap.

Standards are there but they are not enforced.

Until they have a properly trained workforce, with competent safety inspectors and enforcement nothing will change.

[Thaddeus]

Implementing safety standards costs real money, life is cheap.

End of.

[toenail]

Arrived 12 years ago and see no improvement in safety standards unless it is initiated by the private business, not by the government which inclues the police or city inspectors. Exits in public buildings (which include night clubs, hotels, and even public schools) are still blocked or locked...a worker is not required to wear safety shoes, helmet, or goggles when needed on the job, limited seating on a boat or in a club still does not exist, repairing holes or open drains on sidewalks still go neglected,stopping motorbikes using the sidewalks for a roadway does not exist, drivers moving to one side of the street to allow an emergency vehicle is not taught to drivers....and I wonder if we have adequate ladders that can reach the highrise buildings that have mushroomed in the cities the past 15 years? This is still a developing country. PERIOD.

[HappyinNE]

What safety standards. The face saving standard is in good shape.

[mrblue]

thailand has no standards in anything...

safety less than ever!

[Junkyarddog]

With all the tourist we kill here every week I had to go with NO.

[Junkyarddog]

With all the tourist we kill here every week I had to go with NO.

[Jonmarleesco]

Oh, come on, please; April 1st, for this year, has come and long gone.

[Jonmarleesco]

Arrived 12 years ago and see no improvement in safety standards unless it is initiated by the private business, not by the government which inclues the police or city inspectors. Exits in public buildings (which include night clubs, hotels, and even public schools) are still blocked or locked...a worker is not required to wear safety shoes, helmet, or goggles when needed on the job, limited seating on a boat or in a club still does not exist, repairing holes or open drains on sidewalks still go neglected,stopping motorbikes using the sidewalks for a roadway does not exist, drivers moving to one side of the street to allow an emergency vehicle is not taught to drivers....and I wonder if we have adequate ladders that can reach the highrise buildings that have mushroomed in the cities the past 15 years? This is still a developing country. PERIOD.

Can't disagree, but in regard to: '... drivers moving to one side of the street to allow an emergency vehicle is not taught to drivers ...' Thai drivers are taught very little ... or they retain very little of what they are taught.