The poll, which closed at midnight last night (end of May 7), asked, “Do the current penalties deter people from breaking the traffic laws?”
Only 6% voted, “Yes, the current penalties are enough; there is no need to change anything.”
A further 24% voted, “Yes, the current penalties are enough, but enforcement is lacking.”
However, the remaining 70% of respondents called out the current system of issuing for failing to invoke any change in driver’s behaviour.
The lion’s share of votes called for heavier penalties, with 43% of respondents voting, “No, the current penalties do not deter traffic offenders and must be made harsher, for example fines should be increased.”
A further 27% or respondents voted, “No, the current penalties, which are mostly fines, do not work and officials must also use alternative punishments such as community service.”
Those votes came in recognition that even officials in Bangkok have realised that the current range of penalties for traffic violations are not enough to correct people’s behaviour. On Songkran last year they started forcing some offenders to perform community service by helping out at morgues and came back to this practice in 2017. (See story here.)
The poll was launched after Phuket Governor Norraphat Plodthong recounted Phuket’s death and injury toll during the Songkran “Seven Days of Danger” road-safety campaign, held April 11-17 this year.
The toll for the one week stood at four dead and 70 people injured in 67 accidents.
Gov Norraphat, who began his term as Governor of Phuket only on April 10, vowed to “bring all the road accident statistics and other relevant information to discuss with the Phuket Provincial Committee to come up with ways to solve this problem and create a campaign that will make driving safer in Phuket.” (See story here.)
That promise came on the back of police announcing how many people were fined for traffic violations during the seven days. Notably, the greatest offenders were 5,628 people fined for not wearing helmets; and 3,075 fined for driving without a licence. (See story here.)
To see the full poll results, click here.
If your preferred response was not available, feel free to add it in the comments below.
To see the results of our previous poll, asking “Should tour guides or tourists be charged for coral damage?”, click here.
If you have a suggestion for a poll, email execeditor@classactmedia.co.th with “Poll Suggestion” in the Subject line.