Thai road safety.

[funky_house]

I was just reading this article from the News page in TF. The figures are quite unbelievable. It brings home just how dangerous Thai roads actually are.

The death toll of road accidents throughout Thailand during the first four days of the seven New Year holidays rose to 278, the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department announced Saturday.

The Department's director-general Anucha Mokkhawes said 2,793 road accidents occurred from Tuesday to Friday, killing 278 people and injuring 2,996 others.

On Friday alone, 464 accidents occurred, killing 52 people and injuring 492 others :shock:

[PeeMarc]

no surprise.

[frankenburner2]

Posting a thread, lamenting the sad state of Thai road safety, is like beating your head against the wall and wondering why you have a head ache.

The better question would be: Which is a bigger contradiction in terms: "Thai road safety" or "Thai fire safety"

[Stu_thailand]

We have all seen the morons who call themselves human beings, driving on the roads here.

As you have probably seen from Whisker's Journal, we went to Chiang Mai for 5 days, with me driving there, and back, and around the area whilst there.

Here are a few words to describe the people on the road.

SELFISH: (Not a single moments thought for any other road user)

TOTALLY DIMWITTED) (to put it mildly)

ARROGANT (The more expensive the car, the more arrogant the driver)

CHILDISH (Mommy, I wanna be first in the Queue)

ALL OF THE ABOVE: (Thinking it's perfectly to down a bottle of 200 baht whiskey, and drive home regardless of who you may kill on the way)

Examples:

1: We were stopped in a service area. What I saw shocked me, even by THAI standards. Some driver in a shitty pick up was in the outside overtaking lane (even though his pick up probably wouldn't reach more than 50km/h), and decided he wanted to get some petrol. He just stopped, parked IN THE OUTSIDE ******* LANE and waited for a break in the traffic until there was a space for him to pull accross. And when he did, it was done at a snails pace rather than a quick dash, with one of 'those' dumb ******* 'mai pen rai' grins on his face.

2: VIP busses racing each other, trying to pass each other, because the driver wants to be the big guy, and get there first. Do they care about their passengers safety? Nooooooooooo. Do they care about the fact that they block BOTH lanes on the highway meaning everyone else has to slow down to give them the chance to play their little kiddies game? Noooooooooooooo.

3: Small kids jumping around the car while 'Daddy' is driving alone at 120 km/h. Does anyone think what would happen if 'Daddy' had to break suddenly? Noooooooooooo. As long as 'Daddy gets there first, that's the important thing.

4: People PARKING on the side of the HIGHWAY because they wanted to stop at the market to buy some Kanom. Did they give one moments thought to the chaos and traffic jams they caused? Nooooooooooooo. They got their Kanom, that makes everything ok.

That's just a fraction of the things I saw on the road the last few days.

Transfer this tale of greed, selfishness and arrogance from a driver to a club owner, and then you get the reason why 59 people perished on new Years Day, including one of our own.

[Dr_Mike]

As have said in so many forums.

Total disregard for human life here.

And furthermore, Thai people, although I truly love the people here, they cannot drive safely!

I've lived in 37 countries so far, and this is the worst, by far and in any circumstance.

The safest place I have driven is Germany, city drivers and autobahn racers both are mostly very professional and courteous.

But Thailand:

Crazy habits like speeding up just prior to a traffic jam, or cutting other cars off to turn left from the far right lane. Driving excessively fast in parking lots, driving in the emergency lane, not giving pedestrians any courtesy, treating motorcycles as second class citizens, etc.

The police here are out to make money on easy targets, not to enforce any safety regulations or violations.

And if you have an accident, apparently it's en-vogue to drive off quickly?

I seriously doubt that ANY Thai driver would pass the "hands on" driving examination for Germany.

Hopefully this didn't offend anyone, sometimes the truth hurts a bit.

[WHISKERS]

Yes, we saw some pretty amazing things on the ride to Chiang Mai and back. Some people are totally oblivious to what's going on around them. There was this one section where cars were pulling over ON THE HIGHWAY to buy things from a market. The police were there to help them park . . . ??? Traffic backed up for miles.

[beej]

My biggest gripe is that Taxis don't have seat belts fitted in the back, well they do but you can't use them.

Be nice to see taxi without working back seat belts finned, they would all soon start working.

[Stu_thailand]

Who will be the first to say, "If you don't like it, bugger off home"

Place your bets!!!

[Stramash]

Who will be the first to say, "If you don't like it, bugger off home"

Place your bets!!!

If you don't like it, bugger off home.

Would be interesting to see a breakdown of the figures; how many were from bikes/mopeds, and in particular accidents involving those modes of transport where there were 3 or even 4 people on the one bike!!

[funky_house]

Who will be the first to say, "If you don't like it, bugger off home"

Place your bets!!!

If you don't like it, bugger off home.

Would be interesting to see a breakdown of the figures; how many were from bikes/mopeds, and in particular accidents involving those modes of transport where there were 3 or even 4 people on the one bike!!

Seeing as you now now back in bonny Scotland Iain..it looks like you took your own word to heart. ;-)

[Dr_Mike]

Who will be the first to say, "If you don't like it, bugger off home"

Place your bets!!!

If you don't like it, bugger off home.

Would be interesting to see a breakdown of the figures; how many were from bikes/mopeds, and in particular accidents involving those modes of transport where there were 3 or even 4 people on the one bike!!

I don't like it, so I'm picking buggers at home.

Blue shirt, ok.

[frankenburner2]

Who will be the first to say, "If you don't like it, bugger off home"

Place your bets!!!

If you don't like it, bugger off home.

Would be interesting to see a breakdown of the figures; how many were from bikes/mopeds, and in particular accidents involving those modes of transport where there were 3 or even 4 people on the one bike!!

I'd wager 90% were helmetless idiots on motorcycles racing through a red light

[Stramash]

Who will be the first to say, "If you don't like it, bugger off home"

Place your bets!!!

If you don't like it, bugger off home.

Would be interesting to see a breakdown of the figures; how many were from bikes/mopeds, and in particular accidents involving those modes of transport where there were 3 or even 4 people on the one bike!!

Seeing as you now now back in bonny Scotland Iain..it looks like you took your own word to heart. ;-)

No, unfortunately more took the words of a moaning, homesick partner (now ex) to heart. I would have been quite happy exchanging cold and wet weather, soaring inflation, collapsing property markets, tight deadlines at work and sallow faced drug addicts for high road fatalities, corrupt policemen, red and yellow clad agitators etc etc (obviously the good food, beaches, people and cheap beer would figure in the equation too)

Gie's a job??

[primetime]

These figures are just staggering.

[Dr_Mike]

These figures are just staggering.

Kinda like Iain after a few beers....

[eagle]

My best friend died on a mountain road on Phuket. Was his fault trying to pass but from what i heard 15 years ago the roads were dangerous then. Autos going at the speeds they are its amazing more people are not hurt even in supposedly safe countries.

I was amazed at the lack of red lights and stop signs in Lima ,Peru. I thought people were so polite and they didn't beep their horns or yell and curse, just politely wait their turn. Then after I returned home I found out Peru has the highest numbers of road fatalities. So much for anarchy.

[Stu_thailand]

My best friend died on a mountain road on Phuket. Was his fault trying to pass but from what i heard 15 years ago the roads were dangerous then. Autos going at the speeds they are its amazing more people are not hurt even in supposedly safe countries.

I was amazed at the lack of red lights and stop signs in Lima ,Peru. I thought people were so polite and they didn't beep their horns or yell and curse, just politely wait their turn. Then after I returned home I found out Peru has the highest numbers of road fatalities. So much for anarchy.

You are so perfectly right, Gerry. The way people over here drive, it is a HUGE wonder thee are not more accidents and deaths.

And before any local drivers get excited, let's be clear on this, it is NOT because of skill or judgement.

[Dr_Mike]

My best friend died on a mountain road on Phuket. Was his fault trying to pass but from what i heard 15 years ago the roads were dangerous then. Autos going at the speeds they are its amazing more people are not hurt even in supposedly safe countries.

I was amazed at the lack of red lights and stop signs in Lima ,Peru. I thought people were so polite and they didn't beep their horns or yell and curse, just politely wait their turn. Then after I returned home I found out Peru has the highest numbers of road fatalities. So much for anarchy.

You are so perfectly right, Gerry. The way people over here drive, it is a HUGE wonder thee are not more accidents and deaths.

And before any local drivers get excited, let's be clear on this, it is NOT because of skill or judgement.

Yes, exactly, here it is plain luck with certain stupidity.

I've never been to New Zealand. "one of the last frontiers". I prefer to wait until they are a bit more domesticated, then I will head over there too.

[Neo]

Thai people, although I truly love the people here, they cannot drive safely!

I've lived in 37 countries so far, and this is the worst, by far and in any circumstance.

So I guess you haven't lived in New Zealand then. Thai drivers are a shining example of gentleness and courtesy by comparison.

[Stramash]

These figures are just staggering.

Kinda like Iain after a few beers....

As you haven't seen me after a few beers yet, I think that is an unfair comparison to make...

Hope you have ironed your blue shirt for the bbq...

[eagle]

Iain wrote

As you haven't seen me after a few beers yet, I think that is an unfair comparison to make...

well the way you drive a thread sometime

:shock:

[Stramash]

Iain wrote

As you haven't seen me after a few beers yet, I think that is an unfair comparison to make...

well the way you drive a thread sometime

:shock:

:shock: :shock: :shock:

Anyway, that was Iain V 1.2008. Iain V 1.2009 always stays on topic. And it's weeks and weeks since I had any sort of drunken rant, and even longer than that since a drunken rant got rowdy. Plus it's usually the bourbon rather than the beer that is the cause!!!

Hoping your guitar is in tune and the birds are singing...

[eagle]

Iain wrote

As you haven't seen me after a few beers yet, I think that is an unfair comparison to make...

well the way you drive a thread sometime

:shock:

:shock: :shock: :shock:

Anyway, that was Iain V 1.2008. Iain V 1.2009 always stays on topic. And it's weeks and weeks since I had any sort of drunken rant, and even longer than that since a drunken rant got rowdy. Plus it's usually the bourbon rather than the beer that is the cause!!!

Hoping your guitar is in tune and the birds are singing...

guitars is in tune but the birds are hiding tooo cold !!

[Dave40]

Here are some stats from Australia's road toll in 2007 you will always get idiots on the road no matter where you drive!!

In 2007, there were 1,616 persons killed in 1,466 road crashes. Compared with 2006, this was a

1.1 per cent increase in deaths and a 0.9 per cent increase in fatal crashes

Here is the link to the report from the govt!!

http://www.infrastructure.gov.au/roads/safety/publications/2008/pdf/Ann_Stats_2007.pdf

[biachung]

Thai people, although I truly love the people here, they cannot drive safely!

I've lived in 37 countries so far, and this is the worst, by far and in any circumstance.

So I guess you haven't lived in New Zealand then. Thai drivers are a shining example of gentleness and courtesy by comparison.

lol, that is so true.I couldn't have put it better..., you always get the odd nutter on the road, but overall I find Thai drivers courteous and always aware of others around them...maybe I've just been lucky.

And far more mature than what we have to put with on our roads.

[English_Bob]

I find Thai drivers courteous and always aware of others around them...maybe I've just been lucky.

I can't believe that statement! I've found Thai drivers to be COMPLETELY unaware of what's going on around them.

They cut people up, don't signal and have no idea about road positioning. They need TWO lanes for a left turn, drive too fast everywhere and park in selfish places.

If they are aware of their surroundings, why do they need a whistle-blowing security guard to park or get out of their apartment car park?