Songkran Death Toll Rises To 104

[george]

Songkran death toll rises to 104

BANGKOK: -- Death toll of road accidents during the seven-day watch out period since Friday rose to 104, the Road Safety Center announced Sunday.

Chaisawat Kittipornpaibool, permanent secretary for transport who is member of the Road Safety Committee, said the second day of the watch-out period or Saturday saw 743 road accidents happen and 59 people killed in the accidents.

He said 854 others were injured in the accidents, 41.59 per cent of which were caused by drunk driving.

He said a total of 1,220 road accidents happened during the fist two days of the watch out period in which 104 people were killed and 1,411 others injured.

-- The Nation 2008-04-13

[Scott]

My condolences to the family and friends of the deceased. I hope for a speedy recovery for the injured.

The accident rate is what puts a real blight on this otherwise festive time.

[tijnebijn]

I think its even insane that every year they keep these festivals going along .

They should keep the water war for just a single day , and the rest keep for ceremonial

purposes . Might just make some Thais drink less , would not be a bad idea .

Not that anybody cares for what I have to say though ..... for sure .

[Jewelz]

I think its even insane that every year they keep these festivals going along .

They should keep the water war for just a single day , and the rest keep for ceremonial

purposes . Might just make some Thais drink less , would not be a bad idea .

Not that anybody cares for what I have to say though ..... for sure .

I agree with you, tijnebijn! The revellers have started dancing and drinking (and very loud karaoke singing/yelling) across my apartment building since 7am this morning! And they are motorcycle taxi drivers mostly too. Not going anywhere til this madness is over I suppose.

[lazeeboy]

harsher laws on drink driving ought to sought it out

[george]

104 dead, 1,411 injured in first two days of long New Years holiday

BANGKOK: -- Some 1,220 road accidents took place in the first two days of the most dangerous seven days throughout Thailand, killing 104 persons and wounding 1,411 people, according to a senior Transport Ministry official.

Chaisawat Kittipornpaiboon, permanent secretary for Transport, said most of the accidents which occurred during the Songkran festival, Thailand's traditional New Year, resulted from driving while under the influence of alcohol, followed by speeding.

Most accidents involved motorcycles, said Mr. Chaisawat, who also serves as a member of the government's Road Safety Centre.

Chiang Mai achieved the highest number of accidents so far, with 61 highway incidents, from minor mishaps to more serious death-delivering incidents, he said, followed by the northernmost province of Chiang Rai with 56 accidents.

The highest number of casualties in the past two days were reported in the upper Gulf of Thailand province of Prachuap Khiri Khan where seven persons died.

The Road Safety Centre, Mr.Chaisawat said, had asked provincial authorities nationwide to adjust their operational plans for the Songkran travel alert days as it realised that the greatest concentration of accidents happened on April 13 every year – the day which is officially recognised as Songkran Day.

Meanwhile, Anucha Mokkhavesa, director-general of the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department, said that provincial governors were instructed to take harsh action against motorist who insisted on drinking and driving, because the behaviour was a deadly combination,.

He also warned motorists of other behaviours which could cause road accidents.

Mr. Anucha also urged motorists to become more careful while driving as roads may become slippery due to nexpected rain.

Interior Minister Pol.Capt. Chalerm Yoobamrung said if the overall death toll this year does not decline, the goverment may implement new measures in the attempt to curb the fatalities.

The measures included banning the sale of alcohol before and after the Songkran holidays, strictly implementing the laws, and strictly enforcing wearing helmets, he said.

--TNA 2008-04-13

[seagull]

104 dead, 1,411 injured in first two days of long New Years holiday

Interior Minister Pol.Capt. Chalerm Yoobamrung said if the overall death toll this year does not decline, the goverment may implement new measures in the attempt to curb the fatalities.

The measures included banning the sale of alcohol before and after the Songkran holidays, strictly implementing the laws, and strictly enforcing wearing helmets, he said.

--TNA 2008-04-13

Enforcing drink driving rather than outright banning of alcohol sales would seems more appropriate, with more severe penalties for those who maimed or causes death in vehicular accident while intoxicated.

[seagull]

"strictly implementing the laws, and strictly enforcing wearing helmets, he said."

Oh yeah, sure.

[apetley]

104 dead, 1,411 injured in first two days of long New Years holiday

Interior Minister Pol.Capt. Chalerm Yoobamrung said if the overall death toll this year does not decline, the goverment may implement new measures in the attempt to curb the fatalities.

The measures included banning the sale of alcohol before and after the Songkran holidays, strictly implementing the laws, and strictly enforcing wearing helmets, he said.

--TNA 2008-04-13

Well if my neighbours are anything to go by then there will have to be a ban on the sale of alcohol from sometime in March as they have been stocking up for their parties since then.

And here we have a government minister admitting that if the already horrific accident and death toll gets worse then they MAY consider implementing existing laws.

Bloody clueless!!!!

[gorshar]

Fleeing to Cambodia yesterday morning, about 100 kms from Aranyaprathet we had the misfortune of coming across one of the fatalities minutes after it happened. Van and a motorbike collided, amidst the pieces of the motorbike was it's rider spread eagle in the middle of the road... I'll spare further details except to say a helmet might have been of considerable benefit to him. Mid 20s I'd say.

Utterly moronic "festival" which I'm quite proud to take no part in.

[opengoal]

Saw the real Songkran today. Took the kids to the front of the estate where we witnessed a gang fight,at 13.30 fueled by cheap p1ss. Some guy got a faceful of a metal kerb ramp infront of thousands of families. F..king moronic festivals. There is an excuse to be pissed here most days they dont need Songkran.

If we consider the death toll a legitimate cull of the knobheads I love songkran

[KhunDtaa]

I think its even insane that every year they keep these festivals going along .

They should keep the water war for just a single day , and the rest keep for ceremonial

purposes . Might just make some Thais drink less , would not be a bad idea .

Not that anybody cares for what I have to say though ..... for sure .

Might just make some Thais drink less?????????????? lol never happen.

Edited April 13, 2008 by KhunDtaa

[aussimike]

the banning of booze is not going to solve anything as most ppl have a ready supply at home and the pleas of the various official to take care and drive carefully are to no avail -- total waste of time---- the only way to cut the toll is to cut the number of days -- to one preferably instead of increasing it to now this year something like 7 days --- its just like a turkey shoot ---- hate to think what the final toll will be ---- 100 today -= by Thurday at this rate might be up in the 600's and who knows how many injured and or maimed ---hate to think what the insurance bill will be -- and i feel sorry for the over stretched over worked doctors, nurses, police and rescue workers who have to clean up the terrible mess --- IF U DRINK AND DRIVE YOUR A BLOODY IDIOT =-

[longtom]

If we consider the death toll a legitimate cull of the knobheads I love songkran

What an insensitive remark!!! What if a Thai said the same about traffic deads at Christmass in the west? How many of the killed were not drunk?!?

Edited April 13, 2008 by longtom

[madmitch]

Just watched a Thai guy stagger to his bike, sit on it, kick up the stand and just fall over sideways. After lying on the floor for a couple of minutes, he returned to his now upright bike, this time managed to start it, pulled away in front of the oncoming traffic to the cheers of the locals in this bar.

There is no stigma attached to drink-driving in this country and life is much cheaper than it is in the West. Until drunk drivers are properly and consistently punished then this will just continue.

Fantastic idea to ban the sale of alcohol before AND AFTER the Songkran holidays!!!!!????? (Sarcastic response BTW)

The other part from the original article that amused me was 'Mr. Anucha also urged motorists to become more careful while driving as roads may become slippery due to unexpected rain'!

Edited April 13, 2008 by madmitch

[ironhut]

This is the first year we haven't been out of the country during Songkran. I now know why most of the exPat Farang leave to Bali, Macau, etc...

Good for the Thais and the fun had during this annual holiday, but it definitely comes at a cost (mostly due to the amount of fermented water consumed).

[george]

Update:

Songkran rescue calls almost triple last year; prank calls mar response

KANCHANABURI: -- Calls by accident victims to the Thai government's rescue centre during the first two days of the Songkran festival soared almost to 2,627 incidents, up sharply from only 971 calls during the same period of 2007, according to Public Health Minister Chaiya Sasomsup.

Speaking to journalists while inspecting a police checkpoint in Tha Maka district of this Thai-Myanmar border province, Mr. Chaiya said that anonymous callers had made prank calls to the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) of Narenthorn Centre 2,753 times during the past two days, or one call in every minute on average, and opened music or teased officials manning the station.

Most of these callers used public telephones, he said.

Such callers could face imprisonment, and/or a maximum fine of Bt5,000 or both, Mr. Chaiya warned.

He added that harrassing prank calls could interfere with the opportunity to save lives of the people who may be blocked from reporting in the emergency incident.

The Minsiter says the centre now has 5,791 EMS teams nationwide comprised of medical doctors, nurses, rescue staff and both a professional and volunteer network were ready to help patients in case of roadway accidents or other emergencies.

Ambulances fully stocked with medical equipment, pharmaceuticals and rescue gear were on full alert around the

clock.

During the first two days of the seven Songkran travel alert days, the centre deployed 5,381 missions, with somewhat over 40 per cent being traffic accidnet, 50 per cent increased in cmparison with the same period of last year.

--TNA 2008-04-13

[ballzafire]

Fleeing to Cambodia yesterday morning, about 100 kms from Aranyaprathet we had the misfortune of coming across one of the fatalities minutes after it happened. Van and a motorbike collided, amidst the pieces of the motorbike was it's rider spread eagle in the middle of the road... I'll spare further details except to say a helmet might have been of considerable benefit to him. Mid 20s I'd say.

Utterly moronic "festival" which I'm quite proud to take no part in.

Seconded.

[Richb2004v2]

Some say it’s the uneducated doing all these crazy things on the roads. A Thai friend called around yesterday. I commented about the Sangkran deaths. He observed that it was largely due to drunk folk on scooters. He then proceeded to drink two bottles of beer before my wife suggested he didn't have a third. He then got in his car and drove home. This guy is well educated and has a good job. All information about such things as safety seems to go straight over the heads of the average, and above average, Thai.

[PaulHamon]

sad

[teacherofwoe]

Being loaded on booze really does cause so many accidents, but if the locals could drive properly in the first place then there would be fewer accidents all year round. Just the little things like looking left when you pull out in the path of oncoming traffic, tailgating the vehicle in front when you know you'll never be able to stop in time and the overtaking of the vehicle in front when you can see an oncoming vehicle. The Ministry of Transport needs to rethink the Thai Driving Test. It's just like the school exams in government schools: no one must fail. Only this test will determine whether people die or not. How many learner driver with "L" plates have you ever seen here? Drive through some cones and reverse your car and you get your licence.

Policemen are some of the worse drivers here. What chance have we got if the police perform dangerous manouvers themselves and also turn a blind eye to other traffic offenders (they would be classed as offenders in U.K.)

The ability to copy others is one of the strongest attributes of Thai people. So, why not copy the British of American system of the teaching and testing of driving. Yes, it's going to be expensive, but you'll be investing in lives.

[Mosha]

Saw the real Songkran today. Took the kids to the front of the estate where we witnessed a gang fight,at 13.30 fueled by cheap p1ss. Some guy got a faceful of a metal kerb ramp infront of thousands of families. F..king moronic festivals. There is an excuse to be pissed here most days they dont need Songkran.

If we consider the death toll a legitimate cull of the knobheads I love songkran

Friday night there was a concert in the neigbouring Tambol. A brawl involving around 100 youths broke out. Despite a police checkpoint being yards away only one arrest was made. "Youths all look alike" was the police response.

[farmerapache]

they can not even drive straight wile they are sober,imagine what a disaster it would be when they are drunk.

no lights,wrong way,middle of the road,crossing a big road whitout watching the traffic,eyes don't work and they're brains don't work at all !!

NO CONTROL about themself !

[jaideeguy]

Ban the alcohol and they will drink homemade laokao and/or shops will stock up and sell it out the back door!!

Thais gotta have their alcohol/sanook and they are resorceful people.

The only to minimise the death/accident toll would be to shorten the stupid holiday!!!!

[mrmaxwell]

I saw 2 deaths yesterday in two different accidents in central Bkk alone! One looked a like a guy fell out the back of a baht bus (drunk?) under a car, and the other happened seconds before my taxi passed - a motocycle taxi went under a bus across from Central World Chit Lom...very sad.

[Richb2004v2]

I saw 2 deaths yesterday in two different accidents in central Bkk alone! One looked a like a guy fell out the back of a baht bus (drunk?) under a car, and the other happened seconds before my taxi passed - a motocycle taxi went under a bus across from Central World Chit Lom...very sad.

If you had tried to talk to them, before they were killed, about the risk and danger that they put themselves in they would have just smiled or laughed at you, and someone would have reprimanded you for trying to change their Thai ways, and for enforcing your western standards on them. I find it hard to stop myself from commenting to my extended Thai family in these situations, but I make no progress and have little effect. It’s like dealing with children, but with children they can at least be forced to follow rules that help them even though they don’t like it.

[toptuan]

Someone on Thai Visa a few months ago offered a colorful description of the problem:

"It's like the 'risk-factor' computer chip has been removed from their brains."