Safety advocates say the government could cut the high number of road accidents in Thailand if policy-makers set aside more money to enforce traffic laws and encourage better driving habits. Thanaphong Jinwong, the manager of Road Safety Group Thailand, revealed that about 14,000 people a year — 38 people a day — are killed in traffic accidents. The leading cause, he said, is risky behaviour: drink driving and not wearing safety belts.
Mr Thanaphong said police are hampered in their efforts to curb this behaviour by inadequate funding. In the budget of the Royal Thai Police, only 4%-5% is allocated for road accident prevention and traffic management. This is despite the fact that the number of deaths from traffic crashes is four times higher than those related to crime and drugs, he said.
With such a small budget, police units cannot afford to supply the necessary equipment for road safety. Mr Thanaphong is calling on reforms aimed at boosting the focus on prevention. He said equipment — such as speed cameras, alcohol measurement devices and traffic light sensors — are particularly needed to punish those who violate the law.