SOURCE: Pattaya Daily News: April 16th 2007

SONGKRAN ROAD SAFETY IN PATTAYA GETS OFF TO BAD START

The number of road accidents in Pattaya between 13-15th April has already exceeded 118 incidents, involving both Thais and foreigners. Significantly, the majority of motorcycle accident victims were not wearing crash helmets and even more noteworthy is the fact that all of these incidents involved Thai teenagers!

From past experience, the 7 most dangerous days during the Songkran Festival of Thailand are between 11-17th April, nationwide. But as Pattaya’s celebration will be on April 19th, this can be added to the critical period.

In only two days, from 13th -14th April, Pattaya has already had a high incidence of accidents and there are still 3 more days to go!

Details follow:

Banglamung Hospital

Motorbike Accidents: 51 incidents (37 wearing no helmets)

Car accidents: 6 incidents

Bicycle: 1 incident

Accidents caused by iced water: 1 incident ( potentially really dangerous, as people like to put large chunks of ice in their tank or bucket to keep the water cool, or to be malicious)

Fighting: 35 incidents

(all the incidents mentioned above included 6 foreigners )

Pattaya Memorial Hospital

Motorbike Accidents: 39 incidents ( 12 wearing no helmets)

Car accidents: 8 incidents

Fighting: 11 incidents

(all the incidents mentioned above included 10 foreigners)

Bangkok Pattaya Hospital

Motorbike Accidents: 17 incidents ( 7 wearing no helmets)

Car accident: 2 incidents

(all the incidents mentioned above included 5 foreigners)

Summary

Total motorbike accidents - 102 incidents , 5 of which were serious, some victims are still unconscious in the hospital. All of the accidents involved teenagers, aged between 17-19.

Fighting - a total of 46 incidents, involving youths aged between 18-20. Weapons used include long knives, guns, and metal sticks.

The most dangerous place for accidents was Pattaya Klang (Central Pattaya), followed by South Pattaya, North Pattaya, Jomtien and Naklua.

Fortunately, nobody has yet died, but don’t forget, we still have 3 days to go, especially the 18th and 19th April, when masses of people from everywhere join the melee, taking the last opportunity to celebrate Songkran.

Pattaya Daily News will stay on line 24 hours daily, based at the police stations and the hospitals, ready to bring you the breaking news as it happens. Hopefully, we can fill our front page with colourful pictures of cultural cerebration, not gruesome pictures of accidents.

SOURCE: Pattaya Daily News: April 16th 2007

SONGKRAN ROAD SAFETY IN PATTAYA GETS OFF TO BAD START

The number of road accidents in Pattaya between 13-15th April has already exceeded 118 incidents, involving both Thais and foreigners. Significantly, the majority of motorcycle accident victims were not wearing crash helmets and even more noteworthy is the fact that all of these incidents involved Thai teenagers!

From past experience, the 7 most dangerous days during the Songkran Festival of Thailand are between 11-17th April, nationwide. But as Pattaya’s celebration will be on April 19th, this can be added to the critical period.

In only two days, from 13th -14th April, Pattaya has already had a high incidence of accidents and there are still 3 more days to go!

Details follow:

Banglamung Hospital

Motorbike Accidents: 51 incidents (37 wearing no helmets)

Car accidents: 6 incidents

Bicycle: 1 incident

Accidents caused by iced water: 1 incident ( potentially really dangerous, as people like to put large chunks of ice in their tank or bucket to keep the water cool, or to be malicious)

Fighting: 35 incidents

(all the incidents mentioned above included 6 foreigners )

Pattaya Memorial Hospital

Motorbike Accidents: 39 incidents ( 12 wearing no helmets)

Car accidents: 8 incidents

Fighting: 11 incidents

(all the incidents mentioned above included 10 foreigners)

Bangkok Pattaya Hospital

Motorbike Accidents: 17 incidents ( 7 wearing no helmets)

Car accident: 2 incidents

(all the incidents mentioned above included 5 foreigners)

Summary

Total motorbike accidents - 102 incidents , 5 of which were serious, some victims are still unconscious in the hospital. All of the accidents involved teenagers, aged between 17-19.

Fighting - a total of 46 incidents, involving youths aged between 18-20. Weapons used include long knives, guns, and metal sticks.

The most dangerous place for accidents was Pattaya Klang (Central Pattaya), followed by South Pattaya, North Pattaya, Jomtien and Naklua.

Fortunately, nobody has yet died, but don’t forget, we still have 3 days to go, especially the 18th and 19th April, when masses of people from everywhere join the melee, taking the last opportunity to celebrate Songkran.

Pattaya Daily News will stay on line 24 hours daily, based at the police stations and the hospitals, ready to bring you the breaking news as it happens. Hopefully, we can fill our front page with colourful pictures of cultural cerebration, not gruesome pictures of accidents.[/quote

Of course you do!!!!!

Based on the Population of Pattaya, these numbers are very small, granted we have not got to 18th and 19th yet, so we shall see.

I was down Jomtien on Saturday joining in.

My own rules:-

No motorcycles

No babies/toddlers under 4

No open windows of cars

Cold water ok - but only via a water gun

Apart from that - anyone else is gonna get it

I particularly like going for fresh tourists all nice and dry on the baht bus

Common Sense must prevail

Common Sense must prevail

Common sense in Pattaya during Songkran?

No! Never been known.

Have a safe and wet one.

must admit, getting hit with iced water while riding my bike is not a safe experience, this practise should be stopped

Good reporting ........ before the main events !!

Naklua - 18th

Pattaya - 19th

load more stats to come.............. but hopefully no fatalities

play safely !!