Songkran Revellers Set New 'Human Wave' Record; Road Death Toll Down 30%

[webfact]

NEW YEAR CELEBRATIONS

Revellers set new 'human wave' record

By OLARN LERTRATANADAMRONGKUL,

SOMPOCH SOMBAT

THE NATION

More than 50,000 people counted at Khon Kaen party; road toll down 30%

At 7pm yesterday, some 50,208 people got together to break the Guinness World Record by taking part in the Human Waves NOAL World Record on Khao Niew Road as part of the Songkran celebrations in Khon Kaen.

Infrared devices placed at both ends of the road counted the number of participants.

A similar record was broken on this very road last year, when 42,652 people took part in creating the human wave, which is part of the campaign to ensure a booze-free Songkran, explained Nirut Utha, director of the centre for limiting alcohol consumption. This "human wave" phenomenon was first held in 2009.

This year's participants were crowded in a 800-square-metre part of the road, while another 50,000 revellers celebrated the events nearby.

Meanwhile, some 148 deaths and 2,316 injuries have been reported after four of the "seven dangerous days of Songkran", road safety officials said yesterday.

The death toll was 64 lower or 30 per cent down on the previous year. The number of people injured was down by 418 or 15 per cent.

The number of accidents - 2,141 - was down by 374 or 15 per cent, Kamol Rodklai, deputy permanent secretary for Education, told a press conference yesterday.

Bangkok topped the four-day death toll with eight, followed by Suphan Buri and Chiang Mai, which both recorded seven deaths.

Nakhon Si Thammarat had the most injuries with 103, followed by Chiang Rai with 100. Nakhon Si Thammarat had the most accidents at 97, trailed by Chiang Rai at 93, he said.

Kamol said on Thursday alone, there were 515 accidents, which killed 32 people and injured 556 people across the country.

Drunk drivers were still the major cause of accidents at 45 per cent, and 81 per cent of crashes involved motorcycles, he said.

The major cause of injuries and deaths in the North and Northeast was drunk driving at 50 per cent, while in the Central region travelling without wearing safety helmets was the prime concern (42 per cent). So, police had been told to strictly enforce motoring laws to deter people from driving over the speed limit, driving while drunk or riding without helmets.

"We've told bus transport companies to provide two drivers per bus if the bus travels more than 400 kilometres - so they can take turns driving.

"And all drivers are not allowed to drink alcohol. Anyone violates the ban will be jailed for up to three months or face fines of Bt2,000-Bt10,000. Moreover, [bus] companies will be fined Bt40,000 as well, which will affect renewal of transport licences," Kamol added.

Vocational institutions have set up 250 centres to help provide vehicle checks and basic repairs on primary and secondary roads nationwide free of charge. People were told to call 1156 for information about these.

With Songkran, the traditional New Year festival, officially ending yesterday, the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) and bus companies are offering extra trips to help travellers get back to Bangkok this weekend.

SRT will add 12 Bangkok-bound train trips from the North and Northeast to support an expected 40,000 passengers per day from Saturday to Monday (April 16-18), SRT public relations division chief Nuanla-ong Wongchan said.

The extra train trips include the 962 departing Sila-ard at 7.30pm, arriving in Bangkok at 04.45am; the 976 departing Si Sa Ket at 4.30pm, arriving in Bangkok at 3.30am; the 936 leaving Udon Thani at 8.40pm and arriving in Bangkok at 8.30am; and the 934 from Ubon Ratchathani, leaving at 7.45pm and arriving in Bangkok at 8.10am.

The SRT had over 250 train trips for travellers for this year's Songkran break, she said, but reminded passengers to beware of thieves and not to hang on to steps while travelling due to the risk of injury from falling off moving trains.

Holiday-makers were seen queuing up to buy tickets for Bangkok and elsewhere at the bus station in the southern transport hub of Hat Yai. Tickets for all 35 buses scheduled daily for Bangkok from Hat Yai were fully booked till today (Sunday). This prompted the state Transport Co to prepare extra buses so people would not be stranded. In the northeast province of Si Sa Ket, private bus firms were also reported to have added eight more daily trips.

-- The Nation 2011-04-16

[ding]

Good that it didn't end up like that water festival episode in Cambodia last November IIRC. Looks like fun to me.

[dumball]

ding' timestamp='1302910779' post='4358944']

Good that it didn't end up like that water festival episode in Cambodia last November IIRC. Looks like fun to me.

That ' Episode ' in Cambodia had nothing to do with incidents on the roads or with drunk driving , it was a very sad affair that could have been averted on the newly constructed bridge , people going the wrong way on a one way route to the island .

What part looked like ' Fun ' to you ?

[TimeBandit2]

I'm working on my own Guinness Record

[MrsMills]

Well done Thailand.

USA will have 500+ road deaths on thanksgiving day, 50% will involve alcohol.

[housepainter]

How do you hide statistics? Bury them in an article about froth and frivolity. But in this case surely 'good news' should have a headline of its own? Not in Thailand then.

Statistics. During my time in the Land of Mysery and Suffering the raod death figures have risen, stayed the same and never been tackled. Blips, dips and nudges convey the authorities are incapable of tackling the unacceptable face of road carnage efectively. Lack of concern, complacency, corruption, intelligence or whatever partially explains the situation. Apathy and inertia.

Against this background we are asked to believe that the road deaths had dropped 30%. No effective or new measure in place; no drink campaign; no seat belt campaign; no helmet campaign, and yet the figures like shooting stars drop out of the sky and land right on the page. Unbelievable!

That explains it then. It is simply a piece of fiction; a scrawl of the pen; as dismissive as that.

As unconcerned as the number of bleed outs at the side of the road. As neglected as the balanced babies on the motorcycles handlebars. As capable as the number of drunks racing behind a wheel.

That is the sad reality tht threatens us all should we have to venture out during this Songkhrahn Festival. Songkhrahn. An abused and used festival ambushed and turned into a violent assault by drunks armed with heavy buckets of filthy water into on causing injury. Forget the environment and the waste of water, the most valuable resource. Forget the health risks and spread of water borne infections. In fact anything that aligns with law and order and health and safety. Just abandon common sense and take your chances, with noone coming to the rescue.

This is Thailand. Anything goes. No accountability. No responsibility.

What goes around just causes a feeling of dizziness and vomiting.

[brianb1944]

How do you hide statistics? Bury them in an article about froth and frivolity. But in this case surely 'good news' should have a headline of its own? Not in Thailand then.

Statistics. During my time in the Land of Mysery and Suffering the raod death figures have risen, stayed the same and never been tackled. Blips, dips and nudges convey the authorities are incapable of tackling the unacceptable face of road carnage efectively. Lack of concern, complacency, corruption, intelligence or whatever partially explains the situation. Apathy and inertia.

Against this background we are asked to believe that the road deaths had dropped 30%. No effective or new measure in place; no drink campaign; no seat belt campaign; no helmet campaign, and yet the figures like shooting stars drop out of the sky and land right on the page. Unbelievable!

That explains it then. It is simply a piece of fiction; a scrawl of the pen; as dismissive as that.

As unconcerned as the number of bleed outs at the side of the road. As neglected as the balanced babies on the motorcycles handlebars. As capable as the number of drunks racing behind a wheel.

That is the sad reality tht threatens us all should we have to venture out during this Songkhrahn Festival. Songkhrahn. An abused and used festival ambushed and turned into a violent assault by drunks armed with heavy buckets of filthy water into on causing injury. Forget the environment and the waste of water, the most valuable resource. Forget the health risks and spread of water borne infections. In fact anything that aligns with law and order and health and safety. Just abandon common sense and take your chances, with noone coming to the rescue.

This is Thailand. Anything goes. No accountability. No responsibility.

What goes around just causes a feeling of dizziness and vomiting.

Pardon, I wonder what prompted such a vitriolic attack

[shabbirg]

I wonder WHICH Utopian hellhole you migrated to Thailand from that does not have druken parties, violent offenders or traffic accidents? Next I wonder WHY you came to this "LAND OF MISERY AND SUFFERING". And then begs the question why you are still here? Your presence in this beautiful land with wonderful and kind people is the only misery & suffering I am enduring.

I am grateful to be allowed to live in Thailand; it is a privilege, not a right!

Fill out the short departure form at the airport and you can be on your way back to Utopia, no need to be a masochist in this "LAND OF MISERY AND SUFFERING", yeah. Seems fairly logical to me.

How do you hide statistics? Bury them in an article about froth and frivolity. But in this case surely 'good news' should have a headline of its own? Not in Thailand then.

Statistics. During my time in the Land of Mysery and Suffering the raod death figures have risen, stayed the same and never been tackled. Blips, dips and nudges convey the authorities are incapable of tackling the unacceptable face of road carnage efectively. Lack of concern, complacency, corruption, intelligence or whatever partially explains the situation. Apathy and inertia.

Against this background we are asked to believe that the road deaths had dropped 30%. No effective or new measure in place; no drink campaign; no seat belt campaign; no helmet campaign, and yet the figures like shooting stars drop out of the sky and land right on the page. Unbelievable!

That explains it then. It is simply a piece of fiction; a scrawl of the pen; as dismissive as that.

As unconcerned as the number of bleed outs at the side of the road. As neglected as the balanced babies on the motorcycles handlebars. As capable as the number of drunks racing behind a wheel.

That is the sad reality tht threatens us all should we have to venture out during this Songkhrahn Festival. Songkhrahn. An abused and used festival ambushed and turned into a violent assault by drunks armed with heavy buckets of filthy water into on causing injury. Forget the environment and the waste of water, the most valuable resource. Forget the health risks and spread of water borne infections. In fact anything that aligns with law and order and health and safety. Just abandon common sense and take your chances, with noone coming to the rescue.

This is Thailand. Anything goes. No accountability. No responsibility.

What goes around just causes a feeling of dizziness and vomiting.

[Deeral]

Well done Thailand.

USA will have 500+ road deaths on thanksgiving day, 50% will involve alcohol.

set against a population differential of 300 million to 67 million?

actually both countries should be ashamed.

I also would not count my chickens before they hatch regarding Thailand's holiday as they don't appear to have related the deaths to the actual festival crescendo dates.

Edited April 16, 2011 by Deeral

[Tanaka]

"We've told bus transport companies to provide two drivers per bus if the bus travels more than 400 kilometres - so they can take turns driving.

"And all drivers are not allowed to drink alcohol. Anyone violates the ban will be jailed for up to three months or face fines of Bt2,000-Bt10,000. Moreover, [bus] companies will be fined Bt40,000 as well, which will affect renewal of transport licences," Kamol added.

If they added a zero to those fines, they might have an impact. And not jail OR fine, but AND.

[BigBikeBKK]

How do you hide statistics? Bury them in an article about froth and frivolity. But in this case surely 'good news' should have a headline of its own? Not in Thailand then.

Statistics. During my time in the Land of Mysery and Suffering the raod death figures have risen, stayed the same and never been tackled. Blips, dips and nudges convey the authorities are incapable of tackling the unacceptable face of road carnage efectively. Lack of concern, complacency, corruption, intelligence or whatever partially explains the situation. Apathy and inertia.

Against this background we are asked to believe that the road deaths had dropped 30%. No effective or new measure in place; no drink campaign; no seat belt campaign; no helmet campaign, and yet the figures like shooting stars drop out of the sky and land right on the page. Unbelievable!

That explains it then. It is simply a piece of fiction; a scrawl of the pen; as dismissive as that.

As unconcerned as the number of bleed outs at the side of the road. As neglected as the balanced babies on the motorcycles handlebars. As capable as the number of drunks racing behind a wheel.

That is the sad reality tht threatens us all should we have to venture out during this Songkhrahn Festival. Songkhrahn. An abused and used festival ambushed and turned into a violent assault by drunks armed with heavy buckets of filthy water into on causing injury. Forget the environment and the waste of water, the most valuable resource. Forget the health risks and spread of water borne infections. In fact anything that aligns with law and order and health and safety. Just abandon common sense and take your chances, with noone coming to the rescue.

This is Thailand. Anything goes. No accountability. No responsibility.

What goes around just causes a feeling of dizziness and vomiting.

"During my time in the Land of Mysery and Suffering"...

Are you for real? Do we live in the same country? No country is perfect but I love Thailand and I really love the Songkran holiday- pure unadulterated sanook!

What in the world are you doing here if you hate this country, its people and its culture so much?

Happy Songkran!

[khaowong1]

I'm working on my own Guinness Record

good luck in your endeavor.

[khaowong1]

Well done Thailand.

USA will have 500+ road deaths on thanksgiving day, 50% will involve alcohol.

set against a population differential of 300 million to 67 million?

actually both countries should be ashamed.

I also would not count my chickens before they hatch regarding Thailand's holiday as they don't appear to have related the deaths to the actual festival crescendo dates.

I may be wrong, but according to my calculations, the u.s. percentage of deaths is half that of thailand according to population numbers. correct or not?

[Deeral]

I'm working on my own Guinness Record

good luck in your endeavor.

How sad

[Deeral]

How do you hide statistics? Bury them in an article about froth and frivolity. But in this case surely 'good news' should have a headline of its own? Not in Thailand then.

Statistics. During my time in the Land of Mysery and Suffering the raod death figures have risen, stayed the same and never been tackled. Blips, dips and nudges convey the authorities are incapable of tackling the unacceptable face of road carnage efectively. Lack of concern, complacency, corruption, intelligence or whatever partially explains the situation. Apathy and inertia.

Against this background we are asked to believe that the road deaths had dropped 30%. No effective or new measure in place; no drink campaign; no seat belt campaign; no helmet campaign, and yet the figures like shooting stars drop out of the sky and land right on the page. Unbelievable!

That explains it then. It is simply a piece of fiction; a scrawl of the pen; as dismissive as that.

As unconcerned as the number of bleed outs at the side of the road. As neglected as the balanced babies on the motorcycles handlebars. As capable as the number of drunks racing behind a wheel.

That is the sad reality tht threatens us all should we have to venture out during this Songkhrahn Festival. Songkhrahn. An abused and used festival ambushed and turned into a violent assault by drunks armed with heavy buckets of filthy water into on causing injury. Forget the environment and the waste of water, the most valuable resource. Forget the health risks and spread of water borne infections. In fact anything that aligns with law and order and health and safety. Just abandon common sense and take your chances, with noone coming to the rescue.

This is Thailand. Anything goes. No accountability. No responsibility.

What goes around just causes a feeling of dizziness and vomiting.

"During my time in the Land of Mysery and Suffering"...

Are you for real? Do we live in the same country? No country is perfect but I love Thailand and I really love the Songkran holiday- pure unadulterated sanook!

What in the world are you doing here if you hate this country, its people and its culture so much?

Happy Songkran!

A blinkered expat responds?

[yaangcome]

All I can say Housepainter is go home, just go home.

[Deeral]

All I can say Housepainter is go home, just go home.

Why do people always roll out this facile response when someone criticises Thailand?

It really is an old and risible cliche

[jackr]

Because they realise they could be (partly) correct and their bubble is burst. Possible this type also have very little resource to draw on (maybe a little bit simple).

[chiangmaicharlies]

All I can say Housepainter is go home, just go home.

Why do people always roll out this facile response when someone criticises Thailand?

It really is an old and risible cliche

Why do others perpetuate the thread! I know I've just done it myself - but just ignore the dross.

[SomTumTiger]

How do you hide statistics? Bury them in an article about froth and frivolity. But in this case surely 'good news' should have a headline of its own? Not in Thailand then.

Statistics. During my time in the Land of Mysery and Suffering the raod death figures have risen, stayed the same and never been tackled. Blips, dips and nudges convey the authorities are incapable of tackling the unacceptable face of road carnage efectively. Lack of concern, complacency, corruption, intelligence or whatever partially explains the situation. Apathy and inertia.

Against this background we are asked to believe that the road deaths had dropped 30%. No effective or new measure in place; no drink campaign; no seat belt campaign; no helmet campaign, and yet the figures like shooting stars drop out of the sky and land right on the page. Unbelievable!

That explains it then. It is simply a piece of fiction; a scrawl of the pen; as dismissive as that.

As unconcerned as the number of bleed outs at the side of the road. As neglected as the balanced babies on the motorcycles handlebars. As capable as the number of drunks racing behind a wheel.

That is the sad reality tht threatens us all should we have to venture out during this Songkhrahn Festival. Songkhrahn. An abused and used festival ambushed and turned into a violent assault by drunks armed with heavy buckets of filthy water into on causing injury. Forget the environment and the waste of water, the most valuable resource. Forget the health risks and spread of water borne infections. In fact anything that aligns with law and order and health and safety. Just abandon common sense and take your chances, with noone coming to the rescue.

This is Thailand. Anything goes. No accountability. No responsibility.

What goes around just causes a feeling of dizziness and vomiting.

Hey you darn kids, get off of my lawn! If you hate Thailand so much, why are you posting here? LOL