News Forum - Ceremony launches “Seven Days of Danger” for Phuket roads

[Thaiger]

The yearly road safety campaign for the holiday week called “Seven Days of Danger” was officially launched in Phuket yesterday. The week is from December 29 to January 4, when each year the rush of holiday travellers on the roads leads to an increase in accidents and road deaths. A ceremony hosted at Phuket Provincial Hall yesterday, led by Phuket Governor Narong Woonciew officially launched the campaign. Officially titled the “Joint Operations Center for Road and Marine Accident Prevention and Reduction during the New Year 2023,” the campaign aims to reduce the number of deaths and injuries on the roads […]

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[Ramanathan.P]

Being a congested Island, may be it is time for the authorities to consider making the streets "One Way" in Phuket to reduce accidents. 

[socal]

Oh ffs. Yeah i probably agree with Soidog on this. Govts like these kinds of campaigns. To drum up some concern and to show that they are doing something. Regardless of how much truth to it there is 

[Henry]

I have invented a product which will halve the number of deaths and serious injuries on Thailand’s roads.

It costs around 50 baht and can be fitted in under 10 minutes using minimal tools. No special skills are needed. 
 

I’m calling it the “ light bulb “.

Plastic lenses placed over the light bulb will produce red light to the rear of the motorcycle whilst leaving the forward facing light bulb clear to produce white light.

Phase 2 of our product launch would see reflective tops worn by riders which reflect car and lorry headlights to identify the presence of a rider to other road users.

 

One way streets are an interesting concept but you do assume people ride and drive the correct way in relation to the carriageway which isn’t the case in Thailand.

 

There is some very low hanging fruit crying out to be picked when it comes to road safety in Thailand……

 

Henry

[oldschooler]

National Disgrace that 3/4 road deaths here are KIDS aged 10-19. Mai pen rai indeed. Stupid ass adults feel free to kill yourselves when amulet & prayers fail to overcome lack of any real road sense

[Soidog]

41 minutes ago, Henry said:

I’m calling it the “ light bulb “.

Spot on @Henry. I never cease to be amazed how many people drive without even a back light, let alone a headlight at night. Mind you, I also see cars and trucks hurtling along in the dark or near dark. Add the the fact that most Thai drivers have windscreens and side windows virtually blacked out with film, and you just can’t see cars coming late evening or at night. Total nut jobs when it comes to anything on the roads.

I often hear the excuse that most are not taught about road safety or road sense. I accept that as an initial problem, what I don’t get is how most don’t seem any better ten years after they started driving. Don’t they look at a motorbike or car they nearly pulled out on because it had no lights and think to themselves, “sh*t, I didn’t see that guy in the dark. I need to make sure my lights are on at night”? 
 

I was in a car with a Thai friend one evening about 6:45. It’s had just gone dark. He pulled out of the parking spot on to the main road. No lights on. Casually I pointed out he had no lights on, assuming it was a genuine mistake. He replied  “Oh it’s ok, I can see”!!! And he is a fairly successful business man who went to a university in Australia and has a degree in economics. Work that out if you can!! Total nut jobs when it comes to road safety. 

[Soidog]

48 minutes ago, oldschooler said:

National Disgrace that 3/4 road deaths here are KIDS aged 10-19. Mai pen rai indeed. Stupid ass adults feel free to kill yourselves when amulet & prayers fail to overcome lack of any real road sense

Totally agree. I know it’s harsh, but I really wouldn’t have any sympathy for a Thai parent whose teenage child was killed on the roads.
 

I know of two Thai families, both with shops and a good income who bought their 16 year old kids new cars. 16 years old! No license (I think 17 is the minimum driving age) and just a brief instruction on what to do. Thankfully both have survived and are now in their 20’s and have joined the rest of the crazies on the Thai roads. 
 

I see kids who are clearly 14-16 in school uniforms riding powerful motorbikes. Pull up at a junction with a policeman standing two metres away and nothing happens. You won’t educate this problem out of them unless you also confiscate and fine it out of them. All three will never happen. Not in our lifetime at least. 

[oldschooler]

19 hours ago, Soidog said:

Totally agree. I know it’s harsh, but I really wouldn’t have any sympathy for a Thai parent whose teenage child was killed on the roads.
 

I know of two Thai families, both with shops and a good income who bought their 16 year old kids new cars. 16 years old! No license (I think 17 is the minimum driving age) and just a brief instruction on what to do. Thankfully both have survived and are now in their 20’s and have joined the rest of the crazies on the Thai roads. 
 

I see kids who are clearly 14-16 in school uniforms riding powerful motorbikes. Pull up at a junction with a policeman standing two metres away and nothing happens. You won’t educate this problem out of them unless you also confiscate and fine it out of them. All three will never happen. Not in our lifetime at least. 

Their country. Their Culture. Life has very little value.

All about money, convenience and status.

I could care less as I’m only here, when not working overseas, for non- Thai reasons of Safe Hot Cheap. Interface with People and Infrastructure here only as needed. 

[Soidog]

4 hours ago, oldschooler said:

Their country. Their Culture. Life has very little value.

All about money, convenience and status.

I could care less as I’m only here, when not working overseas, for non- Thai reasons of Safe Hot Cheap. Interface with People and Infrastructure here only as needed. 

I’m very similar in that I spend around 40-60% of my time away working and return for what is essentially an extended holiday. When I say extended, it can be many months at a time however. 
 

Thailand will never be a place I call home. It’s a fantastic place to visit as it’s so different in climate and attitude (won’t say culture) to back home. However, the thought of living in Thailand full time is not for me. While the country has natural beauty and it benefits from better weather being at 13 degrees North, living  in Thailand full time is just too frustrating.
 

I’m simply not someone who can’t switch off and be blind to the things wrong in life. I do the same everywhere I am. I do it in Europe, the US and in Asia. The difference with Europe, the US and many places in Asia, is that although things are wrong, you can follow the logic of why they are still wrong and why it’s proving difficult to fix. With Thailand, I see what’s wrong but I just don’t understand why the things aren’t fixed or progress made. I don’t mean things like the mess of wires overhead or no lane markings on many roads. I mean serious things like road fatalities, the amount of paperwork and    Bureaucracy everywhere in everything you do, the queues in hospitals and dentists and not to mention the corruption. Simply no progress has been made on any of it in the 25 years I’ve been in Thailand and I suspect none in the next 25. I need to get out from time to time and reconnect with the modern way of thinking.