Thai Driving Laws Need To Change ASAP

[fred007]

Being a Heavy Transport driver in Australia for the past 45 years.I recently returned from Pattaya on the weekend  by car and i must admit i have never seen such atrocious  driving in my whole life period........Speed abuse ....No idea of reading traffic in the distance and approaching from the rear ...Zero courtesy to other drivers no indication .....No common sence as to how a vehicle opperates. ......Tailgaiting ,Intimidation 

What Needs To Happen Now........ Government to pass new laws dangerous driving...... ONE YEAR JAIL and owners vehicle Crushed.

This is to be publicized and broadcast on Television 24/7 to get the message out there.

What are your thoughts ?

Edited November 8, 2016 by seedy
Language

[Kwasaki]

I for one don't want westernized interference let alone the silly Oz laws introduced in Thailand just proper initial vehicle training enforced. 

[roo860]

Bloody hell Fred ya don't want much!!!!!!

[Don Mega]

I actually like the chaos !!

[canthai55]

Wow - 45 years and you still have not adapted ?  Got my class One 1974. Seen lots. Drive to road conditions and the skill set - or lack thereof - of the drivers around you. You can not change SFA so do your thing, let others do theirs. Been Driving here 15 years, and do not find it that bad. Sure - some yahoos around - like anywhere. Try driving in the lower mainland when freezing rain and/or snow hits. Then you will see clueless. Or try India - makes Thailand look great.

[giddyup]

8 hours ago, canthai55 said:

Wow - 45 years and you still have not adapted ?  Got my class One 1974. Seen lots. Drive to road conditions and the skill set - or lack thereof - of the drivers around you. You can not change SFA so do your thing, let others do theirs. Been Driving here 15 years, and do not find it that bad. Sure - some yahoos around - like anywhere. Try driving in the lower mainland when freezing rain and/or snow hits. Then you will see clueless. Or try India - makes Thailand look great.

You honestly don't think Thailand is any worse than anywhere else? Perhaps have a look at the road statistics., Thailand is the second highest in the world for road deaths, India isn't even in the top 25.

[cooked]

You can pass as many laws as you wish, Thailand doesn't do rule of law. If you don't like that then maybe Thailand isn't for you.

[fred007]

By the general comments made by members from around the world it is a I expected 

Care Factor Zero  as to life changes in driving habbits in Thailand.

DELETED

............THE WORLD AS WE HAVE CREATED IT IS A PROCESS OF THINKING ...........

.............IT CANNOT BE CHANGED WITHOUT CHANNGING OUR THINKING ............

................................   Albert Einstein .........................................

1.  

Edited November 8, 2016 by seedy
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[seedy]

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[transam]

OP, in farangland folk don't get sent to jail and get there car crushed for dangerous driving unless perhaps fatalities.

LOS does have laws in place but unfortunately the troops on the ground to police them are rarely seen, that's why folk do as they like, the chances of getting nicked are near zero. LOS has a huge police force, but where are they...? I honestly cannot remember the last time l saw a traffic cop in my area.

Plus the populous don't give a stuff about anything regarding road behaviour or safety, for instance, under age non licensed children given the keys to a m/cycle to get killed on, crazy stuff, but they do this because no police presence to deal with it..

[Ace of Pop]

If You dive in T.A.s Ubon area for some time and adapt to Thai Style driving there you can drive anywhere in Thailand. North East is real Bandit Country, only the brave survive. Buri Ram i remember was hell years ago. I rather like driving here, i must be mad.

[canthai55]

16 hours ago, giddyup said:

You honestly don't think Thailand is any worse than anywhere else? Perhaps have a look at the road statistics., Thailand is the second highest in the world for road deaths, India isn't even in the top 25.

 

OP said he was returning from BKK. So most likely used Motorway. No motorcycles allowed. So your argument about total deaths does not stand scrutiny as most of those stats are for motorcycle - scooter riders. If you just take the automobiles and light trucks, along with commercial vehicles, the stats will be more indicitive of what the death rate really is. As it stands, with the huge number of scooters here, the death stat argument holds no water.

Edited November 9, 2016 by canthai55

[giddyup]

55 minutes ago, canthai55 said:

 

OP said he was returning from BKK. So most likely used Motorway. No motorcycles allowed. So your argument about total deaths does not stand scrutiny as most of those stats are for motorcycle - scooter riders. If you just take the automobiles and light trucks, along with commercial vehicles, the stats will be more indicitive of what the death rate really is. As it stands, with the huge number of scooters here, the death stat argument holds no water.

Dead is dead. You can put any spin on the facts you want, Thailand is still a dangerous country in which to drive.

Edited November 9, 2016 by giddyup

[canthai55]

The term was popularised in United States by Mark Twain (among others), who attributed it to the British Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli: "There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics."

[giddyup]

3 minutes ago, canthai55 said:

The term was popularised in United States by Mark Twain (among others), who attributed it to the British Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli: "There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics."

I don't follow your logic. Are you saying that motorcycle deaths shouldn't be included in road statistic? What would you call them, death by misadventure?

[Ace of Pop]

I think hes trying to say lots of Mocys just crash here wiily nilly in ridiculous numbers with children/ old folk/ drunks boosting the numbers.

[giddyup]

20 minutes ago, Ace of Pop said:

I think hes trying to say lots of Mocys just crash here wiily nilly in ridiculous numbers with children/ old folk/ drunks boosting the numbers.

Not disputing that, but they are still road statistics. Still plenty of deaths in pickups, buses, trucks and cars though, but as canthai55 pointed out, the OP was probably on a motorway where he experienced appalling driving by cars and trucks.

[Ace of Pop]

Thats an opinion, but im on Mways a lot , bad , Yes sometimes, appalling a bit OTT, only at Holiday times.. To a newbie or a lo milage driver Suicidal i would imagine.

[MikeyIdea]

Ehhh, I have been driving over 400,000 km in Thailand the last 25 years and I think that it has improved a lot

 

I did agree when I came here, I do not agree any longer. I have learnt that Thailand driving is not anarchy, it is organized chaos. Big difference

 

I have taken my daughter to over 50 provinces in Thailand by car

 

It is safe if you learn to adapt

 

Edited November 9, 2016 by MikeyIdea

[giddyup]

9 minutes ago, MikeyIdea said:

Ehhh, I have been driving over 400,000 km in Thailand the last 25 years and I think that it has improved a lot

 

I did agree when I came here, I do not agree any longer. I have learnt that Thailand driving is not anarchy, it is organized chaos. Big difference

 

I have taken my daughter to over 50 provinces in Thailand by car

 

It is safe if you learn to adapt

 

Organised chaos that costs a lot of lives.  The chaos part I agree with.

[Don Mega]

1 minute ago, giddyup said:

Organised chaos that costs a lot of lives.  The chaos part I agree with.

 

 

I do not for one second believe there is any organization in the chaos at all, seems very random to me.

[MikeyIdea]

4 minutes ago, Don Mega said:

 

I do not for one second believe there is any organization in the chaos at all, seems very random to me.

 

I thought the same once but there really are patterns and organisation in the chaos. It just take time to learn :)

[Don Mega]

Just now, MikeyIdea said:

 

I thought the same once but there really are patterns and organisation in the chaos. It just take time to learn :)

Nah, I see too many turned into meat streaks on Suk road.

[Bernard Flint]

On 11/8/2016 at 10:42 AM, Kwasaki said:

I for one don't want westernized interference let alone the silly Oz laws introduced in Thailand just proper initial vehicle training enforced. 

Have to agree with you, Thailand doesnt need the PC Brigade here, go away

[giddyup]

1 minute ago, Bernard Flint said:

Have to agree with you, Thailand doesnt need the PC Brigade here, go away

 

6 minutes ago, MikeyIdea said:

 

I thought the same once but there really are patterns and organisation in the chaos. It just take time to learn :)

Chaos by definition can't be organised, it's an oxymoron.

[Ace of Pop]

I've had to avoid the odd Oxxcymoron wandering down the road


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[MikeyIdea]

Fred007, I'd like to add some advice that I hope can help. I love driving around Thailand with my daughter and I think that you perhaps want to do the same. It feels sad to miss such a wonderful experience. I write hard sometimes but that's because I want to help, not to be hurtful

 

I started driving in Thailand 1991 and I thought exactly like you back then. Idiot Thai's of course

I opened up a small (1 man) company and drove around Bangkok. I bought a Honda Dream in 93? and I drove 35,000 km per year around Bangkok standing still more than being able to drive and mind you, the traffic jam was worse 20 years ago than it is now thanks to flyovers and the express ways. The read lights had a blue tint because 90% of the motor cycles were 2 strokes as apposed to now when 95% are 4 strokes

 

I still remember my "best" days Tuesdays and Thursdays back in '94. I Started at the Australian embassy 7:30 to 9:30, had where Phaholyothin meets Viphawadee 10:30 to 12:00, then Srinakarin 13:00 to 15:00 and Sukhumvit Soi 115? (Samut Prakan) 16:00 to 18:00 and Moobaan Town in Town 19:00 to 21:00. I made around 3,900 baht per day Tuesdays and Thursdays :)

 

I saw new real pained marks on the streets made by the police where someone had died almost Every Single Week, sometimes more than one per week. Yes, Thai motor cyclists and pedestrians died as flies. I didn't want to do that so I tried to learn how to survive and it was easier than I thought. There really are patters in the chaos, you just don't have to fight them because you think they are stupid and wrong and you will quite easily find them

 

You have to stay calm at all times. You will not have an accident when you are calm, you will have one when you are angry and upset. I bet your pulse hits 120 + sometimes when you drive and it's not because you're driving a formula 1 car. I probably keep my pulse at half yours when I drive. Relax!

 

Keep your concentration up. Background concentration must always be higher here than in western countries. 

 

I still get more tired driving in Thailand than in Europe also after so many years, you will certainly feel much of this the first few years. It will slowly go down but it will never really reach the level you have driving in western countries. Thai's drive closer, have smaller safety margins, roads can have surprises. You need to learn to manage it, that is all

 

You are a very experienced driver, you easily get into the driving rhythm of your western environment and you drive safely within it. You need to find the driving rhythm here. You should not drive too slowly and not fast. You should not stick out - of course! Speed doesn't normally kill, speed differences do

 

Be humble: It doesn't matter if it's his fault when your children are pushing around your wheel chair for the rest of your life. If you in any way could have avoided the accident, then it's your fault that you sit there even if he broke a traffic law. Don't like the last thing I wrote, take the bus

 

Thai's really want to avoid accidents. Again, it is surprisingly easy to avoid accidents in Thailand

 

Westerners who stubbornly insist on following the traffic laws here without consideration to safety are stupid idiots. Go home to where you came from and don't risk the lives of me and my family and others please

 

Get out of Bronx if you are there, bad place to learn to drive (Pattaya)

 

You need to plan ahead - now this is of course difficult before you learn the patterns but it really becomes quite easy when you do. Planning ahead is the key to safe driving in Thailand. It doesn't matter if the law says that he should wait, it doesn't matter if the law says that he is not allowed to turn there. If you don't plan ahead based on what you see, because of whatever law or he is wrong, then you are a bad unsafe driver. Driving in Thailand gets much more relaxing when you do this

 

You can never protect yourself from the odd out idiot who may crash into you tomorrow or in a thousand years time. It is statistically a very very small risk if you adapt, plan ahead and stay alert and concentrated

 

Turn your lights on day time too. I always do and few people blink nowadays

 

Keep your distance and do not care if people fill the gap, just increase it a bit again. No reason to get upset. Accidents often happen here because people drive too close. That is something that you should not copy in the Thai driving style :)

 

Don't worry too much about bothering others when you need to cross an intersection with no traffic lights and a lot of traffic. Thai's choose a moment with calmer / less traffic and then stick their noses out to show that they want to get over (higher speed and bigger gap etc.). It can be OK to block one way waiting to be able to cross the other lane if you match it right (too aggressive is bad, shouldn't be too passive). Most people will not see it as bad if you don't force them to have to break hard, you are just using the generally accepted way. Thai's will not want to hit you. Important to not do it in an aggressive way though

 

Don't worry about small accidents, it's not a personal failure, it's just a dent and you have insurance

 

I actually like to travel long distances during the night instead of day time, you eat km faster, less traffic so you get less tired and it is safer, feels good to be able to relax -

 

I load up the car and drive to Phuket with my daughter almost every year. Roads are OK nowadays, always stretches with road construction somewhere but not a problem at all. Main Point: I prefer to leave Bangkok at midnight 1 AM or so and I have a wonderful relaxing night drive and I am in Surat Thani when the sun goes up. I don't know if it's for you but just want to tell you that it's safer night time actually though all Thai's will insist on the opposite. Beware of cars with no lights on around 6 AM

 

It feels sad that you should be so negative and perhaps not have the wonderful experience of driving around Thailand. You are so experienced that you can easily adapt and make this safe

 

Good Luck

Mikey

 

Edited November 10, 2016 by MikeyIdea

[Kwasaki]

21 hours ago, giddyup said:

I don't follow your logic. Are you saying that motorcycle deaths shouldn't be included in road statistic? What would you call them, death by misadventure?

 

No collateral damage.

 

20 hours ago, Ace of Pop said:

Thats an opinion, but im on Mways a lot , bad , Yes sometimes, appalling a bit OTT, only at Holiday times.. To a newbie or a lo milage driver Suicidal i would imagine.

 

It's not just holiday times it's where you live and the amount of traffic in any specific area IMO which will add to statistics.

l believe Thailand DLT's will try and improve things even if it is over a long period, bringing out strict laws over-night won't do any good.

[MikeyIdea]

34 minutes ago, MikeyIdea said:

It feels sad that you should be so negative and perhaps not have the wonderful experience of driving around Thailand. You are so experienced that you can easily adapt and make this safe

 

Correction: You can easily make this safe if you adapt