173 Deaths In First Three Days Of Songkran

[LotusBoy]

Could happen anywhere! Leave if you don't like it! We're guests here!!

Yip, Buriram, Nakon whatever and Uranus.

Edited April 14, 2013 by LotusBoy

[maidu]

Could happen anywhere! Leave if you don't like it! We're guests here!!

Yip, Buriram, Nakon whatever and Uranus.

Even when I'm a guest somewhere, if I see harmful behavior, I speak up. I would do it if I were a guest at the White House, at Monaco Palace, wherever. Thais are citizens of the world. They can't just live in an insular world when it suits them. If Thai authorities build nuclear power plants (as they still intend to), then repercussions of that (if there's a breach) could adversely affect people in other parts of SE Asia. If I notice something awry with the nuke plant, should I not mention anything, because it might offend some overly sensitive Thais?

[A Member]

I believe those high numbers of casualties during a holiday season are unique in the world.

Indeed they are! Most countries with good highway infrastructure, strong driving laws enforcement, and skilled, capable ( I say that with some reluctance) drivers see holiday death tolls at a fraction of Thailand's during this and other holiday seasons. Most in this forum know why they're so high.

NOW...., ban all motor bike traffic (without exception!) during this time and the number would be cut by 65%+. Unfortunate that this is the single most common form of transportation here.

Why stop there?

Ban alcohol as well.

Steady on, i have never been anything more than a drunk pedestrian

[culicine]

Could happen anywhere! Leave if you don't like it! We're guests here!!

Oh please not again!!!!

[Pattaya28]

I believe those high numbers of casualties during a holiday season are unique in the world.

Google "holiday death statistics" The toll here is relatively small when compared to other countries, for example, the 8 day new years period in South Africa this year, over 1,400 died. The US has over 45,000 vehicle deaths every year (about 5 times the population than Thailand).

5 times the population than Thailand ??? Are you saying the population of Thailand is 9,000 ??

[tfc]

Could happen anywhere! Leave if you don't like it! We're guests here!!

Come on, there are plenty of non-guests who don't want people to die. Whether or not it "happens anywhere" is not the point, reducing road deaths is always a good thing. Even the Thai govt acknowledges that (whether they enforce it or not is another thing) and as a guest here I'm in agreement with them on that.

[Deon Cloete]

I believe those high numbers of casualties during a holiday season are unique in the world.

Google "holiday death statistics" The toll here is relatively small when compared to other countries, for example, the 8 day new years period in South Africa this year, over 1,400 died. The US has over 45,000 vehicle deaths every year (about 5 times the population than Thailand).

I just want to clarify the number you quoted.....The article reads "1465 died over the recent holiday period".....This means from 08 Dec '12 to 08 Jan '13 which is the Summer School Hollidays. (47 Deaths per day compared to 57 in Thailand)..... I also want to add that +- 40% of SA road fatalities are pedestrians (mostly drunk) that are knocked over (killed) on the roads. Yes, That goes into the records as "Alcohol related road accident deaths"..........Stay save.

[khunken]

Could happen anywhere! Leave if you don't like it! We're guests here!!

Yip, Buriram, Nakon whatever and Uranus.

Even when I'm a guest somewhere, if I see harmful behavior, I speak up. I would do it if I were a guest at the White House, at Monaco Palace, wherever. Thais are citizens of the world. They can't just live in an insular world when it suits them. If Thai authorities build nuclear power plants (as they still intend to), then repercussions of that (if there's a breach) could adversely affect people in other parts of SE Asia. If I notice something awry with the nuke plant, should I not mention anything, because it might offend some overly sensitive Thais?

I think you left out the overly sensitive (& rather arrogant) Farangs.

[Somtamme]

From personal experience and broken bones, dogs and two wheeled transport also do not mix well. In UK if you only have a dog straying close to the road the public realise the potential danger, they will call the local authority to request it to be picked up and treated as a stray. The owner will have to pay the Council's costs for picking up the dog and housing it. The calls from the concerned public can be viewed in terms of protecting the dog, which may not necessarily be the same as the aim of the legislation (Environmental Protecttion Act 1990) (to protect the public).

I'm not suggesting Thailand should have stray dog laws, but if I was a motor cyclist or cyclist, I would feel a little bit safer if I thought Thai government were to promote responsible dog ownership and also published dog accident statistics. It seems public perception tends to focus on drunk or speeding drivers, but whilst this may clearly be a problem - is this the true picture?

of the legislation was in

The driver for stray dog legislation, as I understand it, was to protect the public.

[Thai at Heart]

Could happen anywhere! Leave if you don't like it! We're guests here!!

Come on, there are plenty of non-guests who don't want people to die. Whether or not it "happens anywhere" is not the point, reducing road deaths is always a good thing. Even the Thai govt acknowledges that (whether they enforce it or not is another thing) and as a guest here I'm in agreement with them on that.

Larry is volunteering to go play with the traffic.

[laobali]

Could happen anywhere! Leave if you don't like it! We're guests here!!

You mean anywhere in Thailand or Laos. Just stay off the roads till it's over.

[Pattaya28]

We must respect and understand the Thai ways of life.

Government allows this by not policing the police.

The police allow this by not enforcing the laws.

So who do farangs think they are judging that 173 road-deaths in 1st 3 days of Songkran are so bad ??

It's another aspect of Thailand that is different from the West.

Get over it !!

[aalek85th]

[irony]

Just ban songkran / people going out of the houses during songkran and all good.

While you at it, ban sugar. People are massively dying from sugar. You might as well ban 98 % of other stuff (McDonalds and crap like that comes to mind), since they are causing untimely death and/or suffering. Maybe not instantly like falling from motorbike because of lack of common sense, but don't worry. Some nasty tumor is awaiting, from the chemical experiment people are stuffing into their stomach. Don't get me started on diet coke and other diet products and .. sugary ones too.

[/irony]

If 1000 people died with 80 million people population on HUGE holiday (everybody's throwing water in the country on other people driving motorbikes and stuff) that's 0.001 percent death rate.

If it was up 2 you people, this world would be unbearably sterile place to live in.

[edwinchester]

There are plenty of Thais who hate the massive death toll on the roads here.

My only Thai family have been victims of drunk driving.

Are they just supposed to accept it?

Edited April 14, 2013 by edwinchester

[Sayonarax]

I've been driving around all weekend on my motorbike in Chiang Mai. Sure, I get about 30 buckets dumped on me, and even some good hits when traveling 60-80km/hr on my way down to Hang Dong, but nothing much worse than a slight push. Bike actually seems more stable from hits when I'm going faster, though my side might not agree

Best one was when a Thai walked out into the middle of the Super Highway here to make sure I can came to a stop. I was having fun, so I didn't bother to go around him. He shook my hand, dumped a lot of water on me, and offered me and my girlfriend a sip of beer. Not sure I've ever been offered a beer while driving anywhere, but I enjoyed the experience and politely declined.

Only other comment is that I really don't mind the Thai's who dump water on me. It's the foreigners who seem to be the most drunk and stupid of all the people I've seen. Maybe ban the foreigners.

I was driving to have lunch on the first day of song kran, when a three girls on a motor bike drove pass a group of guys standing on the side of the road throws a bucket of water directly at the driving causing them to topple over and slide down the road with my 3 tonn trunk bearing down at them. Yes ban the foreigners.

I vote you for the 2013 Darwin award.

Edited April 14, 2013 by Sayonarax

[skippero]

I believe those high numbers of casualties during a holiday season are unique in the world.

Google "holiday death statistics" The toll here is relatively small when compared to other countries, for example, the 8 day new years period in South Africa this year, over 1,400 died. The US has over 45,000 vehicle deaths every year (about 5 times the population than Thailand).

Look again. Thailand is #6 in the world in yearly highway deaths with 43 deaths per 100,000 of the population. The US is 107th with 13 deaths per 100,000 of the population.

[mancub]

There are plenty of Thais who hate the massive death toll on the roads here. My only Thai family have been victims of drunk driving. Are they just supposed to accept it?

The vast majority seem to accept it , and many other issues, with apathy (my Thai family members included) until it directly affects them. Which is why anything positive is so slow to happen.

[KruJA]

According to Darwinian theory, aren't road deaths just another evolutionary population control?

[aalek85th]

There are plenty of Thais who hate the massive death toll on the roads here. My only Thai family have been victims of drunk driving. Are they just supposed to accept it?

Everybody has been victim of something, it's called life. Nobody said it's fair. While every death is a tragic one, it's still 'life' and there r no rules. The <deleted> about 'life is sacred' bullshit is just that.. .<deleted>.

We're here now, tomorrow we're gone.

I come from a war torn country, people killing other people (multiple nationalities in one country - so in a sense... civil war). There are people today, not accepting what happened and still hating on everybody from 'the other side'.

[pcruzer]

what is the non holiday weekend or daily road death toll in thailand?

[Lite Beer]

Songkran road toll rises to 173

BANGKOK: -- The death toll from road accidents in the first three days of the Songkran holiday break has reached 173, an increase of 29 per cent from last year with 1,526 people injured while drunk driving was a the major cause of accident.

Interior Minister Charupong Ruangsuwan Sunday instructed 76 provincial governors and concerned officials to adopt strict law enforcement after statistic showed that this year's death toll exceeded that of last year, despite fewer road accidents.

Charupong called a meeting of a special panel to reduce road accidents during Songkran, saying the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation's statistics showed that this year's Songkran Day 13 April saw 655 accidents or a 10 per cent reduction but 72 were killed or 28 per cent increase from last year.

-- The Nation 2013-04-14

[lookingeast]

I believe those high numbers of casualties during a holiday season are unique in the world.

Google "holiday death statistics" The toll here is relatively small when compared to other countries, for example, the 8 day new years period in South Africa this year, over 1,400 died. The US has over 45,000 vehicle deaths every year (about 5 times the population than Thailand).

South Africa is notoriously dangerous in many ways, and obviously 8 days is a longer holiday than Songkran. As for the USA statistic - well that just proves how much safer it is in the US not how it is equally dangerous to LOS ! About 20 traffic related deaths in Thailand per 100,000 population per Year; about 12 per 100,000 in the USA; and, thankfully about 3.5 per 100,000 in the UK. So i don't see how the toll in LOS could ever be described as "relatively small". Source : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_traffic-related_death_rate

(The rate for South Africa is a frightening 33 per 100,000)

[edwinchester]

There are plenty of Thais who hate the massive death toll on the roads here. My only Thai family have been victims of drunk driving. Are they just supposed to accept it?

Everybody has been victim of something, it's called life. Nobody said it's fair. While every death is a tragic one, it's still 'life' and there r no rules. The <deleted> about 'life is sacred' bullshit is just that.. .<deleted>.

We're here now, tomorrow we're gone.

I come from a war torn country, people killing other people (multiple nationalities in one country - so in a sense... civil war). There are people today, not accepting what happened and still hating on everybody from 'the other side'.

What do you mean "no rules"?

Plenty of rules about driving on the roads in Thailand.

The tradgedy is that for whatever reason they seem to be not enforced resulting in the massive loss of life.

[DocN]

We must respect and understand the Thai ways of life.

Government allows this by not policing the police.

The police allow this by not enforcing the laws.

So who do farangs think they are judging that 173 road-deaths in 1st 3 days of Songkran are so bad ??

It's another aspect of Thailand that is different from the West.

Get over it !!

Get over it?

I really have enough of this BS!

Let me know, when one of your friends or family get mowed done by some drunk guy, who is merely able to drive a car and is jumping a red light!

I will gladly ask you to get "over it"!

[Scott]

If drunk driving is the main cause, I wonder how many people are actually arrested for drunk driving?

I wonder if they base this on the number of people killed who are believed to be drunk.

[sfbandung]

I believe those high numbers of casualties during a holiday season are unique in the world.

Indeed they are! Most countries with good highway infrastructure, strong driving laws enforcement, and skilled, capable ( I say that with some reluctance) drivers see holiday death tolls at a fraction of Thailand's during this and other holiday seasons. Most in this forum know why they're so high.

NOW...., ban all motor bike traffic (without exception!) during this time and the number would be cut by 65%+. Unfortunate that this is the single most common form of transportation here.

Why stop there?

Ban alcohol as well.

Ban everything. Sex. How dangerous is that? People dying of AIDS all the time. Ban Songkran, and Loy Kratong. Think of the fire risk. And drinking. And motorbikes. Pushbikes too. Ban walking. Some people walk around without looking where they are going and bump into innocent people. Swimming. Lots of people drown whilst swimming. Eating. The food poisoning numbers are horrific. Waking up. If everybody slept all the time then nobody would ever die.

[SPG]

It's only the farang, ban the farang what a load of absolute <deleted>.

[Brown1950]

See following link for World rankings of motor vehicle deaths:-

http://www.worldlifeexpectancy.com/cause-of-death/road-traffic-accidents/by-country

Thailand 6th most dangerous country in the world !

[darren84310]

Why did they try and ban throwing water from the back of pick-up trucks?... I don't see that that was ever a real problem.

The real problem is throwing water at moving motorbikes, I have been on one myself and had freezing cold water thrown in my face, it's very very dangerous!

Why don't they just enforce a law that says u cannot throw water to or from a moving motorbike, 1000 baht fine (money to the police). That will give them some motivation to work during Songkran.

[thomash]

I've been driving around all weekend on my motorbike in Chiang Mai. Sure, I get about 30 buckets dumped on me, and even some good hits when traveling 60-80km/hr on my way down to Hang Dong, but nothing much worse than a slight push. Bike actually seems more stable from hits when I'm going faster, though my side might not agree

Best one was when a Thai walked out into the middle of the Super Highway here to make sure I can came to a stop. I was having fun, so I didn't bother to go around him. He shook my hand, dumped a lot of water on me, and offered me and my girlfriend a sip of beer. Not sure I've ever been offered a beer while driving anywhere, but I enjoyed the experience and politely declined.

Only other comment is that I really don't mind the Thai's who dump water on me. It's the foreigners who seem to be the most drunk and stupid of all the people I've seen. Maybe ban the foreigners.

Sorry to say but the reality is a number of people get killed while riding motorbikes during songkran especially when the bucket of water gets in their eyes while they are driving and they cannot see so it is not all just fun but deadly to.