ROAD ACCIDENTS

Holidaymakers flood back to capital; fewer road deaths

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- After spending time with families to celebrate the New Year, revellers from all over the Kingdom headed back to the capital yesterday, ready for the first working day of 2013.

Highways leading to Bangkok were congested as the Public Health Ministry yesterday warned hospitals and emergency medical service teams in the provinces near Bangkok to stand by in view of the heavy traffic.

The second bus terminal in Nakhon Ratchasima was crowded with passengers and thousands who had not reserved their tickets in advance had to wait for hours to board a bus.

Two bus terminals in Chiang Mai were also full to capacity and extra buses and trains were needed to take passengers to Bangkok.

At Hat Yai railway junction, every trip was packed, including those from the southernmost provinces to Bangkok.

The cumulative death toll reached 254 deaths during the first five days of the seven dangerous days in the New Year period, with 2,454 injuries in 2,351 road accidents. The totals, however, were down on last year's record of 283 deaths, 2,783 injuries and 2,544 road accidents, according to the Road Safety Centre's press briefing yesterday.

Trat recorded no accidents and was one of 11 provinces having no road deaths, as of the press briefing yesterday.

Nakhon Pathom still tops the death toll with 12 fatalities, while Chiang Mai had the most injuries - 105 - and the most accidents at 104.

On Monday alone, the country saw 52 deaths and 556 injuries in 524 accidents.

One of the more severe accidents was reported yesterday, leaving five dead and seven injured after a pickup collided with a coach in Chumphon's Lang Suan district.

Eleven of the victims were travelling in the pickup while all the passengers in the coach were safe, but the coach driver received head injuries.

Police said the pickup drove against the traffic stream and youngsters were racing with other young people on a motorcycle when the pickup and the coach collided.

-- The Nation 2013-01-02

Alcohol is only one problem in Thailand, driving without licenses and recklessly is another. A British tourist was gunned down and killed being caught in a cross fire shootout in a bar between Thais on Koh Samui.

It is good to see less road deaths, maybe the BIB's presence sent a message. Near our Moo Baan they were out in force, although they appeared to be stopping only motorbikes. Good result all round, a start in the right direction

I avoid driving over the New Year Holiday in Thailand. To many nut cases.

We had a shorter holiday this year than last - so naturally casualties are down.

There is a simple explanation why there are less accidents during the after-holiday return - all the booze money has been spent.

Actually, road deaths will be up - now at 315 for 6 days. 20 more to equal last year and 3 more to hit the 15% decrease

RT @RichardBarrow: 332 people killed on Thai roads during first 6 first days of holiday: Day 1 (33), Day 2 (38), Day 3 (77), Day 4 (54), Day 5 (52), Day 6 (78)

RT @RichardBarrow: The number of recorded deaths on Thai roads during the 7 dangerous days of Thai new year only include people who died at scene of accident.

RT @RichardBarrow: The reported 332 deaths & 3,037 injuries during first 6 days of the new year holiday should be seen as the minimum. Real numbers higher.]

It is good to see less road deaths, maybe the BIB's presence sent a message. Near our Moo Baan they were out in force, although they appeared to be stopping only motorbikes. Good result all round, a start in the right direction

I don't know about that, the 254 plus the ones who do not die at the scene but on the way to hospital, and in hospital is still far too many.

I avoid driving over the New Year Holiday in Thailand. To many nut cases.

To many nutcases on the road all the year round.

My Thai friend and his family drove all the way from Phuket to Sisaket to visit us and his relatives. He drove 30 hours! ( Around 1,400 km)

He saw many accidents and I'm just wondering how many did and will die in hospitals. Better not to drive if you don't have to.--

My Thai friend and his family drove all the way from Phuket to Sisaket to visit us and his relatives. He drove 30 hours! ( Around 1,400 km)

He saw many accidents and I'm just wondering how many did and will die in hospitals. Better not to drive if you don't have to.--

And averaged less than 50km/hour ..........is his nickname Lightning?

It is good to see less road deaths, maybe the BIB's presence sent a message. Near our Moo Baan they were out in force, although they appeared to be stopping only motorbikes. Good result all round, a start in the right direction

I don't know about that, the 254 plus the ones who do not die at the scene but on the way to hospital, and in hospital is still far too many.

I didn't realize that the figures were only for death at the scene. Maybe manipulation of the figures is what is going on to make the BIB look better, surely not

...again....with no volume of traffic....how can you compare........

There was a crash we had to drive past today on the Bang Na- Chonburi toll road today. We were stuck in the queue but it was a half sized coach crashed into the wall on the other side of the road, driver stuck alive behind the wheel. So assumed the queue was caused by rubber neckers, but no it was caused by a rolled car about 100/200 metres further up the road on our side.

Was one caused because the other was looking at the crash ?

Alcohol is only one problem in Thailand, driving without licenses and recklessly is another. A British tourist was gunned down and killed being caught in a cross fire shootout in a bar between Thais on Koh Samui.

The British tourist was killed on the beach in Koh Phangnan not in a bar on Samui !

Alcohol is only one problem in Thailand, driving without licenses and recklessly is another. A British tourist was gunned down and killed being caught in a cross fire shootout in a bar between Thais on Koh Samui.

The British tourist was killed on the beach in Koh Phangnan not in a bar on Samui !

You are both wrong.

Stockbroker Stephen Ashton, 22, was killed when a Thai man opened fire during a bar brawl in the early hours of Tuesday. The Brit was shot accidentally while dancing and was pronounced dead at a hospital. In Koh Phangnan

Alcohol is only one problem in Thailand, driving without licenses and recklessly is another. A British tourist was gunned down and killed being caught in a cross fire shootout in a bar between Thais on Koh Samui.

The British tourist was killed on the beach in Koh Phangnan not in a bar on Samui !

You are both wrong.

Stockbroker Stephen Ashton, 22, was killed when a Thai man opened fire during a bar brawl in the early hours of Tuesday. The Brit was shot accidentally while dancing and was pronounced dead at a hospital. In Koh Phangnan

I was just relaying the info from someone who was stood next to them when it happened, maybe that was another Brit getting shot ?