Songkran's First Road Death Reported

[webfact]

Songkran's first road death reported

By Wattana Khamchoo

The Nation

Though one person had already been killed in a road accident yesterday, Interior Minister Chaovarat Chanweerakul said the authorities were aiming for there being no casualties during Songkran this year.

Chaovarat, speaking at the opening ceremony of the Road Safety Centre (RSC), said he wanted the road toll to be zero though the RSC is aiming for a more realistic number - cutting down the number of deaths during the so-called seven dangerous days by 10 per cent.

So far, one death was reported in Chanthaburi province after a car crashed into a motorcycle being driven by Payung Supsri, 49, who was on his way home after a party. Two people were also injured in the same province.

This year's seven dangerous days of Songkran started yesterday and run until Sunday. Last year, 361 deaths and 3,802 injuries were reported during the same period.

In his capacity as director of RSC, Chaovarat said the authorities would announce the number of road accidents, fatalities and injuries every day from today. He added that the ministry was working with local officials to put up checkpoints, designate special zones for water splashing and implement strict laws on the sale of alcohol.

Since official records show that most accidents occur on secondary roads, he said the ministry had asked its networks and volunteers stationed at checkpoints nationwide to warn motorists of the dangers of driving irresponsibly.

Chaovarat said four committees covering the North, Northeast, Central and East, and the South, had been set up to follow up on the road-safety campaigns implemented so far. Top officials in the ministry, including deputy ministers and the permanent secretary, have been appointed to lead each committee and keep him updated at all times.

-- The Nation 2011-04-12

[whybother]

Shouldn't the "dangerous days" include the first day that most people will be driving home?

Why start the statistics on Monday when a lot of people start their trips on Friday or Saturday?

[geriatrickid]

It's like the contest of who has the first baby of the new year.

[zzaa09]

It's like the contest of who has the first baby of the new year.

Which New Year? Thai or Farang?

[SomTumTiger]

Hope we will have a Songkran holiday that is not marked by Red shirts killing, maiming, pillaging, etc. Just for a change of pace!

[Mason45]

Actually the road toll in Thailand is far worse than the statistics reported by the government or media. Deaths in hospitals or home care caused by motor accidents aren't considered part of the roll toll. Random police road blocks changed every few hours should be top priority, here they seem to be in the same places everyday. Maybe 2nd offence confiscate the vehicle and make a serious deterent.

[naidraw66]

They should aim at cutting the road deaths all year round not just at holiday periods. By doing it this way they are saying its ok to drink and drive most of the time but not on holidays.

[Boater]

Though one person had already been killed in a road accident yesterday, Interior Minister Chaovarat Chanweerakul said the authorities were aiming for there being no casualties during Songkran this year.

this guy needs to get out a bit more ! ,

[webfact]

29 Deaths in First Day of Songkran Holidays

In the first day of the 7 Dangerous Days of Songkran holiday, 29 deaths have been reported nationwide. 400 other travelers have been injured. Authorities report that the main cause still centers around drunk driving.

-- Tan Network 2011-04-12

[random]

Hope we will have a Songkran holiday that is not marked by Red shirts killing, maiming, pillaging, etc. Just for a change of pace!

Most tenuous link ever to convert a thread about road accidents into slating the red shirts. Well done you

[robsamui]

Actually the road toll in Thailand is far worse than the statistics reported by the government or media. Deaths in hospitals or home care caused by motor accidents aren't considered part of the roll toll. Random police road blocks changed every few hours should be top priority, here they seem to be in the same places everyday. Maybe 2nd offence confiscate the vehicle and make a serious deterent.

Yep - if you die in the ambulance on the way to hospital you are not considered a 'road fatality' - you need to be dead on the ground to qualify.

This Thatcherite approach to road deaths (overnight she "reduced" Britain's unemployment by half using similar means) ... means that whilst Koh Samui had a documented 300 road deaths a year a decade ago, now it has suddenly shrunk to around 30 a year. The fact that the population has doubled and the traffic has quadrupled in this period only reflects just how effective the current policing and road safety measures have become today compared to back in 2000!

R

[Lancelot]

Yep - if you die in the ambulance on the way to hospital you are not considered a 'road fatality' - you need to be dead on the ground to qualify.

Now thats a great government in action

[stepenwolf1958]

Hope we will have a Songkran holiday that is not marked by Red shirts killing, maiming, pillaging, etc. Just for a change of pace!

Most tenuous link ever to convert a thread about road accidents into slating the red shirts. Well done you

Don't bother. Some people are ridiculously obsessed by(basically) nonsensical things in their lives, which don't concern them at all but they have need to express here their frustrations of many kinds. Psychic.

[edwinchester]

Actually the road toll in Thailand is far worse than the statistics reported by the government or media. Deaths in hospitals or home care caused by motor accidents aren't considered part of the roll toll. Random police road blocks changed every few hours should be top priority, here they seem to be in the same places everyday. Maybe 2nd offence confiscate the vehicle and make a serious deterent.

Yep - if you die in the ambulance on the way to hospital you are not considered a 'road fatality' - you need to be dead on the ground to qualify.

This Thatcherite approach to road deaths (overnight she "reduced" Britain's unemployment by half using similar means) ... means that whilst Koh Samui had a documented 300 road deaths a year a decade ago, now it has suddenly shrunk to around 30 a year. The fact that the population has doubled and the traffic has quadrupled in this period only reflects just how effective the current policing and road safety measures have become today compared to back in 2000!

R

A recent UN Report on worldwide road deaths suggested that the actual annual death toll on the roads in Thailand is between 24000 and 25000.

[webfact]

29 road deaths on first day of Songkran's 'seven dangerous days'

BANGKOK, April 12 -- A total of 29 deaths and 400 injuries in 365 Thailand road accidents nationwide was reported for the first day of the Songkran holiday's "seven dangerous days", according to Deputy Minister of Interior Thaworn Senneam on Tuesday.

Mr Thaworn said according to statistics recorded by the Road Safety Centre, the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation on April 11, the first day of the seven day campaign to cut road accidents and promote the 100 per cent use of safety helmets, there were 365 road accidents, 192 less than the first day of the previous year; 29 died, 16 less than last year's daily record and 400 were injured, 207 less than last year.

Drunken driving remains the major cause of accidents at 30.14 per cent, followed by speeding at 20 per cent, he said. Most accidents involved motorcycles with 83.24 per cent taking place between 4pm and 8pm.

The highest number of accidents on Monday, 22, took place in the southern province of Nakhon Si Thammarat, followed by Chiang Rai's 20 cases and Sirin with 18 accidents, he said. Chiang Rai also saw the most injuries, at 22 people.

Interior Minister Chavarat Charnvirakul on Monday opened Thailand's Road Safety Centre with the aim to prevent and reduce road accidents during this year's Songkran Festival by ten per cent.

In his capacity as director of the Road Safety Centre, Mr Chavarat said the combined statistics of road accidents, fatalities and casualties will be announced daily from April 12-17 to warn motorists to be aware of losses and raise consciousness regarding road safety. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2011-04-12

[Macmundi]

First day and last day of Songkran, no booze allowed. In between, free booze for ALL!!! Everyone wins! :jap:

[hyperdimension]

What this article should have stated is how different the quoted initial statistics are from the daily average. What is the average?

A recent UN Report on worldwide road deaths suggested that the actual annual death toll on the roads in Thailand is between 24000 and 25000.

Based on the UN's figures, that's an average of around 70 deaths per day of the year.

[kuffki]

So here is a million dollar question.

Has police set up any breathalyzer check points?

Especially in thew afternoon, evening and night time?

And a million dollar answer-NO

So what other outcome does police expect?

Slightly off the topic, i am renovating my hotel and my contractors EVERY DAY around lunch time polish off a bottle of whiskey and few beers each.Of course hardly any work is done after that, but they drive and ride home. So how gov expects to cut down the number of deaths and injury's when no preventative measures are taken at all

[asiawatcher]

"... Interior Minister Chaovarat Chanweerakul said the authorities were aiming for there being no casualties during Songkran this year."

This idiot should be forced to resign for sheer stupidity!

[webfact]

Topic continues here:

29 Killed On First Day Of Songkran

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