40 Killed On 1st Day Of '7 Dangerous New Year Holidays'

[webfact]

40 killed on 1st day of '7 dangerous New Year holidays'

Forty people were killed in road accidents on Tuesday, the first of the so-called 7 dangerous New Year holidays, the Civil Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department announced Wednesday.

Anucha Mokkhawes, the department director-general, said a total of 448 road accidents happened on Tuesday and 496 people were injured.

He said most or 41.29 per cent of the accidents were caused by drunk driving.

The government is monitoring seven New Year holidays from Tuesday, hoping to minimise the number of raod accidents when a lot of people travel around the country.

-- The Nation 2009/12/30

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[Scott]

Is 41% most?

[thaicbr]

It is in Thailand. Its also the pass percentage on most tests here in Thai schools. as you know Scott

[MikeyIdea]

40 killed in car accidents in a day breaking news? Thailand has an average of 40 per day every day of the year, RIP

[TAWP]

Translation issue, he didn't say 'most' he meant 'number one cause' etc. i.e. the biggest slice in his pie-chart.

[Sisaketmike]

Is 41% most?

The article is a kind of funny. You should see some cops here after work, or even on duty. The bikes must have GPS, otherwise impossible to get home without an accident. Or do the cops have Angels????

[Sisaketmike]

Is 41% most?

“They’re hoping to minimize?????” Why don’t they do something? Mai Penn Rai.

[LuckyLew]

Cannot say this total surprises me

considering most drivers routinely break

common sense rules of driving

Add in holidays and Thai Whiskey

This is too be expected.

[webfact]

40 dead on first of seven high-risk New Year's holidays

BANGKOK, Dec 30 (TNA) – The death toll from road accidents throughout Thailand reached 40 on Tuesday, the first day of the "seven high risk travel days” during the New Year period with heavy traffic streaming into the provinces carrying to Thais to celebrate new year with upcountry families or Bangkokians taking a holiday break away from the capital.

Director-General Anucha Mokhaves of the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation reported that 448 accidents occurred with 40 fatalities and 496 persons injured—a nearly 22 per cent decrease from last year’s record.

Drunken driving was the main cause of accidents, at some 41 per cent, followed by speeding at 17 per cent.

Most accidents, almost 80 per cent, involved motorcycles at 80 per cent and happened at night.

Mr Anucha urged agencies concerned in the provinces to plan to facilitate the flow of traffic.

He also instructed local officials to set up checkpoints on major roads and to closely monitor alcohol levels of drivers, especially between 8pm and midnight.

In a bid to reduce a number of accidents, deaths and injuries during the holidays, the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation launched its annual campaign, “Seven High Risk Travel Days,” on December 29 and will continue through January 4.

The nation’s Road Safety Centre (RSC) began full operation Wednesday to serve the country during the seven high risk days, December 30 through January 5, when large numbers of people travel to the provinces.

Meanwhile, the government-owned Transport Company has provided extra buses to serve an estimated 210,000 travelers expected to leave Bangkok on Wednesday, the anticipated peak day of New Year travel.

Transport Company managing director Wuthichart Kalayamitra said the company prepared for 5,200 bus trips, up 1,400 from the 3,800 trips normally scheduled to meet passenger demands.

In addition, the company provided for additional sub-terminals in several areas where passengers can board buses and avoid traffic condition and the large crowds.

Mr Wuthichart said some 800,000 persons have used the state-owned bus services since December 25. He is confident that no passengers will be stranded at the capital’s terminals.

Reportedly, travelers at Bangkok's Mor Chit bus terminal continue to leave for upcountry and traffic continues to flow. (TNA)

-- TNA 2009/12/30

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[RickBradford]

"40 were killed" is a meaningless bureaucratic statistic unless we know how many are killed on a normal "low-risk" day. 1? 10? 25? 100?

According to official statistics (police), 12,858 people were killed in road crashes in 2005. However the real number might even be higher. According to documentation from the health sector, the real death toll could be 20,000

Which is somewhere between 35 and 55 every day.

Don'tcha just love these bureaucrats?

Edited December 30, 2009 by RickBradford

[jamesjdaly]

The ones that caused these accidents as a result of their dangerous or drunk driving can rest in pieces in hel_l. sincere sympathies for any innocent parties. I am sick and tired of the driving standards here.

[salty]

Only 40 so far.

[Stumbo]

There are going to be those fatalities regardless for reasons that most here know, all you can do is try to not be a part of those inevitable statistics.

The newspaper spin about doing something about it is just spin, they are doing nothing.

[12DrinkMore]

The newspaper spin about doing something about it is just spin, they are doing nothing.

Not true, Thailand's finest have set up at least four canvass shelters with seats at "important junctions" here, distributed a number of bright orange cones over the roads, deployed various "Rescue Vehicles" and are clearly trying their best to make an impression of doing something.

[Pitbullman1]

Here in Khon Kaen the Police are in force conducting static road checks in different areas not only at this time of the year but all through the year! Last night I drove through one, and saw a few bodies being lead to an awaiting Police vehicle to be transported to the Police Station, obviously having given a positive breath test.

I have no sympathy for these potential killers. They should take away their driving licences, and give them a prison sentence.

There are too many innocent people killed on the roads of Thailand.

[scotbeve]

Only 40 so far.

40 "reported" fatalities.... or is this just for Bangkok alone?????

[brahmburgers]

Had an elder German fellow visiting (work exchange program).

Each evening he would go to the local mom and pop store here in the tiny village to buy beer. He would say "beer?" while pointing to the drinks on display. The old woman would hand him something, he'd pay for it. When he got to the dinner table he would open it and find it wasn't beer, but some clear liquid that was 50% alcohol and smelled like industrial solution used to clean asphalt bins for road crews. He would drink some, grin, and put the rest away for another day - though I'd end up pouring it down the drain the next day - cleaned the drains rather well, actually.

The gist of this story is, there are some gnarly rot gut on sale in this country. I go visit my local recycler woman once in awhile (to get bottles for projects), and she has piles of the regular bottles which once housed fermented sugar crap like beer and whiskey, but there's also a fair share of the varnish remover mentioned above. If you want to get a picture of what folks in Thailand are drinking, go take a look at your local bottle recycle place. Much of that liquid garbage is circulating in peoples' blood as they're attempting to guide their killing machines down the highways.

[george]

Update:

Motorists caught drink driving over the New Year's holiday will be jailed immediately up to a year in a bid to reduce road accidents.

51 deaths from road accidents nationwide reported on 2nd day of 7 dangerous New Year's holiday days, raising the total number to 91.

-- Royal Thai Police 2009-12-31

[animatic]

Looks like Kuhn Manit's insistance at staying on to supervise the

Health Minsitry's war on traffic accidents is pretty much meaningless blather...

Oh wait he just wanted one day on the job in 2010

to lock in his pension before resigning in disgrace.

Yes how many traffic deaths in Thailand on a normal day?

Answer: too many preventable ones.

[webfact]

UPDATE

Holiday toll: 91 killed, 1,225 injured in road accidents in first two days of New Year celebrations

BANGKOK, Dec 31 (TNA) -- A total of 91 persons have been killed and 1,225 others injured in more than 1,100 road accidents throughout Thailand in the first two days of the “seven high risk travel days” during the New Year holiday season, Dr. Paichit Varachit, permanent secretary for Public Health said on Thursday.

The health official said the main causes of 1,115 road accidents in the past two days were attributed to drunken driving followed by speeding. Most accidents involved motorcycles.

The government launched a “seven high risk travel days” campaign beginning Tuesday and extending through Monday in a bid to reduce road accidents over the long holiday. The campaign is aimed at reducing casualties of New Year revelers and the wider populace by five per cent from last year.

The northernmost province of Chiang Rai recorded the most accidents in the past two days with 52 recorded incidents, Dr. Paichit said.

Concerned officials posted at road checkpoints have been instructed to pay special attention to drivers under the influence of alcohol as drunken drivers are the single largest cause of road accidents during the long New Year celebrations in the past, especially on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day, he said. (TNA)

-- TNA 2009/12/31

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[AskTheCPT]

Is 41% most?

Ditch your math classes as a kid?

41% Drink Drivers

25% Non-Drink Drivers Accidents

19% Equipment problems

15% other

Yes, 41% can be most

[Scott]

No, I didn't ditch my math class as a kid.

41% drinking. 59% other-- most were caused by other than drunk drivers.

[Credo]

So there should be a lot of people sitting in jail for drunk driving, right?

[webfact]

77 killed in road accidents on New Year Eve, raising New Year road toll to 168

A total of 709 road accidents were reported on New Year Eve during which 77 people were killed and 763 others were injured, the Civil Disaster Prevention and Mitigation director-general announced Friday.

Anucha Mokhaves, the department chief, said the toll on the third day of the so-called seven dangerous New Year holidays raised the road accident death toll of the monitoring period to 168.

The accumulated number of injured victims after three days rose to 1,988.

Drunk driving still remained the biggest cause of the accident, he said, saying 46.12 per cent of the accidents on the New Year Eve was caused by drunk driving.

-- The Nation 2010/1/1

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[slapout]

The other 53+% fled the scene so we cannot determine the cause as the survivors are pointing fingers in 4 directions. Cut the accident rate by 50% seems to be a long term goal, cancel the holidays and rates will drop back to the norm. Ok it is a new year, condolences to all those involved directly or indirectly in the traffic mayhem.

[webfact]

UPDATE

HOLIDAY ROAD TOLL

Fewer fatalities this new year's eve, but 77 people still lose lives on kingdom's roads

By PIYANUCH THAMNUKASETCHAI

THE NATION

Published on January 2, 2010

Efforts to cut number of deaths over 'seven dangerous days' at year's end seem to be paying dividends; Taiwanese among those killed in Chon Buri

Seventy-seven people were killed and 763 others injured in 709 road accidents nationwide on New Year's Eve, raising the cumulative casualties for the first three days of the New Year's seven dangerous days to 168 deaths and 1,988 injuries.

Disaster Prevention and Mitigation chief Anucha Mokaves said yesterday that December 31 had seen a 16.69-per-cent drop from 851 to 709 accidents, as well as six fewer deaths and 146 fewer injured persons, when compared to last New Year's Eve.

Chiang Mai and Ayutthaya recorded the highest number of deaths at five cases each, while Phetchabun had the highest number of injuries at 31, Anucha said.

Chiang Mai, Trang and Ratchaburi had the most accidents at 25 incidents each, whilst Samut Songkhram, Sing Buri and Yasothon reported no accidents.

The 69,185 officials manning 2,700 checkpoints across the country stopped 729,200 vehicles and arrested 71,641 traffic law violators, mostly those falling to show driver's licences and bikers who did not wear helmets, he added.

Anucha said the main causes of the 1,824 road accidents in the three days were drunken driving, followed by speeding. Most road accidents involved motorcycles and occurred between 4pm and 8pm.

In Chon Buri, one Taiwanese man was killed and two compatriots were injured in a road accident on inbound motorway lanes in Muang district.

Chang Yuen Lin died instantly after a passenger car he was travelling in hit three power poles while Chang To Jen and Chang Han Lai were injured in the accident.

The government launched its seven-dangerous-days campaign - from Tuesday to this coming Monday - in an effort to reduce road accidents over the long holiday by 5 per cent from the same period last year.

Anucha said the department directed provincial authorities to pay special attention to young drivers, as statistics from recent years show that 30 per cent of all casualties were young drivers, while 20 per cent of the motorists arrested for traffic law violations were youths under 20.

Anucha said that during the first three days of the holiday 180,952 persons were cited for violating traffic rules, mostly for failing to present driver's licences and failing to wear helmets.

Officials at checkpoints were therefore asked to monitor 10 law-violating behaviours, including drunken driving, speeding, riding without a helmet, telephoning while driving, cutting in front of other cars and not using seat belts, he said.

Meanwhile, Highway Police chief Smoked Phromnim yesterday advised people to return to Bangkok before today to avoid severe traffic congestion tomorrow.

Travellers were also urged to avoid using Mittraphrab Road northeast of the capital, Asia Road to the north and Vibhavadi-Rangsit Road.

-- The Nation 2010/1/2

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[CelticBhoy]

168 in 3 days. That's good going.

Around 250 a year in Scotland.

Looks like Thailand will beat that

figure in just one week! Sad.

[webfact]

UPDATE

New Year road death toll rises to 238

A total of 686 road accidents happened on New Year Day, the fourth day of the seven dangerous New Year holidays, killing 70 victims, causing the accumulated road death to climb to 238.

The centre for prevention road accidents during the New Year holidays announced that 737 people were injured in road accidents on the New Year Day, raising the number of accumulated injured victims to 2,725.

Uthairat Chaiprasert, assistant to the justice minister, announced at the accidents monitoring centre that after four days of the monitoring period, the accumulated number of road accidents stood at 2,510.

He said Yasothon was the only province with no road accidents reported during the period.

-- The Nation 2010/1/2

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[tropo]

168 in 3 days. That's good going.

Around 250 a year in Scotland.

Looks like Thailand will beat that

figure in just one week! Sad.

How about a more meaningful comparison such as the number of road deaths in the United Kingdom. With a population of 61 millions it is quite close to Thailand's 66 million.

[Brunus]

"The 69,185 officials manning 2,700 checkpoints across the country stopped 729,200 vehicles and arrested 71,641 traffic law violators, mostly those falling to show driver's licences and bikers who did not wear helmets, he added."

Do they arrest you if you don't wear a helmet or don't have a driver's licence. I thought you was just fined 400 bath for that