79 Killed In First Two Of Thailand's 'Seven Dangerous Days'

[webfact]

HOLIDAY CHAOS

79 killed in first two of 'seven dangerous days'

By Piyanuch Thamnukasetchai

The Nation

Drunk driving behind most crashes, followed by speeding

Driving under the influence of alcohol is still the main cause of road accidents, with 79 people killed and 1,059 wounded in 1,012 road accidents across the nation in the first two of the "Seven Dangerous Days".

However, Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department chief Wibul Sanguanpong said the numbers were down from 1,115 accidents, 91 deaths and 1,225 injuries in the first two days of the dangerous seven in the same period last year.

Roads in Chiang Rai have been the most dangerous, with 37 accidents and 40 people being injured, while Phetchaburi, Roi Et, Sa Kaew and Phang Nga provinces had the most deaths at four each, Wibul added.

On Thursday, 619 road accidents occurred across the country, killing 55 people and injuring 670 others, Wibul said. Of the accidents, 39.42 per cent were caused by drunk-driving and 22.13 per cent by speeding, he said. In addition, 82.20 per cent of the incidents involved motorcycles and 6.77 per cent pickup trucks, he said, adding that 34.41 per cent of the crashes took place from 4pm to 8pm.

There were four deaths in Roi Et on Thursday, followed by three each in Nakhon Ratchasima and Prachuap Khiri Khan, while Nakhon Si Thammarat had the most injuries at 27 cases followed by Nakhon Ratchasima at 25.

The provinces that have recorded no accidents so far are Chaiyaphum, Amnat Charoen, Nakhon Nayok and Samut Songkram, Wibul said. The 2,515 checkpoints nationwide, manned by 67,521 officials, have stopped 662,929 vehicles and arrested 80,270 traffic-law violators - most of whom failed to wear a helmet or were driving without a licence.

Since many people are leaving the capital to ring in the New Year in their hometown or at resorts, all bus terminals were crowded yesterday and the highways congested.

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, who will spend New Year's Day with his family in Tak province, posted this message on Twitter: "In the five holidays, many people will visit attractions, so I hope you all travel safely and if you drink alcohol or feel sleepy, please don't drive."

-- The Nation 2011-01-01

[Bluetongue]

Lies, damned lies and statistics. In any case the numbers will mature as bodies are found in ditches, and reports from outlying areas come in. A child was run over and killed about a kilometre from my place on Thursday and the police did not attend, I am assuming they didn't want to know about it as the child was a foreign (Cambodian) national

[timekeeper]

these numbers are no surprise to me

driving home last from Pattaya to Mabrachan lake area at about 1 am we very nearly had three serious accidents with motorcycles

if it wasn't for my non drinking wife's skill at taking avoiding action we too would have been a statistic

it was a hair raising journey which also took in 2 roadside fights between groups of Thai's

a happy new year was had by all...........

[svenivan]

"Roads in Chiang Rai have been the most dangerous, with 37 accidents and 40 people being injured"

Yes, same thing this time every year. We have 3-4 times more traffic these days and most visitors are from Bangkok. I do not know what it is with these people, they drive totally crazy, can drive in groups of 3-5 cars, speeding in 120-140 km, overtaking everywhere.

They are probably causing more than half of the accidents.

[pmgthailand]

Yesterday morning on the way to work in Phuket, a minivan full of people flew past me, I was doing 100 kph and it had just been raining lightly. Came up on this van a few minutes later upside down in the ditch, flattened and smoking. Very serious looking accident. Will these people never learn. It makes me question the intelligence of people here!

[SomTumTiger]

The people who drink and drive and get killed are welcome to die, I won't shed a tear. I save my tears for the innocent victims they take with them.

[selftaopath]

It is easy to comprehend when one understands there is NO rule of law in Lack of Sanctions (LOS)

Without punishment there is NO crime.

And without education (maybe the parents can begin the process) they have little/ NO understanding.

[Fookhaht]

Yesterday morning on the way to work in Phuket, a minivan full of people flew past me, I was doing 100 kph and it had just been raining lightly. Came up on this van a few minutes later upside down in the ditch, flattened and smoking. Very serious looking accident. Will these people never learn. It makes me question the intelligence of people here!

The perennial question on Thai Visa: did you stop to help? Why or why not?

[asiawatcher]

The people who drink and drive and get killed are welcome to die, I won't shed a tear. I save my tears for the innocent victims they take with them.

Agree totally STT - the idiots are not worth salvaging but the innocents are always the victims here. Sad - very sad.

[selftaopath]

Another example of how the corruption in this country impacts the lives of people living here. If Bums in Brown (BIB) did their job, and enforced the laws, maybe people would decide NOT to drive the way they do. However, it amazes me when I see people riding motorbikes/cars etc. traveling ridiculously fast w/out any idea of what could/might happen if...... Maybe the educational (lack of any other word) system here does not encourage thinking and any thought to outcome/consequences. Amusing Thailand- and dangerous.

[swillowbee]

Yesterday morning on the way to work in Phuket, a minivan full of people flew past me, I was doing 100 kph and it had just been raining lightly. Came up on this van a few minutes later upside down in the ditch, flattened and smoking. Very serious looking accident. Will these people never learn. It makes me question the intelligence of people here!

... low intelligence is a valid question pmgthailand ... it could explain much of what we see here and try to rationalize as "translation problems", or "cultural differences".

... low intelligence quotients (IQs) are a chronic national health problem Thailand (due to nationwide lack of dietary iodine, necessary for brain development) ... it is long known by the UN, but only recently getting Thai government's attention ... the Thai Ministry of Health documented and published the results of their own nationwide, statistically relevant surveys:

1. Thai average IQ is 91;
2. 8.5% of Thais tested scored at or below 70 (mentally retarded); in areas of the north, the degree of mental retardation soared as high as 16.5% of the population;
3. Approximately 16.5% of the Thai population scores between 70 and 75.

... the sickening conclusion is that fully 25% of the Thai population is either mentally retarded, or within 5 points of mentally retarded.

... no amount of education can solve for that ... at low IQ levels, basic common judgment is not possible... perhaps that is why many perceive Thailand as a nation of children.

Edited January 1, 2011 by swillowbee

[neverdie]

The people who drink and drive and get killed are welcome to die, I won't shed a tear. I save my tears for the innocent victims they take with them.

Yes indeed STT, you are spot on with this. There are people about though that will jump to anyones defence, normally because their one of the same creed, perhaps someone thats done something evil like take someones life on the road through their own carelessness and they will argue and try and create new issues about 'society being responsible' in a poor attempt to divert ones attention away from the real issues.

Sadly, thousands of people are killed each year, worldwide, by <deleted> driving dangerously, or whilst intoxicated etc etc. Far too many of these people walk away from any subsequent formal action with a mere slap on the wrist. Its seems very unacceptable in society to obtain a firearm and walk around shooting people, yet a whole lot more accetable if the weapon of choice is a motor vehicle. I accept that there are definately incidents where life is tragically lost due to a small mistake, minor inattention & the like & my comments don't refer to those cases.

Its a pity that people who display the very worst of driving behaviours arnt stopped before they kill someone and forced to sit through a series of post mortems of people killed in accidents. If only these fools and need for speed die hards didnt get a little sniff of what the consequences of their action might be. I can tell you the sound of a saw cutting through a skull & the visual impact of watching body organs being removed from the chest cavity and examined are ones that stick with you for a very very long time, the smell of it never leaves you.

Edited January 1, 2011 by neverdie

[neverdie]

1. Thai average IQ is 91;

I don't know where you get your figures from, however, I will say this, if that score is manipulated in the same way alot of other higher education scores in Thailand are manipulated, then this is really alarming.

[swillowbee]

1. Thai average IQ is 91;

I don't know where you get your figures from, however, I will say this, if that score is manipulated in the same way alot of other higher education scores in Thailand are manipulated, then this is really alarming.

... the IQ figures were first documented in the mid-90's by the UN, then by the Thai Ministry of Health in 2005 ... in the 10 years between, the average IQ actually decreased from 92 to 91.

... articles published in the Nation and BKK Post are searchable on Google ... IQ+iodine+Thailand.

... low IQs are a sobering public health problem that will take generations to mitigate, even if an effective and efficient program were competently implemented ... so sad for the futures of Thailand's children.

Edited January 1, 2011 by swillowbee

[neverdie]

TY sw, very interesting.

[onnut]

1. Thai average IQ is 91;

I don't know where you get your figures from, however, I will say this, if that score is manipulated in the same way alot of other higher education scores in Thailand are manipulated, then this is really alarming.

then we are in trouble!

[swillowbee]

... low intelligence is a valid question pmgthailand ... it could explain much of what we see here and try to rationalize as "translation problems", or "cultural differences".

... low intelligence quotients (IQs) are a chronic national health problem Thailand (due to nationwide lack of dietary iodine, necessary for brain development) ... it is long known by the UN, but only recently getting Thai government's attention ... the Thai Ministry of Health documented and published the results of their own nationwide, statistically relevant surveys:

1. Thai average IQ is 91%;

2. 8.5% of Thais tested scored at or below 70 (mentally retarded); in areas of the north, the degree of mental retardation soared as high as 16.5% of the population;

3. Approximately 16.5% of the Thai population scores between 70 and 75.

... the sickening conclusion is that fully 25% of the Thai population is either mentally retarded, or within 5 points of mentally retarded.

... no amount of education can solve for that ... at low IQ levels, basic common judgment is not possible... perhaps that is why many perceive Thailand as a nation of children.

I don't know where you get your figures from, however, I will say this, if that score is manipulated in the same way alot of other higher education scores in Thailand are manipulated, then this is really alarming.

then we are in trouble!

... the problem is not the average 91 IQ ... these are functional intellects.

... the problem occurs at the lower end of the curve, where an alarmingly large percentage of the Thai population scores ... combine alcohol with these low IQ's and any sort of dangerous activity requiring education or judgement, as driving a motor vehicle, and the results are predictable ... combine that with the lack of law enforcement, and the results are guaranteed.

... unless the alcohol and the vehicle are withheld (which will simply not happen in Thailand), this is the norm we might expect.

Edited January 1, 2011 by swillowbee

[george]

UPDATE:

151 dead, 1,811 injured in 1,696 road accidents during first three days of "Seven Dangerous Days" /MCOT

[whybother]

UPDATE:

151 dead, 1,811 injured in 1,696 road accidents during first three days of "Seven Dangerous Days" /MCOT

Day 1:- 24 dead, 425 injured, 400 accidents

Day 2:- 55 dead, 634 injured, 600 accidents

Day 3:- 72 dead, 752 injured, 700 accidents

Bad trend.

[ChiangMaiFun]

Yesterday morning on the way to work in Phuket, a minivan full of people flew past me, I was doing 100 kph and it had just been raining lightly. Came up on this van a few minutes later upside down in the ditch, flattened and smoking. Very serious looking accident. Will these people never learn. It makes me question the intelligence of people here!

... low intelligence is a valid question pmgthailand ... it could explain much of what we see here and try to rationalize as "translation problems", or "cultural differences".

... low intelligence quotients (IQs) are a chronic national health problem Thailand (due to nationwide lack of dietary iodine, necessary for brain development) ... it is long known by the UN, but only recently getting Thai government's attention ... the Thai Ministry of Health documented and published the results of their own nationwide, statistically relevant surveys:

1. Thai average IQ is 91;
2. 8.5% of Thais tested scored at or below 70 (mentally retarded); in areas of the north, the degree of mental retardation soared as high as 16.5% of the population;
3. Approximately 16.5% of the Thai population scores between 70 and 75.

... the sickening conclusion is that fully 25% of the Thai population is either mentally retarded, or within 5 points of mentally retarded.

... no amount of education can solve for that ... at low IQ levels, basic common judgment is not possible... perhaps that is why many perceive Thailand as a nation of children.

Doesn't surprise me at all... I am certainly in the last catagory of perceiving many Thais as twelve year olds - hence the rich elites ease in manipulation. It really odd but it seems to be so deep within the Thai make-up I'm not sure it can ever be changed - even simple thing like 'do you know about the second world war'? meets with only a hint of recognition that there is world outside of Thailand.

[chuang]

In thailand best to avoid travelling on New Year's Day and Songkran festival.... :jap:

[lungmi]

Yesterday morning on the way to work in Phuket, a minivan full of people flew past me, I was doing 100 kph and it had just been raining lightly. Came up on this van a few minutes later upside down in the ditch, flattened and smoking. Very serious looking accident. Will these people never learn. It makes me question the intelligence of people here!

... low intelligence is a valid question pmgthailand ... it could explain much of what we see here and try to rationalize as "translation problems", or "cultural differences".

... low intelligence quotients (IQs) are a chronic national health problem Thailand (due to nationwide lack of dietary iodine, necessary for brain development) ... it is long known by the UN, but only recently getting Thai government's attention ... the Thai Ministry of Health documented and published the results of their own nationwide, statistically relevant surveys:

1. Thai average IQ is 91;
2. 8.5% of Thais tested scored at or below 70 (mentally retarded); in areas of the north, the degree of mental retardation soared as high as 16.5% of the population;
3. Approximately 16.5% of the Thai population scores between 70 and 75.

... the sickening conclusion is that fully 25% of the Thai population is either mentally retarded, or within 5 points of mentally retarded.

... no amount of education can solve for that ... at low IQ levels, basic common judgment is not possible... perhaps that is why many perceive Thailand as a nation of children.

Doesn't surprise me at all... I am certainly in the last catagory of perceiving many Thais as twelve year olds - hence the rich elites ease in manipulation. It really odd but it seems to be so deep within the Thai make-up I'm not sure it can ever be changed - even simple thing like 'do you know about the second world war'? meets with only a hint of recognition that there is world outside of Thailand.

Thai average is place 34, together with Ireland and Greece.

Another result with special IQ tests you can see at:

http://www.iq-tests-for-the-high-range.com/statistics/iq_by_country.html

Don't believe an IQ-test you didn't manipulate by vour own intelligence.

[ChiangMaiFun]

Yesterday morning on the way to work in Phuket, a minivan full of people flew past me, I was doing 100 kph and it had just been raining lightly. Came up on this van a few minutes later upside down in the ditch, flattened and smoking. Very serious looking accident. Will these people never learn. It makes me question the intelligence of people here!

... low intelligence is a valid question pmgthailand ... it could explain much of what we see here and try to rationalize as "translation problems", or "cultural differences".

... low intelligence quotients (IQs) are a chronic national health problem Thailand (due to nationwide lack of dietary iodine, necessary for brain development) ... it is long known by the UN, but only recently getting Thai government's attention ... the Thai Ministry of Health documented and published the results of their own nationwide, statistically relevant surveys:

1. Thai average IQ is 91;
2. 8.5% of Thais tested scored at or below 70 (mentally retarded); in areas of the north, the degree of mental retardation soared as high as 16.5% of the population;
3. Approximately 16.5% of the Thai population scores between 70 and 75.

... the sickening conclusion is that fully 25% of the Thai population is either mentally retarded, or within 5 points of mentally retarded.

... no amount of education can solve for that ... at low IQ levels, basic common judgment is not possible... perhaps that is why many perceive Thailand as a nation of children.

Doesn't surprise me at all... I am certainly in the last catagory of perceiving many Thais as twelve year olds - hence the rich elites ease in manipulation. It really odd but it seems to be so deep within the Thai make-up I'm not sure it can ever be changed - even simple thing like 'do you know about the second world war'? meets with only a hint of recognition that there is world outside of Thailand.

Thai average is place 34, together with Ireland and Greece.

Another result with special IQ tests you can see at:

http://www.iq-tests-...by_country.html

Don't believe an IQ-test you didn't manipulate by vour own intelligence.

my intelligence doesn't suggest Cambodia at number 1 and Singapore number 49 is very realistic

[swillowbee]

... low intelligence is a valid question pmgthailand ... it could explain much of what we see here and try to rationalize as "translation problems", or "cultural differences".

... low intelligence quotients (IQs) are a chronic national health problem Thailand (due to nationwide lack of dietary iodine, necessary for brain development) ... it is long known by the UN, but only recently getting Thai government's attention ... the Thai Ministry of Health documented and published the results of their own nationwide, statistically relevant surveys:

1. Thai average IQ is 91;
2. 8.5% of Thais tested scored at or below 70 (mentally retarded); in areas of the north, the degree of mental retardation soared as high as 16.5% of the population;
3. Approximately 16.5% of the Thai population scores between 70 and 75.

... the sickening conclusion is that fully 25% of the Thai population is either mentally retarded, or within 5 points of mentally retarded.

... no amount of education can solve for that ... at low IQ levels, basic common judgment is not possible... perhaps that is why many perceive Thailand as a nation of children.

Doesn't surprise me at all... I am certainly in the last catagory of perceiving many Thais as twelve year olds - hence the rich elites ease in manipulation. It really odd but it seems to be so deep within the Thai make-up I'm not sure it can ever be changed - even simple thing like 'do you know about the second world war'? meets with only a hint of recognition that there is world outside of Thailand.

Thai average is place 34, together with Ireland and Greece.

Another result with special IQ tests you can see at:

http://www.iq-tests-...by_country.html

Don't believe an IQ-test you didn't manipulate by vour own intelligence.

my intelligence doesn't suggest Cambodia at number 1 and Singapore number 49 is very realistic

... yeah, the figures appeared suspicious to me, as well ... so, I took a quick look at the website he cites ... it is a website addressing methods for selectively comparing and averaging HIGH IQ scores ... this is irrelevant to national IQ averages for entire populations ... I'll go with the IQ figures published in the local media (and summarized above), which are consistent with other mainline Internet resources (WHO, UN, "IQ and the Wealth of Nations", Wikipedia, others).

Edited January 1, 2011 by swillowbee

[nikster]

these numbers are no surprise to me

driving home last from Pattaya to Mabrachan lake area at about 1 am we very nearly had three serious accidents with motorcycles

Driving (wisely, in our car) at 10:30 pm last night: Within a 10 Minute ride through the outskirts of Chiang Mai one motorbike almost hit us as it blasted through a red light. And one car almost hit us as it tried to make a no-look u-turn on hang dong road. Driving in CM is crazy at the best of times but around new year, it's worse.

[Steely Dan]

Yesterday morning on the way to work in Phuket, a minivan full of people flew past me, I was doing 100 kph and it had just been raining lightly. Came up on this van a few minutes later upside down in the ditch, flattened and smoking. Very serious looking accident. Will these people never learn. It makes me question the intelligence of people here!

... low intelligence is a valid question pmgthailand ... it could explain much of what we see here and try to rationalize as "translation problems", or "cultural differences".

... low intelligence quotients (IQs) are a chronic national health problem Thailand (due to nationwide lack of dietary iodine, necessary for brain development) ... it is long known by the UN, but only recently getting Thai government's attention ... the Thai Ministry of Health documented and published the results of their own nationwide, statistically relevant surveys:

1. Thai average IQ is 91;
2. 8.5% of Thais tested scored at or below 70 (mentally retarded); in areas of the north, the degree of mental retardation soared as high as 16.5% of the population;
3. Approximately 16.5% of the Thai population scores between 70 and 75.

... the sickening conclusion is that fully 25% of the Thai population is either mentally retarded, or within 5 points of mentally retarded.

... no amount of education can solve for that ... at low IQ levels, basic common judgment is not possible... perhaps that is why many perceive Thailand as a nation of children.

Thank you for giving me a theoretical basis for what I suppressed for fear of being racist. Yes! There are loads of retards in the North. I put it down to the education system, but there had to be more to it than that - I will now ask my wife about her childhood diet as she is a doctor and is a very smart cookie.

[webfact]

New Year traffic mayhem update

234 dead, 2,656 injured in road accidents during first four days of "Seven Dangerous Days", most deaths reported in Lopburi /MCOT

[selftaopath]

Yesterday morning on the way to work in Phuket, a minivan full of people flew past me, I was doing 100 kph and it had just been raining lightly. Came up on this van a few minutes later upside down in the ditch, flattened and smoking. Very serious looking accident. Will these people never learn. It makes me question the intelligence of people here!

... low intelligence is a valid question pmgthailand ... it could explain much of what we see here and try to rationalize as "translation problems", or "cultural differences".

... low intelligence quotients (IQs) are a chronic national health problem Thailand (due to nationwide lack of dietary iodine, necessary for brain development) ... it is long known by the UN, but only recently getting Thai government's attention ... the Thai Ministry of Health documented and published the results of their own nationwide, statistically relevant surveys:

1. Thai average IQ is 91;
2. 8.5% of Thais tested scored at or below 70 (mentally retarded); in areas of the north, the degree of mental retardation soared as high as 16.5% of the population;
3. Approximately 16.5% of the Thai population scores between 70 and 75.

... the sickening conclusion is that fully 25% of the Thai population is either mentally retarded, or within 5 points of mentally retarded.

... no amount of education can solve for that ... at low IQ levels, basic common judgment is not possible... perhaps that is why many perceive Thailand as a nation of children.

If this is true (low IQ) it would explain much of the Thai behavior many of us observe which very much seems without logic or intellect.

[webfact]

Road accidents in Thailand kill 234 in New Year's highway carnage

Road accidents claimed 234 lives in Thailand's first four days of the seven deadly days of New Year's driving, officials said Sunday.

Between Wednesday to Saturday some 2,473 road accidents occurred on Thailand's highways, killing 234 people and injuring 2,656, according to figures released by the government's Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department.

The department said that about 40 per cent of the accidents were caused by drunk driving and about 20 per cent by speeding.

The Thai government has vowed to keep the road death toll during the seven deadly days of this New Year's season, which runs from December 29 to Tuesday, to less than 300, compared with 446 crash victims last year.

Police have been ordered to step up checks for drunk drivers during the period when tens of thousands of Bangkokians leave the capital to enjoy the holiday in the provinces.

-- The Nation 2011-01-02

[whybother]

Road accidents in Thailand kill 234 in New Year's highway carnage

<snip>

The Thai government has vowed to keep the road death toll during the seven deadly days of this New Year's season, which runs from December 29 to Tuesday, to less than 300, compared with 446 crash victims last year.

<snip>

Pushing shit uphill to keep it under 300. They'll be lucky to keep it under 400.