Scores of people die in road accidents on fifth of the seven dangerous days

[webfact]

 

Twenty-one more people were killed and 284 were injured in 266 road accidents on the 5th day of the New Year travel “Seven Dangerous Days” yesterday, increasing total fatalities and injuries to 212 and 1,860 respectively, according to the Command Centre for the Prevention and Reduction of Road Accidents.

 

The command centre reported that 40.6% of the accidents involved speeding, 23.31% were caused by cutting in front of other vehicles and 14.29% are being blamed on drunk driving. 87% of the accidents involved motorcycles.

 

On the fifth dangerous day, Kanchanaburi province topped the list with 69 road accidents and 73 people injured, while Bangkok saw the highest number of fatalities, at 15.

 

Source: Thai PBS 2024-01-04

 

- Cigna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here.

 

Get our Daily Newsletter - Click HERE to subscribe

No deaths were reported in 17 provinces.

[webfact]

Thailand Reports In Total 212 Deaths in Five Days of New Year Seven Days Road Safety Campaign
By Goongnang Suksawat

 

 

Thailand – The Thai Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) reported on Wednesday (January 3rd), a total of 212 deaths, 1,860 injuries, and 1,839 road accidents in five days (December 29th, 2023 – January 2nd, 2024) of the New Year Seven Days Road Safety campaign in Thailand (December 29th, 2023 to January 4th, 2024).

The highest total number in five days (December 29th, 2023 – January 2nd, 2024) of road accidents and injuries was in Kanchanaburi (69 times, 73 injuries). The highest fatalities were in Bangkok (15 deaths).

 

The DDPM reported on the fourth day of the campaign (January 2nd) that there were 21 deaths and 284 injuries in 266 road accidents.

 

Full story: THE PATTAYA NEWS 2024-01-04

 

- Cigna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here.

 

Get our Daily Newsletter - Click HERE to subscribe

[smedly]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

Seven Dangerous Days

waken up idiots - 365 days a year because the police don't know what their job is

 

the carnage continues until someone with an education comes down hard on drunk driving - speeding and whatever driving laws are broken without enforcement - yes the laws exist - why ?

[hotchilli]

1 hour ago, smedly said:

waken up idiots - 365 days a year because the police don't know what their job is

 

the carnage continues until someone with an education comes down hard on drunk driving - speeding and whatever driving laws are broken without enforcement - yes the laws exist - why ?

Because it looks good on paper... 

[bkk6060]

Was on the road last week.  Sorry,  the drivers here are insane.  Tailgating at 120 right on bumpers of other vehicles. Car after car.  So uneducated and reckless.  Ignorance and non caring.  Disgusting really I wonder sometimes how much they value life.

 

[KhunLA]

21 is actually a low daily number for TH, as is the average of 42 or 43 a day.   Holidays always seem to have lower number of roadway deaths than the daily average of the year.

 

2019 average was 54 per day.

2020 ... 49, thanks to covid

2021 ... 46

 

Actually those numbers sound low, but can't be bothered searching more.

[2baht]

2 hours ago, smedly said:

yes the laws exist - why ?

To enable the upholders of the law to extort money! 

[ezzra]

The think is that you hardly see any police presence on them roads, you can travel hundreds of km without

seeing a police car, plenty of signs warning you of speed limit cameras and police presence, but those only BS signs...

[klauskunkel]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

The Thai Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation

There is a whole department to mitigate the disaster of Thai driving? They must have upgraded from the committee...

[Classic Ray]

Whilst 21 deaths on the fifth day is appalling, it is not “scores” as in the headline, it is just over a score (20).

 

 

[DPKANKAN]

On the fifth dangerous day, Kanchanaburi province topped the list with 69 road accidents and 73 people injured.

 

Not surprised!. Yesterday drove up to our 2nd home in Thong Pah Phum. Being overtaken by pickups and vans at speeds of 150kph. Cutting in and out and overtaking on blind bends and brows of hills, while big bikers were swarming round like bees and of course because we leave stopping distance between vehicles it is their target areas too!!!

[KhunBENQ]

1 hour ago, KhunLA said:

21 is actually a low daily number for TH, as is the average of 42 or 43 a day.   Holidays always seem to have lower number of roadway deaths than the daily average of the year.

 

2019 average was 54 per day.

2020 ... 49, thanks to covid

2021 ... 46

 

Actually those numbers sound low, but can't be bothered searching more.

You were faster. Of course these numbers are lower than average over the year. Just creating some important sounding headlines.

 

Yesterday I drove with the bike over some minor rural roads (4 digit road numbers) with very little traffic like a bigger vehicle every five minutes.

But they have set up the well known "traffic checkpoints" (tent camping). Such a joke!

[KhunLA]

3 minutes ago, KhunBENQ said:

But they have set up the well known "traffic checkpoints" (tent campers). Such a joke!

Good idea, but can't say I've ever noticed anyone taking advantage of them.  Taking a break or grabbing a free bottle water while stretching the legs.  Maybe if there was a toilet nearby.

 

PTT Parks rock, and newer, larger Bangchak stations, trying to complete, who can squeeze in more vendors.

 

I try to avoid long weekends, and weekends in general, as simply too much traffic on the main highways.

[stoner]

and in other news the sun came up today. 

[stix40]

2 hours ago, bkk6060 said:

Was on the road last week.  Sorry,  the drivers here are insane.  Tailgating at 120 right on bumpers of other vehicles. Car after car.  So uneducated and reckless.  Ignorance and non caring.  Disgusting really I wonder sometimes how much they value life.

 

I don't think they do , fear glands are removed at birth ! 

[mikebell]

2 hours ago, KhunLA said:

21 is actually a low daily number for TH, as is the average of 42 or 43 a day.   Holidays always seem to have lower number of roadway deaths than the daily average of the year.

 

2019 average was 54 per day.

2020 ... 49, thanks to covid

2021 ... 46

 

Actually those numbers sound low, but can't be bothered searching more.

Yesterday WHO STATS:

Each day from road crashes in THAILAND
60 (13 young) people die 
2,500 (800 youth) are injured
500 are seriously injured (150 are young) 
20 become disabled (7 youth)

[lordgrinz]

11 minutes ago, stix40 said:

I don't think they do , fear glands are removed at birth ! 

 

They believe in fate, nothing to do with fear, they just feel "if it's my time, it will happen". Personal safety means nothing to most Thai's, and probably never will. The worst part, is that they have no care at all for other peoples safety, especially if it impedes their travel. 

[Bangkok Barry]

4 hours ago, bkk6060 said:

I wonder sometimes how much they value life.

 

They are too stupid to join the dots (IQ is 88). They have no concept that what they do is dangerous, that it could kill or injure themselves and others. It simply would never occur to them. I would bet all I have that there is not a single family in Thailand who does not know of someone who has been killed or seriously injured on the roads.

[Bangkok Barry]

2 hours ago, lordgrinz said:

 

They believe in fate, nothing to do with fear, they just feel "if it's my time, it will happen". Personal safety means nothing to most Thai's, and probably never will. The worst part, is that they have no care at all for other peoples safety, especially if it impedes their travel. 

 

That kind of mirrors what my wife says, which is they will die anyway. Different culture to ours, and particularly strange in a so-called Buddhist nation where life is meant to be so precious, isn't it? Of course, the entire Thai way of life is in direct conflict with true Buddhism.

[lordgrinz]

6 minutes ago, Bangkok Barry said:

 

That kind of mirrors what my wife says, which is they will die anyway. Different culture to ours, and particularly strange in a so-called Buddhist nation where life is meant to be so precious, isn't it? Of course, the entire Thai way of life is in direct conflict with true Buddhism.

 

Yup, I have conversation with the wife about these issues a lot. She does agree with me, but knows Thai's won't change, ever. I asked her why road rules and laws that were signed and approved by their King (one so loved by Thai's), are totally ignored? Its like they want to pretend they are Buddhist, but not actually be a Buddhist, and since when did Buddha insinuate one could buy a better life in the future? I can't take Thai Buddhism seriously, it appears to be a perverted view of what Buddha stood for, or ever taught.

[Gweiloman]

It starts with the poor education at school from a young age. Coupled with ignorance and the sabai sabai and Mai been rai attitude and totally useless driving tests, the situation is unlikely to improve.

[traveller101]

Data compiled by DDPM (publishing the 21 deaths) has been used in a major study analysing traffic accidents by the Asian Transportation Research Society. Under Chapter 2.5 the study highlighted some issues relating to thelimitations and accuracy of crash data, such as

● under-reporting

● systematic reporting bias

● random and subjective bias

● reporting errors 

● responding delays

and more.

 

Project2018-004(Dr.Paramet) (1).pdf

[NoshowJones]

I am not surprised that Kanchanaburi is mentioned regarding bad drivers, I was there recently on my motorbike and the standard of driving there was ridiculous. I was going to say unbelievable, but this is Thailand.

[lordgrinz]

30 minutes ago, NoshowJones said:

I am not surprised that Kanchanaburi is mentioned regarding bad drivers, I was there recently on my motorbike and the standard of driving there was ridiculous. I was going to say unbelievable, but this is Thailand.

 Come to Muang Thong Thani area, its like living in a 3rd world country around here. You haven't seen really bad drivers until you come to this cesspool.

[soalbundy]

Once you accept 'it is as it is' life becomes so much simpler. In the West life is almost antiseptic, take the ULEZ (ultra low emission zones) in the UK, 20 mph maximum and the myriad of fines that can be given out for the most minor of transgressions and yet there are still 346 road accidents daily, in 2022 there were 1,711 fatalities, and 135,480 casualties of all severity. This is low compared to the 20,000 fatalities per year in Thailand but accidents still happen and no matter how hard the police control traffic they will continue to happen, how severe do you want the controls to be? My opinion is that there is too much in the UK and far too little in Thailand, there should be a happy medium somewhere without being too draconian. You can't wrap people up in cotton wool, life entails risk which should and can be somewhat minimized, the Thais don't quite see it that way, perhaps that is why life here is so much more vibrant than in the UK.

[stix40]

4 hours ago, lordgrinz said:

 

They believe in fate, nothing to do with fear, they just feel "if it's my time, it will happen". Personal safety means nothing to most Thai's, and probably never will. The worst part, is that they have no care at all for other peoples safety, especially if it impedes their travel. 

Enlightenment on highway 1 

[lordgrinz]

2 minutes ago, soalbundy said:

Once you accept 'it is as it is' life becomes so much simpler. In the West life is almost antiseptic, take the ULEZ (ultra low emission zones) in the UK, 20 mph maximum and the myriad of fines that can be given out for the most minor of transgressions and yet there are still 346 road accidents daily, in 2022 there were 1,711 fatalities, and 135,480 casualties of all severity. This is low compared to the 20,000 fatalities per year in Thailand but accidents still happen and no matter how hard the police control traffic they will continue to happen, how severe do you want the controls to be? My opinion is that there is too much in the UK and far too little in Thailand, there should be a happy medium somewhere without being too draconian. You can't wrap people up in cotton wool, life entails risk which should and can be somewhat minimized, the Thais don't quite see it that way, perhaps that is why life here is so much more vibrant than in the UK.

 

Couldn't disagree with you more.

[Liverpool Lou]

9 hours ago, smedly said:

speeding and whatever driving laws are broken without enforcement - yes the laws exist - why

It is because the police stations responsible for their areas are not provided with sufficient budget and equipment by the government to effect the enforcement.   

[Liverpool Lou]

7 hours ago, bkk6060 said:

the drivers here are insane.  Tailgating at 120 right on bumpers of other vehicles. Car after car.  So uneducated and reckless.

Yet almost 90% of accidents involve motorcycles, not tailgating cars!

[Liverpool Lou]

6 hours ago, ezzra said:

The think is that you hardly see any police presence on them roads, you can travel hundreds of km without

seeing a police car

The police need to be provided with enough cars and fuel.  They aren't.  Just imagine the fun they could have tear-arsing around, chasing after delinquent drivers and fining them if they were able to do so.