Abstract
Bangkok is reported to have the worst traffic in the world, a situation that has a detrimental effect on the economic, social and financial development of the city. This mixed-methods study of the enforcement of Thailand’s Road Traffic Act, B.E. 2522 (1979) surveyed drivers in Bangkok and interviewed police traffic officers. The results reveal negative perceptions of drivers towards traffic police officers, poor law enforcement and disparity in policing practice. They also show that drivers lack road discipline and do not fear the consequence of any wrongdoing because they perceive that the Act merely prescribes petty offences and traffic police officers only impose light punishments. To support the cultural changes necessary to alter these perceptions, and enhance the economic and social development of the city, a range of strategies will be necessary, including training and development among drivers and law enforcement officers and strengthened legal provisions.
Highlights
The road fatalities rate of Thailand is ranked as the second highest in the world, only to locations of conflict and lawlessness
The level of knowledge of traffic signs or signals was quite high the respondents, that is drivers in Bangkok had a very low level of understanding of the spirit and objectives of the Road Traffic Act, and only a slightly higher level of understanding of what constituted an offence under the act and what penalties could be imposed
This study has shown that governmental agents cause problems for the effective enforcement of the Road Traffic Act; they too possess inadequate knowledge of this Law and cannot explain correctly its legal content, offences and penalties to drivers
Summary
The road fatalities rate of Thailand is ranked as the second highest in the world, only to locations of conflict and lawlessness (like Libya). The number of road accident deaths comprises 36.2 people per 100,000 people, as represents an average of 24,326 people per year (Marukatat 2018; World Health Organization 2018) or 60 people per day. This makes Thailand the country with the highest number of such deaths in Asia (World Health Organization 2018). Traffic problems have been a complicated and growing problem for Bangkokians for many years, with the Thai Road Safety Collaboration having found that the highest number of traffic accidents in Thailand occur in Bangkok (Thai Road Safety Collaboration 2020)
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