Songkran festival sees surge in road accidents across Thailand

[webfact]

Thailand is grappling with a surge in road accidents, with an alarming tally of 2,044 mishaps leading to 2,060 injuries and a tragic loss of 287 lives. The Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) released these figures as part of their Seven Days of Road Safety Campaign, which covered the Songkran festival period from April 11 to April 17.

 

The northern province of Chiang Rai topped the list for the highest number of fatalities and accidents, recording 17 deaths and 82 accidents respectively. The province of Phrae, unfortunately, saw the most injuries with a total of 80 individuals affected.

 

The Seven Days of Road Safety Campaign is an annual initiative by the DDPM to promote safer road practices, particularly during the Songkran festival, a time when road accidents typically spike due to increased travel and festivities.

 

The campaign’s objective is not only to raise awareness but also to enforce traffic rules more stringently to ensure the safety of all road users, said a DDPM spokesperson.

“Despite our best efforts, the number of accidents, injuries, and deaths remains high. We urge everyone to observe traffic rules, avoid drink driving, and ensure their vehicles are in good condition before hitting the road.

The Songkran festival, also known as the Thai New Year, is a time of celebration for the Thai people. It is often marked with water fights, visits to temples, and spending time with family. However, the festival period also sees a significant increase in road traffic as people travel across the country to their hometowns.

 

The DDPM has been proactive in trying to reduce the number of road accidents during this period. Their initiatives include setting up road safety checkpoints, increasing patrols, and running public awareness campaigns on the dangers of drink driving and speeding.

 

Looking at the statistics, Chiang Rai recorded the most accidents and fatalities, highlighting a need for further intervention in this region. Phrae, with the highest number of injuries, also requires attention, said the DDPM spokesperson.

 

“We need everyone’s cooperation to make our roads safer. We are doing our best, but it is also up to each individual to take responsibility for their actions on the road.”

 

The statistics are a stark reminder of the dangers that can come with increased road traffic during festive periods.

 

by Top Top

 

Source: The Thaiger 2024-04-19

 

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[keith101]

6 minutes ago, webfact said:

tragic loss of 287 lives.

From memory these numbers never include those that die on the way to hospital or after they get there so they could be a lot higher

[ezzra]

Same every year, after the revelry of Songran comes the grim news of how many people have lost their lives

on the nation's roads, and next year will be the same, and the next and next...

[brewsterbudgen]

1 minute ago, ezzra said:

Same every year, after the revelry of Songran comes the grim news of how many people have lost their lives

on the nation's roads, and next year will be the same, and the next and next...

Yes, there are always going to be accidents over long holiday periods that involve a lot of drinking.  

[brianthainess]

18 minutes ago, webfact said:

“Despite our best efforts, the number of accidents, injuries, and deaths remains high. We urge everyone to observe traffic rules, avoid drink driving, and ensure their vehicles are in good condition before hitting the road.

So obviously your 'Best Efforts' are not good enough. Get the Cops to actually do their job of Patrolling the roads, and stop bad driving, checkpoints don't work and never have, and never will, but you repeat the same "Efforts" every year and Fail.  

[bkk6060]

Truly disgusting.   Thai people are so uneducated as to the safest way to drive and avoid accidents.   Number one is following too closely at high speeds. It will never change any kind of proper driving training is no priority and will never exist. Sad so many will die 

[bkk6060]

36 minutes ago, brianthainess said:

So obviously your 'Best Efforts' are not good enough. Get the Cops to actually do their job of Patrolling the roads, and stop bad driving, checkpoints don't work and never have, and never will, but you repeat the same "Efforts" every year and Fail.  

Sorry, totally disagree wish it was that easy the cops here cannot stop any of it at this point.  Stopping one car and a 500 b ticket while 1,000's speed by does nothing.   It starts in the 5th or 6th grade with education. And, the engineering of many of the roadways is poor. But, early education is the key.

Edited April 19 by bkk6060

[bluemoon58]

Songkran festival sees surge in road accidents across Thailand...

 

Surprise surprise! 

[CecilM]

3 hours ago, keith101 said:

From memory these numbers never include those that die on the way to hospital or after they get there so they could be a lot higher

I remember reading that only on-site deaths are recorded. That number doubles if you count those that die on the way, and in, hospital. 

[Rockhound]

THe long term daily average of 40 deaths per day increases to nearly 70 per day at New Year and at Songkraan.   

 

 

[dinsdale]

Another nonsense article from The Thaiger. If numbers are down there is no possible way they can surge. Average daily death toll/accidents causing injury over the "seven deadly days" of Songkran was less than the overall daily average over a year. So in actual fact the numbers reduced. Not surged. 

[bristolgeoff]

No surprise come back next year no change,chiang rai was the worse i thought pattaya would be no1 or chiang mai.During that time i kept off the bike common sense

[newbee2022]

3 hours ago, keith101 said:

From memory these numbers never include those that die on the way to hospital or after they get there so they could be a lot higher

There was a figure some years ago by UN: they estimated that almost 30.000 per year would have died in total caused by road accidents. 😳

[Photoguy21]

3 hours ago, keith101 said:

From memory these numbers never include those that die on the way to hospital or after they get there so they could be a lot higher

True. The figures are of those unfortunate persons that die at the scene of the accident

[hotchilli]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

Thailand is grappling with a surge in road accidents, with an alarming tally of 2,044 mishaps leading to 2,060 injuries and a tragic loss of 287 lives. The Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) released these figures as part of their Seven Days of Road Safety Campaign, which covered the Songkran festival period from April 11 to April 17.

The Thai populace accept it, the government are happy to let Thais be Thais... 

expect no changes.

Edited April 19 by hotchilli

[dinsdale]

6 minutes ago, Rockhound said:

THe long term daily average of 40 deaths per day increases to nearly 70 per day at New Year and at Songkraan.   

 

 

287 over the 7 days is an average of 41. Average daily death toll is around the 60 mark. This is a bit dated but 

https://cdn.who.int/media/docs/default-source/thailand/roadsafety/overview-en-final-25-7-19.pdf?sfvrsn=f9d7a862_2

[Photoguy21]

1 minute ago, hotchilli said:

The Thai populace accept it, the government are happy to let Thais be Thais... 

expect no changes.

These are accepted figure. If all deaths resulting from road accidents were counted i.e. deaths in hospitals resulting from road accidents, the figures would be through the roof.

[sfbandung]

I'd love to see the number of fatalities that were on motorbikes, and of those, how many were not wearing helmets.

[keithkarmann]

4 hours ago, brianthainess said:

So obviously your 'Best Efforts' are not good enough. Get the Cops to actually do their job of Patrolling the roads, and stop bad driving, checkpoints don't work and never have, and never will, but you repeat the same "Efforts" every year and Fail.  

Limited brain power.

[MrJ2U]

Misdleading.

 

Almost all these accidents and injuries are from motorcycles.  

 

Unfortunately car/truck ownership is out of reach for the majority of Thai's.

 

Lax drinking laws are also a major factor.

Edited April 19 by MrJ2U

[AhFarangJa]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

The DDPM has been proactive in trying to reduce the number of road accidents during this period. Their initiatives include setting up road safety checkpoints,

Where we are the road safety checkpoints are a bigger hazard than not having them. Always set up just after a bend, or where the road already narrows. A line of cones in the road, absolutely no prior warning, and a bunch of mindless morons sitting around playing with their mobile phones while motorbikes stream past on the wrong side of the road, no helmets, no number plates, three on a bike. It is a pathetic sham by the people in power to try to show that they care, which they do not. DDPM.......What a fiasco. 

[spidermike007]

I made the mistake of getting out on the road the day before Songkran started and it was a nightmaret. There was a lot more traffic on the highways during the holidays, so of course there's going to be more accidents, of course there's going to be more fatalities. This isn't really news. 

[worgeordie]

While the number of deaths and injuries on Thai roads is unexceptable ,

there are wider complications ,some of these people that have ded ,

would have been breadwinners for families , workers in positions that

will now need to be filled, these peoples deaths & injuries are going

to cause a lot of problems for Thailand .....RIP those that have died

and a swift recovery for those injured  ,

 

regards worgeordie

[paul1804]

Yes its always sad to hear how many fatalities there are and as other members have pointed out these numbers are deaths at the scene of the accidents. Unfortunately the authorities do nothing sensible to educate Thai drivers, there is no real consistent policing of law breakers, for motor bikes which are the largest fatality's ie not wearing helmets, actually having a licence to drive a motor bike, driving on the correct side of the road observing road lane lines painted on the road, waiting until there is no oncoming traffic before over taking, looking both ways at an intersection before making a turn, maximum 2 on bike etc etc. So I blame the department of transport and the Road police for failing in what they are paid to do. Tourists hiring motorbikes should have to have a valid licence from their own country, everyday I see newbies who have no riding experience what so ever so another accident waiting to happen.

For car & pickup drivers again do licence checks, educate drivers that those lines painted on the road are actually there for a reason, if you want to cross lanes check the way is clear and indicate prior. A red light means stop but everyday I see vehicle and especially bikes running red lights. At roundabouts you must give way to traffic on the roundabout, give way to vehicles on your right when turning.  Over loaded pickups is a common sight but the police do nothing. 

An indication of Thailands third world status and peoples greed where money takes precedence over the law and common sense, Its not going to change anytime soon!

 

[findlay13]

The Authorities speak  the same crap  year after year

Edited April 19 by findlay13

[Boedog]

There joking aren't they " Despite our best efforts" ask everyone to obey traffic rules and ensure vehicles are in good condition before hitting the road, what a joke, speed, reckless driving, don't indicate,  don't use mirrors, run red lights, stop signs, they dont even know the road rules. The 50 question multiple choice to get you drivers licence is a joke nothing to do with driving or the road rules, fix the test fix the requirements to get a licence, it is surprising the number of road deaths is triple what it is and that would be luck more than good management,  and unroadworthy vehicles WOW zero policing and enforcement 

[Confuscious]

These statistics are masking the reality and should only be published 30 days AFTER the dangerous 7 days.

People who are injured within the 7-days and die within the 30 day frame are not listed as death in the 7-days.

[kwilco]

How is a reduction in accidents and deaths a surge??????

[kwilco]

1 hour ago, spidermike007 said:

I made the mistake of getting out on the road the day before Songkran started and it was a nightmaret. There was a lot more traffic on the highways during the holidays, so of course there's going to be more accidents, of course there's going to be more fatalities. This isn't really news. 

there are LESS fatalities

[Confuscious]

6 hours ago, brianthainess said:

So obviously your 'Best Efforts' are not good enough. Get the Cops to actually do their job of Patrolling the roads, and stop bad driving, checkpoints don't work and never have, and never will, but you repeat the same "Efforts" every year and Fail.  

 

Who withdraw the law that limited the people carried on the load surface of a pick-up?
Don't need to answer that question, we know already ....