PATTAYA, Thailand – Thailand’s Deputy National Police Chief has sounded the alarm over a dramatic rise in road fatalities, revealing that more than 10,800 people have died on Thai roads from January 1 to November 17. Speaking at a traffic management meeting at the Royal Thai Police Headquarters on November 19, Pol. Gen. Samran Nualma stressed the need for urgent measures to reduce congestion, improve driver discipline, and expand the use of AI-controlled traffic signals.
Pol. Gen. Samran compared the current toll of traffic deaths to war, noting the particularly high number of young victims over the past three days from motorcycle and car accidents. He emphasized that police enforcement is aimed not at punishment, but at saving lives, and warned that officers themselves must act as role models. Any violations by police are subject to legal action, while exceptions like running red lights for emergency pursuits will be explained to the public.
The meeting also focused on analyzing accident causes — road conditions, driver behavior, and visibility — to prepare for the upcoming New Year travel season. Concrete measures include stricter but reasonable enforcement of traffic laws, risk assessments at accident-prone areas, and expanded AI traffic management. Currently, Bangkok operates AI-controlled signals at around 20 key intersections, with plans to increase coverage to ease congestion sustainably.
Authorities also reminded the public that over 12,000 unpaid traffic fines remain pending, with 768 cases already filed in court. Pol. Gen. Samran urged citizens to pay fines promptly to avoid further legal consequences.
“Police do not want people to break traffic laws. But if they do, there must be warnings, fines, and legal action if ignored. Our goal is faster traffic, fewer deaths, and less pollution, and we want this awareness to come from citizens themselves,” he said. “It’s not enough for people to avoid drinking and driving just out of fear of the police — they need to understand the risk to others.”
