Songkran Week Tolls – 351 Dead, 8,769 Injured

[Boatabike]

This is the reason I stay at home had once a bucket of ice-water in my face at apx. 60kph lukely i was be able to stay on the bike.

What type of road was this and if in town isnt 60km breaking the limit some what? and if so doesnt that make u as much in the wrong as the idiot throwing water? Or perhaps more so for driving so fast when you know that there are idiots throwing water into peoples faces. Just a thought.

Is this some sort of rationalization in which you are trying to make an it serves them right claim (i.e. motorcyclists deserve to get knocked off their bikes because they are traveling at a blazing 60 km/h)?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

How did you manage to read that into what is said? Nobody deserves to be knocked off there bike, i ride a bike all year round here in thailand, during songkran i take it very, very easy indeed 60k is blazing around when people are throwing water at you, young kids are playing without much thought of speeding motorists, roads are wet and slippery. Throwing a bucket of icy water into a motor cyclists face is stupid, speeding through it is also stupid. No where did i say he deseved to be knocked of his bike. As far as the serves them right part where did i say that? We all know what songkran is about if you go out you go out to have fun or because you have to, either way you will almost 100% get wet thats just common knowledge. Nothing to do with serves him right, or hope he gets knocked off his bike jees. If he wants to post how an idiot threw water in his face whilst he was speeding, then he needs to take responsibility for his part of the incident too. He decided he didnt want to play which of course is his right, but you tell that to the millions who are enjoying themselves. You know that it will happen, speeding only increases the danger to himself and the people around. At 10km you get wet, at 60 km you may well get knocked off your bike, and that bike may well take out other people too. Responsibility through songkran is a 2 way street. If The idiot throwing the water wont be responsible then you should at least play your part right! Thats my point long winded as it may be.

[sammo]

taxexile:

And I bet you hate Christmas too.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Couldn't have put it better myself. What is eating these guys so badly that they feel the need to impose their restrictive laws upon each and everyone of us?. I don't want to be controlled by a nanny state which thinks it should monitor my every move and action, in the name of law and order. I was brought up and instilled with a fair degree of common sense and self responsibility, therefore i have a good idea of what is right or wrong.

We don't need laws over here telling us that throwing buckets of ice cold water at a speeding motorcyclist is bad, wrong and punishable. All we need to know is that it's not a good idea to do it because it causes accidents. And so if you do it when you are aware of that fact, you are obviously an idiot.

When society gets to the point that one needs a law to ban the throwing of water, then my friends i think it is a sad day indeed.

Let Thai folk enjoy their celebrations and festivals without us sticking our noses in and telling them how to 'really' enjoy it. We can choose to participate in them, or not. When i was a youngster in England, i somehow don't remember a bunch of Thai people hassling me about throwing snowballs, just in case i blinded someone.

Personally, i had a great Songkran. Very enjoyable but sensible at the same time. I didn't need to that to be preached to me, and i didn't feel the need to preach to anyone either.

[Jamiesiam]

I saw enough on Friday night on Silom road to convince me that this has gone beyond "fun"

Some of the water slingers had very mean and aggressive expressions and many were so drunk they could hardly stand.

There was a mob on Silom extending from Patpong down to Robinsons and not one policeman in sight!

By all means people should have their fn but let them do it in a designated zone, Sanam Luang, Lumpini wherever so that us old fogeys can walk in peace or at least they should try and limit the water slinging to one night!

[castelleone]

Well folks, I think the whole "tradition" has perverted and is now a contradiction in itself.

Besides the enormous waste of water in a country that is making any effort to save it. Why? To waste it on songkran? I am really sad about this abuse of a good and sincere custum.

[AndyW]

I don't want to be controlled by a nanny state which thinks it should monitor my every move and action, in the name of law and order. I was brought up and instilled with a fair degree of common sense and self responsibility, therefore i have a good idea of what is right or wrong.

 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Unfortunately common sense seems to be lacking here. No need for control by nanny state - what is needed is education.

[meemiathai]

I don't want to be controlled by a nanny state which thinks it should monitor my every move and action, in the name of law and order. I was brought up and instilled with a fair degree of common sense and self responsibility, therefore i have a good idea of what is right or wrong.

 

Unfortunately common sense seems to be lacking here. No need for control by nanny state - what is needed is education.

Right. Common sense. Like going at 60km in the streets where someone is throwing water during songkran. Why not wear the best suit you have and walk through pattaya beach road on 18/4 and start complaining?

I hope the guys who are complaining are just expressing what they prefer things to be like in Thailand. You are not actually telling how Thailand should celebrate their new year, are you?

It is their country and they have the right to decide how things should be.

The thais understand very well how dangerously themselves are acting but they have chosen to live this way. It is the nature of the thai people.

I was in Sakon Nakhon for the last 10 days. Never really felt my life being at risk. Just drive slowly. Beware of the drunk people. Well, yes, they are everywhere.

Everyone was having fun though. Nice.

There is a price for everything. Stop car-racing.(it encourages youngsters to speed driving) Stop skiing.(it's dangerous) Stop all the x-games. Stop exploring the universe. Stop having sex.

Alcohol is the main cause of accidents. Not water.

[cclub75]

It is their country and they have the right to decide how things should be. 

The thais understand very well how dangerously themselves are acting but they have chosen to live this way.  It is the nature of the thai people.

Aren't you tired of such complacency ?

"Thai people are like that". Oh yeah !

And Hitler was also like that. It was in his nature. Poor boy.

blablablabla.

Whenever we critizise the "thai people"... it's always the same answer : "we are like that. It is our country. And ###### the entire universe".

Don't you see that with such behaviour and mind we can go nowhere ? We can not improve the way things are ?

It is amazing : no discussion, no improvement, no self critiscim.

"We are like that. Take it or leave it".

Sorry budy, but as a human being i won't take it. And i won't leave it neither.

[jdinasia]

According to ITV, Songkran Zoning law is expected to be issued next year. 

Someone also suggested banning alcohol throughout the festival. 

If people ain't gonna show more responsibility, there'll be more and more excuses to turn LOS into a police state.... This is the trend all over the world.....

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I love guys who in earlier posts state that the whole thing is outta control ... then gloat when they get their apparent way in things through legislation. So far I still haven't seen any statistics on people killed by throwing water. Just lots by drunk driving.

Again ... look at your own home countries over a major holiday like New Years and see if they aren't te same.

Mostly what I see on here are guys whingeing on about getting wet.

[meemiathai]

It is their country and they have the right to decide how things should be. 

The thais understand very well how dangerously themselves are acting but they have chosen to live this way.  It is the nature of the thai people.

Aren't you tired of such complacency ?

"Thai people are like that". Oh yeah !

And Hitler was also like that. It was in his nature. Poor boy.

blablablabla.

Whenever we critizise the "thai people"... it's always the same answer : "we are like that. It is our country. And ###### the entire universe".

Don't you see that with such behaviour and mind we can go nowhere ? We can not improve the way things are ?

It is amazing : no discussion, no improvement, no self critiscim.

"We are like that. Take it or leave it".

Sorry budy, but as a human being i won't take it. And i won't leave it neither.

Well, you can say you don't like it that way. You have the right. I can say I like it that way too.

What do you say about people running with the bulls in the streets in Spain?

What do you say about football riots?

I personally feel very very safe during Songkran in Thailand!!!! It's just that I can't stay dry!!! Do you see the Thais complaining???

We can not improve the way things are ?

What is the "improvement" you are talking about on this issue?

I am sorry if you have to stay and you don't like it. But my wife's family don't like being poor too.

BTW, I absolutely respect the fact that you don't like it that way.

[The_Moog]

What do you say about people running with the bulls in the streets in Spain?

one street - in one town - Pamplona.

i.e Quite easy to avoid if you don't want a horn up your jacksey.

If there were bulls careering down every street in every town and village in Spain, then you could use an analogy like this.

[manjara]

What do you say about people running with the bulls in the streets in Spain?

one street - in one town - Pamplona.

i.e Quite easy to avoid if you don't want a horn up your jacksey.

One country - a few days in a year - Thailand, Songkran

i.e. Quite easy to avoid if you don't want a soaking, which is, incidentally, a little less painful than a horn in the nether regions!

Legislation is not the way, I'm sure there are already laws that can be used to remind people that it is not particularly smart to put a wall of water in the way of an oncoming speeding motorcycle. Same way I was taught back in the UK (when I was 10) that it wasn't particularly smart for 50 kids to chuck snowballs at the windscreen of an oncoming bus.

[astral]

But the figures are not complete.

What about those who will die in the Pattaya area today,

as that town celebrates Songkran?

Don't they count??

[meadish_sweetball]

Approximately 300.000 children are orphans of parents (mainly single mothers - bar girls) dead from AIDS in Thailand today. And you discuss water-throwing.

Happy New Year. I hope you will wake up soon.

[Ijustwannateach]

Um, yes, and in Botswana there are many more AIDS deaths. And here we are discussing Thailand!

I think certain districts (certainly Silom, KSR, and others) need heavier regulation during Songkran- for example, enforce the time limits (stop the madness at 6 pm) and enforce local traffic regulations (no trucks allowed to stop and wait in ambush for people, maybe break up the "loop" around Silom and Suriwong and force truck drivers into a much longer detour before being able to get back to the Silom area). In these busy areas the chaos has gone too far.

In local sois things were fun and normal.

"Steven"

[jdinasia]

I'll stand by my earlier posts. Let the "old fogeys" (not my words) spend a few days at home or run off to Singapore for a few days instead of pushing their ideas of what is acceptable off on a culture they plainly just don't "get"

[bangkokian]

Lots of Thais are complaining....esp the older folks...(25 and above).

I definitely don't want a police state, but we definitely have to foster social responsibilities among the younger kids. When I was younger, we only throw a little bit on cars and avoid motorcycles, and only spray a little water after we've ask and gotten cosent.