Thailand’s traffic death toll may be the world’s highest

BANGKOK, Nov 14 (TNA) -- Statistics show the traffic death toll in Thailand has risen by nearly 3,000 and may be the highest in the world. Road safety organisations have compiled a Thai road safety report for 2016/17 which revealed that the traffic death toll in Thailand stood at 22,356 in 2016, rising by 2,877 from 19,479 in 2015. Three quarters of the dead were men and the most common age range of the victims was 15-29 years old. Preeda Jaturapong, a lecturer from the King Mongkut’s Institute of Technology Ladkrabang, said that six provinces with the highest death rate of traffic accident victims were in the East: Rayong with the rate of 72 per 100,000 people, Sa Kaeo 69, Chon Buri 58, Chanthaburi, 57, Nakhon Nayok 56, and Prachin Buri 55. He attributed the high death rates to heavy road traffic and a wide range of tourist attractions in the region. Six provinces with the lowest traffic death rates were Bangkok with 14.30 deaths per 100,000 people, Yala 17.2, Mae Hong Son 18.2, Satun 18.3, Amnat Charoen 18.4, and Pattani 20. Of dead traffic victims, 39% were motorcyclists, 5% pedestrians and 1% bicyclists. Five provinces with the fastest rising traffic death tolls compared with the road safety report in 2014 were Sa Kaeo, Lop Buri, Nakhon Nayok, Ang Thong and Sing Buri. The provinces with the fastest declining traffic death tolls were Tak, Chumphon, Prachin Buri and Nakhon Sawan. Dr Withaya Chartbanchachai, director of the World Health Organization Collaborating Center, said the latest road safety report raised serious concern because the traffic death toll exceeded 22,000 out of the Thai population of 60 million. Besides, the number of people injured and disabled by traffic accidents reached millions and overall damage from traffic accidents amounted to at least 500 billion baht a year, he said. The latest figures might result in Thailand posting the highest death toll in the world, up from the second ranking in the previous year. He blamed the high death toll on poor law enforcement against traffic violators. (TNA)