Prayut postpones new road safety regulations

[whatawonderfulday]

10 hours ago, darksidedog said:

Laughable, in every aspect. It's a new law, no it isn't, Yes it is, but it's delayed, the fines will stop people, No they won't because they are laughable too.

This was a good opportunity to take a deep cut in to the annual Songkran death toll. When it's over, we can total up how many lives this decision has cost.

And if they are serious about stopping this, the fines (if and when the cops ever bother to enforce them), need to be a minimum of ten times higher.

Apparently he has reappraised the kill rate and concluded that far from preventing mindless deaths of those travelling in the flatbed,  he could reach his targets, and perhaps exceed them by actively now encouraging them to do so.  After all he is being slammed by human rights activists left right and centre, but by people dying due to their own stupidity, he can not be blamed for.

[bannork]

3 hours ago, onthesoi said:

I'll just leave this here for those knee jerking at the headline:

 

Police and related agencies will spend 15 days explaining the bans and the rules will be enforced and fines will be handed out after Songkran.

5555, you don't really believe that do you? That statement is what the Thais call having a ladder to step down from  i.e. a face saving move.

 It's a rule ignoring the practicalities of everyday life and as such will cause intense hatred  and possibly unforeseen consequences. Not what a junta that promised to 'return happiness to the people' wants.

[jaiyen]

11 hours ago, PeVee1st said:

A more sensible law would be that all persons in the pickup tray be seated and max.10 of all ages. Infants under 5 to be carried inside the pickup. Max.speed 80 kph.
No standing whilst the pickup is moving.

And all passengers in the back must wear high quality crash helmets

[Borzandy]

12 hours ago, Jonathan Fairfield said:

PM does U-turn

There are soooooo many U-turn in Thailand.

[bannork]

1 minute ago, Borzandy said:

There are soooooo many U-turn in Thailand.

Not so many bridges.

[IamNoone88]

Another fine performance at Amateur Week, again. 

[Notadoctor]

11 hours ago, PeVee1st said:

A more sensible law would be that all persons in the pickup tray be seated and max.10 of all ages. Infants under 5 to be carried inside the pickup. Max.speed 80 kph.
No standing whilst the pickup is moving.

Sorry that is nonsense, you obviously have no idea  of what happens in the event of an accident.

[Notadoctor]

3 hours ago, spiderorchid said:

Most people just don't get it. Most Thais are poor. Most do not own a vehicle. The mostly foreign workers work a barely subsistence wage. They need to get to work by the cheapest possible way. Really good safety rules work in really good western societies. Thailand is not there yet. The economy would collapse if workers, housewives, students and so on could not get about cheaply. Just think about it before you post constant derogatory insults about the country that has welcomed you into. If you are a foreign poster - stick your nose in your own countries trough. 

this is indeed a major factor - however road casualties and deaths actually cost the country more than the measures to prevent the deaths in the first place.

[saakura]

12 hours ago, Wilsonandson said:

Scared of an uprising more like.

Nonsense! The latest polls indicate the great leader is still super popular amongst the masses and intellectuals.

[Notadoctor]

25 minutes ago, Borzandy said:

There are soooooo many U-turn in Thailand.

single observation do not make any contribution to the overall picture - in reality the u-turns are a symptom of appalling road design and road and traffic engineering......

[tuktuktuk]

4 minutes ago, Notadoctor said:

single observation do not make any contribution to the overall picture - in reality the u-turns are a symptom of appalling road design and road and traffic engineering......

I think the u-turns make sense for them.  How in the world would they afford all the intersections and overpasses/underpasses?  Anyway, I don't think that was the u-turn Borzandy was referring to.

[nahkit]

11 hours ago, BigBadGeordie said:

Nothing new here, it has been Law....but never enforced since 1979.

 

 

Land Traffic Act, B.E. 2522 (1979)
Translation
 BHUMIBOL ADULYADEJ, REX. 
Given on the 15th Day of March, B.E. 2522; 
Being the 34th Year of the Present Reign 
His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej has been graciously pleased to proclaim that: 
Whereas it is expedient to have a law on land transportation; 
Be it, therefore, enacted by the King, by and with the advice and consent of the National 
Legislative Assembly acting as the National Assembly, as follows:.........

 

Please see relevant section.

Hi, could you give the relevant section number to make finding it a bit easier please?

[Scouse123]

Rough translation;-

 

Following advice after already opening his mouth in advance he has decided.

 

He doesn't want the hassle and senseless violence that will for sure, ensue, if the Army or Police start stopping loads of drunken pick up trucks of Isaarn farmers making their way home for Songkran in a drunkard, drug fuelled stupor!

 

Best wait for the end of the silly season.

 

However, police and army personnel are free to selectively single out foreigners guilty of any of the crimes of not wearing seat belts, riding in the back of pick ups etc and then again for the newcomers benefit how does it go?

 

' Punish them to the full extent of the law "

[maoro2013]

They enforce the pick rule and a whole lot of people couldn't get to work.  

 

How about riding in the  back of big trucks or in tak taks ie the farm trucks commonly used, at least in isaan

[Notadoctor]

4 minutes ago, nahkit said:

Hi, could you give the relevant section number to make finding it a bit easier please?

Find out for yourself - if you come to a discussion on a forum either be prepared to accept information or do your own research to put forward a contrary argument. SAo many times on Thai visa people who have their preconceptions questioned are too lazy to get themselves informed properly before taking part in a discussion.

[Notadoctor]

11 minutes ago, tuktuktuk said:

I think the u-turns make sense for them.  How in the world would they afford all the intersections and overpasses/underpasses?  Anyway, I don't think that was the u-turn Borzandy was referring to.

How much does a life cost? The point is by properly designing roads they will in the end SAVE trillions of baht in damage to the Thai economy. If you want to do the research there are perfectly well calculated estimates as to how much road deaths injury and eve congestion cost the country every year and it far out weighs the expense of building proper roads.

[nahkit]

1 minute ago, Notadoctor said:

Find out for yourself - if you come to a discussion on a forum either be prepared to accept information or do your own research to put forward a contrary argument. SAo many times on Thai visa people who have their preconceptions questioned are too lazy to get themselves informed properly before taking part in a discussion.

Wind your neck in.

 

I have done my own research using a copy of the translated laws and after going through it twice I cant find the relevant section.

 

I politely asked for the section number, nothing wrong with that,

traffic law0140_5.pdf

[maoro2013]

If this is implemented many people just couldn't get to work.

 

Are big trucks and tak taks mentioned.

[Notadoctor]

Quite apart from the effect on the population who rely on nonenforcement of the laws "as is" - just to go about their normal daily lives tere is the admin side to thing about

 

As road deaths at Song Khran are LOWER than the normal daily average there is no need to rush these regulations - however the first thing to do is train and set up the police to cope with this - they need to give up tea money set up the proper bureaucracy and be trained in how to stop offenders, and them proceed with a prosecution. As I have NEVEr seen any evidence of this ever happening, I'd say they have a lot on their plate before this could even become effective.

Edited April 6, 2017 by Notadoctor

[gmac]

22 minutes ago, tuktuktuk said:

I think the u-turns make sense for them.  How in the world would they afford all the intersections and overpasses/underpasses?  Anyway, I don't think that was the u-turn Borzandy was referring to.

No I'm sure it wasn't but why would they need expensive overpasses/underpasses when in most cases a simple roundabout would do the job.

[johnno2]

zzzzzzzzz...wake me up when Songkran is finished so I can read about the new record death toll and so I can read how XXXXXX  new laws will be have to be implemented to reduce the road death toll

[Notadoctor]

3 minutes ago, johnno2 said:

zzzzzzzzz...wake me up when Songkran is finished so I can read about the new record death toll and so I can read how XXXXXX  new laws will be have to be implemented to reduce the road death toll

As the Thai authorities are not that good at recording road incidents you only hear about the death toll for the year and other accidents that result in internationally recognised serious or minor injuries are allegedly recorded at SK but there are no annual figures available. however the death toll usually goes DOWN over SK.

[CGW]

12 hours ago, PeVee1st said:

A more sensible law would be that all persons in the pickup tray be seated and max.10 of all ages. Infants under 5 to be carried inside the pickup. Max.speed 80 kph.
No standing whilst the pickup is moving.

Neighboring countries allow passengers to be carried in the back (for commercial reasons!)

They have rules and restrictions, surely this would be a more acceptable alternative, though still far from ideal!

Singapore rules state:- https://www.onemotoring.com.sg/content/onemotoring/en/lta_information_guidelines/maintain_vehicle/lorries_safety_regulations.html

 

[Slaps]

 

 

.PFJ  meeting to take action

 

.

 

Edited April 6, 2017 by Slaps

[jimstar1]

What a Crock Of Bulls Dust they have got no Balls at all it was to hard to enforce easier to set up Road Blocks and rip of the Tourists on There Hire Bikes at 500B a pop 

[sinbin]

There's a killing to be made here in Thailand  by the police if they were'nt so dumb and <deleted> lazy. When a policeman issues an official fine he receives 95% of the fine as a reward. 5% goes to the government. The 95%y is pooled with other team members back at the station who are office bound. But do the officers take notice in this 95% reward to enhance their pockets? No they'd rather take illegal tea money and keep it all. Welcome to the asylum.

Edited April 6, 2017 by sinbin

[Notadoctor]

22 minutes ago, gmac said:

No I'm sure it wasn't but why would they need expensive overpasses/underpasses when in most cases a simple roundabout would do the job.

Exactly - How much does a life cost? The point is by properly designing roads they will in the end SAVE trillions of baht in damage to the Thai economy. If you want to do the research there are perfectly well calculated estimates as to how much road deaths injury and even congestion cost the country every year and it far out weighs the expense of building proper roads.

Actually the alternative to u-turns doesn't have to be more expensive - it is just "culture" that has prevailed in road design in Thailand. If you look at the number of flyovers being built - often to accommodate u-turns you'll realise you assumption is not based on the reality. U-turns have a basic flaw in their simplest form in that they expect traffic to move into the off-side lane(s) to turn. They are now being replaced with more complex flyover u-turns that at lease allow traffic to leave the road on the nearside. However Europe uses roundabouts at many sub-highway junctions and thse are shown to have an extremely low death rate compared to any other junction and they usually don't require any flyovers

Edited April 6, 2017 by Notadoctor

[Sooo Upto Me]

This is why Thailand is & always will be the laughing stock of the world. Can never decide on anything.

The Land of U Turns.  ???

[Notadoctor]

14 minutes ago, CGW said:

Neighboring countries allow passengers to be carried in the back (for commercial reasons!)

They have rules and restrictions, surely this would be a more acceptable alternative, though still far from ideal!

Singapore rules state:- https://www.onemotoring.com.sg/content/onemotoring/en/lta_information_guidelines/maintain_vehicle/lorries_safety_regulations.html

 

in Thailand they are called Song Taews

[CGW]

2 minutes ago, Notadoctor said:

in Thailand they are called Song Taews

Thanks for that information