Songkran: Thai Interior Ministry On Course To Launch Anti-Road Accident Campaign

[webfact]

Interior Ministry on course to launch anti-road accident campaign during Songkran

BANGKOK, 13 March 2013 (NNT) – The Interior Ministry is getting ready to launch an anti-road accident campaign for the upcoming Songkran holidays.

Permanent Secretary for Interior Wiboon Sanguanpong revealed on Tuesday that the Road Safety Center is now prepared to launch an anti-road accident campaign for the Songkran holidays, during April 11 and 17.

Mr. Wiboon stated that the upcoming campaign is still intended to help lower road casualties after statistics collected during the Thai New Year festival from 2010 to 2012 showed an average of 469 road accidents and as many as 45 lost their lives each day during the holiday period.

The Permanent Secretary for Interior said that drunk driving and speeding continued to be the top-2 causes of road accidents while motorcycles were still the number-1 victims in 2012.

Mr. Wiboon added that Interior Minister Charupong Ruangsuwan has expressed concern over the safety of holidaymakers during the Songkran festival and instructed all related offices throughout the country to integrate preventive measures to minimize the number of road accidents this year.

Moreover, the Interior Ministry is now collaborating with all Buddhist temples nationwide to actively and seriously promote serene and traditional Songkran celebration and activities on their grounds, said the Permanent Secretary for Interior.


-- NNT 2013-03-13

[seajae]

what a joke, most dont have a real licence and bugger all know the road rules, how in the hell does he expect to lower the road toll when most of them are incapable of driving correctly. Maybe if they actually tested people before thay gave them a licence and the police started to do their jobs it might start to change but simply talking about it does nothing.

[DaamNaam]

Now where have i heard this before? Oh thats right, last Songkran.

Will it be enforced? No...So why say it?

[Soi Sauce]

Am I the onlperson who thinks that Thais are incapable of learning?

They do not learn in skool, they never learn from political violence, and there is no-one in the country who has not lost a loved one or relative thru a road accident. Do they learn? No! The carnage will be repeated this year.

More people will die than in all the red and yellow demos in one week, and no-one will give a damm. Suppose thre's no cash in it for the politicos, and the cops cannot shake down sober drivers.

[jambodave]

Thailand,road safety!

[LuckyLew]

Same same last year ... same same the year before ..

Nothing changes in Thailand ... and nothing ever will

Most Thai people are a danger to themselves and all other when behind the wheel

Does not matter the time of the year, Thai people are not known for their driving skills

[rubl]

A whole new meaning to Zero-day exploits

[Pimay1]

It's deja vu all over again.

[retell]

Now where have i heard this before? Oh thats right, last Songkran.

Will it be enforced? No...So why say it?

actually is was in November last year before newyear

[MaxLee]

You get NOTHING for FACE-VALUE, but only for BACK-STABBING-VALUE

[Halion]

The death and injury tally has been ledgend since I first came here nearly 30 years ago with the Sonkran festival being by far the deadliest of all the national holidays. The blame fall squarely on the authorities not the Thai people. They drive and behave like idiots because they can and the authorities do sweet dam all apart from the continued rhetoric on how they are going to take action. The Government would be totally incapable of organising a piss-up in a brewery. Every holiday ,every year the same rhetoric and the same deadly results. Nothing changes apart from the names of the players in this backward domain where officals gain credibility for simply talking, not doing. When are the Thai's going to wake up to Governmental administration that simply talks and then is out to lunch. Bloody hypocrites.

[Payboy]

This article is meaningless without a target. Who's gonna tell the potential victims when the quota is exceeded?

[Pib]

More Safety First signs.

[Kilgore Trout]

What they need to do is ARREST people who throw buckets of water at the face of motorcyclists traveling at high speeds.

I firmly believe this is akin to attempted murder, and fear to ride my bike during Songkran. I either leave the country or don't leave my apartment.

[billd766]

The death and injury tally has been ledgend since I first came here nearly 30 years ago with the Sonkran festival being by far the deadliest of all the national holidays. The blame fall squarely on the authorities not the Thai people. They drive and behave like idiots because they can and the authorities do sweet dam all apart from the continued rhetoric on how they are going to take action. The Government would be totally incapable of organising a piss-up in a brewery. Every holiday ,every year the same rhetoric and the same deadly results. Nothing changes apart from the names of the players in this backward domain where officals gain credibility for simply talking, not doing. When are the Thai's going to wake up to Governmental administration that simply talks and then is out to lunch. Bloody hypocrites.

Actually the government IS out to lunch and what you see and hear is a hologram and a recorded voice.

[tomross46]

Old wine new bottle. Same sh_t different day ( SSDD ).

[NoshowJones]

what a joke, most dont have a real licence and bugger all know the road rules, how in the hell does he expect to lower the road toll when most of them are incapable of driving correctly. Maybe if they actually tested people before thay gave them a licence and the police started to do their jobs it might start to change but simply talking about it does nothing.

What about the idiots that stand and throw water over motorbike riders, and also over the windscreens of moving cars blinding the driver for a few seconds.

[bjornostrom]

Good luck to every one as by Songkran most of the 1.2 Million new cars subsidiesed by the governement to new and even less experienced drivers will be on the road by then

[ChrisY1]

Now where have i heard this before? Oh thats right, last Songkran.

Will it be enforced? No...So why say it?

They care?.....LF they care....!!

[laobali]

"Mr. Wiboon added that Interior Minister Charupong Ruangsuwan has
expressed concern over the safety of holidaymakers during the Songkran
festival and instructed all related offices throughout the country to
integrate preventive measures to minimize the number of road accidents
this year.

What measures?

"Moreover, the Interior Ministry is now collaborating with all Buddhist
temples nationwide to actively and seriously promote serene and
traditional Songkran celebration and activities on their grounds, said
the Permanent Secretary for Interior"

How will that help the road carnage?

[steve C]

What a stupid meaningless waste of water this Songkhran rubbish is, when I say to Thai's I will be leaving Thailand for the ten or so days that they allow the lunatic's to be in charge of the assylum they say OH why you go we have very good big fun and enjoy mak mak. The only thing I can think of is that they like going to family and friends funerals for an extra piss up. As for the putrid gutter water and human urine they throw around it also keeps the hospitals busy with varying diseases. Amazing, Exciting, Wonderfull Thailand. LOS (land of stupidity) Now after my rant I will enjoy most of the rest of the time here.

[prakhonchai nick]

How many deaths and injuries are caused on the roads due to the water throwing? Motorcyclists feel the full brunt of buckets of water and hoses directed at them.

This STUPID CHILDISH behaviour must be stopped on the roads, and confined to parks and open spaces for those that wish to play. That will reduce the accident, death and injury rate!

In neighbouring Cambodia, they also have Songkran, and it is Cambodian New Year. Water throwing is banned in all major towns and tourist areas.

See you all there over Songkran!

[chuenyongman]

As Thailand is short of water in many places including my local reservoir. You can see the grass growing from the edge of the reservoir toward the centre,

I thought they would have cancelled Songran this year owing to the shortage of water. I suppose missing wetting everyone would be a great disappointment and they would rather go without water to shower etcetera,

[Thereisnoif]

Blah,Blah,Blah

[Briandajew]

When I first came here over ten years ago, I thought it was great fun, chucking water over people, after a few years I didn't see the point anymore and thought it was actually quite stupid and dangerous. Now, I don't whinge as Thais will be Thais and it is very difficult to change anything with these people. so now, for Songkran, I avoid it, I wouldn't go out on a motorbike if I was paid, I don't even like taking the car out as they blind you. It is a pain in the ass, but it is their "tradition" Who am I to change it - The Grinch that ruined Christmas?

What would be interesting would be to know what the law would be if say some group of idiots blinded me with buckets of water whilst driving my pickup and I ran over and killed / maimed them all? Would I be at fault or could I be accused of assisted Darwinism? Believe me, it is tempting!

I suppose it could be fun firing water pistols from the pickup cab - but does Sulphuric Acid react badly with plastic pistols or would Haiter Bleach be better?

Edited March 13, 2013 by Briandajew

[h5kaf]

"Mr. Wiboon added that Interior Minister Charupong Ruangsuwan has
expressed concern over the safety of holidaymakers during the Songkran
festival and instructed all related offices throughout the country to
integrate preventive measures to minimize the number of road accidents
this year.

What measures?

"Moreover, the Interior Ministry is now collaborating with all Buddhist
temples nationwide to actively and seriously promote serene and
traditional Songkran celebration and activities on their grounds, said
the Permanent Secretary for Interior"

How will that help the road carnage?

The only connection between the Temple and the road carnage is the funeral rite. I guess he is calling for a "serene and traditional" celebration of the various dead people's lives. NO NEED the monks have this covered - they always perform serenely and traditionally. But why bring the monks into this.

[ramrod711]

Thailand to be road safety hub

[ginjag]

Thailand to be road safety hub

THE HUB of DEATHS---people and animals........Mai pen rai. amazing

[waza]

Good idea after the stunning success of zero songkram from last year I expect even less improvement this year.

[ginjag]

Good idea after the stunning success of zero songkram from last year I expect even less improvement this year.

Prevention----CLOSE all roads during the holiday..........well i may as well talk stupid --they are !!!!