Why do they call the Songkran days deadly when the road deaths are about average for the rest of the year? In other words, there is no increase in road deaths during Songkran.   

Average road deaths in Thailand - about 25,0000 a year

Divided by 365 is about 66 a day. So for 4 days that would be 264.

 

That just can't be true just take a look around you and look at all the Drunk Drivers people in the back of pickups and Total Madness.There is no way more people don't Die.If your Numbers do work out then some of the official figures are wrong. 

 

 

Edit

 

I just read 390 Died last year and 28000 for the whole year

 

28000÷365=76 a day × 3 =230

 

390-230=160 extra for Songkran

 

160 Deaths is a good enough Reason for any civilized country to stop the Madness.

 

I did my first one when the Second Gulf war kicked off and I read that more people died here over those 3 days than in The gulf war for the same 3 days.

 

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I'm 25 - 26 years here, have just built a new house changing out from the old, 2 cars, 5 motorcycles and 3 kids.

 

I've just found a new hero to worship .

4 hours ago, Lungstib said:

The emphasis on culture in my far north village included such impressive bucket throwing that I witnessed 3 motorbikes downed, a girl in her underwear dancing provocatively on the back of a pick-up in the parade to the temple and inebriation to the point of speechless. Many will wake up clueless about what they did yesterday. 

Which yesterday ?
They are only looking forward !

1 hour ago, outsider said:

Blame it on drunk-driving, speeding, riding without a helmet, bad brakes, slippery roads, whatever - the root of all this is simple - no enforcement and education. Anyone with a brain the size of a pea can figure that out. I really cannot understand why the authorities just keep harping on the inconsequential, and their stubborness and unwillingness to address the problem at root level. Can they really be so brainless, or is there actually a reason why there is a complete lack of intention to educate/enforce, I wonder.

" Can they really be so brainless..."  Unfortunately, YES!

 

A reason for a lack of intention - elites are not being killed!

Sadly, the military that rules the country with an iron fist regarding political gathering is unable to be effective in enforcing road discipline. It all comes down to education and role models. The military and the police just are not the role models that people need, breaking their own rules and regulations whenever it suits them, while many educators are themselves not educated enough to teach others (with exceptions of course).

57 minutes ago, gaff said:

Prisons should be full of drunk drivers, not innocent drug users !!!

 

"...innocent drug users !!!" 

 

In the context of this forum subject that is an oxymoron! 

No surprise! 

 

A female Thai friend asked several drunk Thai men to slow their speeds down a small soi because of her concerns for young children playing, but the most common reply she received was

 

"this road does not belong to you. I do what I want".

 

Life is cheap...

 

 

 

 

 

1 hour ago, essox essox said:

think it was reported on here some days ago !!

Yes, you are right.
Reported on April 1....

So far, so bad but, never mind, they can try again next year

1 hour ago, holy cow cm said:

Best Holiday in the world. I have encountered 24 of them and love it every time. You need to stick your head under a rock

ฺBest holiday in the world???? Ever tried the African-type...much better and less dangerous.

5 hours ago, mikebell said:

I was forced to watch the waste which is Songkran (90 minutes to do 500 metres on a necessary journey.)  Besides the waste of life and water, I was struck by the enormous waste of fuel as I watched my average kilometres to litre dwindle from 14 to 8; as I listened to diesel pickups roaring & belching black smoke onto the many pedestrians innocently taking part in this huge nonsensical celebration.  My ears hurt as gigantic speakers vibrated the whole car; as engines were revved to screaming point.  My overall impression was a primitive people at play.  

Nigeria MK2

A post containing another disallowed reference to the PM has been removed. 

2 hours ago, holy cow cm said:

Best Holiday in the world. I have encountered 24 of them and love it every time. You need to stick your head under a rock

Congratulations ! 

Taking away their vehicle for the rest of the holiday is like taking away a child's toy for bad behavior....

 

driving behavior judt  isn't taken seriously and the results indicate that...shame on the government for being so irresponsible as the watchdog

The standard of driving here is atrocious. This morning a Nissan Almera cut across me from my right and half a km later a BMW cut across me from my left. Both cars were black. I each case I had to use my brakes to avoid a collision. Think I will stay in the condo on the 19th.

Over 80 dead, on average, for each of the past 4 days.  Each person has about 15 people grieving her/his death, ....that's at least 1200 very sad Thai folks.

 

But what gets a Thai person riled up?   A photo of an Asian tourist sitting in the lap of a large concrete Buddha statue, ....or a couple of farang, fully clothed, doing some yoga on a temple ground.

 

Priorities.

Now at 323 dead front page Bangkok Post.

http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/songkran-holidays-now-claim-323-deaths-3140-injuries-five-days/

 

A total of 323 Songkran celebrants were killed and 3,140 others were injured in the past five days of the Songkran festival.

National police deputy chief Pol General Weerachai Songmetta, meanwhile, presided over an oath-taking rite in Samut Prakan province in which 380 drunk-driving offenders vowed not to repeat the offence, before listening to a monk’s sermon. 

 

And they wonder why it continues!!!!

This has been said before in years past on TV, the various and sundry authorities often chime in in the media stating 20,000-25,000 die per year on the roads , so if you do the math, 248 fatalities in 4 days is completely normal for Thailand.

When a govn't gets a lot of its revenues from the alcohol taxes it imposes on alcoholic beverages, why would anyone think that they would want to reduce its use (which is one of the major reasons behind most accidents)? 

 

My advice is for them to go into the sugar business, as well! 

7 hours ago, mikebell said:

I was forced to watch the waste which is Songkran (90 minutes to do 500 metres on a necessary journey.)  Besides the waste of life and water, I was struck by the enormous waste of fuel as I watched my average kilometres to litre dwindle from 14 to 8; as I listened to diesel pickups roaring & belching black smoke onto the many pedestrians innocently taking part in this huge nonsensical celebration.  My ears hurt as gigantic speakers vibrated the whole car; as engines were revved to screaming point.  My overall impression was a primitive people at play.  

So we can take it you aren't a fan then Mike .  On the other hand I am sure the others were thoroughly enjoying themselves as they do every year. 

 

The loss of life is dreadful but acting responsibly is not something Thais do.  Their country and I guess their choice.

Lucky the soldiers were in charge and had their massive crackdown or the death toll might have been worse 

"The seized vehicles would be returned to the owners".

 

They should be auctioned off with the proceeds going to any innocent person killed or injured by these scum drivers and riders, and their families.

what a bunch of whining old foreign farts on here....complain complain complain....this is their culture, you don't like it go back to your country.  I choose this country over gang and school shootings of the USA....you take the good with the bad and move on....whining and complaining will get you no where except a grumpy old man attitude!!!

Just another day in Thailand. Well done by all concerned! 

30 minutes ago, USMC RETIRED 2015 said:

what a bunch of whining old foreign farts on here....complain complain complain....this is their culture, you don't like it go back to your country.  I choose this country over gang and school shootings of the USA....you take the good with the bad and move on....whining and complaining will get you no where except a grumpy old man attitude!!!

 

So the school shootings in the U.S. kill maybe a dozen or a couple dozen people at a time. Songkran in Thailand kills several hundred in less than a week. Does that really make Thailand better somehow?

 

9 hours ago, Lungstib said:

The emphasis on culture in my far north village included such impressive bucket throwing that I witnessed 3 motorbikes downed, a girl in her underwear dancing provocatively on the back of a pick-up in the parade to the temple and inebriation to the point of speechless. Many will wake up clueless about what they did yesterday. 

And a Happy New Year to you too!

 

8 hours ago, mikebell said:

I was forced to watch the waste which is Songkran (90 minutes to do 500 metres on a necessary journey.)  Besides the waste of life and water, I was struck by the enormous waste of fuel as I watched my average kilometres to litre dwindle from 14 to 8; as I listened to diesel pickups roaring & belching black smoke onto the many pedestrians innocently taking part in this huge nonsensical celebration.  My ears hurt as gigantic speakers vibrated the whole car; as engines were revved to screaming point.  My overall impression was a primitive people at play.  

Such gut-wrenching pain and discomfort...

 

But then again, nobody forced me to leave Pattaya either.

7 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

So the school shootings in the U.S. kill maybe a dozen or a couple dozen people at a time. Songkran in Thailand kills several hundred in less than a week. Does that really make Thailand better somehow?

 

I see that you failed at statistics then? Never mind.

29 minutes ago, NanLaew said:

I see that you failed at statistics then? Never mind.

You can look at numbers all kinds of different ways. Certainly, the total number of road deaths during the one-week Songkran period in Thailand far exceeds the total number of annual deaths from school shootings in the U.S.  Since USMC was talking about fleeing from school and gang shootings in the U.S.

 

The per capita road deaths rate for Thailand is far higher than that for the U.S. And as best as I recall, Thailand also has a higher per capita gun deaths rate than the U.S. I'm pretty sure Thailand also has a lower average life expectancy than the U.S.

 

In those and various other ways, Thailand hardly comes out ahead of the U.S. by many of those kinds of statistical measures. The senseless toll of needless death and injuries during Songkran in Thailand is hardly something to minimize or applaud.