Skip to main content

Thailand’s dangerous roads prove risky for users

Late December and early January has proven to be a dangerous time to use the roads in Thailand. Official data shows that there were 3,092 road crashes, causing 3,216 injuries and 340 deaths in the period between the 29th December 2015 and the 3rd January 2016. The death toll was the highest in Nakhon Ratchasima at 15, while the number of injuries and accidents were the highest in Chiang Mai, both at 125. A total of 339 crashes occurred nationwide on 3 January 2016 with 361 injuries and 48 deaths. Among the
January 4, 2016 Read time: 2 mins
Late December and early January has proven to be a dangerous time to use the roads in Thailand. Official data shows that there were 3,092 road crashes, causing 3,216 injuries and 340 deaths in the period between the 29th December 2015 and the 3rd January 2016. The death toll was the highest in Nakhon Ratchasima at 15, while the number of injuries and accidents were the highest in Chiang Mai, both at 125. A total of 339 crashes occurred nationwide on 3 January 2016 with 361 injuries and 48 deaths. Among the main reasons for crashes include speeding at 16.2% and drunk-driving at 19.8%. Most of the accidents happened on major roads at 68.7% while motorcycles accounted for below 80% of the whole figure.

With a view to reducing the toll of deaths and injuries on its roads, the Thailand Government implemented its 'seven dangerous days' road safety campaign, which started on the 29th December 2015 and ended on the 4th January 2016. The campaign saw police and soldiers arrest people driving drunk and seize their vehicles.

The authorities in Thailand are introducing measures to lower the country’s crash rate. As one part of that initiative, a pilot road safety project was run during New Year on a short stretch of the country’s Highway No4, the Phetkasem Road. The trial was run jointly by the Highways Department and the Engineering Institute of Thailand (EIT). If this pilot proves successful, the scheme may be extended to other major roads across the country.

A section of the Phetkasem Road was selected as this stretch is considered one of the most risky in the country. Thirty road crashes, resulting in three deaths and 38 injuries, were reported on this stretch of road last New Year alone.

Related Content

  • Polish road safety continues to improve
    January 16, 2014
    Official data from Poland shows a continued improvement in road safety. The data reveals that there were 5% fewer accidents, almost 8% fewer fatalities, a 5% decrease in injuries and a 5% reduction in drink-drivers. The information was made available recently through Pan-European police body TISPOL. According to TISPOL, the statistics confirm that police action can be effective in reducing vehicle crashes. Comparing the data for 2013 with statistics for 2012 and 2011 reveals a notable drop in road crashes,
  • Improving road safety in France and UK
    May 1, 2012
    The latest official data shows a continuing improvement in road safety statistics in both France and the UK. However the data also reveals worrying trends in accidents concerning vulnerable road users.
  • Japan’s safer roads see casualties fall
    January 10, 2018
    Japan has seen its road safety levels improve significantly in 2017, compared with the previous year. Data compiled by Japan’s National Police Agency shows that there were 3,694 traffic fatalities in the country in 2017, a drop of 210 from the previous year. There were 1,171 pedestrian fatalities, a drop of 1% from the previous year. Meanwhile vehicle occupants accounted for 1,106 deaths and 436 cyclists were killed in crashes. According to the authorities, tougher enforcement of road traffic rules played
  • Safety: 'roads a major factor'
    July 23, 2012
    Road infrastructure has a core role to play in improving road safety and accident statistics often understate this. Marco Mongiello reports Everybody agrees that road safety is a very important issue. In 2006 in the European Union (EU 25) there were 38,400 casualties and 1,700,000 road injuries, with a total cost of E160 billion. For most people there are no doubts: the driver's behaviour is to blame. However, "road infrastructure has a core role to play in improving road safety and this has been recognised