Death Toll Reaches 94 On Second Of Seven New Year's Dangerous Days: Thailand

[webfact]

Death toll reaches 94 on second of seven New Year's dangerous days

BANGKOK, Dec 31 -- Ninety-four people were killed in road accidents throughout Thailand during the first two days of the "seven high-risk days of the New Year’s holidays" from December 29 - January 4, according to the Road Safety Centre.

There were a total of 955 road accidents with 1,051 injuries reported on December 29 and 30. Drunken driving was identified as the main cause of the accidents, according to Land Transport Department Director General Somchai Siriwattanachok.

On Dec 30 alone, there were 547 road accidents, killing 58 people and injuring 548 others.

Cumulative road accidents from December 29-30 reached 955, a 5 percent drop compared to the same period last year.

Overall, the most deaths were reported in Bangkok with five casualties, while the highest number of the injured was seen in Prachinburi at 24.

Nakhon Pathom and Ayutthaya recorded the highest number of accidents during the first two days at 6 each, while no accidents were reported at all in Chaiyaphum, Nong Khai, Kamphaeng Phet and Trat.

A major cause of road accidents involved drunken driving at 34 percent. Motorcycles are the vehicle type with the highest number of accidents at 82 percent.

Mr Somchai said the Road Safety Centre has cooperated with police and authorities to set up checkpoints on minor roads in subdistricts to strictly monitor drunken motorists and motorcyclists, riding with no safety helmets, and speeding. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2011-12-31

[nurofiend]

yingluck... tut tut tut

[DLock]

yingluck... tut tut tut

This is not a Yingluck problem.

This is a problem that has existed in Thai culture forever.

No Government has seriously tackled the issue starting with real license tests, real police, real fines and real punishment.

Until they get serious, every New Year we will lament the sorry loss of life and injury.

[Lite Beer]

Thai road smash kills 12 travelling to funeral

BANGKOK, December 31, 2011 (AFP) - Twelve mourners were killed when their packed pickup truck collided with a passenger bus as they travelled to the funeral of a relative in northeastern Thailand, police said Saturday.

Ten women and two men, many of whom were sitting in the open-top rear of the truck, were killed instantly in the smash in Buriram province. Four other people were injured.

Colonel Pongsak Suk-im, commander of the local Nangrong district police, told AFP that the early morning collision happened when the truck pulled onto a main road in front of a long-distance bus from Bangkok.

The accident came during the most dangerous week of the year on Thailand's roads.

Annual fatalities from vehicle crashes during the New Year period regularly run into the hundreds, due to a combination of the large number of people on the roads and drunk driving.

Almost 100 people have already died and more than a thousand have been injured in accidents in the past two days, according to the interior ministry.

-- (c) Copyright AFP 2011-12-31

[DoctorG]

Overall, the most deaths were reported in Bangkok with five casualties, while the highest number of the injured was seen in Prachinburi at 24.

With 94 deaths over the 2 days, the above statement makes no sense. What about some decent reporting, listing the fatalities by location?

[Stump]

Thats sad.I was told in Thailand when people are too drunk to walk they ride a motor bike!!!!

[whybother]

Overall, the most deaths were reported in Bangkok with five casualties, while the highest number of the injured was seen in Prachinburi at 24.

With 94 deaths over the 2 days, the above statement makes no sense. What about some decent reporting, listing the fatalities by location?

There are 77 provinces, so there was on average about 1 per province. Do you want to see a list of the 77 provinces each time they report?

[BookMan]

Thai road smash kills 12 travelling to funeral

BANGKOK, December 31, 2011 (AFP) - Twelve mourners were killed when their packed pickup truck collided with a passenger bus as they travelled to the funeral of a relative in northeastern Thailand, police said Saturday.

Ten women and two men, many of whom were sitting in the open-top rear of the truck, were killed instantly in the smash in Buriram province. Four other people were injured.

Colonel Pongsak Suk-im, commander of the local Nangrong district police, told AFP that the early morning collision happened when the truck pulled onto a main road in front of a long-distance bus from Bangkok.

The accident came during the most dangerous week of the year on Thailand's roads.

Annual fatalities from vehicle crashes during the New Year period regularly run into the hundreds, due to a combination of the large number of people on the roads and drunk driving.

Almost 100 people have already died and more than a thousand have been injured in accidents in the past two days, according to the interior ministry.

-- (c) Copyright AFP 2011-12-31

That's very sad.

[BookMan]

Motorcycles 82 per cent of the accidents? I was surprised it was that high.

I find it hard to believe a lot of the Thai road statistics that I read. Sometimes they seem to be made up.

[captspectre]

Motorcycles 82 per cent of the accidents? I was surprised it was that high.

I find it hard to believe a lot of the Thai road statistics that I read. Sometimes they seem to be made up.

why? everyone and anyone from ten years old up can ride a motorbike. and there are up to five people on a small bike and ONLY the driver has to have a helmet. no license, no brains, no training and no common sense make the 82% believeable

[BookMan]

Motorcycles 82 per cent of the accidents? I was surprised it was that high.

I find it hard to believe a lot of the Thai road statistics that I read. Sometimes they seem to be made up.

why? everyone and anyone from ten years old up can ride a motorbike. and there are up to five people on a small bike and ONLY the driver has to have a helmet. no license, no brains, no training and no common sense make the 82% believeable

The stats I have seen show the average for motorcycle accidents in Thailand as an overall percentage is around 35%. how accurate is that? i don't know, but 80% is high. Maybe for this two day period it is correct.

Edited December 31, 2011 by BookMan

[iang]

Just yesterday I renewed my Thai driver's license in Chiang Mai for another 5 years. Unlike the last time I renewed, I had to re-do the traffic light colour recognition test, as well as the accelerator & then brake pedal reaction test.

I was amazed at how many Thai people in my test group actually failed the brake reaction test & really had no idea!

I was then made to sit through a 1 hour English language video presentation on Thai road safety & road rules, before they'd issue me with my renewed drivers license. I remember clearly watching this video and dreaming of what a pleasant place Thai roads would be to use, if they only enforced all these road rules & regulations and actually practiced what they preached in this road safety video!

All very sad - tragic actually, that so many lives are lost and lives destroyed as a result of road mayhem - especially over the New Year & Songkran holiday periods.....

Edited December 31, 2011 by iang

[BookMan]

Just yesterday I renewed my Thai driver's license in Chiang Mai for another 5 years. Unlike the last time I renewed, I had to re-do the traffic light colour recognition test, as well as the accelerator & then brake pedal reaction test.

I was amazed at how many Thai people in my test group actually failed the brake reaction test & really had no idea!

I was then made to sit through a 1 hour English language video presentation on Thai road safety & road rules, before they'd issue me with my renewed drivers license. I remember clearly watching this video and dreaming of what a pleasant place Thai roads would be to use, if they only enforced all these road rules & regulations and actually practiced what they preached in this road safety video!

All very sad - tragic actually, that so many lives are lost and lives destroyed as a result of road mayhem - especially over the New Year & Songkran holiday periods.....

Small steps. Education is a key part.

[F4UCorsair]

In Australia, the greatest number of 'incidents' (I don't call them accidents because they're not by definition) is tail to nose because of tailgating. The greatest number of deaths comes from single vehicle incidents, rollovers, hitting trees, etc.

On the subject of tailgating, the rule of thumb here (not law) is that there must be two seconds between vehicles, and that approximates to 6 meters per 10pm/hr, so at 60 Km/hr, 36 meters, at100km/hr 60 meters. Any less and it's only a matter of time until the tailgater caves in the back of the car in front, with possible injury/death to those in one or both vehicles.

I'm guessing there would be similar stats in Thailand, so if you want to be (reasonably) confident of arriving home safely, tailgating is just plain stupid.

[friendphil]

Overall, the most deaths were reported in Bangkok with five casualties, while the highest number of the injured was seen in Prachinburi at 24.

With 94 deaths over the 2 days, the above statement makes no sense. What about some decent reporting, listing the fatalities by location?

Exactly---- "What about some decent reporting, listing the fatalities by location?"

On another note: in thinking about the road fatalities here in Thailand, it occurs to me that perhaps it's not a problem that is so fixable by government, unless in an extended campaign of driver education, testing, training, police patrolling and so on.

The driving habits, the celebrating of the New Year, riding in backs of pickups, and more-- all these are Thai ways of doing things that cannot really be readily changed overnight.

I don't know how effective the roadside safety checkpoints are, but I really wonder. Where I come from (the U.S., California), on a major holiday there are police and highway patrol out on the roads as an obvious presence to discourage speeding, etc., and to be on the scene quickly when accidents do happen. I don't know to what extent that happens here, but I haven't read anything about it being a strategy for cutting down on accidents and fatalities.

[dcutman]

Just yesterday I renewed my Thai driver's license in Chiang Mai for another 5 years. Unlike the last time I renewed, I had to re-do the traffic light colour recognition test, as well as the accelerator & then brake pedal reaction test.

I was amazed at how many Thai people in my test group actually failed the brake reaction test & really had no idea!

I was then made to sit through a 1 hour English language video presentation on Thai road safety & road rules, before they'd issue me with my renewed drivers license. I remember clearly watching this video and dreaming of what a pleasant place Thai roads would be to use, if they only enforced all these road rules & regulations and actually practiced what they preached in this road safety video!

All very sad - tragic actually, that so many lives are lost and lives destroyed as a result of road mayhem - especially over the New Year & Songkran holiday periods.....

Small steps. Education is a key part.

Education? About driving. Now thats a joke. Thai's can hardly teach children to read or write.

Now try to teach them not to drive on the wrong side of the road, no matter how inconvienent that next u-turn is. Or they really need to have the lights on when driving after it is dark, and a 30 baht flash light is not an alterative. Maybe try an educate them how to use a turn signal, good luck with that one. I believe the highest speed limit is 120kph on some motorways, I am sure if you ask any Thai, their answer will be as fast as I like anywhere, or as slow as I like anywhere for that matter, in any travel lane.

Teaching Thai's to drive is like trying to to them common sence. It just cant be done.

Enforcement is a key, and I doubt that will happen either.

Edited December 31, 2011 by dcutman

[kellbell]

yingluck... tut tut tut

This is not a Yingluck problem.

This is a problem that has existed in Thai culture forever.

No Government has seriously tackled the issue starting with real license tests, real police, real fines and real punishment.

Until they get serious, every New Year we will lament the sorry loss of life and injury.

this is a very good point.

[anterian]

Every year we have the same forum discussion, nothing changes.

[lyne55]

Im going to put my 5 pence worths in here. Ive driven in thailand for 4 weeks. On the motorways I see, well, minimal problems. The biggest one is overtaking. Theres no lane disserplin and people drive in whatever lane they see fit. Different signals mean different things. for example. If a lorry wants to stay in the fast lane (Well, its the fast lane in england) and can see you want to overtake him, he will put his left indicator on. Now you might come accross another lorry driver who puts his left signal on to say he is pulling over to let you go past on the fast lane. everyone is reading from a different book is what im saying. Any road with at least 2 lanes is fairly safe in my opinion. In reply to the aus who replied, dont matter what country your in, you just have to accept that tailgate accidents happen when heavy traffic is around. In england there very common, but most are not fatals.

There is a much bigger problem when it comes to single lane roads. People just cant wait. Lorrys are massivly slow. Cars are better, but not that much better so they take longer than people are prepaired to wait to overtake. bish bosh bang and you have a head on, side swipe to avoid, lorry turned over in a ditch.

Motorbikes. OMG where do you start. The most dangerous thing known to man. In thailand, people think, because there on a motorbike its ok to slip into the traffic, its ok to pull out infront of a car because they will stop, its ok to go down the side of someone and push in at the juction because there small. I cant remember howmany times I nearly finished a motorbike and I was only driving for 4 weeks! If motorbike riders used the road the same as a car, my bet is the accident numbers would dramaticlly drop. Mopeds in thailand are mostly old, they have minimal power and theres normally to many people on them. But hay, if you only have small wages you cant afford a car, the fuel to go in them, the maintainence etc. Motorbike is the only option.

A test? Training??? yeah right, that will cost money, I aint doing that I hear people say all the time. Education, hmmm, yes will help. Better police cracking down on dangerous riding/driving. Yes will help. Having a motorbike test you have to pass. Massivly important, how people will pay for it???? not my strong point. Who knows???????????

[hugocnx]

What is actually the 'score' of road accidents on regular days against special holidays.

All I read is about high numbers, but I think it is high all the time and now maybe 120% or more.

But then again there is way more traffic....so this is all in the game isn't it.

[sydneyjed]

Thai road smash kills 12 travelling to funeral

BANGKOK, December 31, 2011 (AFP) - Twelve mourners were killed when their packed pickup truck collided with a passenger bus as they travelled to the funeral of a relative in northeastern Thailand, police said Saturday.

Ten women and two men, many of whom were sitting in the open-top rear of the truck, were killed instantly in the smash in Buriram province. Four other people were injured.

Colonel Pongsak Suk-im, commander of the local Nangrong district police, told AFP that the early morning collision happened when the truck pulled onto a main road in front of a long-distance bus from Bangkok.

The accident came during the most dangerous week of the year on Thailand's roads.

Annual fatalities from vehicle crashes during the New Year period regularly run into the hundreds, due to a combination of the large number of people on the roads and drunk driving.

Almost 100 people have already died and more than a thousand have been injured in accidents in the past two days, according to the interior ministry.

-- (c) Copyright AFP 2011-12-31

My heart goes out to all the families and friends as this is just devastating news..Where do you start and where do you finish here?This is just what I know off the top of my head this year..Bus load of teachers killed just north of Chiang Mai...Bus load of mourners returning to Phuket killed after bus veers down mountain embankment..Mini bus crashes just north of Cha Am killing five..bus from Pattaya veers off into bridge stantion killing driver and passenger..Station ute loses control and crashes down hillside killing 6 Burmese workers (nearly same location in Phuket)...The list goes on and on...and seemingly nothing happens and nothing gets done...The video of the poor Laos girl being completely decapitated by the yellow porsch just about sums it up here...No one cares a f..k! Edited December 31, 2011 by sydneyjed

[andyuk]

Picking up a few points here. In the UK we are not allowed to carry passengers in the back of a pickup as everyone has to wear a seatbelt even rear seat pssengers. Every m/cyclist has to wear a helmet. It appears to me that Thai people dont worry about dying or is that a Bhuddist thing. I have seen many crazy and frightening things on the roads of Thailand, i have driven many times over here and i concentrate all the time , you need eyes in the back of your head some times especially when the schools finish for the day. A safe New Year to you all.

Andyuk

Edited December 31, 2011 by andyuk

[Scott]

Off-topic posts deleted as well as quotes.

[dddave]

I just did a bit of Internet research. According to Wikipedia "List of countries by traffic related death rate", 1,200,000 people worldwide died in traffic accidents in 2008, the last year for which they had complete statistics. That is almost 3,300 per day worldwide; pretty amazing, really.

Of 179 nations reporting, 65 had a higher rate than Thailand's 19.6 per 100,000 population. By far the highest rates of 30 or more per 100,000 were in Africa. Scandinavian countries were among the lowest with single digit rates.

The world average was 20.6/100,000 so Thailand was just barely in the lower half.

Edited December 31, 2011 by dddave

[Nisa]

About 30+ people die in road accidents on any given day in Thailand. This jump doesn't seem all that out of line with many other countries during the holidays .. though the holidays seems extended in Thailand beyond just the actual day.

Thailand no doubt needs to continue to improve areas around road safety, enforcement and education but the number of deaths is not as bad as people may think comparably considering more than 60% of vehicles on the road in Thailand are motorcycles.

Road Deaths in Thailand per 100,000 people ... 19.6

Road Deaths in Thailand per 100,000 vehicles ... 118.8

Road Deaths in World per 100,000 people ... 20.8

Road Deaths in World per 100,000 vehicles ... 93.3

The total number of fatalities in Thailand per year has also seemed to be trending down, at least from 1997 though mid 2006, even with more vehicles on the road (more 7 million more registered vehicles from 97 compared to 06).

Total Road Deaths in Thailand 1997 ... 13,836 (7.83 per 10,000 vehicles)

Total Road Deaths in Thailand 2006 ... 12,069 (4.87 per 10,000 vehicles)

http://en.wikipedia....ated_death_rate

http://www.grsproads...an/Thailand.pdf

Edit: found this additional stat

Total Road Deaths in Thailand 2006 ... 11,048 (4.10 per 10,000 vehicles)

http://www.unescap.o...21.Thailand.pdf

Edited December 31, 2011 by Nisa

[aussiebebe]

About 30+ people die in road accidents on any given day in Thailand. This jump doesn't seem all that out of line with many other countries during the holidays .. though the holidays seems extended in Thailand beyond just the actual day.

Thailand no doubt needs to continue to improve areas around road safety, enforcement and education but the number of deaths is not as bad as people may think comparably considering more than 60% of vehicles on the road in Thailand are motorcycles.

Road Deaths in Thailand per 100,000 people ... 19.6

Road Deaths in Thailand per 100,000 vehicles ... 118.8

Road Deaths in World per 100,000 people ... 20.8

Road Deaths in World per 100,000 vehicles ... 93.3

The total number of fatalities in Thailand per year has also seemed to be trending down, at least from 1997 though mid 2006, even with more vehicles on the road (more 7 million more registered vehicles from 97 compared to 06).

Total Road Deaths in Thailand 1997 ... 13,836 (7.83 per 10,000 vehicles)

Total Road Deaths in Thailand 2006 ... 12,069 (4.87 per 10,000 vehicles)

http://en.wikipedia....ated_death_rate

http://www.grsproads...an/Thailand.pdf

Edit: found this additional stat

Total Road Deaths in Thailand 2006 ... 11,048 (4.10 per 10,000 vehicles)

http://www.unescap.o...21.Thailand.pdf

It is good to have references but most of my Thai friends would point out that many accidents aren't recorded and so aren't included in any statistics.

[Nisa]

About 30+ people die in road accidents on any given day in Thailand. This jump doesn't seem all that out of line with many other countries during the holidays .. though the holidays seems extended in Thailand beyond just the actual day.

Thailand no doubt needs to continue to improve areas around road safety, enforcement and education but the number of deaths is not as bad as people may think comparably considering more than 60% of vehicles on the road in Thailand are motorcycles.

Road Deaths in Thailand per 100,000 people ... 19.6

Road Deaths in Thailand per 100,000 vehicles ... 118.8

Road Deaths in World per 100,000 people ... 20.8

Road Deaths in World per 100,000 vehicles ... 93.3

The total number of fatalities in Thailand per year has also seemed to be trending down, at least from 1997 though mid 2006, even with more vehicles on the road (more 7 million more registered vehicles from 97 compared to 06).

Total Road Deaths in Thailand 1997 ... 13,836 (7.83 per 10,000 vehicles)

Total Road Deaths in Thailand 2006 ... 12,069 (4.87 per 10,000 vehicles)

http://en.wikipedia....ated_death_rate

http://www.grsproads...an/Thailand.pdf

Edit: found this additional stat

Total Road Deaths in Thailand 2006 ... 11,048 (4.10 per 10,000 vehicles)

http://www.unescap.o...21.Thailand.pdf

It is good to have references but most of my Thai friends would point out that many accidents aren't recorded and so aren't included in any statistics.

This is not stats about accidents but accidents resulting in deaths. Accidents by themselves are under reported everywhere.

[SomTumTiger]

yingluck... tut tut tut

This is not a Yingluck problem.

This is a problem that has existed in Thai culture forever.

No Government has seriously tackled the issue starting with real license tests, real police, real fines and real punishment.

Until they get serious, every New Year we will lament the sorry loss of life and injury.

She's the boss - it is her problem. Or her brother's . But he doesn't give a crap.

[Nisa]

Edit: found this additional stat

Total Road Deaths in Thailand 2006 ... 11,048 (4.10 per 10,000 vehicles)

http://www.unescap.o...21.Thailand.pdf

This should have been ...

Total Road Deaths in Thailand

2009

... 11,048 (4.10 per 10,000 vehicles)

[Colin Yai]

Just yesterday I renewed my Thai driver's license in Chiang Mai for another 5 years. Unlike the last time I renewed, I had to re-do the traffic light colour recognition test, as well as the accelerator & then brake pedal reaction test.

I was amazed at how many Thai people in my test group actually failed the brake reaction test & really had no idea!

I was then made to sit through a 1 hour English language video presentation on Thai road safety & road rules, before they'd issue me with my renewed drivers license. I remember clearly watching this video and dreaming of what a pleasant place Thai roads would be to use, if they only enforced all these road rules & regulations and actually practiced what they preached in this road safety video!

All very sad - tragic actually, that so many lives are lost and lives destroyed as a result of road mayhem - especially over the New Year & Songkran holiday periods.....

The Official Thai driver stopping distance when travelling at 50 kph is roughly 800 metres or not at all