Can anyone tell me why they had those tents set up beside the road and 2 red and white cones with flashing lights on top of them I saw a lot of police sitting in there doing nothing What actually where they suppose to do?

3 hours ago, Happyman58 said:

Can anyone tell me why they had those tents set up beside the road and 2 red and white cones with flashing lights on top of them I saw a lot of police sitting in there doing nothing What actually where they suppose to do?

 

Playing cards and distributing the cash fines. The flashing red lights are a warning to drivers not to crash into the tents as the RTP are busy conducting their business transactions.

14 hours ago, CaptHaddock said:

So, Songkran should be extended to 365 days per year, since the death rate during Songkran of 65/day is lower than the average for the whole year of about 71.  Songkran is the safest time to drive on the Thai roads.

 

Yet another useless story with the same old nonsense every year.

 

Now if they changed it to: 36 lives saved over Songkran due to lowered death rate - we'd have a more interesting story.

10 hours ago, Thaidream said:

The way to get people to abide by the speed limit and drink driving law is through an intensive public relations campaign which starts in high schools and continues year around on television; radio; posters and other media using public figures and movie and singing stars.The introduction of the concept of the 'designated driver'- the person who does not drink will also help educate the public. Many people do not thing much about drink driving and speeding because of the lack of enforcement and also the fact that there is not much talk about it except at holiday time.

With the above, it will take at least a generation to change attitudes but the solution is not banning people from pickups; impounding cars or certainly not police checkpoints. None of this will ever work as people do not really understand the concepts of safe driving until they are taught.

Thank you exactly my thoughts. May take more than that but true safety starts with education. It shouldnt be about do what I say or you go to jail. You need to create a safety culture to succeed. People need to understand that safety is ensuring you get back to your loved ones everyday. You will still have idiots obviously but I believe a massive reduction is achievable. Unfortunately you need education (sadly lacking) a belief that this life is the most important one you have. Its really got nothing to do with law enforcement.

The way to get people to abide by the speed limit and drink driving law is through an intensive public relations campaign which starts in high schools and continues year around on television; radio; posters and other media using public figures and movie and singing stars.The introduction of the concept of the 'designated driver'- the person who does not drink will also help educate the public. Many people do not thing much about drink driving and speeding because of the lack of enforcement and also the fact that there is not much talk about it except at holiday time.
With the above, it will take at least a generation to change attitudes but the solution is not banning people from pickups; impounding cars or certainly not police checkpoints. None of this will ever work as people do not really understand the concepts of safe driving until they are taught.

And the million dollar question is why the Elite Leaders of the country (of whom many were educated in the West) cannot see this as the viable path to take.

6 hours ago, Happyman58 said:

Can anyone tell me why they had those tents set up beside the road and 2 red and white cones with flashing lights on top of them I saw a lot of police sitting in there doing nothing. What actually where they supposed to do?

Collect money!

1 hour ago, PatOngo said:

Collect money!

 

1 hour ago, PatOngo said:

Collect money!

Yep that sounds about right I guess safety had nothing to do with it really

AMAZING THAILAND

1 hour ago, jerojero said:

And the million dollar question is why the Elite Leaders of the country (of whom many were educated in the West) cannot see this as the viable path to take.

Some would say the easiest way to control a population is to keep them poor and uneducated and without the means to improve either.

Basically the media image we are getting of Songkhran this year is so full of bunkum, it will be virtually impossible to get a realistic assessment of what really happened.

SK isn't "7 days", its nearer 10 or even 14 for some.

Firstly for many people SK started on the 8th this year and for some/others didn't finish until the 17th or even later. With people coming back to work from the North and East, I'd suggest that 17 and 18 would be major danger hotspots for the period.    

Driving over Songkhran has in effect been staggered...so inevitably the daily death toll should be down.

...and before they start patting each other on the back, perhaps they should wait until Pattaya Songkhran which hasn't fully started yet is over?

20 hours ago, 4MyEgo said:

Problem solved easily if you ask me

Sorry, you forgot one important element - need a capable police force before anything can happen!

1 hour ago, CGW said:

Sorry, you forgot one important element - need a capable police force before anything can happen!

That is so right