1st Day Of 7 Road Accident Danger Days See 34 Deaths, 501 Injuries: Thailand

[webfact]

34 deaths, 501 injuries in 427 road accidents reported

34 deaths, 501 injuries in 427 road accidents reported on 1st day of 7-day travelling period on New Year holiday, higher than last year: Disaster Prevention, Mitigation Dept

-- TNA 2011-12-30

[webfact]

34 killed in road accidents on 1st dangerous New Year holidays

The first of the so-called seven dangerous New Year holidays saw 34 people killed and 501 others injured in road accidents around the country.

Deputy Interior Minister Thanis Thienthong told a press conference that 427 road accidents happened on Thursday, which is counted as the first of seven New Year holiday period.

The authorities monitor road accidents during the long New Year holidays to try to minimise road toll. This year, the authorities monitor the road accidents from December 29 to January 4 when people leave Bangkok and return to the capital during the long holidays.

Thanis said the number of road accident this year was high than last year by 34 accidents or 8.65 per cent while the death toll increased by ten or 41.67 per cent. The number of injured people increased by 76 or 17.88 per cent

-- The Nation 2011-12-30

[webfact]

Provinces Launch Road Safety Centers

Many provinces are opening road assistance centers to welcome the New Year holiday.

The centers aim to reduce the number of car accidents during the holiday.

Phitsanulok Governor Preecha Ruangchan presided over the 2011 national accident prevention day event and opened the road accident prevention center.

The caravan for road safety campaign was launched to reduce car accidents during the New Year week, which starts tomorrow until January 4 next year.

Furthermore, Phitsanulok Province has prepared 27 checkpoints for roads and highways.

The traffic police will closely monitor motorists to prevent possible car accidents.

Motorists will be encouraged to wear helmets, fasten seat belts, to drive within the speed limit, to drive only with a license, and not to drink and drive.

The Transportation Office joined hands with the Provincial Police Station of Burirum Province to go over road and traffic regulations with high school students.

More than 100 students volunteered to help the authorities provide the road assistance at checkpoints during New Year Festival.

In Ubon Ratchatani Province, the Subpasittiprasong hospital started a blood donation program to collect blood for car accident victims during the New Year holiday.

More than 2,000 people are injured in car accidents each year. Donors are able to donate blood to help patients every day.

Pattani Governor Theera Mintarasak presided over the opening of the road accident prevention center.

The governor asked the relevant agencies, the private sector, and local administration organizations to enforce and follow the traffic regulations by eliminating risky accident factors such as alcohol.

Each checkpoint and road assistance point will need to work effectively to decrease the number of road accidents.

-- Tan Network 2011-12-30

[PaulHamon]

In Thailand, threr were 11048 fatalities from road traffic accident in 2009.

11 048 / 365 = 30.3

Only 4 more than the 2009 average...

EVERYDAY IS BAD DAY ON THAI ROAD!

[moskito]

Terrible numbers !

Uneducated, drunk and reckless driving causing the death of many innocent people on the streets here every day.

More and more Farangs are hitting the streets day by day, the main reason are the insane TukTuk and Taxi fares and no busses at all in

the tourism centers. For driving by TukTuk in Phuket about 500meters one will pay up to 200.-Baht....so for 200.-Baht, many tourists renting

motobikes the whole day, sometimes it is even cheaper. Traffic in Thailand is insane...and nobody start solving the problem on its roots.

[Oberkommando]

In Thailand, threr were 11048 fatalities from road traffic accident in 2009.

11 048 / 365 = 30.3

Only 4 more than the 2009 average...

EVERYDAY IS BAD DAY ON THAI ROAD!

Those figures are only those dead at the scene. They do not include those that die on the way to hospital or later as a result of their injuries.

There are also claims that those figures are kept deliberately low by the Police.

[friendphil]

A sad beginning, for so many, for "Happy New Year". May all who drive drive safely. May all who travel be safe and protected. May all beings be safe, peaceful and happy.

[prakhonchai nick]

Provinces Launch Road Safety Centers

Many provinces are opening road assistance centers to welcome the New Year holiday.

Motorists will be encouraged to wear helmets, fasten seat belts, to drive within the speed limit, to drive only with a license, and not to drink and drive.

Encouraged?? They should be forced with horrendous penalties if found in breach. It is after all the LAW!!!

[MaiDong]

Shocking.

Somebody actually DO something about this please

[AsiaCheese]

In Thailand, threr were 11048 fatalities from road traffic accident in 2009.

11 048 / 365 = 30.3

Only 4 more than the 2009 average...

EVERYDAY IS BAD DAY ON THAI ROAD!

AFAIK, the figure is up to almost 38 daily for 2010...

[VictorOne]

In Thailand, threr were 11048 fatalities from road traffic accident in 2009.

11 048 / 365 = 30.3

Only 4 more than the 2009 average...

EVERYDAY IS BAD DAY ON THAI ROAD!

Provinces Launch Road Safety Centers

Many provinces are opening road assistance centers to welcome the New Year holiday.

Motorists will be encouraged to wear helmets, fasten seat belts, to drive within the speed limit, to drive only with a license, and not to drink and drive.

Encouraged?? They should be forced with horrendous penalties if found in breach. It is after all the LAW!!!

AND Thai statistics are well known for being under reported "the real figures are not good for tourism"

Edited December 30, 2011 by VictorOne

[fishhooks]

This is just so.... so hard to imagine, when you see this country as relatively up to date with most things of any modern society all around you.

It just seems that there is a huge proportion of the community who just don't care.

Really frightening, to those of us whether you live here or just come for holidays to walk around a centre such as Paragon in the city, then walk out into what to all intents and purposes is a primitive society in so many ways.

[SomTumTiger]

There is so much bad driving, that this figure isn't suprising. I only feel sorry for the innocent victims of road death and injury. Most are not innocent, their just idiots who benefit us by being off the roads permanently. The more the merrier. I drive a Volvo at the speed limit. Everyone else is on their own. Good luck!

[muratremix]

Terrible numbers !

Uneducated, drunk and reckless driving causing the death of many innocent people on the streets here every day.

More and more Farangs are hitting the streets day by day, the main reason are the insane TukTuk and Taxi fares and no busses at all in

the tourism centers. For driving by TukTuk in Phuket about 500meters one will pay up to 200.-Baht....so for 200.-Baht, many tourists renting

motobikes the whole day, sometimes it is even cheaper. Traffic in Thailand is insane...and nobody start solving the problem on its roots.

This is only valid for Phuket. In Bangkok you can always catch a taxi meter for cheap travel, or bus if you are backpacker.

[PaulHamon]

In Thailand, threr were 11048 fatalities from road traffic accident in 2009.

11 048 / 365 = 30.3

Only 4 more than the 2009 average...

EVERYDAY IS BAD DAY ON THAI ROAD!

Those figures are only those dead at the scene. They do not include those that die on the way to hospital or later as a result of their injuries.

There are also claims that those figures are kept deliberately low by the Police.

I'm full aware of that, the real number is more like 40,000 if you count people that die in hospital afterwards (which they SHOULD).

[HarryKleinsmit]

Just compared it to the numbers in Holland:

In 2009 720 died, in 2010 'only' 640. As Holland has 4.16 times less people this would add up to 2995 casualties in 2009 and 2662 in 2010.

In short: In a western country it is about 75% saver on the road than in Thailand! So be careful out there!!!

I heared you could even 'buy' a license here. No wonder the Dutch police won't accept a Thai drivers license in Holland.

[normac44]

Your' article states more than 2,000 people are injured each year in road accidents? are you sure this is correct..maybe 2 million?

[diehard60]

Provinces Launch Road Safety Centers

Many provinces are opening road assistance centers to welcome the New Year holiday.

This is a good sign. They need to do this evry day not just on holidays. And they need to have people at these stops. I have seen many where there are no people or just some that are alredy drunk.

The police need to be educated more and paid more too I guess.

[tompinlee]

a device that disables the engine if the seat belt is not fastened!!!??? a lot of lives would be saved.

[hawthorne]

Terrible statistics but in order to improve the first thing is to identify the problem and be transparent of the figures. Regardless if these are totally accurate they are atleast trying and it is a great step to educating the people through the press. It will make people more aware and those that do read will educate their families. I think things will start to change. The insurance industry will eventually press for stricter law enforcement. We all here know it is more dangerous during the celebration periods so we can better prepare ourselves and that is a blessing to know.

[tompinlee]

a breath tester moulded in the door panel!!! over the limit, it locks the engine and doors. would save many lives.

[OzMick]

a device that disables the engine if the seat belt is not fastened!!!??? a lot of lives would be saved.

It could be disabled in less than a minute, and would be!

[sabaisabairu]

Just compared it to the numbers in Holland:

In 2009 720 died, in 2010 'only' 640. As Holland has 4.16 times less people this would add up to 2995 casualties in 2009 and 2662 in 2010.

In short: In a western country it is about 75% saver on the road than in Thailand! So be careful out there!!!

I heared you could even 'buy' a license here. No wonder the Dutch police won't accept a Thai drivers license in Holland.

You are wrong. You forget that in Holland just 6 mill people. And in Thailand 75 mill. So in Thailand population in 12.5 times more than in Holland. If in 2009 died 720 x 12.5 =9,000 opposite 11048 in Thailand.

So in your country with more higher taxes and salaries for police just 19% saver than in Thailand.

[Bakseedaa]

Just compared it to the numbers in Holland:

In 2009 720 died, in 2010 'only' 640. As Holland has 4.16 times less people this would add up to 2995 casualties in 2009 and 2662 in 2010.

In short: In a western country it is about 75% saver on the road than in Thailand! So be careful out there!!!

I heared you could even 'buy' a license here. No wonder the Dutch police won't accept a Thai drivers license in Holland.

Dutch police do accept Thai International Licence..... they have to..!

[tompinlee]

a device that disables the engine if the seat belt is not fastened!!!??? a lot of lives would be saved.

It could be disabled in less than a minute, and would be!

MMM! Yes quite right unless built into the car in a way it cannot be disabled....hope some engineers are working on it!

[webfact]

34 road accident deaths reported on first travel day of seven day New Year holiday

BANGKOK, Dec 30 – Thirty-four deaths, and 501 injuries in 427 road accidents were reported yesterday (Dec 29), the first day of the seven-day travel period of the New Year holiday, according to the holiday traffic safety centre.

The major causes of road accidents are driving under the influence of alcohol and speeding, said Deputy Interior Minister Thanit Thienthong in a news conference on Friday.

The 427 road accident total for Dec 29 was 8.65 per cent higher than the 393 accidents recorded on the same day last year. The number of fatalities was 34, up 41.67 per cent from last year while injuries increased by 76 or 17.88 per cent from 425 injuries in the previous year.

As Friday is the last working day before the New Year holiday, he said most travelers are expected to leave Bangkok for their hometowns upcountry today and major roads, particularly highways, connecting the capital and regions are likely to be congested.

Meanwhile, Vibul Sanguanpong, director-general of the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department as secretary-general of the holiday traffic centre warned motorists to beware of poor visibility in the morning, from thick fog in the North and the Northeast to heavy rain and slippery roads in the South.

Special traffic lanes will be provided to increase traffic flow and officials have been deployed to accident prone areas to check drunken and speeding drivers as well as overloaded vehicles.

In the northern province of Lampang, Pol Col Songkwan Ratchadathanawat, superintendent of Sopprab police station said four people were killed in an accident on the Lampang-Tak Asian Highway in his province.

The driver of a speeding car lost control and swerved, hitting a roadside tree and was engulfed in flames. It is believed that the driver fell asleep at the wheel.

Two men and two women were killed in the accident. Only one person could be identified, that being Sirilak Kitwanit, 34. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2011-12-30

[HarryKleinsmit]

Just compared it to the numbers in Holland:

In 2009 720 died, in 2010 'only' 640. As Holland has 4.16 times less people this would add up to 2995 casualties in 2009 and 2662 in 2010.

In short: In a western country it is about 75% saver on the road than in Thailand! So be careful out there!!!

I heared you could even 'buy' a license here. No wonder the Dutch police won't accept a Thai drivers license in Holland.

You are wrong. You forget that in Holland just 6 mill people. And in Thailand 75 mill. So in Thailand population in 12.5 times more than in Holland. If in 2009 died 720 x 12.5 =9,000 opposite 11048 in Thailand.

So in your country with more higher taxes and salaries for police just 19% saver than in Thailand.

Sorry, but I did my reseach. You obviously did not. There are 16.612.213 people in Holland compared to 69.122.234 in Thailand! So the factor is indeed exactly 4,16 ! And for that matter: In Holland people live a lot closer together than the Thai. After Malta the Dutch are the most populated country in the EU (484 per square kilometer) as to Thailand (124 per square kilometer). So, I think you can even add to to this factor because the roads in Holland are a lot busier.

[HarryKleinsmit]

Just compared it to the numbers in Holland:

In 2009 720 died, in 2010 'only' 640. As Holland has 4.16 times less people this would add up to 2995 casualties in 2009 and 2662 in 2010.

In short: In a western country it is about 75% saver on the road than in Thailand! So be careful out there!!!

I heared you could even 'buy' a license here. No wonder the Dutch police won't accept a Thai drivers license in Holland.

Dutch police do accept Thai International Licence..... they have to..!

Sorry, Yes, you are right. They will accept an INTERNATIONAL drivers license. But anyway, I wouldn't let my Thai wife drive in Holland if you know what I mean ;-). If you stay longer than a half year in Holland you would have to get a Dutch license and you can't just change in your Thai license for a Dutch. You will have to do a new exam.

[BookMan]

IMO .the keys are education, Safety improvements, and Enforcement of road rules. A lot of Thai driving does boggle the mind, but driving culture on busy roads is in its infancy in Thailand for the majority.

In 1970 Australia had its highest road toll ever, 3798 deaths (30.4 fatalities per 100,000 persons or 80 per 100,000 registered vehicles.

In 1999 the number of road fatalities had decreased to less than half the 1970 rate (1,761), representing 9.5 per 100,000 persons 1.4 per 100,000 registered vehicles.

http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/[email protected]/featurearticlesbytitle/9AFD4E13D7DA281FCA2569DE0028B40C?OpenDocument

Thailands for the year 2000 had 9.6 fatalities per 100,000 people or 118 per 100,000 vehicles. (see link below)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_traffic-related_death_rate

In 1969 in Australia, there was no requirement to wear a seat belt. Drink driving was common, roads were often poor. Drivers licenses in rural areas were often obtained without a driving test. Bikes were often ridden with no helmets.

Sound familiar?

[WildChilli]

And the innocent victims in the road accidents

Surely they are to blame as well

NOT

In Thailand, threr were 11048 fatalities from road traffic accident in 2009.

11 048 / 365 = 30.3

Only 4 more than the 2009 average...

EVERYDAY IS BAD DAY ON THAI ROAD!

Those figures are only those dead at the scene. They do not include those that die on the way to hospital or later as a result of their injuries.

There are also claims that those figures are kept deliberately low by the Police.

I'm full aware of that, the real number is more like 40,000 if you count people that die in hospital afterwards (which they SHOULD).