Death toll rises to 236 in first four “dangerous” days

[Jonathan Fairfield]

Death toll rises to 236 in first four “dangerous” days

By The Nation

 

 

A total of 236 people were killed and 2,265 others injured in 2,194 road accidents over the first four days of the New Year holiday period’s “seven dangerous days”, the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department’s Road Safety Centre (Thai RSC) reported on Monday.
 

Chiang Mai and Nakhon Ratchasima had the highest cumulative fatalities of 12 deaths each, while Chiang Mai reported the highest cumulative injuries at 79 persons and the most crashes at 77. Only 13 provinces have reported no deaths in road accidents so far. 

 

Probation Department chief Prasarn Mahaleetrakul told the press conference that there were 561 road accidents on December 30 alone killing 51 people and wounding 578 others. Songkhla had the day’s most crashes at 23 cases and most injuries at 24 persons, while Nakhon Ratchasima reported the day’s highest fatalities with five deaths.

 

The major causes of accidents were drunk driving at 42.42 per cent, followed by speeding at 27.99 per cent. 

 

Of the accidents, 80.31 per cent involved motorcycles followed by pick-up trucks at 6.39 per cent. 

 

About 39 per cent of the crashes took place on village roads while other 35.29 per cent took place on highways.

 

Most of the accidents occurred between 4pm and 8pm (29 per cent). 

 

Prasarn said 2,051 checkpoints, manned by 66,742 officials nationwide, recorded 177,400 violations on December 30. A total of 43,799 motorists failed to produce a licence, while 51,039 motorcyclists were stopped for riding without helmets, he said.

 

In his capacity as Probation Department chief, Prasarn earlier reported that Thai courts had put 3,525 traffic law violators on probation from December 27 and 30. Of these, 3,049 cases involved drunk drivers, 437 cases related to driving under the influence of a narcotic substance, 37 were cases of reckless driving, and two were related to speeding. On December 30 alone, there were 207 cases of drunk driving and all of the violators were placed on probation, he added. 

 

Bangkok had the highest cumulative drunk driving cases at 295 cases followed by Maha Sarakham at 224 cases and Sakhon Nakhon at 207 cases. So far only 33 drunk drivers – 26 in Bangkok, four in Khon Kaen and three in Buri Ram – have been ordered to wear Electronic Monitoring (EM) devices from January 1 onwards. They are also banned from going out between 10pm and 4am for 15 days, must undertake 24 hours of social services, and will have their licences suspended for six months, he added. 

 

National Council for Peace and Order deputy spokeswoman Colonel Sirichan Nga-thong, meanwhile, reported that a total of 2,729 vehicles (1,945 motorcycles and 784 automobiles) and 4,326 driver’s licences had been seized from drunk drivers in the first four days of the period.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/breakingnews/30361400

 

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-12-31

[darksidedog]

I know I should be inured to such awful statistics by now, but I still can't help but be stunned by the magnitude of the tragedy that unfolds on the roads here daily. Even at a time of year when people are being urged to be more responsible, the death toll is just shocking. 40%+ of deaths caused by drink driving, so that's 100 people close to murdered in four days, and yet it goes on unabated. If the powers that be aren't weeping over these numbers, they bloody well should be, and so should the country.

[Bluespunk]

1 hour ago, Jonathan Fairfield said:

So far only 33 drunk drivers – 26 in Bangkok, four in Khon Kaen and three in Buri Ram – have been ordered to wear Electronic Monitoring (EM) devices from January 1 onwards. They are also banned from going out between 10pm and 4am

Maybe a 24 hour curfew would be better...preferably in a cell. 

1 hour ago, Jonathan Fairfield said:

Most of the accidents occurred between 4pm and 8pm (29 per cent). 

Then either destroy or auction off their vehicles. 

 

Drink driving is inexcusable. 

[fruitman]

11 minutes ago, darksidedog said:

I know I should be inured to such awful statistics by now, but I still can't help but be stunned by the magnitude of the tragedy that unfolds on the roads here daily. Even at a time of year when people are being urged to be more responsible, the death toll is just shocking. 40%+ of deaths caused by drink driving, so that's 100 people close to murdered in four days, and yet it goes on unabated. If the powers that be aren't weeping over these numbers, they bloody well should be, and so should the country.

Even if the Thai put all their policemen in tents along the road playing with cellphones the statistics won't change.

 

They just don't understand that policemen watching cellphones or tv won't stop others from driving drunk and/or speeding.

 

And mr Prayuth is tired, seems like he gave up already to make Thailand safe.

[fruitman]

10 minutes ago, Bluespunk said:

Drink driving is inexcusable. 

And so is driving without license...still half of the drivers do it and the rest bought it for 500 baht.

 

I also have never seen a lesson car in Thailand except on the tiny parcours....i do see parents with their kids behind the wheel driving in the village but of course they won't hire a real teacher in a real car with dual controls like we do in the West. Thai don't need that, they are much smarter than westerners.

[Thunder26]

This bodycount during the holidays is completely absurd. You can't call only these days dangerous as it is dangerous everyday during a year. Actually there are less casualties during (dangerous) holidays than normal working days. Thailand should stop throwing guilt on holidays and realize that something should be done in educating people about the danger of driving. Yes, I've seen some adverts on TV. But that's not enough, the real work should be done on the ground by the police force. First, they should make sure the law is followed, because there are so many drivers that do not follow rules and put the lives of others in danger. Only after that I believe there will be some change. Seeing police idle sitting at their tables at checkpoints won't make a big difference in the scenario. It's just hypocritical.

Edited December 31, 2018 by Thunder26

[fruitman]

27 minutes ago, Thunder26 said:

Thailand should stop throwing guilt on holidays and realize that something should be done in educating people about the danger of driving

Thailand don't need education.

 

Thai have amulets (very expensive ones too) and they work very well.

[smedly]

I just got home from a night out and had tried very hard to get a MB taxi rider that wasn't drunk so I walked home, pretty much everyone I saw driving or riding was very obviously drunk, in Pattaya that is no exception except in volume - there was a huge amount of drunk traffic - in Pattaya city they can't do much harm as it is grid locked but once these people get beyond the traffic jams people will die

[smedly]

3 hours ago, fruitman said:

And so is driving without license...still half of the drivers do it and the rest bought it for 500 baht.

driving without a licence is not generally going to kill people, most of the people without a licence have been driving/riding for years, in the west (UK) it gets you on the road

 

 

you then have restrictions simply because you generally become a competent driver through experience which you gain over time by driving

[Prairieboy]

8 hours ago, Jonathan Fairfield said:

About 39 per cent of the crashes took place on village roads while other 35.29 per cent took place on highways.

And the remaining 25.71% must have been on city streets - not clear on this!

 

8 hours ago, Jonathan Fairfield said:

will have their licences suspended for six months, he added. 

The impounded vehicles should remain impounded until the suspension period is over or else they will be back on the road without a valid licence.

[1337markus]

A comprehensive list of stats by the RTB in this media report. All negative outcomes of what people did. Do they EVER report what positive impact the police have on the roads during 7 days of hell other than more $ overtime?

[stereolab]

14 minutes ago, 1337markus said:

A comprehensive list of stats by the RTB in this media report. All negative outcomes of what people did. Do they EVER report what positive impact the police have on the roads during 7 days of hell other than more $ overtime?

Last  week I drove extensively around our area, and noted that the police tents have again been erected at exactly the same spots as before. Locals know the locations of checkpoints and simply go down a soi before they are stopped. Some checkpoints are in dreadful locations, from a point of road safety and traffic flow.

Edited January 1, 2019 by stereolab
Missed out a word

[mikebell]

'Thailand's Police Force serves no purpose.'  Discuss.

'To Serve and Protect'  is the ironic motto of RTP!

[MaxYakov]

46 minutes ago, mikebell said:

'Thailand's Police Force serves no purpose.'  Discuss.

'To Serve and Protect'  is the ironic motto of RTP!

Well, it's not called the "People's Thai Police" is it? End of discussion.

 

 

Edited January 1, 2019 by MaxYakov

[Gracas]

41 minutes ago, mikebell said:

'Thailand's Police Force serves no purpose.'  Discuss.

'To Serve and Protect'  is the ironic motto of RTP!

The RTP motto 'To serve and Protect' is appropriate. The question is WHO do they serve and protect, usually themselves.

[Phuketshrew]

7 hours ago, fruitman said:

Thai have amulets (very expensive ones too) and they work very well

They don't look to be working too well to me. I sense a business opportunity here to establish the Thai Amulet Testing company (TAT). Our PR guys will be awesome ????

[ColinChapman]

4 hours ago, smedly said:

you then have restrictions simply because you generally become a competent driver through experience which you gain over time by driving

I used to think this until I started using taxis in Bangkok. It impresses me that you can do something for 12 hours a day fit 10 years and still be so bad at it. 

[RickBradford]

8 minutes ago, Phuketshrew said:

They don't look to be working too well to me. I sense a business opportunity here to establish the Thai Amulet Testing company (TAT). Our PR guys will be awesome ????

The Tourism Authority of Thailand might have something to say about your name choice....

[smedly]

16 minutes ago, ColinChapman said:

I used to think this until I started using taxis in Bangkok. It impresses me that you can do something for 12 hours a day fit 10 years and still be so bad at it. 

The difference here is that generally drivers know the rules but refuse to obey them and the police do nothing to enforce them

 

My guess would be that 99% of traffic fines are collected at road stops, accidents happen with moving traffic

[Stoker58]

10 hours ago, darksidedog said:

........40%+ of deaths caused by drink driving, so that's 100 people close to murdered in four days.....

  I’d guess most of the drink driving deaths involve Somchai and his motorbike, so more suicide than murder.

[scunner]

1 hour ago, mikebell said:

'Thailand's Police Force serves no purpose.'  Discuss.

'To Serve and Protect'  is the ironic motto of RTP!

To Serve CandyCrush and the higher up's bank balance

[wvavin]

236 death is still not doing too well. Please try harder. Thailand can do it!

[Phuketshrew]

"To Serve and Protect"? I think "To Stop and Pilfer" would be more appropriate.

[TumblinDice]

What an unevolved, delayed, impermeable mindset these idiots have. They just don't get it.

[Road Warrior]

STUNNED ,but Thais will never learn !!! life is cheap so why bother !!! just total idiots   

[Ossy]

12 hours ago, Jonathan Fairfield said:

A total of 236 people were killed and 2,265 others injured in 2,194 road accidents over the first four days of the New Year holiday period

So, pretty much business as usual, despite the promises to - if I recall the farcical announcement correctly - demonstrate a zero-tolerance to drunk-driving, this time. Zero-tolerance, indeed . . . zero effort on the part of a sleeping 200,000-strong police force would be more like it.

[alien365]

I don't mean to be pedantic but drunk riding is the main cause of accidents here. It's riders, not drivers that cause most of the accidents/deaths. 

 

I do agree with the 7 dangerous days campaign though. If they did nothing at all I'd expect the fatalities to double, if not more.

[Khun Paul]

2 hours ago, stereolab said:

Last  week I drove extensively around our area, and noted that the police tents have again been erected at exactly the same spots as before. Locals know the locations of checkpoints and simply go down a soi before they are stopped. Some checkpoints are in dreadful locations, from a point of road safety and traffic flow.

How can you report on the positive side of the Police presence, let me try, there were

LESS Police drinking at check-points. …………....that  is positive

There were no accidents involving drunk Police ……...encouraging and positive.

No Police shot a person who failed to stop, ….saving life  a positive sign. 

 

How is that for being positive. 

[stanleycoin]

9 minutes ago, alien365 said:

I don't mean to be pedantic but drunk riding is the main cause of accidents here. It's riders, not drivers that cause most of the accidents/deaths. 

 

I do agree with the 7 dangerous days campaign though. If they did nothing at all I'd expect the fatalities to double, if not more.

Mate, what ever way you slice it very few are good people on the roads.

they all drive the same pissed up or sober.

The murderous , selfish, Drivers / Riders they are.

But no one will tell the truth.

 

 

Edited January 1, 2019 by stanleycoin

[TonyClifton]

10 hours ago, darksidedog said:

I know I should be inured to such awful statistics by now, but I still can't help but be stunned by the magnitude of the tragedy that unfolds on the roads here daily. Even at a time of year when people are being urged to be more responsible, the death toll is just shocking. 40%+ of deaths caused by drink driving, so that's 100 people close to murdered in four days, and yet it goes on unabated. If the powers that be aren't weeping over these numbers, they bloody well should be, and so should the country.

Why should you be surprised?  People who believe that no matter what they do is ok because they'll have another go through reincarnation have no rooting to what they do now.  Kill someone, Mai Pen Rai ... 

 

Why do they think they will be reincarnated as a Thai and not a gnat on the ass of a Zebra in Zimbabwe?