Covid-19 Songkran: Hundreds avoid death on the roads thanks to virus!

[webfact]

Covid-19 Songkran: Hundreds avoid death on the roads thanks to virus!

 

Picture: Daily News

 

Thailand's infamous "Seven Deadly Days" death toll on the roads every Songkran new year holidays has not happened this year.

 

The lockdowns and bans due to the coronavirus pandemic have seen to that. 

 

Normally at least 400 die on the roads between April 11th and 17th as the authorities desperately try to limit the carnage that has seen the Thai roads named as some of the most dangerous in the world. 

 

It is all change this year especially as the alcohol ban in many places may have contributed to far less DUI incidents. Drink driving has always been a major reason for accidents especially at Songkran. 

 

Daily News reported that just 136 people died from Saturday to Friday last week when the Songkran festival would normally have been held. 

 

Picture: Daily News

 

In comparison a Nation report from last year showed 297 deaths from April 11-15th last year and just 90 deaths in the same period in 2020. 

 

On Saturday only 13 died bringing the year total for deaths at the scene to 4,429.

 

The media always cautions that the figures will rise when all jurisdictions report their figures and when those that die on the way to and at hospitals are added to the tally. 

 

Thaivisa notes that the figures for casualties and injuries have been much lower this year since the economic downturn took hold and many people stopped travelling.

 

Source: Daily News

 

 

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[Dmaxdan]

There is always a silver lining. 

[Thailand]

Wow that is a surprise not!

 

Now we know the government action for the deadly days of the year is a lockdown,curfew and alcohol ban. 

But isn't the death toll far higher than most  death stats so that would have to be everyday!

[ThailandRyan]

This should make the OP thread hijackers who have been complaining COVID has less deaths than the roads Happy, or maybe not.....still can not compare what happens because of idiotic drivers who do not pay attention to how they drive, and ride MC's here with COVID-19.  Unless you want to claim that Driving like an Idiot is a virus, a systemic one at that, throughout the entire world and not just here.... 

[Kerryd]

"Only" 136 people died on the roads in a week.

A week in which most of the country was locked down, with bans on gatherings and drinkings, restaurants and markets closed, inter-provincial travel curtailed and curfews in place.

And STILL 136(+) people died on the roads !!!!!

But no worries, I'm sure, like everything else, they'll make up for the drop in numbers quite quickly when all the aforenoted restrictions are removed. Then the hospitals which were overwhelmed with virus patients can go back to being overwhelmed with the usual blood, guts and gore from traffic accidents.

[graemeaylward]

Don't forget that officially, the Songkran public holiday was only postponed to a date to be fixed later in the year, so there is still time to make up the deficit!

[PatOngo]

45 minutes ago, webfact said:

Daily News reported that just 136 people died from Saturday to Friday last week when the Songkran festival would normally have been held. 

ONLY  136 dead in a week, quite an achievement that! Give yourselves a hearty pat on the back! ????

[ukrules]

Thailand: The country where deaths went down during the pandemic because it slowed down every day stupidity.

[Eibot]

Infind it shocking that 136 people died on the roads while alcohol is banned and there is supposed to be. Lockdown with ALOT less cars in the road.

 

I find it an extremely disappointed number. Much higher than expected...

[phantomfiddler]

Incidentally a much higher toll than the dreaded virus, even with the huge drop ! Doesn,t this tell you something about the implied danger of this supposed pandemic ?

[ThailandRyan]

59 minutes ago, phantomfiddler said:

Incidentally a much higher toll than the dreaded virus, even with the huge drop ! Doesn,t this tell you something about the implied danger of this supposed pandemic ?

Yes, the closure of the country and the lockdowns for COVID-19, as well as adding a curfew and such, have possibly saved thousands of lives that the Virus would have destroyed, or that would have been on the road, but then you knew that already didn't you....

Edited April 20, 2020 by ThailandRyan

[Ventenio]

shut down all roads.  

 

if we can save one life, it's worth it.

 

i wonder what idiot thought that one up.

 

if i can save one person, it's worth it.  

 

sounds better than.....if only 10 million die, i'll get my bonus.  

 

or.....hey, time for war.  if we can kill 100 million i'll get a new house

 

ok, back to meditation.  if i can be find nirvana for one second, it's worth it. 

 

 

[rasmus5150]

12 minutes ago, Ventenio said:

ok, back to meditation.  if i can be find nirvana for one second, it's worth it. 

Nirvana is also on lockdown

[marko kok prong]

44 minutes ago, Ventenio said:

shut down all roads.  

 

if we can save one life, it's worth it.

 

i wonder what idiot thought that one up.

 

if i can save one person, it's worth it.  

 

sounds better than.....if only 10 million die, i'll get my bonus.  

 

or.....hey, time for war.  if we can kill 100 million i'll get a new house

 

ok, back to meditation.  if i can be find nirvana for one second, it's worth it. 

 

 

'One death,is a tradedgy,1 million a stastictic'-Stalin

Edited April 20, 2020 by marko kok prong
spelling

[Emdog]

Wow. Just imagine what the numbers could be if police enforced driving laws!

[Pedrogaz]

Reason to keep the curfew and alcohol ban permanently.

[drbeach]

6 hours ago, Kerryd said:

"Only" 136 people died on the roads in a week.

A week in which most of the country was locked down, with bans on gatherings and drinkings, restaurants and markets closed, inter-provincial travel curtailed and curfews in place.

And STILL 136(+) people died on the roads !!!!!

But no worries, I'm sure, like everything else, they'll make up for the drop in numbers quite quickly when all the aforenoted restrictions are removed. Then the hospitals which were overwhelmed with virus patients can go back to being overwhelmed with the usual blood, guts and gore from traffic accidents.

Yeah it's incredible isn't it?

 

Why are all these people dying? Who are they and where are they heading? More importantly, how are managing to kill themselves with so little traffic on the roads and no traffic permitted (except for essential reasons) between 10pm and 4am?

 

I wonder if half these fatalities are from delivery drivers and container trucks frantically delivering produce to the 4 corners of the country (and to Laos/Cambodia/Myanmar/Malaysia)? If so, there may be temporary food shortages soon!

[drbeach]

29 minutes ago, Pedrogaz said:

Reason to keep the curfew and alcohol ban permanently.

Curfew no, too draconian. Night-time buses, flights or trains wouldn't be allowed to operate if one were to become permanent. Needing permission to go to the hospital at night? Not a good idea...tolerable now for a few weeks but on a permanent basis, I don't think so.

 

Permanent alcohol ban? Wouldn't affect me much, even though I like an occasional drink. That being said I have a better solution - rather than impose the current ridiculously useless 2-5pm alcohol sale ban, why not stop selling alcohol except in approved liquor stores? Why is alcohol being sold in supermarkets and 7-11s in a country that has such stringent alcohol control laws? It doesn't make any sense. In Australia, there are no trading hour restrictions that I am aware of (other than some bars/clubs/pubs having a nighttime "lock out" policy and possibly late night sale ban in some places...correct me if I'm wrong) but alcohol can only be sold in specialized stores called "bottle shops" by the locals (liquor stores in US parlance). Supermarkets now have their own alcohol stores separate from the main supermarket section. Restricted trading hours and separate cashiers apply.

Alcohol is unavailable at fast food restaurants, petrol (gas) stations or most other businesses. Restaurants need a license to serve liquor, leading to the phrase "licensed restaurant" or "BYO" (bring your own) in the case of restaurants allowing one to bring their own bottle of wine to a restaurant.

 

Can't see why Thailand can't apply such a policy...would be far more sensible than what they have going now. Would also cut down on the road toll.

[mr mr]

4 hours ago, Eibot said:

Infind it shocking that 136 people died on the roads while alcohol is banned and there is supposed to be. Lockdown with ALOT less cars in the road.

 

I find it an extremely disappointed number. Much higher than expected...

you should lower your expectations

[Thailand]

40 minutes ago, Pedrogaz said:

Reason to keep the curfew and alcohol ban permanently.

Seriously?

[Thailand]

6 hours ago, PatOngo said:

ONLY  136 dead in a week, quite an achievement that! Give yourselves a hearty pat on the back! ????

Nearly 5,000 dead on the roads year to date.

[JusticeGB]

If there is a lockdown why are there any road deaths?

[digger70]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

Thailand's infamous "Seven Deadly Days" death toll on the roads every Songkran new year holidays has not happened this year.

 

The lockdowns and bans due to the coronavirus pandemic have seen to that. 

If the people take heat and apply the Rules of Listening to the government and  the Road rules And Laws  this country wouldn't have Any Roadkills. 

[Eibot]

1 hour ago, Pedrogaz said:

Reason to keep the curfew and alcohol ban permanently.

Go live in a temple mate and <deleted> off. 

[ThailandRyan]

1 hour ago, JusticeGB said:

If there is a lockdown why are there any road deaths?

Because Thai people do not all obey laws, rules and use common sense, or is that a shock to your system? A good majority of those crashes quite possibly could involve alcohol, even with a ban, I know another shock. No way this could ever happen, well then This Is Thailand (TisT)....

[DrTuner]

How did they manage to die during a lock-down? Did they crash their scooters inside the house?