Law enforcement, technology can cut passenger-van accidents, say experts

By Ketkan Boonpen,
Pratch Rujivanarom
The Nation

 

 

STRICT LAW enforcement and the use of technology can reduce public transport accidents in the long term, academics say.

 

Speaking at a public seminar “The Way to Reform after Passenger Van Accident” in Chulalongkorn University yesterday, former transport minister Chatchart Sitthipan said that the technology of GPS monitoring, combined with strict regulations and enforcement, was proven to decrease accidents in inter-provincial buses by 80 per cent.

 

“Thai people usually rely on spiritual power to have a safe journey, but we still do not really use technology to prevent accidents. I believe in scientific solutions for the problem and the GPS technology has already been proved to efficiently prevent accidents in buses from a project during my time in the office,” Chatchart said.

 

Full story: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/news/national/30303608

 

 

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-01-07

lol. they needed experts to come up with that ?!

Wow, who knew!!!

'Thai people usually rely on spiritual power to have a safe journey, '

 

Personally i use the force

 

 

5 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

combined with strict regulations and enforcement,

 

Strict regulations are useless without the enforcement.

Strict punishment for the offenders would not go amiss either. 

If you want to use technology, self-driving vehicles would be the solution, with no need to rely on crazed and high drivers.

the GPS technology has already been proved to efficiently prevent accidents in buses

 

Good job. It went from 'horrifying' to today's simple 'horrible'.  I guess, in a way, he can pat himself on the back for trying.

Spiritual power?
Does he mean the Bhudda statue and flowers hanging from the rear view mirror?
Back in Blighty we'd have a Saint Christopher patron saint of travel on the dash board to bring good luck and safe journey.

As for GPS how does that improve safety? If you fall asleep at the wheel does it wake you up with a coffee and biscuits?

Driver training and attitude adjustment may help also

law enforcement technology is o.k. but should be second priority

 

first priority is law enforcement applied by police

8 minutes ago, sweatalot said:

law enforcement technology is o.k. but should be second priority

 

first priority is law enforcement applied by police

 

Educate, Train, Enforce seem to be 3 English words Thais do not understand or are able to translate

 

What is this spiritual power and where can we get some? Ah yes, got it.... Praise Jesus! Invincible now.

1 hour ago, Wilsonandson said:

Spiritual power?
Does he mean the Bhudda statue and flowers hanging from the rear view mirror?

I dropped off my MIL at the 407 bus stop in Pattaya, saw the driver light some incense sticks and place them in the purpose built holder in the front of the bus before starting to load. Must've given at least +10 karma points.

Law enforcement to reduce road accidents? What a novel idea. May catch on internationally!

GPS monitoring sounds fine in theory but who will monitor the monitors.

1 hour ago, trogers said:

If you want to use technology, self-driving vehicles would be the solution, with no need to rely on crazed and high drivers.

 

Yes that works in the West where we have educated technicians...In Thailand they even have to come back 10! (serious) times to make a light work or fix an electric barrier...In our moobaan we have Thai electric barriers and there's one broken every week...the red/green lights have never worked at all since they were purchased.

2 hours ago, trogers said:

If you want to use technology, self-driving vehicles would be the solution, with no need to rely on crazed and high drivers.

 

It will take some time for the self-driving software to handle Thai traffic, e.g. the motosais coming from all different directions, erratic driving of minibuses etc. .

2 hours ago, Thaiwrath said:

 

Strict regulations are useless without the enforcement.

Strict punishment for the offenders would not go amiss either. 

 

strict enforcement of the law will make the country STOP functioning! there will be chaos, poverty and unemployment. the prisons will be overcrowded. politicians will have to flee (oops!). thailand would be like farangland and NO thai wants that, including the experts above and lord PM and all levels above him. happyness to the people cannot be brought through strict enforcements of laws. thailand as we know it, as the thai know it is EXACTLY what it is now: a 1000 standards, words and crackdowns, etc BUT no way they will ever fine somchai sixpack drunk on his m/b without helmet nor insurance let's say 5000thb! if they did the guy can't feed his family, etc. it's an ILLUSION!

9 minutes ago, longtom said:

 

It will take some time for the self-driving software to handle Thai traffic, e.g. the motosais coming from all different directions, erratic driving of minibuses etc. .

 

The software is already available on smartphones - battle scenarios... ? ?

Dropping more bombshells it was also claimed that drinking drain cleaner had been conclusively proven not to cure indigestion and eating and drinking on a regular basis would considerably extend the average person's lifespan.

And a police force that does its job could cut the number of accidents 

1 hour ago, whatproblem said:

And a police force that does its job could cut the number of accidents 

 

As long as they can do a sitting job in airconditioning maybe...Forget about police patrolling down the roads, ain't gonna happen.

I think in this case every WESTENER can be a perfect expert....!!!

7 hours ago, rooster59 said:

Law enforcement, technology can cut passenger-van accidents, say experts

Sounds like they just discovered the wheel. 

May be on to something with technology. Thai cops are loathe to leave comfy station, so solution may be police drones. Bonus would be Thais like to play games (as do most folks) so might actually pay some attention to drone game. Arm a few with shotguns in case drivers don't take seriously.

1 minute ago, Emster23 said:

May be on to something with technology. Thai cops are loathe to leave comfy station, so solution may be police drones. Bonus would be Thais like to play games (as do most folks) so might actually pay some attention to drone game. Arm a few with shotguns in case drivers don't take seriously.

Emster your a blast as always. Yes the only answer is policing policing policing. Maybe the answer is to put medieval chairs with spikes and disconnect the air conditioners and put heaters in the police kiosks. Motivation is the answer.

Sadly, the bottom line is that the complete system of mini-van transportation is rotten to the core.

From the fat cat bosses that demand a guy drives 18 hours a day for a pittance, to the way in which the laws are ( enforced )

As for the owner driver, he is squeezed by the fat cats so that he barely scrapes a living after paying for the van.

Tachographs and engine restrictors, aligned with professional training for the drivers and a viable law enforcement system is the only solution

GPS may as well be fitted to a Buffalo for all the good it will achieve.

Really, the FIRST priority is a willingness to do something meaningful (with less talking)! Stop with the band aid "solutions" and address the causes - not the effects.

5 hours ago, Brer Fox said:

GPS monitoring sounds fine in theory but who will monitor the monitors.

The monitor lizard police.