Man Beheaded By Festival Rocket.

[churchill]

SAKON NAKHON: A man had his head blown off while watching an annual homemade rocket festival in this northeastern town on May 11.

The victim and his friends chose to have a drinking session in a cordoned off area where rockets were landing at the time of the incident.

Police were called to the scene in Village 3, Tambon Dong Mafai, Muang District, at 3:30 pm.

After pushing through a large crowd of villagers, they found the headless body of 29-year-old Prida Wongnatal lying next to a pond. The stump of his neck was blackened with powder burns.

Near the body, police found the rocket that had decapitated Mr Prida, who was a native of Tao Ngoi District.

The projectile was about three-meters long, its head made of PVC piping three to four inches in diameter.

Rescue volunteers who dived into the pond to recover Mr Prida’s head were only able to find small fragments.

Sakda Duangsupha, who witnessed the tragedy, said the rocket that killed Mr Prida was the third one launched at the festival. The first two had shot up into the air, but the third took a horizontal trajectory towards Mr Prida and six or seven friends who were sitting drinking about 50 meters away from the launch pad, located by the edge of the pond.

As they saw the rocket screaming towards them, the youths dived out of the way, but Mr Prida was not quick enough. After the impact, he fell back into the pond.

Pulling him out, his friends were shocked to discover that he had no head, Mr Sakda said.

The area where Mr Prida and his friends were drinking had been roped off because of the danger of rockets passing through. With a sense of invincibility typical of youth, the group ignored the warnings, Mr Sakda explained.

Police are now investigating to determine whether Mr Prida’s demise was a case of death by his own negligence or whether the festival’s organizers were responsible.

Rocket festivals are held annually in towns across the Northeast to mark the start of the rainy season. This is not the first, and no doubt not the last, tragedy at such festivals. In 1999, five people were killed at the Yasothon festival, the biggest and most famous of them all, when a 120kg rocket exploded immediately after takeoff.

-- Phuket Gazette 2009-05-09

[Boater]

when oh when will Thailand introduce a Health and Safty

With a sense of invincibility typical of youth, the group ignored the warnings, Mr Sakda explained.

all to common with Thai Youth, even more notable when they drive motorbikes ! ,

[harrry]

They may have been thinking that there is a very low probability of something going where it should when aimed by a thai.

Sorry for his family though.

[MeetJohnDoe]

No news here...this happens every year at these rocket festivals...move along...

[mauGR1]

I'm sorry for the deceased.RIP

Just couple of days ago,reading about the bamboo rocket festival,i was wondering how sober people can decide to risk their lives in this way.Am i wrong,or this rocket festival has become more and more popular(and dangerous)after the movie scene of Tony Jaa riding a giant one?

[BigSnake]

Have seen several accident at these Rocket Festival In Yasoton over the years, none this serious. SAD

[Svenn]

Police are now investigating to determine whether Mr Prida’s demise was a case of death by his own negligence or whether the festival’s organizers were responsible.

yeah right, thai police's ability to investigate comparative negligence? no money in it for them, hence no interest.

[Chaimai]

No news here...this happens every year at these rocket festivals...move along...

Nice touch MJD - sympathetic to the end

[Lite Beer]

Link here. http://www.phuketgazette.net/queernews/index.asp?id=7374

Moved to News Forum.

[Scott]

My condolences to the friends and family of the victim.

Sad that these things happen.

[nickynomates]

Sad loss of life.

Who knows who is left to grieve

Who the hel_l thought up a rocket festival where 3 mtr PVC pipes full of explosives are treated as fun.

Pyrotechnics in the most stringent of safety regulations often go very wrong.

Stupid Stupid Stupid.

If that even came down on your car it would cause serious damage.

Stupid Stupid Stupid

[skippybangkok]

Police are now investigating to determine whether Mr Prida’s demise was a case of death by his own negligence or whether the festival’s organizers were responsible.

Translated means they are looking to see who has the most $ from which they can extract.

[cloudhopper]

Nobody's been hurt at the annual rocket festival held here yet but these rockets are only 1/3 the size of Yasothon's.

[oevna]

Police are now investigating to determine whether Mr Prida’s demise was a case of death by his own negligence or whether the festival’s organizers were responsible.

yeah right, thai police's ability to investigate comparative negligence? no money in it for them, hence no interest.

How do you figure there's no money in it for the police? There's certainly incentive for the organizers to be found innocent, so...

[TPI]

when oh when will Thailand introduce a Health and Safty

With a sense of invincibility typical of youth, the group ignored the warnings, Mr Sakda explained.

all to common with Thai Youth, even more notable when they drive motorbikes ! ,

Young men and women know that they're immortal, that's why they do what they do... join the army etc.

With a rocket? How artistic

[geriatrickid]

Another example of poor language skills and shoddy journalism;

found the headless body of 29-year-old Prida Wongnatal lying next to a pond. The stump of his neck was blackened with powder burns.

Near the body, police found the rocket that had decapitated ....

Decpitate: To cut off the head of; behead.

Rescue volunteers who dived into the pond to recover Mr Prida’s head were only able to find small fragments. Pulling him out, his friends were shocked to discover that he had no head, Mr Sakda said.

The subject was not decapitated. His head was blown off. If the skull remnants are just fragments, that is not a decapitation. It is an impact. Nitpicking to some, but if they want to write in english then use the proper words.

With a sense of invincibility typical of youth, the group ignored the warnings, Mr Sakda explained.

The victim was 29 years of age. Hardly what one would term a youth. Nor is paraphrasing this Mr. Sakada fair to the victim. Who knows if the victim specifically thought he was invincible. He was allegedly having alcoholic refreshments, not pretending he was superman. Where are the statements from the victim's friends ? How are we to know any warnings were given? How does one even know if the area was properly cordoned off or a warning sign posted?

Young men and women know that they're immortal, that's why they do what they do... join the army etc.

With a rocket? How artistic

Umm, in Thailand most people don't have a choice. They have mandatory service. I don't think the thought of being immortal is a major motive for joining any military service outside of some middle eastern nations.

[jamesjdaly]

The victim and his friends chose to have a drinking session in a cordoned off area where rockets were landing at the time of the incident.

Stupid prat! Got all he deserved.

[dave111223]

Another example of poor language skills and shoddy journalism;

found the headless body of 29-year-old Prida Wongnatal lying next to a pond. The stump of his neck was blackened with powder burns.

Near the body, police found the rocket that had decapitated ....

Decpitate: To cut off the head of; behead.

Rescue volunteers who dived into the pond to recover Mr Prida’s head were only able to find small fragments. Pulling him out, his friends were shocked to discover that he had no head, Mr Sakda said.

The subject was not decapitated. His head was blown off. If the skull remnants are just fragments, that is not a decapitation. It is an impact. Nitpicking to some, but if they want to write in english then use the proper words.

With a sense of invincibility typical of youth, the group ignored the warnings, Mr Sakda explained.

The victim was 29 years of age. Hardly what one would term a youth. Nor is paraphrasing this Mr. Sakada fair to the victim. Who knows if the victim specifically thought he was invincible. He was allegedly having alcoholic refreshments, not pretending he was superman. Where are the statements from the victim's friends ? How are we to know any warnings were given? How does one even know if the area was properly cordoned off or a warning sign posted?

I agree that 29 can hardly be considered a "youth" anymore. But you're being a bit pedantic about whether his head was cut off or blown apart...

[dave111223]

The victim and his friends chose to have a drinking session in a cordoned off area where rockets were landing at the time of the incident.

Stupid prat! Got all he deserved.

Dear me...you've never done anything which turned out to be stupid, or potentially dangerous? And you think he deserved to die for that?

[jamesjdaly]

Yes, Dave, of course I've done a few daft things in my life. I think we all have. But not sitting under explosive and inflammable material in a specially cordoned off area.

Edited May 19, 2009 by jamesjdaly

[dave111223]

Yes, Dave, of course I've done a few daft things in my life. I think we all have. But not sitting under explosive and inflammable material in a specially cordoned off area.

the third took a horizontal trajectory towards Mr Prida and six or seven friends who were sitting drinking about 50 meters away from the launch pad, located by the edge of the pond.

Hardly sitting "under" explosives. Yes there were dumb that they were sitting inside the cordoned off area. But seriously you'd probably be 1000 times more likely to get killed driving home than get your head blown off from a rocket being launched 50 meters away.

[Sel]

Here's a clip of a large rocket launch at yasothon this year. They are quite powerful.

[Briggsy]

Thais enjoy the freedom of high-risk behaviour away from tedious and burdensome health and safety regulations. This has the advantage on one hand of not having to bother about anything but the disadvantage on the other hand of seriously injuring or killing oneself and others. Don't take my word for it. Simply ask the locals why they drink and drive/ don't wear safety equipment/ take their children on motorbikes/ alllow people to build and fire their own high-explosive fireworks. You will get dismissive or hypocritical answers.

The death and serious injury by accident rate in this country is very high indeed. It is part of Thai culture.

[Robby nz]

Went to the Yasathon rocket festival a couple of years back, a wondreful few days, much more to it than just the rockets.

Never felt in any danger at any time, much more dangerous crossing the road in BKK.

Any death is bad news but if one accident means these festivals are dangerous then the roads having far more accidents are far more dangerous and we should all stay away from them, Right?

Some of the clownes who post on this site are so negative about the country and the people makes me wonder why they stay here, or maybe they dont, just comment from afar.

[Lite Beer]

Insensitive and Anti Thai posts deleted.

[Chang_paarp]

Have been to the rocket festival at Yasothon, the rockets are impressive in the larger classes, they make the earth rumble. A couple of years ago one went the wrong way and took out the mango tree in the Governor's office compound.

It always worried me the thought of a bunch of blokes from a local village sitting around a big bit of blue pipe stuffing it full of explosives. The inevitable drink to steady the nerves. That more don't do damage is a small miracle.

[TopDogger]

Have been to the rocket festival at Yasothon, the rockets are impressive in the larger classes, they make the earth rumble. A couple of years ago one went the wrong way and took out the mango tree in the Governor's office compound.

It always worried me the thought of a bunch of blokes from a local village sitting around a big bit of blue pipe stuffing it full of explosives. The inevitable drink to steady the nerves. That more don't do damage is a small miracle.

Don't play with fireworks, and certainly don't hang around if other children are playing with them.. I'd be supprised if theres a single person in the entire country who would be qualified both technically and in H&S to do anything on this scale..

I guess the guy who got his head blown off wasn't wearing the right amulet. No doubt his friends will be sitting in the same place next year..

[Miserere]

Rescue volunteers who dived into the pond to recover Mr Prida’s head were only able to find small fragments.

-- Phuket Gazette 2009-05-09

WHAT??!! he's not blody Humpty Dumpty, did they really think they could put him back together again?