Phuket Aims To Lower Road Fatalities To 3 During New Year

[Jai Dee]

Phuket aims to lower road fatalities to 3 during New Year

Phuket governor Nirand Kalyanamitr, as the chairman of the road accident prevention and reduction committee, said traffic checkpoints will be set up in the provincial districts of Muang, Thalang, and Katu to help lessen the number of potential road accidents from December 28th to January 3rd. Four road accident prevention and reduction centers will also be established in the province. Officials will stress the road accident preventive measures in the steep areas of Patong as the routes are very slippery during heavy rainfall, and there have been many accidents there.

At the same time, Phuket Provincial Disaster Prevention and Mitigation officer Arun Kerdsom aims to contain the number of road accidents in the province to no more than 34 between December 28th and January 3rd, with no more than 39 injuries and three deaths.

According to Vachira Phuket Hospital, most patients who received treatments in the hospital were the victims of road accidents. Most of them were caused by drunk driving, followed by drowsiness and the use of mobile phone while driving. However, every sector is working together to solve the problem.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 27 December 2006

[Welsh John]

It's considerate of the governor to be concerned for people over a short period. What about the rest of the year?? Its usually a good time of the year for the Police to top up their salaries with fines & this is how they justify it. I guess they will be camped out at the end of my Soi all day & everyday. Same,same every year!!

[slackula]

Phuket aims to lower road fatalities to 3 during New Year

Presumably this means three per hour right??

[britmaveric]

why 3? Why not zero???

[donna]

there is a cop car stationed at the bottom of the phuket hill on the kathu side at the moment. started last night and was there this morning.

it serves no other purpose than to slow the traffic down. sure, they may be saving lives by slowing it down, but i think a much more effective way to save lives and cut down on dangerous driving is to hit people where it hurts most - the hip pocket.

as soon as the kids get past the police car, they rip off their helmets and drive like idiots again. zig zagging in and out of the traffic like maniacs with their feet dangling on the ground.

its time this country adopted some of the scare tactics used in australia and put on some graphic commercials on tv. but then again, it may just be family entertainment to some.....

[thaigerd]

A bit off topic but it shows the average attitude here:

2 days ago our management went out for a short dinner after work and we've used our company van and driver.

When we arrived the driver joined our table and started drinking beer as well

Then I mentioned that's not a good idea for a company driver to drink alcohol when on duty.

They all looked at me like.............

The bloody farang does not want the driver to be sanook at this funny time of the year.

Gerd

[naka]

why 3? Why not zero???

Cos I think Khun Nirand Kalyanamitr is Thai.

Naka.