Thai Govt Hopes To Bring Down Number Of Deaths During Songkran

[webfact]

SONGKRAN FESTIVAL

Govt hopes to bring down number of deaths

By The Nation

Strict measures lined up as authorities aim to Songkran

The authorities are hoping to cut the number of deaths and injuries during this year's Songkran period by at least 5 per cent.

During the same period last year, 361 people were killed in road accidents and 3,802 others injured.

"We will enforce several strict measures to promote road safety during this Songkran period," Public Health Minister Jurin Laksanawisit said yesterday.

The measures include the strict enforcement of laws related to the sale of alcohol and drunkdriving and having medical teams fully prepared and on standby.

"We aim to have emergency medical teams arrive at accident sites in 10 minutes of receiving calls on our 1669 hotline," Jurin said.

The secretarygeneral of the Emergency Medical Institute of Thailand (Narendhorn), Dr Chatri Charoensuchevakul, said the hotline was a tollfree number.

"We have 100,000 members ready to take action around the clock." He said the team had a fleet of more than 10,000 cars, trucks and vans, in addition to 1,000 boats and 100 helicopters.

"We will have ambulances on standby at more than 100 accidentprone spots as well," Chatri said, adding that the sites had been identified by the Highway Department.

Thais celebrate the Songkran festival each year by splashing water at each other, partying, visiting relatives or travelling. Though the festival officially runs from April 13 to 15, many people take the entire week off, which is usually deemed the "Seven Dangerous Days of Songkran".

This year, the "Seven Dangerous Days" run from April 1117. Since drunk driving accounted for 40 per cent of the accidents during last Songkran, the authorities have decided to make this year's festival period alcoholfree.

Roadside shops and minimarts in petrol stations will undergo random checks because they are barred from selling alcohol during the period. Also, all shops have to stick to the rules of selling alcohol only between 11am and 2pm and 5pm and midnight.

An official from the Bureau of Epidemiology said yesterday that on average, up to 1,100 children below the age of 14 are injured in road accidents during the Songkran period every year.

-- The Nation 2011-04-08

[biloutte]

so guys if they control alcool this week go buy before lol this is realy big joke

happy Songrkan everybody be safe this is the best and the best

DON T BE SELFFISH you are not alone in the world

[sexy man]

ban the use of the big vinyl pipe watercannon and strictly enforce it. they are banned in pattaya but you can see them being used everywhere and the police do nothing.

[robblok]

ban the use of the big vinyl pipe watercannon and strictly enforce it. they are banned in pattaya but you can see them being used everywhere and the police do nothing.

Its better to really ban the alcohol, total non sale of alcohol in bar's shops ect. That will save more people then banning the vinyl pipe. I doubt they cause any real accidents. I'm not in Pattaya, have never used a pipe like this and i will work during Songkran. So im staying inside.

[brahmburgers]

There should be dedicated areas, strictly enforced, for throwing water.

I wish I could be police chief in my town of Chiang Rai for the 10 days of water throwing. I would provide my men with 500 plastic handcuffs each, and instruct them to disable all water throwers who were outside the designated water throwing areas. The offenders would be strung, wrist to wrist, for hundreds of meters, and cut loose after a minimum 5 hours detention. Second offenders would be strung until a day after the water throwing is over.

Too harsh? Not as harsh a penalty as befalls the people (mostly young women) who are thrown off their moving motorbikes by a bucket full of water thrown full force, at point-blank range by a strong young man.

Trying to lessen the harm of Songkran in Thailand, is like trying to lessen the rip offs by jet-ski operators and tuk tuk drivers in Phuket. It can't happen, because authorities are culturally castrated from being effective. They have the testicular fortitude of eunuchs - unable to stand up to rowdies.

[exbelg]

i guess with hoping this it is as accurate as the hope to get ++ millions tourists in this year....

[ableguy]

ban the use of the big vinyl pipe watercannon and strictly enforce it. they are banned in pattaya but you can see them being used everywhere and the police do nothing.

How do they kill people with these ?

[ableguy]

There should be dedicated areas, strictly enforced, for throwing water.

I wish I could be police chief in my town of Chiang Rai for the 10 days of water throwing. I would provide my men with 500 plastic handcuffs each, and instruct them to disable all water throwers who were outside the designated water throwing areas. The offenders would be strung, wrist to wrist, for hundreds of meters, and cut loose after a minimum 5 hours detention. Second offenders would be strung until a day after the water throwing is over.

Too harsh? Not as harsh a penalty as befalls the people (mostly young women) who are thrown off their moving motorbikes by a bucket full of water thrown full force, at point-blank range by a strong young man.

Trying to lessen the harm of Songkran in Thailand, is like trying to lessen the rip offs by jet-ski operators and tuk tuk drivers in Phuket. It can't happen, because authorities are culturally castrated from being effective. They have the testicular fortitude of eunuchs - unable to stand up to rowdies.

Being a bit harsh on the eunuchs are we not ?

[TimeBandit2]

The numbers are phony anyway. Thais don't understand the difference between precision and accuracy.

Regarding alcohol - people have a right to drink. If you don't agree, I'll gladly spit beer on you.

[cutter007]

ban the use of the big vinyl pipe watercannon and strictly enforce it. they are banned in pattaya but you can see them being used everywhere and the police do nothing.

How do they kill people with these ?

Imagine some guy who's government failed him by only allowing him an

education until he was 9 years old. Now imagine you cruizing down the street going 40km an hour

on a motorbike. Enter uneducated <deleted> who doesn't have the mental capacity to understand that spraying

someone in the face with a watercannon, while they are going 40Km is an automatic accident.

And there you go. It's not the watercannons that kill people, it's a corrupt government, and the idiots it produces

that kill people.

[wildoates]

Easy to do, just change the Math........

[tragickingdom]

Bringing down the number of deaths is easy this year, there seem to be no order from the likes of Prem to kill people in the streets of Bangkok.

[drdoom6996]

Get the BIB to do their jobs. Instead you get 10,000 volunteers to let the BIB blame when it all goes south. No pun intended. Or maybe we need a 10 million Baht feasibility study to enlighten a few pockets.

[selftaopath]

[Forward progress] ... can't happen, because authorities are culturally castrated from being effective. They have the testicular fortitude of eunuchs - unable to stand up to [rich and powerful] rowdies.

Love your statement but didn't resist "putting in my 2 cents." Hope you don't mind. So much of what happens here or doesn't happen here is b/c of systemic inadequacies, nepotism, and corruption. Just yesterday I saw what looked like a 10 year old operating a motor cycle with a 3 or 4 year old STANDING up with her hands on the operator's shoulders. Don't these people understand consequences etc? GEEZE I'll tell ya. And of course I'm in Isaan where 99.9 percent of the population ride vehicles w/out being legal. Boy oh boy.?????? And people wonder why so many get maimed or killed on the roads? This country specializes in "knee jerk" reactions. Guess that's easier than thinking/planning/implementing ..... Two months ago a boy a/b 12 yrs old crashed his Mc into an old guy riding a Mc at a intersection. Old guy died and young guy's family had to pay a/b 10K. What a freak show.

[bangon04]

I can't help thinking that "strict" measures would somehow have to include the possibility of the \Royal Thai Police actually doing their job and enforcing the law. Or am I missing something here.... maybe they will get the army conscripts to enforce the law instead.

[pattayabuggy]

There should be dedicated areas, strictly enforced, for throwing water.

I wish I could be police chief in my town of Chiang Rai for the 10 days of water throwing.  I would provide my men with 500 plastic handcuffs each, and instruct them to disable all water throwers who were outside the designated water throwing areas.  The offenders would be strung, wrist to wrist, for hundreds of meters, and cut loose after a minimum 5 hours detention.  Second offenders would be strung until a day after the water throwing is over.

Too harsh?  Not as harsh a penalty as befalls the people (mostly young women) who are thrown off their moving motorbikes by a bucket full of water thrown full force, at point-blank range by a strong young man.

Trying to lessen the harm of Songkran in Thailand, is like trying to lessen the rip offs by jet-ski operators and tuk tuk drivers in Phuket.  It can't happen, because authorities are culturally castrated from being effective. They have the testicular fortitude of eunuchs - unable to stand up to rowdies.

Nice idea, of course it would make no money for the BIB, so what would be the point? Certainly not law enforcement, ha, ha, ha!

[Thaddeus]

During the same period last year, 361 people were killed in road accidents and 3,802 others injured.

And that number is not that much higher than the average death toll on normal days (if it's the whole seven deadly days)..... so all it means is that for one week, some find a different way to die or be killed.

I know that sounds incompassionate, it isn't meant that way.

[diehard60]

N ow I am assuming that the BIB will be out there protecting evryone. But -------- The will be drunk also. Now what????????????? You know it would be nice if the BIB would REALLY do their JOB. Take the bad, drunk drivers OFF the ROAD. That would really save lives.

[diehard60]

ban the use of the big vinyl pipe watercannon and strictly enforce it. they are banned in pattaya but you can see them being used everywhere and the police do nothing.

Its better to really ban the alcohol, total non sale of alcohol in bar's shops ect. That will save more people then banning the vinyl pipe. I doubt they cause any real accidents. I'm not in Pattaya, have never used a pipe like this and i will work during Songkran. So im staying inside.

Impossible!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You would have to start the ban 3 months before and do iy without anuone knowing. Which is impossible also.

.

[sausageandmash]

Glad he did it before someone else did. Those Yokels pissed a lot of people off.

Bringing down the number of deaths is easy this year, there seem to be no order from the likes of Prem to kill people in the streets of Bangkok.

[Mickeem]

ban the use of the big vinyl pipe watercannon and strictly enforce it. they are banned in pattaya but you can see them being used everywhere and the police do nothing.

How do they kill people with these ?

By blasting motorcycists in the face with water or even the threat of being blasted the rider then automaticly flinches often wavering into oncoming traffic ie oversized gigantic pickup trucks then 'splat'

[animatic]

Ban Red Rallies.

Lock-down the whole country : Solly load use not arrowed today.

Prosecute each bar that sells alcohol to the inebriated with the same crimes that the drunk commits.

Other than this, ain't gonna happen.

Edited April 10, 2011 by animatic