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The Ministry of Health has set a target to reduce the number of road accidents during the New Year period by 5% this year.
Minister Cholnan Srikaew emphasized the importance of driving sober. He pointed out the increased risks due to the government's decision to keep pubs open longer during the holidays, until 04.00am and even until 06.00am on New Year's Day.
Therefore, enhanced measures are needed to prevent traffic accidents. These measures include deploying public health volunteers, local administrators and police at roadblocks to administer alcohol tests to drivers and motorcyclists.
Statistics show that between December 29, 2022 and January 4, 2023, there were as many as 2.440 road accidents, with 317 fatalities and 2.437 injuries. Shockingly, 96% of those involved in these accidents had a blood alcohol level above the legal limit.
Reducing the number of accidents requires cooperation from all parties, including drivers who are urged not to drive under the influence. Hospitals are asked to be ready to assist police and local officials. In addition, every person injured in a road accident is entitled to free first aid or emergency care in both private and government hospitals.
Police Major Veerawat Sivapaet, deputy commander of the Bureau of Police Strategy, added that if the drunk drivers are under the age of XNUMX, police will take legal action against the venues or shops that sold them the alcohol.
wonderful plans, but last week we were refused a taxi three times because of the driver's, let's say, not sober state.
So it won't help much if the Thai mentality doesn't change and if it isn't really enforced
Merry Christmas and good health for everyone in 2024
Hans
I've been hearing this cry for over 10 years around this time of year.
As long as there is no law and order and the focus of the militia is on checkpoints to cheat tourists without a hell or international driver's license of a few hundred baht, these will remain empty statements.
I wish everyone here in Thailand safe end of year celebrations and a guardian angel in the wrong during the 7 deadliest days!
The deadliest 7 days are around the Thai New Year period, specifically Songkran (April).
https://shorturl.at/gku47
Well Frans, I don't know where you are, but here in Thailand it really concerns the period December 28 - the first working day in January:
https://www.khaosodenglish.com/featured/2019/01/03/7-dangerous-days-kill-463-on-thai-roads-during-holidays/
To complete this: the number of deaths during the end-of-year celebrations and around Songkran is in reality not much higher than during an average week.
I also believe that there is much more partying and drinking in the period around the real Thai New Year (Songkran). During that period in April, almost everyone has at least 4 days off (in most cases even a week), while that is not the case in early January.
By the way, in the link you mention there only mentions a 'number' of deaths around New Year's and there is no comparison at all with Songkran. Perhaps, to give you some perspective, it would be advisable to compare the real figures from both periods.
If the number of deaths around the holidays is not much higher than during a normal working week, how can there be the deadliest 7 days between Christmas and New Year? I do not understand.
Thailand has 2 periods with fatal traffic days, inquire via https://www.thailandblog.nl/?s=verkeersdoden+dangerous+days&x=0&y=0, not through NL news. It is very selective compared to Thailand. The current focus on 5% less is of course very cynical: instead of 400 deaths, “only” 380! How do you come up with it? Most of the deaths during the week between the big journey there and back locally fall into the category of scooter riders. Drunk driving percentage? Keep it steady at 100%. “Dangerous Days” has been a “normal” phenomenon for many years, and once passed, it is no longer talked about. In this way, it can be regarded as an 'incident' by the government. Too bizarre for words, everyone.
Strange Albert that those seven dangerous days, mentioned on the blog, most often concern the Songkran period. That's what I gather from it.
Why make such a fuss because someone posted a link here and simply mentioned that the Songkhran period could be even worse than the period around January 1st. There's nothing wrong with that, right? Everyone has their own opinion anyway.
And, happy holidays in advance!
Here where I live I see a serious police check every week.
All mopeds without helmets fly aside. There is a huge technical school here and I notice that there are hardly any children driving around without helmets anymore.
So the statement that only a Farang is checked is, at least here, incorrect.
The 'fast drivers', Farang or not, are also allowed to pay their 500 Baht neatly. Without exception.
I still have the impression that there is some improvement in enforcement.
So it's just like old times, sitting under a blue tent and looking at the cell phone.
Continuing passing traffic slow down for a moment and then accelerate again.
They don't have control by scouts or mobile police here.
So nothing will change this year either.
Jan Beute.
The problem has been discussed here before.
I have written about it a few times myself based on my own scientific research.
Control and enforcement alone will not get there, that's for sure.
Dear Chris,
Yet people in their own country try to keep all this under control by means of: extensive checks with associated fines and penalties. And that seems to work (partly).
I have the impression that these checks are the basis for changing the mentality of the population. And there is no or far too little enforcement here in Thailand. I'm curious what you propose as an additional alternative to effectively see improvement in the longer term.
No, that's right, manslaughter and actual 'sitting' should be included in fatal accidents.
As a driver, you will of course also face serious financial penalties if you are involved in less problematic but serious accidents involving, for example, alcohol and reckless driving.
Not only in Thailand of course, if it has been proven that you could have known it in advance, you can also feel it.
Of course, there remain plenty of situations that are no one's fault and which we call pure bad luck.
Ls
If we now stop once and for all with the slogan "moped", these vehicles do not drive in Thailand, they are all motorcycles, one a bit lighter than the other, but light or heavy, they are all motorcycles and will remain so. So a bit of condoning talk about scooters kills dozens of users every year and that's actually a shame.
Now if we stop saying once and for all that the 'moped' does not exist in Thailand. Admittedly, there aren't many of them on the road, but coincidentally a neighbor has one with a 49 cc. No driver's license, license plate or helmet required. So: look further than your nose.
Correct! And a scooter says nothing about the number of cc. A scooter is a motor vehicle with two (and sometimes three) wheels where you can place your feet next to each other on a board, regardless of the engine capacity.
A scooter is a motorized two-wheeler where your feet are on a footrest at the front and you sit with your legs next to each other, I read at Bovag. Many motorbike models are scooters, such as various popular models from Honda (including Scoopy, Lead, Giorno) and Yamaha, which means you have the two largest brands with the largest share.
Every motorbike requires compulsory insurance, including those for 49 cc or less for which the premium is 162 baht (up to 75 cc). Registration is also required for tax purposes; The fact that the lady is not wearing a helmet also means 3 violations at the same time. Just go to the Transport Office and you will find this within 1 minute or read it on the internet. It is not surprising that she is not stopped, because I have not had any road checks for my motorcycles in 8 years, but it remains that everyone must meet the requirements.