News Forum - Road safety campaign aimed at Thailand’s motorbike riders

[Thaiger]

Thailand’s road safety record is once again up for discussion, with the launch of yet another safety campaign. In this instance, officials are focusing on motorbikes, which account for the vast majority of road traffic accidents in the kingdom. According to a Bangkok Post report, around 80% of bike accidents result in deaths. From Monday, a new campaign in the capital aims to tackle the crisis, starting with the actual enforcement of existing traffic laws. The campaign is being launched by the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, in partnership with the police and non-governmental organisations. Dr Taejing Siripanich from the Don’t Drive […]

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[Shade_Wilder]

  On 11/11/2021 at 3:54 AM, Thaiger said:

Thailand’s road safety record is once again up for discussion, with the launch of yet another safety campaign.

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Hmm...

Instead of a "New Campaign" which won't work, why not just get the police to leave their air-conditioned offices, patrol the more dangerous roads, stop and fine (without pocketing it) law-breakers, and continue to do so until the general population learns how to drive properly?

It seems like a reasonable suggestion...

[Thommo]

"From Monday, a new campaign in the capital aims to tackle the crisis, starting with the actual enforcement of existing traffic laws"   Will not be holding my breath, why have a campaign to enforce existing road laws TIT

[Changnam43]

Enforcing the helmet law would be a good start.

Vietnam managed to do so.

[Thommo]

  On 11/11/2021 at 4:12 AM, Changnam43 said:

Enforcing the helmet law would be a good start.

Vietnam managed to do so.

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That and the lane splitting here 

[Step502]

Stop allowing children to drive bikes and enforce helmet laws would be a good start.

[Malc-Thai]

The police seem to be doing a very good job at enforcing the no helmet law in phuket albeit only foreigners! 

I see it Every day more and more road blocks set up 

[Changnam43]

  On 11/11/2021 at 4:14 AM, Thommo said:

That and the lane splitting here 

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Yes.  I only lane split between stationary vehicles.

Back in the 1990s I had the misfortune to see two young kids die right in front of me while lane splitting in Bangkok on a motorbike.

[ThaiEyes]

I don’t think you can enforce the way Thais think about how to ride a motorbike. Many are interested in speeding, Bad, driving the wrong way to avoid a far away U-turn, Bad, following too close at speed, Bad, and of course the unsafe lane-splitting, lack of helmets and underage convenience driving. 
boils down to bad decisions all around, Thai or not. 

[Fanta]

Temporarily impounding the motorcycle as part of the penalty for not wearing a helmet would greatly inconvenience people and perhaps make them think twice next time. With video evidence also. Plus a media campaign showing people with their faces gruesomely injured (pre crash, crash, post crash) because of not wearing helmets might spur the vain into protecting their self perceived only asset. Provided the road itself is clearly blamed as some people just can’t be convinced that it’s their fault or that it could happen to them.

[Korby]

The laws are there. Enforcing it is a whole different ball game. Take the right turn out of a intersection for example. They always go against the flow of traffic. Why? Convenient that's all. Being from a country that drives on the right, the U- Turns that motorist have to do here is ridiculous. Maybe, it is time they change to driving on the right side for convenient sake.  

[javada88]

Bangkok Post: 'around 80% of accidents with moto bikes result in death'.

This must - in my opinion - be incorrect. This sentence should undoubtely have been something like: 'in about 80% of all traffic accidents moto bikes are involved', or another sentence with a similar meaning.

If realy 80% of all accidents involving moto bikes resulted in death, the total number of people dying in a traffic accident in Thailand, would be much higher then the numbers that are published yearly.

[HolyCowCm]

Well the food delivery riders is a good start. Terrible danger to anyone on the road.

There is no way in heck I would send anything to the Don't Drive Drunk Foundation. Why do they even have their noses in this regarding general traffic safety? Aren't these some of the same group who push to stop all alcohol with some sort of agency related to the Health Ministry? And as egging citizens to send video, now this becomes a witch hunt and defamation should come smack pop into this who have their picture or video taken and become public. I thought it is against the law here for anyone's picture or video and information to be used without consent.

[Stonker]

  On 11/11/2021 at 3:54 AM, Thaiger said:

10,926 people have died in motorbike accidents, 686 of them in Bangkok.

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So only 6% of motor-bike fatalities are in Bangkok  - then why the F*** start the road safety campaign in Bangkok???

[Jason]

You can have all laws you want....without enforcement, they mean little. Police presence on the roads....not just road blocks to check foreigners paperwork, but officers patrolling in cars and on motorbikes. Stopping dangerous drivers, speeding riders. For more deliberate acts causing harm...crush the motorbike. I did find some of the penalties mentioned, out of proportion with the seriousness of crime. I seriously wonder what it takes (or how little it takes) to get a license....or if some even have a license. 

Here we sponsor a program that goes to schools and educates high school students about the consequences of drink driving, where we set up a mock road accident. It involves, police, fire brigade, ambulance, funeral directors and student actors. It has had a profound effect in curbing the road toll and is done just as most are about to get their driver's licence. 

We also have random drug and alcohol testing by police in pop up test centres. But police presence is by far the biggest deterrent. 

[Dr.Sivada]

I do not need to read the article to tell you that not a damn thing will change. 

[Stonker]

  On 11/11/2021 at 5:10 AM, javada88 said:

Bangkok Post: 'around 80% of accidents with moto bikes result in death'.

This must - in my opinion - be incorrect. This sentence should undoubtely have been something like: 'in about 80% of all traffic accidents moto bikes are involved', or another sentence with a similar meaning.

If realy 80% of all accidents involving moto bikes resulted in death, the total number of people dying in a traffic accident in Thailand, would be much higher then the numbers that are published yearly.

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Agreed absolutely.

According to the BP:

"A vast majority of road accidents in Thailand involve motorcycles, an estimated 80% of which have resulted in deaths, said Dr Taejing Siripanich, secretary-general of the Don't Drive Drunk Foundation".

I don't want to downplay the seriousness of the problem, but there's absolutely no possible way that 80% of motorbike accidents are fatal.

No possible way.

What was probably meant was that 80% of fatal road accidents involve motorbikes, but that's very different.

[Stonker]

  On 11/11/2021 at 5:39 AM, Jason said:

I seriously wonder what it takes (or how little it takes) to get a license....or if some even have a license

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It's a 200 baht fine for driving without a licence .

[Changnam43]

  On 11/11/2021 at 4:19 AM, Changnam43 said:

Yes.  I only lane split between stationary vehicles.

Back in the 1990s I had the misfortune to see two young kids die right in front of me while lane splitting in Bangkok on a motorbike.

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"Yes.  I only lane split between stationary vehicles.

Back in the 1990s I had the misfortune to see two young kids die right in front of me while they were lane splitting in Bangkok on a motorbike."

[RampantRabbit]

Another  total  waste  of  time

[Geo]

Yes pass your test in a car park then let loose. May as well fart against the wind be as much use

Edited November 11, 2021 by Geo

[Swissguy]

Sell motorcycle only to people with driving license and get a good helmet including in to the price. I living outside from chiang mai and about 4 years l never see a policeman or Checkpoint. l see only chlildren driving fast, and the parents..... doing the same, will never change. 

The police have to Keep the motorcycle away for month.... 

[JohninDublin]

  On 11/11/2021 at 4:12 AM, Changnam43 said:

Enforcing the helmet law would be a good start.

Vietnam managed to do so.

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Slightly off topic, but the main source of organ donations in the UK has been motor-cyclists. However with the introduction of helmet laws in the UK, there has been a slow but steady increase in the waiting lists for all types of organs. I think the TH gov should have two crimes here. The first, not wearing a helmet. The second, failing to carry an organ donor card if you are not wearing a helmet.

Message  from President  of  Thai Transplantation  Society

(Extract) "Even though,  there are a lot of  advantages in  organ transplantation but the main problem  is the shortage of  organ donors  when compare to recipients" 

[JohninDublin]

  On 11/11/2021 at 4:14 AM, Thommo said:

That and the lane splitting here 

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Excuse my ignorance, but what is "lane splitting"?

[Soidog]

  On 11/11/2021 at 4:42 AM, Korby said:

The laws are there. Enforcing it is a whole different ball game. Take the right turn out of a intersection for example. They always go against the flow of traffic. Why? Convenient that's all. Being from a country that drives on the right, the U- Turns that motorist have to do here is ridiculous. Maybe, it is time they change to driving on the right side for convenient sake.  

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What does left side or right side driving  have to do with it? I come from a country that drives properly on the left side and the Thai U-turns are still lethal.