Road deaths
Thailand road deaths news, accident reports, and traffic safety updates—stay informed on real-time incidents, causes, and risks to navigate roads more safely. Get the latest from The Thaiger, your trusted source for road safety news in Thailand.
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Police pickup crashes into motorbike, one teenager dead and another seriously injured
One teenager is dead, and another is seriously injured after a car accident in Pathum Thani province near Bangkok. The victims’ friends claimed that a police pickup was chasing after them and “intentionally” crashed into the victims’ motorbike, causing them to lose control and hit a guard rail. Last night, at 12.30 am, police officers from the Lad Lum Kaew…
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UPDATE: French woman dies riding bicycle in central Thailand
UPDATE: The Toyota sedan’s dashcam footage confirmed that the traffic lights were on green when the driver struck and killed 26 year old Camille, who was riding a bicycle across a zebra crossing in Ayutthaya in central Thailand yesterday evening. The driver tried to break and swerve out of the way but couldn’t stop in time. Police arrested the driver…
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Prayut says government wants to cut Thailand’s road deaths by 2 thirds
Thailand’s PM Prayut Chan-o-cha yesterday announced another major goal in reducing Thailand’s infamous problem with road deaths. At a Bangkok forum titled “New Decade, New Normal, Safe Driving Is Priority”, Prayut said the government aims to cut the number of road deaths by almost 2 thirds by 2027. Thailand has the ninth highest road death rate in the world, with…
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French woman dies riding bicycle in central Thailand
A young French woman was killed in a road accident in Ayutthaya province in central Thailand yesterday evening. The 26 year old tourist got confused at an intersection when a green and red light shone at the same time, leading her to drive into oncoming traffic. A man driving a sedan through the green light couldn’t break in time, striking…
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Popular Italian chef dies in motorbike crash in Pattaya
A well-known Italian chef died in a motorbike accident in the early hours of this morning in Pattaya. He was driving at a very high speed when he crashed into a power pole, according to witnesses. The body of 40 year old Matteo (surname withheld) was discovered lying face down in a pool of blood at around 12:30am this morning.…
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Japanese expat dies in motorbike accident, 10 year old daughter seriously injured
A Japanese businessman died in a motorbike accident on a mountain in Chiang Rai province, northern Thailand, yesterday. His 10 year old daughter is seriously injured and is being treated at Mai Sai hospital. Yesterday, 52 year old Shimizu Masaeki was taking his 10 year old daughter up Doi Pha Hee mountain in Chiang Rai province when he is thought…
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Officers insist total traffic accidents, deaths during ‘Seven Dangerous Days’ is “not so bad”
Thailand’s Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation, or DDPM, has announced that the total traffic accidents and injuries during last week’s “Seven Dangerous Days” had actually reduced, compared to the average for the past three years, even though the number of deaths this year had increased. According to a summary of the data, from April 11 to 17, there were…
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Drink drivers put on probation, 278 dead during ‘seven deadly days’ in Thailand
During the “seven deadly days” of the Songkran Holiday, between April 11 to 17, there were nearly 8,000 drivers who were arrested for drink driving or driving recklessly. The courts have already sentenced them to probation, according to director-general Witthawal Sunthornkachit of the Department of Probation. Drink driving has increased by over 1,000 cases this year compared to over 6,000…
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41 dead, 332 injured on Day 4 of Songkran ‘7 Deadly Days’
Thailand recorded 324 accidents on Thursday, resulting in 332 injuries and 41 deaths across the country on Day 4 of the “Seven Deadly Days” of the Songkran holiday. The update from the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department. From Monday to Thursday, Thailand has reported 1,195 accidents. Speeding is still the main factor in accidents, with motorcyclists playing a major role.…
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8 year old driving motorcycle dies in accident
An 8 year old boy was driving a motorcycle with a sidecar attached to it when he lost control and flipped over at around 10:30am this morning in Chanthaburi province in eastern Thailand. The vehicle fell back down on top of him and crushed him. He hit his head off the concrete road and sadly died from his injuries at…
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301 injured and 47 deaths on Day 2 of Songkran – Seven Deadly Days
On Tuesday, the second day of the “Seven Deadly Days” of the Songkran break, there were 301 road accidents, resulting in 47 deaths and 292 injuries. Accidents are still caused by drink driving and speeding. 84% of the accidents occurred on straight roads. Motorcycles and pick-up trucks were involved in the majority of the accidents, 80%, and 10% respectively, about…
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Drink driving claims 70% of traffic violations at start of Songkran’s ‘7 Dangerous Days’
The Department of Probation is releasing its statistics for the first day of driving violations administered by the court during the “Seven Dangerous Days of Songkran” from April 11 – 17. On Monday, the court issued 459 fines, 328 of which were for drink driving cases. The top three provinces with the most drunken drivers were Nonthaburi, Ubon Ratchathani and…
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Drunk drivers in Thailand could be jailed without suspension during Songkran
Authorities in Thailand are vowing to get serious about drunk driving during Songkran. Drunk drivers caught between Monday and Sunday next week, during the time of the holiday, are more likely be jailed without suspension if convicted. A police major general said yesterday that police recently discussed measures to discourage drunk driving with officials. The major general said police and…
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2 people per hour were killed in road accidents in Thailand in 2020
A Thai health foundation has found that two people were killed in road accidents every hour in Thailand in 2020. The total number of people killed in road accidents throughout that year was 17,831. The foundation, Thai Health Promotion Foundation, said motorcycle drivers and riders made up the 74% of fatalities. The International Health Policy Program said in its report…
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Bus driver in fatal accident gets licence revoked, Transport Company faces punishment
The bus driver in the fatal accident in Saraburi, killing eight passengers after he crashed into a bridge pillar, had his licence revoked by the Department of Land Transport. The department is also considering penalities for the state-run Transport Company, which was operating the Bangkok – Suwannaphum bus carrying more than 30 passengers. The driver, who was later found to…
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Son of national police figure hits and kills Pakistani refugee with Porsche, Bangkok
The son of a former national police chief has allegedly struck and killed a Pakistani refugee whilst driving his Porsche, driving in Bangkok. The driver, 29 year old Pornmet, reported to police after he was treated for head and face injuries. He admitted that he carelessly changed lanes suddenly while driving near Thaksin Bridge at around 1am yesterday morning. A…
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Motocross rider dies, another injured after falling from cliff in Chiang Mai
A motocross rider died and another was severely injured after driving off a cliff in Chiang Mai and falling more than 50 metres. The two were on a motocross trip from Bangkok to Chiang Mai and were driving near the scenic village Mae Kampong and up to a mountain viewpoint when they fell from the cliff. The riders were going…
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Drunk driver crashes into motorbike, killing woman and 9 month old
A 60 year old woman and her nine month old grandson died after their motorbike was slammed from behind by a pickup truck early Sunday night in Samut Prakan, southeast of Bangkok. The 35 year old mother survived. She told the police she was riding her motorbike home with her nine month old son and mother. Her motorbike was hit…
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Two people hit, one killed by motorbikes driving through zebra crossings in Bangkok
CORRECTION: Previous reports said that two people died. Only one person died, the other was hospitalised. Thai police are reporting two more crosswalk accidents in Bangkok amidst a nationwide effort to improve pedestrian safety initiated after the deadly crosswalk accident where an eye doctor was hit by a police officer who sped his Ducati motorcycle through a zebra crossing. Over…
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Calls for campaign to teach drivers to stop at red lights (yes, really)
The secretary-general of the Medical Council of Thailand has called for a campaign to educate Thai drivers about the need to stop at red lights and pedestrian crossings. In a post on his Facebook page, Ittaporn Kanacharoen says drivers need to be taught about the rights of pedestrians and the need to give way at zebra crossings and red traffic…
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Officials will install traffic lights and surveillance cameras at 100 Bangkok crossings
In the aftermath of a fatal accident where a motorbike hit and killed a pedestrian, Bangkok officials plan to install traffic lights and surveillance cameras at 100 zebra crossings. The lights will be installed in two weeks, and the cameras in a month. Out of the city’s 3,280 zebra crossings, only 1,277 have flashing lights warning drivers to slow down…
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Deputy PM vows stricter punishments for traffic violators following fatal crosswalk accident
Following the deadly crosswalk accident where a police officer struck a pedestrian with his Ducati motorcycle, Deputy PM Prawit Wongsuwan ordered harsher legal punishments for traffic violators in a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, although it has not yet been announced exactly what the punishments will be. He also called for providing info online about violators’ histories and past offences and…
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Deputy PM Prawit Wongsuwon discusses Phuket pedestrian safety
Deputy PM Prawit Wongsuwon brought up pedestrian safety crossings yesterday at an online meeting with a road safety policy committee, and the interior minister. Phuket officials have now been told to paint warning lines ahead of pedestrian crossings, letting drivers know they will have to slow down soon. The group also talked about the new points system that started in…
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Officials tightening traffic rules, new penalties expected in July
A draft amendment to the Land Transport Act has received approval by the House Committee on Transport, according to an MP from the Chartthaipattana Party. Nikorn Chamnong, who chaired the panel, says the amendment seeks to increase fines for traffic offences and could be enacted by July. The amendment now goes before the Senate, which is expected to approve it…
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Calls for tougher punishment for drivers ignoring pedestrian crossing rules
Road safety advocates are demanding tougher punishment, including manslaughter charges, for drivers who fail to observe pedestrian crossing rules. According to a Bangkok Post report, 30 members of various road safety networks gathered at Government House to file a petition with Deputy PM Prawit Wongsuwon, who chairs the national committee on road safety policy and prevention. The move is in…
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Death of Bangkok doctor on zebra crossing highlights danger of Thai roads – again
In the last World Health Organisation report into road deaths in Southeast Asia and Asia, it probably won’t come as a surprise to learn that Thailand came top. According to the 2018 report, the kingdom had an average of 32.7 deaths per 100,000 people. This compares to 26.4 in Vietnam and 23.6 in Malaysia, followed by Myanmar (19.9), Cambodia (17.8),…
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Police officer charged following death of Bangkok pedestrian hit by speeding bike
A Thai police officer has been charged with multiple offences after his speeding Ducati bike collided with a Bangkok doctor on a zebra crossing. The charges, filed by Phaya Thai district police, include reckless driving and not stopping for pedestrians at a zebra crossing. Dr. Waraluck Supavatjariyakul died after being hit by Naravich Buadok’s bike as she crossed Phaya Thai…
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333 lives lost on Thailand’s roads over end-of-year holiday period
While the government frets over the Omicron variant, 333 people died in road traffic accidents during Thailand’s so-called “7 dangerous days” during the end-of-year holiday. The official figures, reported by Nation Thailand, were released by the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation. The department says there were 2,707 road traffic accidents reported between December 29 and January 4, with 2,672…
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555 traffic accidents and 65 road deaths on New Year’s Eve
New Year’s Eve was the third day of the yearly Seven Dangerous Days, where the Thai Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation tracks traffic accidents and deaths, as holiday travel create a sharp increase in traffic incidents. And yesterday saw 555 traffic accidents that resulted in 535 injuries and 65 road deaths. The Road Accidents Prevention and Reduction Centre reported…
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Day 2 of 7 Dangerous Days sees 44 deaths, 426 road injuries
On Day 2 of the Seven Dangerous Days road safety campaign, there have been a total of 85 deaths in 784 accidents. The first day saw 41 deaths and 360 injuries, and Thursday recorded 44 deaths and 426 injuries. While the numbers are higher than other periods throughout the year, accidents and injuries are down 21.5% over the same dates…
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