Interior minister: No targets for death and destruction on the roads this New Year

[webfact]

Interior minister: No targets for death and destruction on the roads this New Year

 

Picture: Daily News

 

BANGKOK: -- In a break from tradition the Interior Ministry has decided they will not issue targets for the death and accident toll on Thai roads at New Year.

 

Previously targets were issued at New Year and Songkran but interior minister Anupong Paojinda said yesterday that "all lives matter", reports Daily News.

 

Instead he urged the public to observe "a good driving culture".

 

This principally meant three things: No drinking and driving, no speeding and general observance of the rules of the road, reported Daily News.

 

Anupong said that as in previous years there would be a large number of "accident reduction and prevention" centers set up throughout the country.

 

He said that vehicles and licenses would be confiscated but played down this warning preferring to appeal to the motoring public to obey the law in the first place.

 

In explaining the lack of a published target this year Anupong said: "Every person is important and all lives matter. There is no target - zero accidents or deaths would be best".

 

He urged the public to cooperate with police in creating a good driving culture.

 

Source: Daily News

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2016-12-20

[JoePai]

Instead he urged the public to observe "a good driving culture".

 

Pretty please 

[Upnotover]

Could they not have found a pic of traffic in Thailand for this story?

[Caveat Emptor]

No targets this year, finally they've realised the futility and it removes the need for them to BS when the figures soar, well the ones that aren't fiddled as much as possible that is.

[Cuchulainn]

18 minutes ago, Upnotover said:

Could they not have found a pic of traffic in Thailand for this story?

 

That's what I thought too!! Picture looks like India.

[waldroj]

"...He urged the public to cooperate with police in creating a good driving culture..."

 

Yea, just follow the lead set by police (viz. http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/959347-netizens-ask-are-police-above-the-law/) !!!

 

[Emster23]

Does this mean I should paint my own bulls eye on my back? Or do they expect drivers to improvise when choosing targets?

[elgordo38]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

the Interior Ministry has decided they will not issue targets for the death and accident toll on Thai roads at New Year.

There may be some hope yet that things will start to be done on a rational basis. 

[Borzandy]

"a good driving culture"  please, could you explain, I'm Thai.

[Saraburi121]

I am sitting out this New Years at home, too much carnage which I don't want to part of. 

[Tonawatchee]

Instead he urged the public to observe "a good driving culture".

I was becoming worried about this New Years eve of driving across town to attend a friend's birthday/New Year party. But now that I've learned the Interior Minister has urged the public to maintain good driving habits, well well, I feel great, secure in the knowledge that where ever I go, I will arrive alive!

[rtco]

No targets for death and destruction on the roads this New Year  ... because they haven't got a cat in hell's chance of meeting them.

[Eligius]

The formulation of this sentence is quite amusing, as 'no targets for death and destruction' means that they normally aim at / target  death and destruction on the roads.

Now they will just let rip without any restraints!

[MaxLee]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

Interior minister: No targets for death and destruction on the roads this New Year

 

Thank you for the warning including on all possible terrorists.... 

[bangon04]

"Urging "  always works best in Thailand.

[tubby johnson]

Come on, Thailand. Show some ambition. Set a target of at least 1,000 dead this new year.

[maoro2013]

What does 'general observance of the rules of the road' mean.

 

I take it there is some flexibility. 

[Srikcir]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

he urged the public to observe "a good driving culture".

Like countries with the lowest rate of deaths from road accidents - Poland (#1), South Korea (#2) and the USA (#3)?

http://www.aneki.com/lowest_accident_deaths.html

But there wouldn't be any Thainess if Thailand joined the low accident rates of those countries.

[jesimps]

The junta can more or less do what it wants unopposed. Why doesn't it bring in some harsh deterrents for driving offences, especially drink driving? Then make the police enforce them. If the Thais are hit hard in the pocket, I guarantee the death rate will fall.

 

[300sd]

"Rules of the road"!  I thought there was only one, "I go first"!!!

[Jim walker]

And just in case of an emergency and if getting cut up carry a fire arm but only to be used for the ultimate cut up, the carnage on Thai roads will never stop until Thais are educated about driving and sharing the roads with others not the me first attitude.  

[Cake Monster]

Well, I suppose that if there are no official targets to aim for being set this year by the Interior Ministry, the crazies on the Thai roads will just have to make up their own targets.

This should not be a problem to them, as death and destruction over the new year period on the roads of Thailand comes all too naturally to many.

Sadly

[dcnx]

Actually, no lives matter. That's the problem.

[BuckBee]

yep sod it . let the lemmings be lemmings .... I'm sure ministers and government officials will be too busy with gift baskets of Brand and sending messages & gold to the Noi's over the festive period so no time to even try ...

[Beats56]

I am just staying home and if need to go to the store I will walk. Let all the other crazies kill themselves.

 

[Tiffer]

Unfortunately Thai mentality (culture) is fundamentally opposed to observing rules as that implies being inferior or subservient.

[Elkski]

It sounds out of control and growing fast.   I found this for songkran 2016 up 30%. http://mashable.com/2016/04/18/songkran-deaths/#UTHRInYtvsqt

 

NY 2015 up 11%

http://www.bangkokpost.com/archive/despite-4700-impounds-new-year-road-death-toll-soars/816556

[Tiffer]

3 hours ago, Srikcir said:

Like countries with the lowest rate of deaths from road accidents - Poland (#1), South Korea (#2) and the USA (#3)?

http://www.aneki.com/lowest_accident_deaths.html

But there wouldn't be any Thainess if Thailand joined the low accident rates of those countries.

 

Your information is way off the mark!

Poland, USA and South Korea have the worst records among OECD countries.

 

Thailand is more that 10 times the US rate, which is 3 times that of the UK, so for me it's 30 times worse here than back home.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_traffic-related_death_rate 

 

[nong38]

Will tourists be invited to join in the carnage?

A good driving culture what on earth can that mean! Looking in mirrors for traffic, using indicators, driving on the right side of the road all the time ( thats the left just to avoid any confusion). It might also be useful if drivers read their instruction manual of the new car, but I ask too much I fear and things will carry on as usual.

As its coming up to Christmas I have asked Santa if he could bring one of those wooden lattice concertinas with a boxing glove on the end so I can fix to the near side passenger window and aim it at the motor cyclist who just joined the main road without looking. 2nd choice a cricket bat on the roof to sweep at motor cyclist who think its clever to ride without a helmet! 

Feel better now, merry christmas.

[Mr Freeze]

5 hours ago, rtco said:

No targets for death and destruction on the roads this New Year  ... because they haven't got a cat in hell's chance of meeting them.

Oh l don't know about that , Thai drivers excell the governments expections year after year !