Four Dead, 20 Injured In Thai Fireworks Blast

[pattayadingo]

3 who died in Suphanburi firecracker explosion are in charge of lighting firecrackers;base housing firecrackers believed to have tilted

Suphanburi governor orders initial compensation for those injured in firecracker explosion at Bt3,000/person,Bt30,000/house destroyed

/TANN

A pathetic sum and doubtless it will cover the costs of injury or loss of property.

[weary]

Most humans are afraid of dying, and Thais are no exception as far as I have seen. The Thais I know are extremely scared of death. Try to talk about death with a Thai person and see how enthusiastic they are about the subject... To say that Thais in general are not safety conscious is a correct observation, not about looking down on anybody. I don't hear any Thais disagreeing about that either.

[webfact]

Death toll in Suphan Buri fireworks blast rises to four

SUPHAN BURI, Jan 25 -- One more victim in the Suphan Buri fireworks explosion has died in hospital, raising the death toll in the tragedy to four, while 74 persons overall were injured in Tuesday night’s incident.

Three people died at the scene and the fourth, one of those seriously injured later died at hospital, all men. Twenty people remain hospitalised.

The event was held at the City Pillar Shrine near the community’s Museum of the Descendants of the Dragon, or Heavenly Dragon Park. Fireworks lit up the sky to celebrate Chinese Lunar New Year festival held at this central province on Tuesday.

Minister of Public Health Wittaya Buranasiri visited the survivors at two local hospitals last night, and reported that 54 persons were discharged from hospital after treatment, while 20 others remained in two local hospitals, Chao Phraya Yomaraj and Supamitr.

Fifteen persons were admitted at Chao Phraya Yomaraj Hospital while five others were admitted to Supamitr Hospital, he said, among them three who were seriously injured.

Meanwhile, Mr Wittaya said he asked Chao Phraya Yomaraj Hospital to open its doors as a temporary shelter for the victims whose homes were damaged by the fire that engulfed the community at Wat Phra That, the neighbourhood temple which was also severely damaged.

The minister said he liaised with Deputy Prime Minister/Interior Minister Yongyuth Wichaidit and Suphan Buri Governor Somsak Phurisrisak to provide care for the victims.

An investigation is underway to find the cause of the incident to determine whether the blasts were caused by malfunctioning or failure of equipment, or by human error. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2012-01-25

[TinoThailand]

Suphanburi governor affirms 1 more death totaling 4; organizers to hold press conference at 8am to clarify cause of explosion /TANN

Warawut, Banharn's son, affirms organizers will compensate all injuries, damage; each house destroyed will receive initial payment of Bt30,000 /TANN

30.000 is not even the cheap 110 CC motorbike you see everywhere on the road. 300.000 should be the minimum because what about all the personal belongings inside the house.

[TinoThailand]

This does not only happen in a country like Thailand, people have no idea how strong the firework gets these days (specialy from China). Almost 12 years ago we had firework disaster in The Netherlands, it is even on Wiki. You can also find short movies of it im sure and you will see parts that look almost like WWII and not like some firework exident.

The Enschede fireworks disaster was a catastrophic fireworks explosion occurring at the SE Fireworks depot on 13 May 2000, in the eastern Dutch city of Enschede.

The fire led to an enormous explosion which killed 23 people (including four firemen) and injured 947.^[1] The biggest blast was felt up to 30 kilometres (19 mi) from the scene. SE Fireworks was a major importer of fireworks from China and supplier to pop concerts and major festive events in the Netherlands. Prior to the disaster it had a good safety record and met all safety audits.^[2]

^{A 40 hectare area around the warehouse was destroyed by the blast.[3] Around 400 houses were destroyed, 15 streets incinerated and a total of 1,500 homes were damaged, leaving 1,250 people homeless - essentially obliterating the neighbourhood of Roombeek. Ten thousand residents were evacuated, and damages eventually exceeded € 450 million.[4]}

[TinoThailand]

In my safe country Holland, skip the first 4 or 5 minutes to see the brutal impact of firework and the people live next to it did not even know it was stored there.

[wlcart]

Until Karma can b proved scientifically, it will always remain the dream of a thousand hippies.

When I saw Banharn and Silpa-Archa sitting there with their smug faces , after Barnharn role in the flooding, I hoped that soon something bad will happen to them (pure karmic thinking, not more). But again the poor have to pay for their stupidity and carelessness. Sad.

There are basically 3 explanation matters why things happen the way they do:

1. There is this perfect guy sitting somewhere who, although perfect, decided to make us significantly less so for some reason and make a mess of things and who also seems to have a sick sense of humor and decides who will die today.

2. Everything is random.

3. Life is cause & effect, we make our own lifes through our actions.

Easy pick, IMHO.

There is cause and effect that follows a chaotic formula with way too many variables to predict. We have influence over our lives, but not complete control.

[anterian]

Yikes... near where I live, in the US there is a professional pyrotechnic manufacturer of great reputation and their shows are indeed, incredible.

Their company put on several hundred displays each year throughout the country. Most are projectiles that are shot from 4-6" mortars. The "package" sits on top of a charge in the mortar and at the proper time it is electronically ignited lobbing the "shell" 600-1200' in the air.

A very experienced person a few years back couldn't figure out why one mortar had not discharged and thinking that perhaps the shell had not been put in it leaned over and looked into the mortar shell.... I don't think I need to tell what happened next.

There must have been a boatload of pyrotechnics in that tent... what a sad occurrence...

Trained/experience people use an inspection mirror in such situations

[hellodolly]

Yes the problem is cultural. Not their culture are culture we leave it but still want it so we look down on any thing that is different.

The big difference is Thai's are not afraid to live Westerners are so afraid of dying (as if they could stop it) that they can not live just exist.

Sorry but that's a pretty ignorant attitude.

So what you're saying is Thais are not afraid to live by driving around without helmets or putting their kids in front of their lap while on a motorcycle. Or ignoring the basics of common sense dangers. Or ignoring and respecting road safety.

Then excuse me for not living.

We agree Thais are not afraid of dying. that does not mean as one poster pointed out they like talking about it. This enables them to take risks that the older generation in the west took when they were young long before the helmet laws came in.

As I said We have problems accepting their culture. That does not mean It is right or it is wrong.

You are a prime example of what I said about not accepting their culture. I can except it for them bu some of it I do not except for me.

Reminds me of about ten years ago I was going to visit my brother in Montana. They did not have helmet laws and there was a large number of bikers coming back from Sturgis (not sure of the Name) North Dakota with out there helmets on. Is wearing helmets a part of any culture or just some thing forced on people by law.

[metisdead]

A profanity post has been removed.

Some nonsense posts have removed as well.

Edited January 25, 2012 by metisdead

[sparebox2]

Here is the first video footage, clearly I think those around the camera are unaware of what has just occurred.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q6SxDxTN4d8

That is an <deleted> big explosion, check out the mushroom cloud!

mushroom cloud? OMG. Atomic bomb (small version)?

[frankthetank]

Until Karma can b proved scientifically, it will always remain the dream of a thousand hippies.

When I saw Banharn and Silpa-Archa sitting there with their smug faces , after Barnharn role in the flooding, I hoped that soon something bad will happen to them (pure karmic thinking, not more). But again the poor have to pay for their stupidity and carelessness. Sad.

oh please. Its also called cause and effect did not some one say for action there is an equal and opposite reaction. you do something bad or good and it creates a reaction. Its not rocket science, just common sense

It appeared to be, in this case!

Edited January 25, 2012 by metisdead
30) Do not modify someone else's post in your quoted reply, either with font or color changes, added emoticons, or altered wording.

[horisize]

Until Karma can b proved scientifically, it will always remain the dream of a thousand hippies.

When I saw Banharn and Silpa-Archa sitting there with their smug faces , after Barnharn role in the flooding, I hoped that soon something bad will happen to them (pure karmic thinking, not more). But again the poor have to pay for their stupidity and carelessness. Sad.

Scientifically proven: the law of cause and effect. Most dont understand the concept though..not only hippies...It can be observed, but hardly under-stood.

[osiboy]

as i recently commented in a previous thread/post, There is no health & sefety in asia that i am aware of , this gives asians a huge advantage when it comes to manufacturing/doing business etc, the cost in europe is massive , ......when a company will only pay 30,000b per houshold in compensation, is it worth having health & sefety here ? .......cheaper to ignor it !!

Edited January 25, 2012 by osiboy

[Fookhaht]

In my safe country Holland, skip the first 4 or 5 minutes to see the brutal impact of firework and the people live next to it did not even know it was stored there.

Amazing video--looks like a war zone. During the beginning explosions, just when you think you've seen the biggest blasts, the final blast appears to wipe out the camera.

More background below....

On May 13 [2000] about 100 tonnes of fireworks and other explosives detonated after a fire in the factory of S.E. Fireworks,....The blast was felt up to 30 kilometres away....In a split second almost 400 houses were reduced to their foundations and another 1,000 damaged. Eighteen people were killed. A further 946 were injured....

\

Apparently Thailand does not have a corner on hazards of this nature...

Edited January 25, 2012 by Fookhaht

[spectrumisgreen]

Here is the first video footage, clearly I think those around the camera are unaware of what has just occurred.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q6SxDxTN4d8

That is an <deleted> big explosion, check out the mushroom cloud!

You can see in the video that, as too often, there's too much which is clearly way overloaded with explosives.. no one seems to realise EVER that bigger.. much bigger.. and hugely more powerful does not equal simply loads more fun than the nice sparkly, colourful ones we all go 'Oooh' and 'Aaaah' at!! One of them BOMBS will and usually does cause serious damage!!.. missing limbs and death, notably.. as yumidesign noted.. 'simple [but tragic!] case of cause and effect - it's not rocket science!' [.. Eeek.. rockets??!!.. God forbid]!!!

[spectrumisgreen]

I knew a Thai who did the installation work for these professional firework displays. He had very little training, very little concept of safety and was very slap dash in his attitude. The problem is cultural I believe. Lack of education and no concerns for safety; you see it all the time in Thailand. Another day in Thailand, another tragedy? These will only reduce when the mindset changes. Hate to be negative but I don't want to die here and I am always aware of maintaining my own personal safety. Otherwise you just become a victim and another statistic?

Yes the problem is cultural. Not their culture are culture we leave it but still want it so we look down on any thing that is different.

The big difference is Thai's are not afraid to live Westerners are so afraid of dying (as if they could stop it) that they can not live just exist.

Er.. what? It's OUR culture that's the problem that there is no regard for safety??? What do you think? That Thais live on the edge like some sort of south-east Asian cultural version of 'extreme sportsman'? (and even those guys take all the precautions possible within their chosen 'sport' or challenge!!).. too many of the folks here ARE SIMPLY NOT AWARE of the possible negative, perilous, implications of what they are doing only abstractly of doing it!!! Sorry but you can't wrap that up smugly as simply being unafraid to live!.. being totally unaware of what happens if and WHEN you f*** up, is more like it!!! Too many here - and I've got some good friends here - think that not really wanting anything BAD to happen, not actually wanting something to go terribly wrong, is the same as actually doing something to ensure it!... Coming out with such rubbish as you just have is pretty misguided and actually shows a total LACK of understanding of the realities NOT some sort of cultural recognition as you are obviously telling yourself!!! Note also, a lot of these same guys putting these things together and actually putting themselves/ being put in charge of such proceedings are also often innebriated to the point of being almost - if not completely! - incomprehensible!! (I've seen it over and over, Songkran and Loy Krathong especially!!) - is that 'living???? I think NOT!!!!!!!! Never mind the pocket-book philosophy.. think about what you're saying and try actually looking around with your eyes open a little more!!!!!!!

Edited January 25, 2012 by spectrumisgreen

[balo]

A couple of days ago I was celebrating Chinese New Year in the Bangna area Bangkok,

I was walking down the soi and there was a crowd there , they had firecrackers tied up , and it was close to the building , going up to one of the windows.

No warnings, I was lucky to see it in time when I was only 2 feets away , before I had to run away and seek cover, huge loud explosions that would have damaged my ears.

Edited January 25, 2012 by balo

[Dap]

Accidents occur no matter who or where in the world.

RIP those who fell victim to a wholly accidental tragedy

[bobbysan124]

Sympathies to families of those killed and wishes for a speedy recovery to those injured.

[hellodolly]

I knew a Thai who did the installation work for these professional firework displays. He had very little training, very little concept of safety and was very slap dash in his attitude. The problem is cultural I believe. Lack of education and no concerns for safety; you see it all the time in Thailand. Another day in Thailand, another tragedy? These will only reduce when the mindset changes. Hate to be negative but I don't want to die here and I am always aware of maintaining my own personal safety. Otherwise you just become a victim and another statistic?

Yes the problem is cultural. Not their culture are culture we leave it but still want it so we look down on any thing that is different.

The big difference is Thai's are not afraid to live Westerners are so afraid of dying (as if they could stop it) that they can not live just exist.

Er.. what? It's OUR culture that's the problem that there is no regard for safety??? What do you think? That Thais live on the edge like some sort of south-east Asian cultural version of 'extreme sportsman'? (and even those guys take all the precautions possible within their chosen 'sport' or challenge!!).. too many of the folks here ARE SIMPLY NOT AWARE of the possible negative, perilous, implications of what they are doing only abstractly of doing it!!! Sorry but you can't wrap that up smugly as simply being unafraid to live!.. being totally unaware of what happens if and WHEN you f*** up, is more like it!!! Too many here - and I've got some good friends here - think that not really wanting anything BAD to happen, not actually wanting something to go terribly wrong, is the same as actually doing something to ensure it!... Coming out with such rubbish as you just have is pretty misguided and actually shows a total LACK of understanding of the realities NOT some sort of cultural recognition as you are obviously telling yourself!!! Note also, a lot of these same guys putting these things together and actually putting themselves/ being put in charge of such proceedings are also often innebriated to the point of being almost - if not completely! - incomprehensible!! (I've seen it over and over, Songkran and Loy Krathong especially!!) - is that 'living???? I think NOT!!!!!!!! Never mind the pocket-book philosophy.. think about what you're saying and try actually looking around with your eyes open a little more!!!!!!!

I stand by what I said. If the western culture is so hip on safety why do they have laws making it mandatory. Heck where I came from you could not even ride in the back of a pick up truck. And you had to have a helmet on to ride a bicycle.

No one is saying it is right to be lax with safety just that it is not a big concern here. Well with the Thais any how.

[mrdome]

Until Karma can b proved scientifically, it will always remain the dream of a thousand hippies.

When I saw Banharn and Silpa-Archa sitting there with their smug faces , after Barnharn role in the flooding, I hoped that soon something bad will happen to them (pure karmic thinking, not more). But again the poor have to pay for their stupidity and carelessness. Sad.

I'm not a hippy and I believe in karma, it is a great misconception among many people, it is simple cause and effect on a simple level, but to study it in depth, the effects only arrise when the conditions are ripe. So that comment is somewhat ignorant IMO

This again was a loss of life and cause of suffering because of complacency combined with bad luck. RIP to those who have died and to all of those effected by this tragic event.

You say "complacency combined with bad luck"

In other words it had nothing to do with karma?

Don't misunderstand. There are at least two levels here, call one relative and the other absolute. On the relative level, it was shoddy execution that lead to this accident, in another accident it might be a human misjudgement or material fatigue or whatever but on the absolute level that you ended up being affected by this and others weren't is the karmic element. It works in the positive too, of course. This is of course, a very simplified explanation, so don't crucify me.

[yumidesign]

I knew a Thai who did the installation work for these professional firework displays. He had very little training, very little concept of safety and was very slap dash in his attitude. The problem is cultural I believe. Lack of education and no concerns for safety; you see it all the time in Thailand. Another day in Thailand, another tragedy? These will only reduce when the mindset changes. Hate to be negative but I don't want to die here and I am always aware of maintaining my own personal safety. Otherwise you just become a victim and another statistic?

Yes the problem is cultural. Not their culture are culture we leave it but still want it so we look down on any thing that is different.

The big difference is Thai's are not afraid to live Westerners are so afraid of dying (as if they could stop it) that they can not live just exist.

<deleted> what happened was caused by ignorance, nothing to do with culture or fear

[theanimaster]

And those people who lost their homes get a thousand dollars in compensation... or 30,000 Thai baht to be exact. How generous of the local government (sponsor?).

Maybe they can sue for more. Maybe. I dunno... perhaps 30k is enough for a lawyer?

[Schnitzel]

So it's a matter of time when the're celbrating the kings birtday in bkk and they blast this fireworks right in the middle of hundreds of viewers