Video: One killed many injured as huge rocket flies into spectators at North East "Rocket Festival"

 

Picture: Thai Rath

 

One man died and many others were injured when a thirteen meter long home made rocket packed with explosives accidentally shot into a crowd of hundreds of spectators. 

 

The incident happened yesterday evening at a Rocket Festival in Nong Rua sub-district of Nong Bua Lamphu province in Thailand's north east. 

 

A video on the Channel 3 news showed villagers running for their lives amid smoke and fire. They reported that 17 had been injured five seriously.

 

Thai Rath reported that as spectators were looking at a Bang Fai Laan (Million Rocket) a Bang Fai Saen (100,000 Rocket) was set off accidentally in a tent and headed for the crowd.

 

The rocket was being prepared by the Song Phee Nong team from Sri Bun Reuang district around 5 pm. 

 

Dead at the scene was 60 year old Noorit Chaising who was directly impacted by the rocket. People as young as 18 and as old as 78 were listed among the injured.

 

The rocket had a diameter of 6 inches, its gunpowder chamber was three meters long and tail nearly ten meters long said Thai Rath. 

 

The owner of the rocket fled the scene and was being hunted by police. 

 

Governor of Nong Bua Lamphu Chaithawat Niamsiri called for a full investigation and help for the victims. 

 

The local district chief cancelled the remainder of the festival. 

 

Thaivisa notes that rocket festivals are held all over the north east of Thailand. Huge rockets are set off into the sky by teams competing for prizes. 

 

The tradition is based on beliefs that the god of the rains - Phayathaen - needs to be woken up to send the rains so that crops can grow at the start of the rice planting season. 

 

Four people were killed at Yasothon in 1999 when a rocket turned back into the crowd from the launchpad. 

 

In 2006 at the same venue - Thailand's biggest attended by thousands - a Bang Fai Laan whistled over the heads of spectators before destroying a tire repair shop next to a gas station. 

 

No one was hurt as the owner of the shop was in the toilets. 

 

Other accidents and deaths have occurred over the years at other festivals. 

 

Rocket Festivals are a must see tourist attraction in Thailand though all come with a warning about the danger involved in watching home made rockets filled with gunpowder. 

 

Crowds are always told to keep back but this latest incident clearly caught all by surprise. 

 

Sources: Thai Rath | CH3

 

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2019-06-03

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Maybe it would have been safer to go and see the movie instead?

2 minutes ago, Phuketshrew said:

Maybe it would have been safer to go and see the movie instead?

 

1 hour ago, webfact said:

Rocket Festivals are a must see tourist attraction in Thailand

You mean the tourist promotion movie?

again here we see what happens when stupid are left to their own devices - no standards or safety enforcement, completely lawless and unqualified people carrying out responsible jobs and tasks = carnage

 

what the odds the genius in charge of this thing had a lit cigarette hanging out of his mouth while working with it - stupid is what stupid does

This was not one of the largest rockets they create for these events. I am always surprised there are not more incidents with these festivals. The largest ones I witnessed at the Yasothon Bang Fai Festival were the better part of 12 inches in diameter, they made the earth shake when launched outside of the exclusion zone that was over 100 meters. The competing rockets are paraded through the main street the day before as part of the festival.

13 minutes ago, Chang_paarp said:

they made the earth shake when launched outside of the exclusion zone that was over 100 meters.

 

And leave ones ears ringing at 10 metres:

1 hour ago, RotBenz8888 said:

You mean the tourist promotion movie?

Not yet been to see Rocket man then?

Once again in Thailand proof that safety is actually rocket science

No danger of Thailand having a space programme with skills like this. RIP the old man and sympathies with the injured, but you have to be really stupid to go to one of these festivals in a country where even basic safety precautions are ignored.

An offensive troll post has been removed, the reply was removed as well. 

6 hours ago, taichiplanet said:

sad, but that's what happens when people with half a brain think they are rocket scientists.

Actually think of all the people killed in vehicles on Thai roads.  sad, but that's what happens when people with half a brain think they are vehicle drivers.  

Now - which is more dangerous?  The one death this year due to a rocket? Or the 22,500 people killed on Thai roads in 2018.  Now - which should you ban?  Rockets at the rocket festival, or Thai drivers?  

And honestly.  In any given year, how many Thai drivers and passengers are killed driving to or from the "Rocket Festival" as opposed to spectators killed at the festival. 

 

Again - which really should be banned?  ????

 

 

Edited June 3, 20197 yr by connda

Trouble is, as much as many whine about their home countries being 'nanny' States.

 

The reason that OSHA in the US, and I think it's called 'Health & Safety' in the UK, and various others came into being was because of these sort of incidents.

 

Human beings have the ability for stupidity, especially the young male of the species. Most Western countries recognized you need to actually regulate against certain aspects of stupidity.

 

Call that a Nanny State if you want, but it saves innocent lives 

6 hours ago, webfact said:

The tradition is based on beliefs that the god of the rains - Phayathaen - needs to be woken up to send the rains

Why don't they just call or txt him .. Better still get him an alarm clock ..

 

6 hours ago, webfact said:

In 2006 at the same venue - Thailand's biggest attended by thousands - a Bang Fai Laan whistled over the heads of spectators before destroying a tire repair shop next to a gas station. 

 

No one was hurt as the owner of the shop was in the toilets. 

Bet he shat hiself when that came in .. 

Mr Kim would have claimed total success????RIP 

Unclear whether it was the impact of the rocket at close range or the effect of drinking moonshine (sartoh) for the previous 9 hrs that killed him.....  

aim was a bit off,  didn't hit 'the gas station' .... then might no safety in being in a toliet .....  kind of a tease

On 6/3/2019 at 7:05 PM, GinBoy2 said:

Call that a Nanny State if you want, but it saves innocent lives 

I prefer it here, and am OK with the added risk.

Thais and home made rockets...what could go wrong?

Troll posts, inflammatory troll posts and the replies have been removed. 

Darwinism in all its glory

At least the old guy went out with a bang!????

Stupid and naive combined and there we have the result .... name the country


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