Thailand’s Songkran Road Death Toll Reaches 100 After Just Three Days

[Georgealbert]

 

Pictures courtesy of DDPM.

 

Authorities have reported a 100 fatalities and 752 injuries from 756 road crashes in just the first three days of the Songkran holiday period, according to the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM).

 

Mr. Khajorn Srichawanotai, Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Interior, delivered the daily update on 13 April as part of the national “Safe Driving, Accident-Free Thailand” campaign. He revealed that 39 people died and 299 were injured in 296 separate road accidents that day alone.

 

 

The leading causes of the accidents were speeding (44.26%), drink-driving (29.05%), and abrupt lane changes (17.91%). Motorcycles were involved in 85.85% of the reported incidents, with straight road sections accounting for the majority of crashes (81.42%). Most accidents occurred between 18.01 and 21.00.

 

The highest number of crashes occurred in Phuket (15), while Lampang recorded the highest number of injuries (19), and Pathum Thani, Sa Kaeo, and Chiang Rai each recorded the highest number of fatalities (3). The most affected age group was 20–29 years old, accounting for 21.89% of casualties.

Over the three-day period from 11–13 April, 30 provinces reported zero fatalities. However, Bangkok recorded the highest number of deaths overall (10), while Phatthalung saw the highest total number of crashes (28) and Lampang the highest number of injuries (31).

 

Officials stressed that the majority of the injuries and deaths were due to risky behaviours, notably not wearing helmets and drink-driving. Authorities are intensifying enforcement by increasing roadside checkpoints, 1,754 have been established nationwide, staffed by over 51,000 personnel and urging local communities to set up neighbourhood patrols and “family checkpoints” to warn and deter reckless drivers.

 

Deputy National Police Chief, Pol. Gen. Kraiboon Suadsong, added that in addition to alcohol, another contributing factor is drowsiness caused by certain medications. He urged provinces to launch awareness campaigns about drugs that may impair driving, including antihistamines, strong painkillers, muscle relaxants, anti-cough and anti-diarrhoea medications, and epilepsy drugs. Drivers, particularly public transport operators, should avoid driving if they are taking any such medicines.

 

Mr. Saharat Wongsakulwiwat, Deputy Director-General of the DDPM, reminded the public that 14 April is Thailand’s National Family Day, and many people will be travelling to visit elders or attend religious ceremonies. He urged all drivers to remain cautious, avoid speeding and drink-driving, wear protective gear, signal before changing lanes, and strictly obey traffic laws to ensure a safe and joyful holiday for all.

Related article:

 

https://aseannow.com/topic/1357667-59-dead-458-injured-in-first-two-days-of-songkran-holiday-travel-bangkok-tops-fatalities/

 

-- 2025-04-14

 

 

 

[Don Giovanni]

31 minutes ago, Georgealbert said:

Authorities have reported a 100 fatalities and 752 injuries from 756 road crashes in just the first three days of the Songkran holiday period, according to the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM).

 

Play stupid games - win stupid prizes.

 

The Don.

[MalcolmB]

76 provinces, 3 days half the country traveling.

Only 100 dead, less than one dead per province per day.

 

Doing a good job this year.

 

[bkk6060]

3 minutes ago, MalcolmB said:

76 provinces, 3 days half the country traveling.

Only 100 dead, less than one dead per province per day.

 

Doing a good job this year.

 

Yes, must be the police doing a great job.

[MalcolmB]

24 minutes ago, bkk6060 said:

Yes, must be the police doing a great job.

Yes, credit where credit due and a lot of road stops manned by the community also.

 

[save the frogs]

Maybe celebration should be cut down to just one day, with businesses being closed so fewer people on the roads.

 

And maybe should stop spraying water on passing scooters/motorbikes. Although most of the deaths are probably alcohol-related. 

 

[UWEB]

The normal average Thailand Road death Toll is 38 persons a day in 2024, not a real increase to normal days.

[SLOWHAND225]

I saw more wrecked cars today than I've seen in 6 months, from Kanchanaburi to BK there were 7 multi car wrecks, all because they were speeding and wait for it, RAIN !  Easily 30 cars total

[Captain Flack]

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[rough diamond]

1 hour ago, SLOWHAND225 said:

all because they were speeding

How do you know they were speeding?

[CygnusX1]

2 hours ago, bkk6060 said:

False thinking.

 

USA has over 200 million licensed drivers.  Thailand has around 30 million.

Road deaths in USA around 40,000.

Thailand 18,000.

Way way more percentage of deaths in Thailand per driver.

Nice try though, maybe figure out some other bash.

But of course Thailand has a way way higher percentage of motorcycles. Another poster on this forum a few months back put it better than I could - “Better in a Volvo in Thailand than on a motorbike in Sweden”. Lots of confounding factors in the stats.

[Don Giovanni]

36 minutes ago, rough diamond said:

How do you know they were speeding?

How do you know they weren't?

 

The Don.

[ikke1959]

I am curious how many province did not report the accidents and deaths... It far lower than normal, while the driving skills are the same as every year.. Now with raining in several places you even can expect more accidents, as Thai drivers don't adjust to weather conditions.. speeding, drinking, playing cell phone and blocking the roads by slow driving on the middle and right lanes

[Ralf001]

33.3 per day is a fantastic result, nearly half of any other other regular day.

[newbee2022]

2 hours ago, UWEB said:

The normal average Thailand Road death Toll is 38 persons a day in 2024, not a real increase to normal days.

Well, the death toll might be the same as last year or the years before. Approximately.

However, we have more cars on the roads.

So according to the increasing numbers of cars the number of fatalities is decreasing?

[Don Giovanni]

1 minute ago, Ralf001 said:

33.3 per day is a fantastic result, nearly half of any other other regular day.

You are always the master of setting the bar low, aren't you ralf?

 

You wouldn't last two minutes in Japan.

 

Kobe Don.

[KannikaP]

That's only 33 per day, compared with the annual average of almost 60.

Sorry Ralf, you got there before me, and got Don's  stupid reply.

[Don Giovanni]

2 minutes ago, KannikaP said:

That's only 33 per day, compared with the annual average of almost 60.

Sorry Ralf, you got there before me, and got Don's  stupid reply.

another low bar setter.

 

No wonder you live in Thailand.

 

Kobe Don.

[Jeff the Chef]

Went to a meet-up at 5 pm, 30 minutes away in Phichit Province, on the way back, at 8.30pm, got pulled into a police check, wound window down, hello says I, waved straight through, no checks but then again I don't drink and drive. Same check there all holiday, apparently.

First time I've ever seen a check at night around here, Phichit/Phisanulok borders.

[SLOWHAND225]

47 minutes ago, rough diamond said:

How do you know they were speeding?

Clearly driving too fast for the conditions, pretty easy to tell

[kuzmabruk]

47 minutes ago, rough diamond said:

How do you know they were speeding?

He was the cause of the pileup 

[soi3eddie]

18 minutes ago, Ralf001 said:

33.3 per day is a fantastic result, nearly half of any other other regular day.

 

Less than normal. Should have more holidays.... Still a tragedy for all invloved.

 

According to the most recent data collected by the World Health Organization to 2021, Thailand ranked 16th out of 175 countries in road fatalities per 100,000 population, at 25.4. That same year, the WHO recorded 18,218 road traffic deaths in the country, an average of 50 per day.Jan 2, 2568 BE

[Ralf001]

5 minutes ago, soi3eddie said:

 

According to the most recent data collected by the World Health Organization to 2021, Thailand ranked 16th out of 175 countries in road fatalities per 100,000 population, at 25.4. That same year, the WHO recorded 18,218 road traffic deaths in the country, an average of 50 per day.Jan 2, 2568 BE

And ?

[Ralf001]

9 minutes ago, Don Giovanni said:

another low bar setter.

 

No wonder you live in Thailand.

 

Kobe Don.

 

no low bar at all 33 a day is a great result

[metisdead]

Off topic posts trolling about gun violence in America have been removed.

[UWEB]

19 minutes ago, newbee2022 said:

Well, the death toll might be the same as last year or the years before. Approximately.

However, we have more cars on the roads.

So according to the increasing numbers of cars the number of fatalities is decreasing?

During 2024 Songkran 6 days period  243 people been killed, what is an average of 40/day.

[Ralf001]

8 minutes ago, Don Giovanni said:

103 would be better,

 

The Don.

Why 103.. does the dead make your cock hard ?

[Patong2021]

1 hour ago, rough diamond said:

How do you know they were speeding?

 

Asean Now forum member super power of clairvoyance?

[Don Giovanni]

3 minutes ago, Ralf001 said:

Why 103.. does the dead make your cock hard ?

why are you using foul language?

 

that all you're capable of?

 

The Don.

[Ralf001]

5 minutes ago, Don Giovanni said:

why are you using foul language?

 

that all you're capable of?

 

The Don.

Why do you wish it was 103 a day instead of 33 ?

 

Something seriously wrong with you.