Carnage on the Thai roads "even worse than you think" reports Thai media.

[Daveyh]

I can't see this carnage changing any time soon, if ever. Total lack of road sense. No idea whatsoever about highway codes etc etc. Total disregard for any signs, traffic lights & lets face it the BiB just can not control any of it. It's been part of their culture here for so long ..... it's become a way of life. Reversing out of concealed entrances onto major roads, reversing along a major highway. Driving againgst traffic & expect you to give way ....... the mind boggles. Creeping forward at junctions without right of way, causing traffic to slow & change lanes ..... ludicrous!  Driving here is dangerous & is certainly risky with this "me first" attitude. Thai's seem to always have the urge to overtake & must be "in front" ............ guess that's all about being first again. I think Thailand will definitely become No 1 in the not too distant future. Also, I think some of the expats too ignore the highway code & take advantage of the lack of road discipline here, because they can ...... sad really adopting the local habits.

[mommysboy]

The agent is speed.  Entry level scooters can do 110kmh and accelerate quickly.  I reckon they are only stable at 40 kmh tops.  If you hit a dip or bump-and there are plenty of those- they can bounce anywhere, and the breaking system is crude.  Certainly when I was a teenager, youngsters could only ride mopeds that did around 40kmh max. 

 

I try not to ride when the boy racers are around. They can zip up from behind and suddenly under or overtake recklessly.  Heck! This is the only place I know where you need to look in the rear mirror as much as ahead!

 

 

[crazydrummerpauly]

We have all known this for decades....

[AsianAtHeart]

10 hours ago, Jeremy50 said:

So much for the Junta leader's claims that he would reduce fatalities by 70% within a year.

I think the numbers may have actually gone UP instead of down on account of the better roads.  People are driving faster, and "speed kills" as they say.  People here are not accustomed to such speeds, and have little awareness of how speed will impact them in an unexpected circumstance.  They have no training, such as most drivers have in more well-developed countries, with respect to required stopping distances, hydroplaning, center of gravity and centrifugal forces, etc.

 

It's nice that the PM has effected so much in terms of road repairs and resurfacing.  The highways have definitely improved a lot.  Unfortunately, the new speeds they support come with unintended consequences in this ignorant- and selfish-driver culture.  Measures such as mandating 16-hour classes for license renewal will NOT change the culture, I'm afraid--not sure what can be done about it, really.  Common road courtesy seems lacking as much as so-called "common" sense, and road rage is on the rise.  Subtracting as much alcohol as possible from the equation may be the best that can be done for now.

[Blinky62]

As long as driving without license is 200THB we will know that government is not taking this issue seriously. They and their loved ones are pretty safe inside their expensive german cars, so why would they care.

How many foreigners drive like lunatics here because they think there are no rules . I think a lot are worse than the Thais . Drink driving , no helmet , wrong way up one way street , straight through red light. The list goes on . So many adapt to Thai rules . Do that at home . You don't last very long .


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[losworld]

I spoke with a long time resident of Koh Chang who informed me one person on average dies per day on the island in a motorbike accident.  I believe him.

[bbbbooboo]

hmmm.....why am I not surprised ?

[Rodjrin]

Thailand - Hub of Dodgems

[Lord Lucan]

Driving. It's just the Thai form of birth control.

you know the Thai male doesn't like using condoms,

thats why every bar girl has at least 2 kids at home with mum.

[jimstar1]

They do not want to be No 1 so they fix the reports simple this is Thailand the land of Smiles 

[inThailand]

10 minutes ago, jimstar1 said:

They do not want to be No 1 so they fix the reports simple this is Thailand the land of Smiles 

I think they do want to be #1 but tallying up deaths after accidents is to taxing on the brain. 

[shanesox]

Failed state


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[captspectre]

the only way to reverse this carnage is for the PM to order and supervise the Thai police  to arrest and impound the vehicles of the offenders that survive. as that will not happen then the ARMY will have to do this. these clowns on the road have no concept of their actions and when they finally do it is to late. I see idiots on the road everyday and I NEVER drive at night. the two idiots speeding on the freeway and passing all normal drivers comes to mind. BUT sadly this will never happen in my lifetime. it is called Thai  population control.

 

[dcnx]

Just now, Blinky62 said:

How many foreigners drive like lunatics here because they think there are no rules . I think a lot are worse than the Thais .

 

Ah yes, foreigners are the reason why Thailand is #2 in the world for road casualties. Now it makes sense.

[impulse]

11 hours ago, jhonnie said:

Australia with a population of 25M had a  road toll for 2016 of aprox 1200 people, thats'  5 for every 100 000 people

Thailand with a population of 68 M had an aprox road toll of  if (35 people died a day x 365= 12 775) or aprox 17 for every 100 000 people

however here we have a report of up to 80 people a day

https://asiancorrespondent.com/2015/03/thailand-road-deaths/#wcKy3LxQfxEMgmC7.97

or 44 people dying for every 100 000 

These figures read like casualties in war,

 

What percentage of Aussies are compelled by economic conditions to ride 2 wheeled vehicles, which are 20-40 times as dangerous as 4 wheeled vehicles?

 

[dcnx]

Just now, shanesox said:

Failed state
 

It's heading that way. 

[impulse]

3 minutes ago, dcnx said:

It's heading that way. 

 

Do you have any stats to show that it's any worse than it was in the past? 

 

[soalbundy]

6 minutes ago, dcnx said:

Ah yes, foreigners are the reason why Thailand is #2 in the world for road casualties. Now it makes sense.

That certainly isn't true of course, but foreigners who drive here long enough will end up driving like a Thai, you get acclimatized. 

[Keesters]

15 hours ago, 1024 said:

Self regulating population.

= Anarchy

 

 

[David Walden]

18 hours ago, Jeremy50 said:

Why differentiate between those who die at the scene of the accident, and those who die a bit later either in the ambulance or at hospital? A dead person is a dead person.  It's just another way of shying away from the true toll. So much for the Junta leader's claims that he would reduce fatalities by 70% within a year. In any case, the Thai public isn't the slightest bit interested in a safety campaign, or any other measures that might prevent them riding on the wrong side of the road, or packing babies and infants onto motorbikes. 

 26000 people killed at the scene of road accidents in Thailand.  What about the other about 52, 000 that are badly injured and perhaps will never walk again.  These injured people will most likely be a burden to the families and friends for a long long time!! 

[Keesters]

12 minutes ago, impulse said:

 

What percentage of Aussies are compelled by economic conditions to ride 2 wheeled vehicles, which are 20-40 times as dangerous as 4 wheeled vehicles?

 

A motorcycle is NOT more dangerous than any other vehicle. It is the riders who can be dangerous and the dangerous drivers of other vehicles who don't respect motorcycles.

 

 

[Keesters]

9 hours ago, hobz said:

As long as driving without license is 200THB we will know that government is not taking this issue seriously. They and their loved ones are pretty safe inside their expensive german cars, so why would they care.

A license does not make you a good driver. Proper training and testing does.

 

[impulse]

1 minute ago, Keesters said:

A motorcycle is NOT more dangerous than any other vehicle. It is the riders who can be dangerous and the dangerous drivers of other vehicles who don't respect motorcycles.

 

There's about a hundred well published studies that would disagree with you.  Along with pretty simple common sense physics that say a roof, 4 doors and seat belts protect occupants in the event of a collision.

 

[Confuscious]

18 hours ago, Cadbury said:

So does that mean if the fatality numbers were tweaked to give a more accurate reading like the story is suggesting then Thailand could be No.1on the world road fatalities/per capita list? 

 

If so then that world record could probably be counted as PM Prayut's greatest ever under achievement. He is personally in charge of everything in Thailand from the attire of twerking dancers to road safety and corruption. The buck stops with him on every little thing even though he habitually passes the blame on to someone else.

 

But PM Prayut has a "Joker card" in his hands.
And he started to play this "Joker card" out.

Thai people should put more believing in their religion (lucky amulets; monks who can predict the exact lottery numbers; a Budhist "hell and heaven"; etc.)

 

And Buddha Issara, the highest worshipped monk by PM Prayuth, is confirming Prayuth words.

Now, I am not sure of the "Joker card" is a playing card or it refers to the jokers governing Thailand.

[Keesters]

11 hours ago, Cadbury said:

I blame the current PM of Thailand. He is the head honcho who can control the lazy police and makes sure the existing laws be observed and obeyed, which they aren't, and make the judiciary hand out deserved penalties.

Do you have a problem with that or am I being silly?

 

You'd have to terminate most of the existing police while training new ones to replace them, eventually doubling the size of the force.

[Keesters]

3 minutes ago, impulse said:

 

There's about a hundred well published studies that would disagree with you.  Along with pretty simple common sense physics that say a roof, 4 doors and seat belts protect occupants in the event of a collision.

 

There would be no collisions if people drove properly.

[impulse]

Just now, Keesters said:

There would be no collisions if people drove properly.

 

Like that's going to happen in our lifetimes.  I drive for the way things are.  Not the way they should be.

 

[selftaopath]

Without rule of law and consequences society can expect this and other destructive things. Many Thais believe/feel they are "FREE" to do what ever they want/when ever they want.  If consequences were dolled out regularly/consistently - as most of us know - they would still have choice but with consequences. How many Thais take responsibility for ????? anything?

[David Walden]

8 hours ago, Blinky62 said:

How many foreigners drive like lunatics here because they think there are no rules . I think a lot are worse than the Thais . Drink driving , no helmet , wrong way up one way street , straight through red light. The list goes on . So many adapt to Thai rules . Do that at home . You don't last very long .


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Gosh Blinky62 ...you only have to stop at red lights in Thailand if something is coming, otherwise you just go straight across, don't bother slowing down or putting you mobile phone down, just gun it.  This must be the correct way because they do the same in Indonesia (Bali), Cambodia. Vietnam, Burma and most other Asian countries and Italy.  And yes the death rate is 7 time that of Australia, for get about the injured the don't count in Thailand.

Edited July 23, 2017 by David Walden

[Happyman58]

13 hours ago, soalbundy said:

Having just renewed my license a few days ago,the boss there told us that very soon renewing is going to get tough, two days at least with lots of extra tests, maybe I'll be dead by then.

Do the extra tests only apply for farangs or for Thais Also? I welcome that if it is also for Thais because most will not pass it. I guess the extra test for them would be "  What does a stop sign mean"  1/ Keep driving dont stop 2/ Stop give way to all traffic 3/ Wow the stop sign looks great 4/ Red is my favourite colour

 

Most would answer  Keep driving dont stop  Pass