Boy Age Twelve Killed At Rocket Festival

[Lite Beer]

Rocket festival death

By The Nation on Sunday

A 12-year-old boy was killed instantly in an accident during the Bun Bung Fai Lan - Thai Traditional Rocket Festival - in Khon Kaen's Kranuan district yesterday afternoon.

While adults and kids were observing rockets launch, one soared upwards for about 10-20 metres and suddenly exploded, sending a piece of metal shrapnel which cut into the throat of Ekkachai Khamlapa, standing by his dad 6-7 metres away.

Witnesses said an organiser's warning for spectators to stay at least 10 metres from the launch area was lost in loud music so people were not standing a safe distance away until the explosion caused the boy's death. Police said tragedy was an accident, but they are considering a charge of recklessness causing death against the person who lit the rocket and event organisers.

-- The Nation 2011-06-19

[edwinchester]

I've been to one of these festivals before and they are good fun. Unfortunately an accident waiting to happen as well. Blame the organiser for not having a codoned off rocket launch area, the guy who set the rocket off when spectators are too close and the dad for standing too close as well.

[kwonitoy]

stay at least 10 metres from the launch area was lost in loud music

I've been going to these things for years up where I live, they're great fun BUT there is no safety at all. People drunk out of there minds at 9:00am dancing around the rocket stand, a quick nung,song,sam, and blast off. I've seen rockets explode on the stand, launch off course, blow up, spin on the ground lighting everything on fire.

I stand at least 50 meters away and have had parts of rockets land around me.

Go, enjoy but stand a long long way back and leave early before the gunfire from the losers starts.

[ToffeEFCpower]

This was only a matter of time. RIP

[JeffreyMcCollum]

Sad, but really surprised more accidents don't happen. And a Throat cut is not and "Instant" death. far from it

[ginjag]

I've been to one of these festivals before and they are good fun. Unfortunately an accident waiting to happen as well. Blame the organiser for not having a codoned off rocket launch area, the guy who set the rocket off when spectators are too close and the dad for standing too close as well.

Not the same I know.....but a once a year festival, fantastic event similar to bonfire night. Big difference though.

Priorities.

1...Massive illegal gambling

2.. Massive amount of drunkenness

3...Security a total joke, these rockets are of a massive size. (recommend )10 meter safe distance Ha Ha Ha

4...City V.I.P.s in seated areas, waited on with J. Walker bottles at hand. these people are attending and cannot see the dangers, Elected big wig officials

5...Local communities enjoy your day. It's a pity that these special events are so badly organized for the people, BUT the first 4 priorities are NOT.

[cloudhopper]

This was just a tiny one at our local...

[rreddin]

I've been to one of these festivals before and they are good fun. Unfortunately an accident waiting to happen as well. Blame the organiser for not having a codoned off rocket launch area, the guy who set the rocket off when spectators are too close and the dad for standing too close as well.

Not the same I know.....but a once a year festival, fantastic event similar to bonfire night. Big difference though.

Priorities.

1...Massive illegal gambling

2.. Massive amount of drunkenness

3...Security a total joke, these rockets are of a massive size. (recommend )10 meter safe distance Ha Ha Ha

4...City V.I.P.s in seated areas, waited on with J. Walker bottles at hand. these people are attending and cannot see the dangers, Elected big wig officials

5...Local communities enjoy your day. It's a pity that these special events are so badly organized for the people, BUT the first 4 priorities are NOT.

My condolences to the boy's family and friends. A tragic end to a fun day out. RIP.

I am not a kill joy, but safety precautions do need to be enforced. Like several other posters, I too have been to many of these rocket festivals, which, incidentally, are often fund raising events linked to a local temple. I have seen people attaching their rockets (between 2kg and 5kg - but some are 1000kg and all home made) to the launch pad as rockets were being set off. The ignition is electrical, so somebody presses the switch and they must be able to see that there are people close by. I have not personally seen a rocket explode, but I am informed (by the onsite bookmakers) that about one in twenty malfunctions in some way. Add to that the small rockets being sold on site to young children. These rockets are often launched from the child's hand and can go in any direction. An accident waiting to happen.

Has any one seen any first aid facilities at these festivals? Given the parking congestion around these festival sites, I doubt it would be easy for an ambulance to get there. Even if it could, most ambulances only provide transport to the nearest hospital. If the local fire brigade are in attendance, it is to pump water into the hong nam.

Being a realist, I do not expect to see any safety improvements put in place any time soon.

Edited June 19, 2011 by rreddin

[BlueSmurf]

Poor kid...RIP...

[JohnAllan]

We ARE in Thailand, where safety standards - no matter in regard to what, or where - are a matter of perception. And unfortunately, the Thais' perception of safety is woefully short of adequate. Blame [a lack of] education, expedience, incompetence: they all come into the equation, at one time or another. The tragedy is: they won't learn . . .

[tominbkk]

Poor kid.

Sue the local police and city for allowing this very unsafe activity to go on. Or not, but don't complain then when kids die....just say 'som nam na'.

[Scott]

My condolences to the family, friends and classmates of the youngster. A tragic story and a young life cut short.

[bdenner]

Well I don't know about other launch sites in the Udon Thani Province but in our Tambon (90km from Udon) the rockets are fired remotely via an electric heating element by an organizer situated outside a 50 odd meter exclusion zone. In groups of 5 the contestants enter the zone to mount and prepare their rockets. The elements are placed and wired by the organizer and he makes sure the zone is cleared prior to connecting the trigger to each in turn and setting then free.

They have been doing it this way for at least 8 years that I know of. In saying this the decent is still uncontrolled and these things can land anywhere or on anything.

And, still can't figure how the judges can work out an altitude when the missiles disappear into the clouds.

[thaihome]

Well I don't know about other launch sites in the Udon Thani Province but in our Tambon (90km from Udon) the rockets are fired remotely via an electric heating element by an organizer situated outside a 50 odd meter exclusion zone. In groups of 5 the contestants enter the zone to mount and prepare their rockets. The elements are placed and wired by the organizer and he makes sure the zone is cleared prior to connecting the trigger to each in turn and setting then free.

They have been doing it this way for at least 8 years that I know of. In saying this the decent is still uncontrolled and these things can land anywhere or on anything.

And, still can't figure how the judges can work out an altitude when the missiles disappear into the clouds.

I went to the festival in Yasothon 10 years ago and they had similar safety procedures in place.

TH

[richard_smith237]

2+2 = ?..... Well, I've just put two and two together... On Saturday I was driving back to Bangkok from Khon Kaen and saw what appeared to be a rocket shooting up to an impressive height (I estimate 500m to 800m)... However, it appeared that the rocket having reached its terminal altitude returned to earth dangerously close to the main highway 2.....

I'm not sure if this was the same event as described in the Opening Post - But if so, from a distance it was brutally apparent that there is a total absence of responsibility and accountability where basic safety standards are concerned.

[rreddin]

2+2 = ?..... Well, I've just put two and two together... On Saturday I was driving back to Bangkok from Khon Kaen and saw what appeared to be a rocket shooting up to an impressive height (I estimate 500m to 800m)... However, it appeared that the rocket having reached its terminal altitude returned to earth dangerously close to the main highway 2.....

I'm not sure if this was the same event as described in the Opening Post - But if so, from a distance it was brutally apparent that there is a total absence of responsibility and accountability where basic safety standards are concerned.

I think you are way out! The average time these small (2kg to 5kg) rockets take to get to their maximum altitude is between 3 and 4 minutes. In my neck of the woods, which is 35 Km from Udon Thani airport as the crow flies, these projectiles go higher than the outbound scheduled flights from the airport. I am informed that these aircraft are at 1500m or more when they pass over my village. Incidentally, the 1000kg rockets do not seem to go any higher than the small ones, but do come down faster.

At least launches are stopped when any aircraft are spotted, but that is only giving a small safety margin. It may not be much, but it is better than accidentally shooting down an airliner.

Usually, the rockets do come down close to the launch site. A recent Thai language newspaper article carried a photo of a house near Udon Thani that was burnt out after being hit by a rocket that went astray. As you say there is a total absence of responsibility and accountability where basic safety standards are concerned.

[bdenner]

I think you are way out! The average time these small (2kg to 5kg) rockets take to get to their maximum altitude is between 3 and 4 minutes.

I think you mean 3 to 4 seconds. They don't reach orbit!

[cloudhopper]

Nicely done video featuring a typical explosion or two

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lOcnIFIYsVA&feature=related

[Thai at Heart]

2+2 = ?..... Well, I've just put two and two together... On Saturday I was driving back to Bangkok from Khon Kaen and saw what appeared to be a rocket shooting up to an impressive height (I estimate 500m to 800m)... However, it appeared that the rocket having reached its terminal altitude returned to earth dangerously close to the main highway 2.....

I'm not sure if this was the same event as described in the Opening Post - But if so, from a distance it was brutally apparent that there is a total absence of responsibility and accountability where basic safety standards are concerned.

I think you are way out! The average time these small (2kg to 5kg) rockets take to get to their maximum altitude is between 3 and 4 minutes. In my neck of the woods, which is 35 Km from Udon Thani airport as the crow flies, these projectiles go higher than the outbound scheduled flights from the airport. I am informed that these aircraft are at 1500m or more when they pass over my village. Incidentally, the 1000kg rockets do not seem to go any higher than the small ones, but do come down faster.

At least launches are stopped when any aircraft are spotted, but that is only giving a small safety margin. It may not be much, but it is better than accidentally shooting down an airliner.

Usually, the rockets do come down close to the launch site. A recent Thai language newspaper article carried a photo of a house near Udon Thani that was burnt out after being hit by a rocket that went astray. As you say there is a total absence of responsibility and accountability where basic safety standards are concerned.

I have always wondered how commercial airliner would handle one of these rockets or the lanterns that get put in the air at loi kratong

[ginjag]

Well I don't know about other launch sites in the Udon Thani Province but in our Tambon (90km from Udon) the rockets are fired remotely via an electric heating element by an organizer situated outside a 50 odd meter exclusion zone. In groups of 5 the contestants enter the zone to mount and prepare their rockets. The elements are placed and wired by the organizer and he makes sure the zone is cleared prior to connecting the trigger to each in turn and setting then free.

They have been doing it this way for at least 8 years that I know of. In saying this the decent is still uncontrolled and these things can land anywhere or on anything.

And, still can't figure how the judges can work out an altitude when the missiles disappear into the clouds.

Because the judges are in the clouds, usually through drink and bribe money

Edited June 20, 2011 by ginjag

[ginjag]

2+2 = ?..... Well, I've just put two and two together... On Saturday I was driving back to Bangkok from Khon Kaen and saw what appeared to be a rocket shooting up to an impressive height (I estimate 500m to 800m)... However, it appeared that the rocket having reached its terminal altitude returned to earth dangerously close to the main highway 2.....

I'm not sure if this was the same event as described in the Opening Post - But if so, from a distance it was brutally apparent that there is a total absence of responsibility and accountability where basic safety standards are concerned.

I think you are way out! The average time these small (2kg to 5kg) rockets take to get to their maximum altitude is between 3 and 4 minutes. In my neck of the woods, which is 35 Km from Udon Thani airport as the crow flies, these projectiles go higher than the outbound scheduled flights from the airport. I am informed that these aircraft are at 1500m or more when they pass over my village. Incidentally, the 1000kg rockets do not seem to go any higher than the small ones, but do come down faster.

At least launches are stopped when any aircraft are spotted, but that is only giving a small safety margin. It may not be much, but it is better than accidentally shooting down an airliner.

Usually, the rockets do come down close to the launch site. A recent Thai language newspaper article carried a photo of a house near Udon Thani that was burnt out after being hit by a rocket that went astray. As you say there is a total absence of responsibility and accountability where basic safety standards are concerned.

I have always wondered how commercial airliner would handle one of these rockets or the lanterns that get put in the air at loi kratong

I would think the Airbus or 737 would do a roll to avoid..

[snoother]

Not the first time something like this happened :

Those festivals look fun anyway, wish I could see one... from a far distance!