Thai Govt Declares Success In Its 'Zero Songkran Holiday Death' Campaign

[samsiam]

Ok, let me get this straight...

The number of road deaths was UP this year over last year's toll, yet the government has declared success in its “Zero Songkran Holiday Death” campaign.

Guess I must be missing something here.

Amazing Thailand Indeed!

You miss plenty.

Tis Miracle now, not amazing.

[pimay11]

"Zero Songkran Holiday Death" campaign. All my years here in Thailand and I never realized that 320 = 0. Never too old to learn.

[whybother]

I've worked it out. A 3 and a 2 and a 0. A zero. Therefore a success.

If there had been 319 deaths, it would have been a failure.

[FarangTalk]

I am actually truly sorry for the Thai people that are governed by these idiots.

They fully deserve to be governed by whomever they elect.

[majhiggins]

One resolution I had to make within the first year I lived here was to stop using the expression "I can't believe........." in relation to anything said or done by Thais. I've been here over 7 years now and I can believe anything! 320+ deaths equals success in a 'zero death' safety initiative. No accidents reported over a period of days when I saw absolutely zero cops out on the roads (I live in Korat. Maybe they pulled all the locals to BKK or Pattaya.) I absolutely CAN believe it in the bizarro Land of Smiles.

[eddie61]

Prat

seconded

[warfie]

If you win an election you are allowed to re-write or re-interpret history to suit yourself and moronic voters who are systematically denied decent state education to keep them malleable with undeveloped powers of deduction and argumentation will lap it all up and continue to vote for you.

There seems to have been a virtual massacre on the roads this year, a large proportion of deaths no doubt caused by drunken idiots throwing buckets of water and ice cubes at motorcyclists and then laughing at them lying in the road. My brother-in-law's three closest friends and house mates at uni seem to have executed this way in Chiang Mai. A few years ago I was nearly killed by a Chinese shopkeeper who tipped a bucket of water and ice cubes at me in Hua Hin and then guffawed with laughter when I fell on the ground narrowly avoiding a 10 wheel truck. That is not to mention the kids who were beaten to death so that their corpses were unrecognisable in Silom after they unintuitively decided to go on a binge of electocuting people with a cattle prod and gropping up young women.

Isn't it time the authorities actually did something to prevent the carnage like banning water throwing the street as Cambodian has apparently done? But no, they are happy just releasing nonsensical self congratulatory press releases and concentrating on the real work of stealing as much taxpayers' money as they can while they are in office.

They ARE doing something they banned the SALE of alcohol during certain periods.... see how well THAT strategy worked?

[Mitker]

Positions open for bright people like him in.. Tchernobyl, Fukhushima, on the Titanic wreckage site...

Run, genius, run!

[majhiggins]

I think there is a shadow agency in the Thai paliament that I will call the MOC (Ministry Of Circumvention). Their role is to ensure that every law passed by the whole assembly can easily be skirted by any citizen who wishes to do so, Aside from water, the most ubiquitous liquid involved in Songkran is alcohol. #1 water, #2 alcohol and #3 blood.

[warfie]

I think I have it!

320 is less than 0.0005% of the total population of Thailand... that's close enough to zero, isn't it?

[psmiller]

So 320=0 well that wasn't the case when i went to school. Did i miss something?

[smedly]

How could anyone take Thailand seriously after this pile of <deleted>, the mind boggles

How many PT members does it take to change a lightbulb - a lot less than last year provided you are in Ranong .................................

[Chang_paarp]

Maybe if they called it "Towards Zero Songkran Deaths" there would be a vestige of credibility for the oraganisers. An aspiration rather than BS.

[MaiDong]

Here are the Songkran stats for the last several years. In the overall scheme of things, it was not a bad year (in very much a relative sense):

2007: 361 deaths, 4,805 injuries and 4,274 accidents

2008: 368 deaths, 4,801 injuries and 4,243 accidents

2009: 373 deaths, 4,332 injuries and 3,977 accidents

2010: 361 deaths, 3,802 injuries and 3,516 accidents

2011: 271 deaths, 3,476 injuries and 3,215 accidents

2012: 320 deaths, 3,320 injuries and 3,129 accidents

That's very interesting, despite last year the fatality figures were very close together, what can we draw from that? There is an approximate amount of idiots playing with water? Figures are drawn at random from someone with limited imagination? How can a nation of 69 million people have such a regular amount of deaths??

Edited April 22, 2012 by MaiDong

[majhiggins]

Here are the Songkran stats for the last several years. In the overall scheme of things, it was not a bad year (in very much a relative sense):

2007: 361 deaths, 4,805 injuries and 4,274 accidents

2008: 368 deaths, 4,801 injuries and 4,243 accidents

2009: 373 deaths, 4,332 injuries and 3,977 accidents

2010: 361 deaths, 3,802 injuries and 3,516 accidents

2011: 271 deaths, 3,476 injuries and 3,215 accidents

2012: 320 deaths, 3,320 injuries and 3,129 accidents

That's very interesting, despite last year the fatality figures were very close together, what can we draw from that? There is an approximate amount of idiots playing with water? Figures are drawn at random from someone with limited imagination? How can a nation of 69 million people have such a regular amount of deaths??

It is also interesting to note that accidents consistantly are trending downwards. If I were to pick any stat to crow about, that would be the one. Every year I have been here for Songkran (or "festival" as I sometimes think of it <gotta be an old school Trekkie to get that one>) I have seen people engaging in imminent-death actions that only did not turn out to be tragedies by sheer dumb luck. This year I saw a pickup truck driver aggrivate a crowd to the point where they started throwing bottles at the vehicle and busted out all of his truck's windows. He reacted by throwing the truck into reverse and putting his foot to the floor, almost miraculously not running over any revelers in the display. 1 cm to the right or the left on his steering wheel and I would have been witness to a multiple fatality last week.

[majhiggins]

And I see something that potentially deadly every Songkran!

[MEL1]

Oh come on! We all know it was 354 suicides.

-mel.

[heiwa]

I have my doubts whether Jesus would have been as popular as he was with Phuea Thai miracles.

[heiwa]

Seriously go to a disability wing in a hospital - any country - and ask yourself do you really want to participate in Songkran? This will be my last Songkran at least driving. Just not worth the high risk of ending up like those folks in the disability wing. As bad as the driving usuallly is to my surprise it got even worse. Many must be legless when they drive.

[nkg]

This won't be a popular point of view, but .....

Wikipedia records 12,069 road deaths in Thailand in the last year that records were kept. The Songkran holiday takes place over a week. 12069 divided by 52 weeks in a year - in an average week, there are 232 road deaths. During Songkran week there were apparently 320 deaths - but only 88 more than in any ordinary week.

Considering the large increase in long-distance travel over Songkran week (families piling into their cars and heading back to their home province), is a one-week increase in road deaths really so unexpected?

Having said that, of course I too find the political grandstanding distasteful, especially when there seems to be very little to celebrate about. I wish Thailand took their epidemic of road deaths more seriously all year around.

Edited April 22, 2012 by nkg

[theanimaster]

Well... everyone 'passes' in Thailand. I'm sure these politicians can be excused for their 'failures' as well, eh?

[richard10365]

There were no Thai road fatalities in the USA with vehicles bearing Thai licenses plates. So our program is a success.

[millwall_fan]

Of the six provinces that recorded zero deaths, Patani is of course largely Muslim, and Satun and Trang have large Muslim populations which brings the odds on a low death toll during a Buddhist festival down considerably- as might the possibility that one of those guns may not just be loaded with water.

As an aside: the Bangkok Post noted that Nong Bualamphu, in the Isaan had zero deaths too. Why did they disappear from the governments figures? Maybe they thought that the fact that it is too poor a province to have many cars, gave them an unfair advantage!

[nkg]

Could the lack of Muslim deaths be attributed to Songkran being a Buddhist festival? I doubt Muslim deaths increase during the Xmas season in Western countries either - they aren't making a 1000km yearly trek to Aunt Nelly's house for turkey.

It's a bit of a non-story anyway. The headline is contrived to get lots of people outraged, but when you read the minister's quotes in context they are far from saying "Hurray for us!". Every year people get worked up about a minor one-week increase in road deaths, and then forget about the appalling death rate in Thailand that prevails for the rest of the year. I'd expect people to be discussing reforming and enforcing Thai driving license laws. Rational debate on this forum, that will be the day ...

[nietzche]

"Zero death" campaign and 320 deaths that is an 18% rise over the last year a success? Whatever. They can say what they like, they are the government. The government of loonies.

That's one way of looking at it. But last year was also a statistical outlier. Year-on-year comparisons are always problematic. Compared to 2007-2010, inclusive, this was a better year.

2007: 361 deaths, 4,805 injuries and 4,274 accidents

2008: 368 deaths, 4,801 injuries and 4,243 accidents

2009: 373 deaths, 4,332 injuries and 3,977 accidents

2010: 361 deaths, 3,802 injuries and 3,516 accidents

2011: 271 deaths, 3,476 injuries and 3,215 accidents

2012: 320 deaths, 3,320 injuries and 3,129 accidents

It appears from these statistics that what we have is an increase in the number of fatalities relative to the number of accidents. In other words, the severity of accidents has increased.

[heiwa]

"Zero death" campaign and 320 deaths that is an 18% rise over the last year a success? Whatever. They can say what they like, they are the government. The government of loonies.

That's one way of looking at it. But last year was also a statistical outlier. Year-on-year comparisons are always problematic. Compared to 2007-2010, inclusive, this was a better year.

2007: 361 deaths, 4,805 injuries and 4,274 accidents

2008: 368 deaths, 4,801 injuries and 4,243 accidents

2009: 373 deaths, 4,332 injuries and 3,977 accidents

2010: 361 deaths, 3,802 injuries and 3,516 accidents

2011: 271 deaths, 3,476 injuries and 3,215 accidents

2012: 320 deaths, 3,320 injuries and 3,129 accidents

It appears from these statistics that what we have is an increase in the number of fatalities relative to the number of accidents. In other words, the severity of accidents has increased.

You would think the monks would have something to say wouldn't you - about the importance of life and an able bodied life - and not to throw water in motorcylists faces? After all it is a buddhist festival. Why do they remain silent. As long as they ignore the deaths and handicapping effect it will continue. Should be more concerned about the yearly totals - not Songkran as numbers are similar. I wash my hands of it. If the "wise" monks won't push for change best to avoid the event. To me Songkran feels like mob rule - I guess the government can not object to this - monkey see - monkey do 555 Edited April 23, 2012 by heiwa

[Bagwan]

"Zero death" campaign and 320 deaths that is an 18% rise over the last year a success? Whatever. They can say what they like, they are the government. The government of loonies.

That's one way of looking at it. But last year was also a statistical outlier. Year-on-year comparisons are always problematic. Compared to 2007-2010, inclusive, this was a better year.

2007: 361 deaths, 4,805 injuries and 4,274 accidents

2008: 368 deaths, 4,801 injuries and 4,243 accidents

2009: 373 deaths, 4,332 injuries and 3,977 accidents

2010: 361 deaths, 3,802 injuries and 3,516 accidents

2011: 271 deaths, 3,476 injuries and 3,215 accidents

2012: 320 deaths, 3,320 injuries and 3,129 accidents

It appears from these statistics that what we have is an increase in the number of fatalities relative to the number of accidents. In other words, the severity of accidents has increased.

You would think the monks would have something to say wouldn't you - about the importance of life and an able bodied life - and not to throw water in motorcylists faces? After all it is a buddhist festival. Why do they remain silent. As long as they ignore the deaths and handicapping effect it will continue. Should be more concerned about the yearly totals - not Songkran as numbers are similar. I wash my hands of it. If the "wise" monks won't push for change best to avoid the event. To me Songkran feels like mob rule - I guess the government can not object to this - monkey see - monkey do 555

My attitude towards the Buddhist monkhood (the Sangha?)is that, as with all other religions, they are a vehicle of oppression. They will only stand and fight against those things that affect their privileged position. My reality is that the more fatalities there are then the more money they make.

[nkg]

"Zero death" campaign and 320 deaths that is an 18% rise over the last year a success? Whatever. They can say what they like, they are the government. The government of loonies.

That's one way of looking at it. But last year was also a statistical outlier. Year-on-year comparisons are always problematic. Compared to 2007-2010, inclusive, this was a better year.

2007: 361 deaths, 4,805 injuries and 4,274 accidents

2008: 368 deaths, 4,801 injuries and 4,243 accidents

2009: 373 deaths, 4,332 injuries and 3,977 accidents

2010: 361 deaths, 3,802 injuries and 3,516 accidents

2011: 271 deaths, 3,476 injuries and 3,215 accidents

2012: 320 deaths, 3,320 injuries and 3,129 accidents

It appears from these statistics that what we have is an increase in the number of fatalities relative to the number of accidents. In other words, the severity of accidents has increased.

Those figures looked a little strange, so I searched on Google for some statistics about motorbike helmet use during Songkran.

In 2011, 203000 people were stopped by police for not wearing a helmet.

In 2012, 114000 people were stopped by police for not wearing a helmet.

So it seems that last year's Songkran campaign involved a much bigger "crackdown" on the non-use of helmets. Which would explain the statistical anomaly for the low number of deaths in 2011. If more people wear helmets, you would expect to see the same number of accidents and injuries, but fewer deaths.

Perhaps the authorities will focus on helmet wearing again for Songkran 2013. Hoping that people will stop drinking and throwing water at Songkran is unrealistic. Wearing a helmet is easy to do, and easy to catch people not doing.

Edited April 23, 2012 by nkg

[Skywalker69]

"Zero death" campaign and 320 deaths that is an 18% rise over the last year a success? Whatever. They can say what they like, they are the government. The government of loonies.

That's one way of looking at it. But last year was also a statistical outlier. Year-on-year comparisons are always problematic. Compared to 2007-2010, inclusive, this was a better year.

2007: 361 deaths, 4,805 injuries and 4,274 accidents

2008: 368 deaths, 4,801 injuries and 4,243 accidents

2009: 373 deaths, 4,332 injuries and 3,977 accidents

2010: 361 deaths, 3,802 injuries and 3,516 accidents

2011: 271 deaths, 3,476 injuries and 3,215 accidents

2012: 320 deaths, 3,320 injuries and 3,129 accidents

It appears from these statistics that what we have is an increase in the number of fatalities relative to the number of accidents. In other words, the severity of accidents has increased.

Those figures looked a little strange, so I searched on Google for some statistics about motorbike helmet use during Songkran.

In 2011, 203000 people were stopped by police for not wearing a helmet.

In 2012, 114000 people were stopped by police for not wearing a helmet.

So it seems that last year's Songkran campaign involved a much bigger "crackdown" on the non-use of helmets. Which would explain the statistical anomaly for the low number of deaths in 2011. If more people wear helmets, you would expect to see the same number of accidents and injuries, but fewer deaths.

Perhaps the authorities will focus on helmet wearing again for Songkran 2013. Hoping that people will stop drinking and throwing water at Songkran is unrealistic. Wearing a helmet is easy to do, and easy to catch people not doing.

Ohh, the BIB lost a lot of tea-money this year.

[Thaddeus]

"Zero death" campaign and 320 deaths that is an 18% rise over the last year a success? Whatever. They can say what they like, they are the government. The government of loonies.

That's one way of looking at it. But last year was also a statistical outlier. Year-on-year comparisons are always problematic. Compared to 2007-2010, inclusive, this was a better year.

2007: 361 deaths, 4,805 injuries and 4,274 accidents

2008: 368 deaths, 4,801 injuries and 4,243 accidents

2009: 373 deaths, 4,332 injuries and 3,977 accidents

2010: 361 deaths, 3,802 injuries and 3,516 accidents

2011: 271 deaths, 3,476 injuries and 3,215 accidents

2012: 320 deaths, 3,320 injuries and 3,129 accidents

It appears from these statistics that what we have is an increase in the number of fatalities relative to the number of accidents. In other words, the severity of accidents has increased.

You would think the monks would have something to say wouldn't you - about the importance of life and an able bodied life - and not to throw water in motorcylists faces? After all it is a buddhist festival. Why do they remain silent. As long as they ignore the deaths and handicapping effect it will continue. Should be more concerned about the yearly totals - not Songkran as numbers are similar. I wash my hands of it. If the "wise" monks won't push for change best to avoid the event. To me Songkran feels like mob rule - I guess the government can not object to this - monkey see - monkey do 555

There are more than two money grabbing organisations in Thailand, but two of them are easily recognised, one set wears brown, and the other wears orange.