12.000 road deaths in Thailand every year
In Thailand 12.000 road deaths occur every year. In 60 percent of the cases, it concerns moped/motorcycle riders or their passengers, while the majority of the victims are between 16 and 19 years old.
This is evident from the report of the World Health Organization (WHO) on road safety in the world. Thailand scores a poor 106th place in that context, out of a total of 176 countries surveyed.
China (89) and India (92) are safer on the road than Thailand, but the 'Land of Smiles' again compares 'favourably' with the Philippines, Burma and Malaysia, with places 109, 120 and 121 respectively. of this data, Thailand is embarking on a new safety plan to reduce moped/motorcycle casualties. Optically, these are mopeds, but with usually 110 to 125 cc, they are legally motorcycles. About 15 million Thai people use them as their main means of transportation, but helmet wearing is by no means commonplace in Thailand, while alcohol consumption often exceeds the legal limit.
Moreover, the control by the (often corrupt) police is not watertight. Incidentally, foreign motorcyclists regularly die. These are often (drunken) Englishmen who rent a much too heavy motorcycle without a helmet.
The Thai Cabinet has now decided to try to reduce the number of victims by 29 percent during the New Year period from December 4 to January 5.
The number of road deaths in the Netherlands has fallen drastically in recent years and is around 800 per year. Also in NL many deaths among young people and due to alcohol abuse.
This makes us the safest traffic country – after England – in the world. Still something to be proud of.
Sourpusses will say, well, with all those traffic jams, if you can't drive, there won't be any deaths.
In Thailand I do drive a motorbike through Pattaya, but I don't take the risk of driving.
I think there are more traffic jams in BKK than anywhere else in NL, and there is also no way to point out when it is and is not fixed here, terrible. I move through Bangkok with a combination of moped taxi and skytrain / MRT, which is quite doable. According to me and according to the statistics you run more risk on a scooter than with a car, so I don't understand your last sentence.
Whether there are more files in BKK than in NL, Robert, I'm not going to discuss that, you will automatically be right from me. Also in NL it was often impossible to raise the level (without a bow and arrow), I often stood in a traffic jam for hours to follow the same route the other day without any delay.
.
I move around the city during the day on a motorbike and the risk is practically nil. Read the reports and you will see that most fatal accidents, also with motorbikes, take place on major roads and/or outside the city. Cause often no helmet and alcohol abuse.
I don't use the car myself, let me drive, because in case of an accident with, for example, a drunken Thai on a moped, you as Farang will pay for the costs anyway.
Do you understand?
Clear Bert! Thanks for the explanation with free language lesson!
You see the most horrific accidents in Thailand, and that doesn't make you happy. It also seems like they don't care about safety. They stop quietly in the middle of the highway when food is sold along the road, preferably in a slight bend if possible.
I try to avoid driving in the dark as much as possible. In particular, the scooters without lights that go against traffic, or that appear out of nowhere from the roadside and then quickly cross the road, have already given me several heart attacks. The last thing you want as a farang is to be involved in an accident.
In addition, many Thais are simply drunk behind the wheel, especially in the provinces. With Songkran you shouldn't go on your way at all, that's asking for trouble.
Lonely Planet already wrote: 'In Thailand, people drive on the left. Most of the time.'
In the majority it is mainly boys and men, and a driver's license for the mostly heavy motorcycles can be obtained within 30 minutes…mostly paperwork.
Driving recklessly, driving full throttle, often without a helmet, not using rear-view mirrors if they are present on the motorcycle, driving straight through at an intersection... and the alcohol are all the cause of the high death toll. That is one of the reasons that there are more Thai women than Thai men living in Thailand. The latter is positive, since most Thai men only think about cheating, visiting karaoke and drinking, which is why I have almost no friends here in Thailand among the Thai men, and the women often have a better study history than the Thai men.
Driving on the wrong side of the road, both cars and “mopeds”.
Regardless of the speed, keep driving on the right side of the road.
No lighting (even if it is already dark).
3 absolute toppers.
Whether alcohol is involved in the above cases, I do not know.
You have to be prepared for anything.
Have done it without any mishaps so far
Living in Thailand, I have now driven almost 200.000 km by car and also a lot of kms by motorcycle.
It remains a great adventure in the city, but especially in the province.
Young people drive their motorcycles at more than 100 km per hour through a bumpy alley, past a school.
Not uncommonly 4 (even already seen 5) people on a motorcycle and preferably all four with a telephone to their ear, driving past uncle officer who looks on friendly.
Officers who set a good example and pick up their children aged 4 and 6 from school without a helmet on their motorbike, one in front, one behind, without a helmet.
Children aged 12 riding a 135cc Honda with their sisters and brothers aged 6 to 10. Children aged 12 driving a tuk tuk with their whole family in it and entering the motorway without any announcement of a side road.
The police are your best comrade, so they stand by and watch when dozens of motorcycles but also cars approach you on the wrong lane between Nongkhai and Udon.
Motorcycle and car lighting is also lacking in pitch darkness. WEL plenty of strange blue fluorescent lighting on and under cars and motorcycles. The strange phenomenon that motorcycles sometimes have a large square white rear light, which scares you and thinks that someone is coming towards you.
Very strange snakes who drive around at night in the pitch dark completely without lighting on the provincial roads, even though they do have light, sometimes turn it on with a switch and then off again. Save battery?
The complete lack of rear lighting and even reflectors on motorcycles and cars, not to mention the farm carts that have no light (need?) at all.
Nice stunt on the highway, 3 lanes, from BKK to the North, in the middle of the night you see a large strip of lighting over all 3 lanes. Roadblock ? No, 3 large trucks next to each other in the middle of the road, window open, chatting with each other.
Regularly seen, mothers who let their daughter ride the motorcycle from about 10 to 12, while they sit on the back with the baby in their arms. Obviously no one a helmet.
What the police do:
– checks on helmet use at set times, every third Wednesday morning from 10 to 12 at a fixed place known to everyone
– regular police officer for every school where pupils of 12 years old are escorted by dozens of four without helmets on the motorcycle from the school grounds by uncle police officer
– alcohol checks around the holidays, where we have experienced that the officer asks if we have alcohol with us, he meant a bottle for him, no unfortunately, then please next week when we are here again one for me and my colleague,
- speeding checks along the motorways. Fine regardless of speed 200 to 400 baht, even if you have not driven too fast, where the officer notices if you are stopped again today and say that you have already paid. For the next 24 hours you can drive too fast with impunity. Voucher with guarantee.
– issue fines of 200 baht along the highway because you drive in the middle and not on the left, while on the left you only have the partly unlit oncoming traffic in the wrong direction. If you protest against that, the agent says ok then today only 100 bath for water. Since that time I have an extra 7 bath bottle of water in the car.
– oh yes, not to forget police checks where an officer (on foot) with complete contempt for death (or silliness) stands in the middle of the highway just behind a hill in an unlit place to stop you.
– young people smoking a cigarette or drinking a beer in a 90 degree bend in the middle of the night in the middle of the provincial road.
– checks are only during the day in good weather and on the motorway. On provincial roads you can safely drive 140 km at night and get drunk, but no control.
Top point this week, a mother with a child of about 4 on the back of the motorcycle, who changes lanes without giving directions just in front of my car, both at full speed, because she has to turn left. Prevented by a hair's breadth.
Last year 2x in Khon Ken a motorcycle coming from behind, both times had a drunk driver on the rear bumper. In both cases the first reaction was that they wanted cash, in both cases when threatening with the police they immediately sped away with a damaged engine.
Last year in Udon, car parked in front of restaurant. Eating, huge hit, a young woman on a motorcycle with at least a case of Chang drives up with only attention for a newly bought white rabbit, in a basket in front, at full speed on our parked car. Police stood right next to it, signed a note about damage. (which of course we never get) fished a rabbit from under the car and drove on quietly drunk with the police's consent. No driver's license, no insurance
If you already want or have to drive in Thailand, be very careful defensively and not too fast and always have some 100 baht notes with you to top up the income of Oom agent.
In recent weeks it could be read on the internet that monks at the cremation of a few young traffic victims (who died much too young, without a helmet, without a driver's license on their motorcycle at full speed at an intersection) believed that the spirits were the cause.
Driving in Thailand is a great adventure
The Dutch system is not that bad after all. Just let everyone get a REAL driver's license, both for the car and for the moped. This means; real driving course by a qualified instructor, written as well as practice. An exam conducted by the state for both. The police must ensure enforcement.
Then: training costs at least 2000 bath and exam 500 bath.
We will then talk about more clarity and more safety, so fewer deaths due to quality.
Well…..they will know it themselves I think.
I also know all about it by now; on visa run but Mae Sai on the way in hairpin bend 3 passing oncoming traffic!
riding side by side!
I don't remember how I got through that, but I did....
and on the way back a day later on the left lane, a car stops that promptly turns right, I almost passed him, fortunately oncoming traffic gave me a clear path because I had to avoid this stunter with an emergency swing
you become very quiet very quickly….
Living in Thailand, I have now driven almost 200.000 km by car and also quite a few kms by motorcycle. It remains a great adventure in the city, but especially in the province. Young people drive their motorcycles at more than 100 km per hour through a bumpy alley, past a school. Not unusual 4 (even already seen 5) persons on a motorcycle and preferably all four with a telephone to their ear, driving past uncle agent who looks on friendly.
Officers who set a good example and pick up their children aged 4 and 6 from school without a helmet on their motorbike, one in front, one behind, without a helmet. Children aged 12 riding a 135 cc Honda with their sisters and brothers aged 6 to 10. Children aged 12 driving a tuk tuk with their whole family in it and entering the motorway without any announcement of a side road. The police are your dear comrade so he stands there and watches as dozens of motorcycles but also cars approach you on the wrong lane between Nongkhai and Udon. Motorcycle and car lighting is also lacking in pitch darkness. WEL plenty of strange blue fluorescent lighting on and under cars and motorcycles. The strange phenomenon that motorcycles sometimes have a large square white rear light, which scares you and thinks that someone is coming towards you. Very strange snakes who drive around at night in the pitch dark completely without lighting on the provincial roads, even though they do have light, sometimes turn it on with a switch and then off again. Save battery ?The complete lack of rear lighting and even reflectors on motorcycles and cars, not to mention the farm carts that have no light (need?) at all.
Nice stunt on the highway, 3 lanes, from BKK to the North, in the middle of the night you see a large strip of lighting over all 3 lanes. Roadblock ? No. 3 large trucks next to each other in the middle of the road, window open, chatting with each other. Regularly seen, mothers who let their daughter from about 10 to 12 drive the motorcycle, while they sit on the back with the baby in their arms. Of course no one wears a helmet. What do the police do: - Checks for helmet use at regular intervals, every third Wednesday morning from 10 to 12 in a fixed place known to everyone - Permanent police officer for every school where pupils of 12 years old do not go by dozens without helmet on the motorcycle being escorted off the school grounds by uncle policeman – alcohol checks around the holidays, where we have experienced that the policeman asks if we have alcohol with us, he meant a bottle for him, no unfortunately, then please next week when we are here another one is in front of me and my colleague, – speeding checks along the motorways.
Fine regardless of speed 200 to 400 baht, even if you didn't drive too fast, where the officer notices if you are stopped again today then say that you have already paid. For the next 24 hours you can drive too fast with impunity. Voucher with guarantee. – issue fines of 200 baht along the highway because you drive in the middle and not on the left, while on the left you only have the partly unlit oncoming traffic in the wrong direction. If you protest against that, the agent says ok then today only 100 bath for water. Since that time I have an extra 7 bath bottle of water in the car. – oh yes, not to forget police checks where an officer (on foot) with complete contempt for death (or stupidity) stands in the middle of the highway just behind a hill in an unlit place to stop you. – young people smoking a cigarette or drinking a beer in a 90-degree bend in the middle of the night on the provincial road. – checks are only carried out during the day in good weather and on the motorway. On provincial roads you can safely drive 140 km at night and get drunk, but no control.
Top point this week, a mother with a child of about 4 on the back of the motorcycle, who changes lanes without giving directions just in front of my car, both at full speed, because she has to turn left. Prevented by a hair's breadth. Last year 2x in Khon Ken a motorcycle coming behind, both times had a drunk driver on the rear bumper. In both cases the first reaction was that they wanted cash, in both cases when threatening the police they immediately sped away with a damaged engine. Last year in Udon, car parked in front of the restaurant. Eating, huge hit, a young woman on a motorcycle with at least a case of Chang drives up with only attention for a newly bought white rabbit, in a basket in front, at full speed on our parked car. Police stood right next to it, signed a note about damage. (which of course we never get) fished a rabbit from under the car and drove on quietly drunk with the police's consent.
No driver's license, no insurance. If you already want or have to drive in Thailand, then be very careful defensively and not too fast and always have some 100 baht notes with you to top up the income of Oom agent. In recent weeks, the internet has been read that monks at the cremation of a few young road victims, (who died much too young, without a helmet, without a driver's license on their motorcycle at full speed at an intersection) believed that the ghosts haunting that intersection were the cause. Thailand a great adventure
Check this out in response to a serious traffic accident in Bangkok that left your mouth open in surprise:
Police say a 16yearold girl, a minor, was driving the sedan that collided with a passenger van in a horror road accident on an elevated tollway section of the Vibhavadi Rangsit highway on Monday night, killing eight people and injuring six others.
Full article can be found here:
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2010/12/29/national/Driver-of-sedan-was-a-16yearold-girl-30145419.html
I am not easily surprised about anything when it comes to Thailand. So sad so much suffering…. especially for the next of kin.
It seems that the 16-year-old driver who caused the accident comes from a good - read high Thai - family and is therefore not prosecuted. That too is Thailand.