PATTAYA, Thailand – Two female university students were critically injured after being struck by a car while crossing a zebra crossing in front of their campus in Bang Saen, a busy beach city just an hour’s drive from Pattaya. The victims were thrown from the pedestrian lane, and emergency responders rushed them to the hospital.
The incident has reignited public concerns about road safety in Thailand. Local residents criticized reckless driving in crowded neighborhoods, noting that drivers often ignore crosswalks, putting pedestrians—especially students—at serious risk. One citizen pointed out, “In a community with so many cars and people, speeding is unacceptable.” Others echoed the sentiment, highlighting that similar accidents occur nationwide, including in Pattaya, and often point to poor road design as a contributing factor.
This latest accident underlines systemic issues in Thailand’s urban planning and traffic enforcement. Crosswalks are meant to provide a safe space for pedestrians, yet drivers regularly disregard them, and streets are not designed to slow traffic near schools and universities. Without stricter enforcement of speed limits, better signage, and urban planning that prioritizes pedestrian safety, such preventable accidents will continue to occur.
Authorities must act swiftly to implement measures that protect the most vulnerable road users, ensuring that crosswalks are not just symbolic but genuinely safe. The public’s safety depends on it.
