Slaps on the wrist reveal why Thai roads are so deadly

These paltry fines neither punish wrongdoers nor encourage compliance with the law. Such major offences involving a public vehicle should attract mandatory jail time.

Also, seriously overloading school vehicles is common practice, with kids even seated on rooftops. Seat belts are rare and seldom used. Meanwhile, reports of children dying from heat stroke after being accidentally locked for hours in vans are all too common. Motion sensors are inexpensive and should be required in all enclosed vehicles for primary-school students.

The Land Transport Department has been doing a very poor job, year in and year out – hence the high fatality rate. Why hasn’t the director-general been put out to pasture?

Burin Kantabutra