Songkran Revelers Have Started Traveling Back To Their Home Provinces

[webfact]

Revelers Headed Back Home for Songkran Holiday

BANGKOK: -- Songkran revelers have started traveling back to their home provinces for the holiday, causing many main routes become busy, as well as the bus terminals to be occupied.

The northern routes became busy, as people began to travel back to their hometowns for the Songkran holiday, especially at the junction of Dechatiwong Bridge in Nakhon Sawan Province, where cars can be passed slowly due to traffic congestion.

Meanwhile, police officers came in to accommodate commuters, and signs have been put along the routes to prevent traffic jams.

At the Chantaburi Bus Terminal, a large number of people are queuing up to purchase tickets to travel back to their hometowns to celebrate Songkran.

The bus terminals have added running trips, from 30 to 50 trips per day, to accommodate passengers and ensure no passengers are left stranded.

In Maha Sarakham Province, many routes become crowded since yesterday morning.

Most commuters from Bangkok have used the province as a hub linking to other provinces such as Roi Et, Yasothorn, and Ubon Ratchathani.

It is expected that the traffic will be more congested today.

In Mukdahan Province, hundreds of Laotians have traveled back to their home country via the Mukdahan Municipality Port to celebrate the Songkran Festival.

For this reason, the municipality has added ten additional running trips per day to accommodate passengers.

At the same time, more than ten million baht has been circulated amongst retail shops in Mukdahan Province.

In Sakon Nakhon Province, hundreds of Laotians have also started traveling back to Laos.

The bus terminal has now become crowded, as Sakon Nakhon serves as bus transit point for many other provinces in upper eastern region, such as Nakhon Phanom and Mukdahan provinces.

For this reason, the bus terminal has prepared additional buses to accommodate passengers.

Furthermore, public transport drivers will have to undergo alcholol and drug testings before starting work to ensure the safety of the passengers.

-- Tan Network 2012-04-12

[Thai at Heart]

Furthermore, public transport drivers will have to undergo alcholol and drug testings before starting work to ensure the safety of the passengers.

Now that is a useful thing, if they can enforce it

[webfact]

Day 01: 30 deaths & 375 injuries in 343 road accidents 7 Dangerous Days #Songkran /via @191Thailand

[sjjmmi]

Day 01: 30 deaths & 375 injuries in 343 road accidents 7 Dangerous Days #Songkran /via @191Thailand

Just the start

[nullx8]

Does anyone have the average numbers of deaths, injuries and accidents for non-songkran days ?

Otherwise this numbers are pretty much Useless.

[webfact]

Disaster Prevention Dept: 30 killed, 375 injured in 343 road accidents on first day of Songkran's 'seven dangerous days' /MCOT

[webfact]

Transport Ministry Tightens Road Safety During Songkran Holiday

BANGKOK: -- The transport minister ordered all bus terminals to monitor their bus drivers strictly for road safety purposes to reduce car accidents down by 5 percent during the Songkran holiday.

Meanwhile, the Transport Company also added 6,000 bus services per day to accommodate its passengers.

Transport Minister Jarupong Ruangsuwan presided over the event to promote the road safety campaign “Zero Deaths for the Songkran Holiday” at the Bangkok bus terminal in Chatuchak District.

According to the 2011 road accident records, it showed that there were 271 deaths, and 3,476 injuries from car accidents caused by drunk driving and speeding.

The highest number of deaths were found among teenagers.

Transport Company President Wuttichart Kunlayanamit said some residents have traveled since the end of last month.

The president estimated that about 200,000 travelers will show up at the bus station today.

He was confident that the number of buses will be sufficient for passengers during the holiday because the Transport Company organized 6,000 bus services each day, which will be able to serve 250,000 passengers.

Furthermore, the Transport company also brought 50 air-conditioning buses from the Bangkok Mass Transit Authority or BMTA to serve passengers in Bangkok and the surrounding areas such as Ayutthaya, Lopburi, and Saraburi provinces.

-- Tan Network 2012-04-12

[Payboy]

Day 01: 30 deaths & 375 injuries in 343 road accidents 7 Dangerous Days #Songkran /via @191Thailand

So much for dear lady's zero death campaign.

[khunron13]

"signs have been put along the routes to prevent traffic jam."

Hmmm...new magic signs will fix the problem!

[MrJohnson]

I just arrived back in BKK from Hua Hin late yesterday. The mayhem was just starting. The usual speeding, tailgating, driving in the breakdown lane, not indicating etc. etc. The miracle in Thailand is that the road toll is not a whole lot higher when you see the totally careless driving, overloaded vehicles, kids standing unrestrained on the back seat of a speeding vehicle (like little missiles ready to be launched). My car is safely parked n the garage and it will remain there till next week. Happy Songkran. Drive safely!

[barefoot1988]

Disaster Prevention Dept: 30 killed, 375 injured in 343 road accidents on first day of Songkran's 'seven dangerous days' /MCOT

where is this from? any thai article on this?

[Payboy]

The miracle in Thailand is that the road toll is not a whole lot higher when you see the totally careless driving, overloaded vehicles, kids standing unrestrained on the back seat of a speeding vehicle (like little missiles ready to be launched).

Just wait till all those new pick-ups with extra hp as seen on the motor show hit the road.

[upena]

Remember, these are the numbers "reported" - many go unreported and the Thai Government will ensure that the 5% reduction is met

[KKK]

Does anyone have the average numbers of deaths, injuries and accidents for non-songkran days ?

Otherwise this numbers are pretty much Useless.

Agree...

[alant]

back from a bike ride before the bike is parked up for songkran, say 2 policemen riding police motorbikes without helmets. so that says a lot.

[sjjmmi]

back from a bike ride before the bike is parked up for songkran, say 2 policemen riding police motorbikes without helmets. so that says a lot.

LOL

[beerchang]

Just finished stocking up on food, bikes locked away. Wouldn't use pick-up even as you could get a bucket of red dyed water in ur upholstery when getting in or out.

Will stroll into town with farang mate, enjoy day one and then just stay in my restaurant and observe the mayhem! (We're on a main road here so will probably see many ambulances go back and forth...but I do hope not)

Take care everyone and have a safe happy Sonkran!

[Gweiloman]

Day 01: 30 deaths & 375 injuries in 343 road accidents 7 Dangerous Days #Songkran /via @191Thailand

So much for dear lady's zero death campaign.

Have you nothing better to do than sit in front of your PC and make petty childish unconstructive criticisms? Worse than a kindergarten kid.

[Payboy]

Day 01: 30 deaths & 375 injuries in 343 road accidents 7 Dangerous Days #Songkran /via @191Thailand

So much for dear lady's zero death campaign.

Have you nothing better to do than sit in front of your PC and make petty childish unconstructive criticisms? Worse than a kindergarten kid.

Just trying to blend in.

[stevehaigh]

Furthermore, public transport drivers will have to undergo alcholol and drug testings before starting work to ensure the safety of the passengers.

Now that is a useful thing, if they can enforce it

maybe they are testing to see if they are drunk enough yet

[osiboy]

back from a bike ride before the bike is parked up for songkran, say 2 policemen riding police motorbikes without helmets. so that says a lot.

yes, they should lead by example not only to be the most corrupt but the safest too !

[lee68]

I was just in my local tesco lotus,buying some last min things,and there were 4 kids in front of me buying spy coolers and not one was over 15,and no id was asked for,then all 4 got on a bike outside and rode off.What crackdown on alcohol? they never ask in the soi shops but tesco lotus???.

[NoshowJones]

Does anyone have the average numbers of deaths, injuries and accidents for non-songkran days ?

Otherwise this numbers are pretty much Useless.

Yes, about 50 fatalities, which include about 38 motorcyclists, and that is only the people who are dead at the scene, not the ones who die in or on the way to hospital.

[anterian]

"The bus terminals have added running trips" well that should cut down on fuel then, and make people healthier.

[telco]

Songkran sounds fun but I wouldn't like a bucket of red dyed canal water thrown over me

[paulswebb]

The figures for deaths are pretty average. There are normally about 14,000 road deaths per year and songkram is normally twice as bad. It all seems a pathetic waste of human lives in order to get from A to B

[how241]

Lets hope that the rest will have lower death/ injury numbers.

[Markaew]

Does anyone have the average numbers of deaths, injuries and accidents for non-songkran days ?

Otherwise this numbers are pretty much Useless.

Yes, about 50 fatalities, which include about 38 motorcyclists, and that is only the people who are dead at the scene, not the ones who die in or on the way to hospital.

I could have sworn it was over 200 last year.

[Markaew]

People this just happens once a year. If you don't like it then just stay home during that time. Shut the fu_k up.

Personally, I have as much fun getting them wet as much as they like getting me.

Edited April 12, 2012 by Markaew

[webfact]

30 killed in road accidents on first 'dangerous Songkran holiday'

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- A total of 30 people were killed in road accidents on Wednesday, the first of "seven dangerous Songkran holidays", the Road Safety Centre announced Thursday.

The centre announced that 343 road accidents occurred Wednesday, in which 373 people were injured.

Phichit saw the highest death toll with five people killed.

-- The Nation 2012-04-12