Opening day for Songkran road carnage sees 46 killed

By Khanittha Theppajorn 
The Nation

 

 

Thursday – the first of the “seven dangerous days” of Songkran 2019 – saw 46 people killed and 482 injured in 468 road accidents, Transport Minister Arkhom Termpittayapaisith told reporters at the Road Safety Centre in Bangkok on Friday.
 

Most of the accidents, 20, occurred in Nakhon Ratchasima, as did the greatest number of injuries, 23, while Udon Thani had the most fatalities, four.

 

Arkhom said most accidents involved drunk driving (34.6 per cent) and speeding (26.9 per cent) and warned that drunk drivers involved in a fatal crash would certainly be jailed.

 

He said 667,000 people left Bangkok for other provinces on Thursday alone – the largest single-day exodus for Songkran on record. 

 

Arkhom said the Songkran safety campaign aimed to make drivers sure observe the speed limit and keep their headlights on and that they and their passengers wear seatbelts, or helmets if on a motorcycle. 

 

He noted that all public-transport vehicles have GPS so they can be monitored for speeding and the vehicles’ condition was inspected. Their drivers were also routinely checked for sobriety.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30367602

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2019-04-12

46 die in accidents on first day of Songkran’s safe driving campaign

 

 

Forty-six people were killed and 482 others injured in road accidents on the first day of the government’s Songkran safe driving campaign yesterday. 

 

The figures were disclosed by Transport Minister Arkhom Termpittayapaisit, in his capacity as vice president of the National Road Accident Prevention and Reduction Committee.

 

He said 34.62% of the accidents were caused by drunk driving and 26.92% by speeding, with motorcycles accounting for 78.47% of the accidents. 65.38% occurred on straight roads, with 42.31% of the incidents occurring on national highwaysand 35.04% on secondary roads.

 

Full story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/46-die-in-accidents-on-first-day-of-songkrans-safe-driving-campaign/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2019-04-12

According to the World Health Organization, Thailand averages 66 road deaths EVERY day. 

 

2 minutes ago, silverhawk_usa said:

According to the World Health Organization, Thailand averages 66 road deaths EVERY day. 

 

Well, the day is not over yet...

Was water throwing involved?

29 minutes ago, silverhawk_usa said:

According to the World Health Organization, Thailand averages 66 road deaths EVERY day. 

 

It has been observed by myself and many others on TVF that it is not unusual for the daily death tally to be lower than the usual daily average during these so called 7 dangerous days.

24 minutes ago, sunnyboy2018 said:

Was water throwing involved?

As far as I am aware, 'water fighting' hasn't started yet.

1 hour ago, webfact said:

National Road Accident Prevention and Reduction Committee.

 

Put good old BJ in charge, and he'll arrest all foreign traffic offenders. 

51 minutes ago, Moonlover said:

It has been observed by myself and many others on TVF that it is not unusual for the daily death tally to be lower than the usual daily average during these so called 7 dangerous days.

The accident and death stats released daily during Songkran are far removed from reality.

"Only" 46 , good start. 

2 minutes ago, edwinchester said:

55 minutes ago, Moonlover said:

It has been observed by myself and many others on TVF that it is not unusual for the daily death tally to be lower than the usual daily average during these so called 7 dangerous days.

2 minutes ago, edwinchester said:

The accident and death stats released daily during Songkran are far removed from reality.

How do you know that?

 

1 hour ago, Moonlover said:

How do you know that?

 

Having been in a province several times in my 18 years here with a reported zero deaths and knowing for a fact that roads deaths have occurred.

Having several Police friends who say the official stats are nowhere near give a true figure because of under reporting.

I could go on but the most telling indicator is the authorities themselves calling Songkran 'The Seven Deadly Days'.

 

3 hours ago, webfact said:

and warned that drunk drivers involved in a fatal crash would certainly be jailed.

Presumably that means if the drunk driver manages to survive?

2 hours ago, silverhawk_usa said:

According to the World Health Organization, Thailand averages 66 road deaths EVERY day. 

 

That means then that with only 46 killed on the first day, claimed to be mainly due to alcohol, the conclusion can only be that driving whilst intoxicated has actually saved 20 lives compared to a normal day.  Only in Thailand does the impossible become possible.

Edited April 12, 20197 yr by geoffbezoz

2 minutes ago, ratcatcher said:

Presumably that means if the drunk driver manages to survive?

 

Somehow they normally do, it's innocent people that seem to pay the price !!

3 minutes ago, geoffbezoz said:

That means then that with only 46 killed on the first day, claimed to be mainly due to alcohol, the conclusion can only be that driving whilst intoxicated has actually saved 20 lives compared to a normal day.

 

6hrs to go on day 1 !! A lot can happen in 6hrs, especially as people are getting either more tired or more drunk ?? 

So 46 in 75% of the day, leaves room for another 15 to add to the total... 

Edited April 12, 20197 yr by cornishcarlos

3 hours ago, webfact said:

Arkhom said most accidents involved drunk driving (34.6 per cent) and speeding (26.9 per cent) and warned that drunk drivers involved in a fatal crash would certainly be jailed.

Will that apply to the CEO that just killed a policeman and his wife? He was drunk and slammed his benz into their suzuki. I won't hold my breath. 

1 minute ago, cornishcarlos said:

 

6hrs to go on day 1 !! A lot can happen in 6hrs, especially as people are getting either more tired or more drunk ?? 

You mean saving even more lives by more alcohol consumption with 6 hours to go? The Junta will be patting themselves on the back for saving peoples lives.

3 hours ago, silverhawk_usa said:

According to the World Health Organization, Thailand averages 66 road deaths EVERY day. 

Songkran is quiet time as you spend your time stuck in a traffic jam moving 5 km/h. But no worries, once you do get to destination, you can tank up with laukhao and head out on the scooter without the helmet to give the stats a boost.

53 minutes ago, DrTuner said:

Songkran is quiet time as you spend your time stuck in a traffic jam moving 5 km/h. But no worries, once you do get to destination, you can tank up with laukhao and head out on the scooter without the helmet to give the stats a boost.

You only give the stats a boost if you die at the scene.   An RTA where the seriously injured are taken to hospital and subsequently die from their road traffic accident injuries are not counted as road accident deaths by the Thai authorities.  Something they call "Thainess" I think. It has been suggested that if they consider that accident victims who subsequently die from their injuries, like all other countries do, the death toll on Thai roads would as a minimum be in excess of double that published by the Thai authorities.

 

But hey it is of no consequence the the governing classes, the elite and their supporters as those people don't die on the roads like the plebs do as they only travel with the roads blocked to the plebs by a police cordon and with a police escort.  Or fly of course.

5 hours ago, silverhawk_usa said:

According to the World Health Organization, Thailand averages 66 road deaths EVERY day. 

 

According to Thai sources the figure is in fact 65.67%

10 hours ago, cornishcarlos said:

 

Somehow they normally do, it's innocent people that seem to pay the price !!

Sad, but true...

Start stupidly again !!!! Start life expiring with stupid people who drink and driving !!!!

 

19 hours ago, webfact said:

and warned that drunk drivers involved in a fatal crash would certainly be jailed.

...does not apply to Mercedes, Porsche and Lambo drivers, or holders of the "Do you know who I am Elite Card".

Why is the term "Accident" used???

 

In most cases, the cause is not "accidental", but poor or alcohol impaired driving, likely both factors in many incidents.

 

The first day numbers of 46 killed & 480+ injured of whom some will die, is NOT accidents.... it's ROAD CARNAGE!!

ONGOING ROAD CARNAGE!!! 

 

Prayut, Prawit & RTP do little or Nothing to curb these unnecessary deaths & injuries!!

What will they say to the families & friends of those who've died or been seriously injured??? What??? 

 

Their plan to reduce deaths & injuries by 5 -10% this year, is a pathetic artificial patch on the problem !!

 

Thailand has for years, had one of the world's highest road toll rates, yet, successive Gov'ts have done little or Nothing to address the problem...

 

A TOTAL DISGRACE 

http://www.thairsc.com/

 

 

As everybody knows about this culture.

It is well known how they bend the truth.

They even modified, erased and rewrite history books.

Who is going to believe their given numbers???

They do modify records (seen by myself), misreport and also do fake.

There is no reason to believe anything.

It's extremely hard to act stupid these days. The competition is so overwhelming…

Why do the Authorities insist on calling it " The Seven deadly days of Songkran"

The deadly days of Songkran are maybe 14 days long now, or maybe even more.

Lets have the figures from 9th April to 23rd April, to really get a true insight into the wanton waste of Human life on Thai roads.

 

20 hours ago, sunnyboy2018 said:

Was water throwing involved?

Use of brains was not involved either! ????