Songkran Death Toll 29 Percent More Than Last Year; Tougher Law Enforcement Ordered

[youngXpat]

The gpvernment added one million new cars with about the same amount inexperienced drivers. No wonder the accidents increased. As for law enforcement, forget it.

And that's about it.

More flashy new cars on the roads but little or no knowledge on how to use them.

Law enforcement, what's that??

[alant]

About 68,970 police manned 2,339 checkpoints, stopped 719,010 vehicles and charged 123,770 people with traffic offences, of whom 37,420 did not wear safety helmets and 34,936 could not produce a driver's licence.

Every kid in the whole country isn't wearing a helmet these 3 days.

In the sticks neither are the police.

not even the sticks, so tougher laws will mean jack

[ggold]

The only enforcement, is the law of averages! Will it or won't it be worse than previous years? For this year it is worse than last! But last year was not as bad as the year before that.

Sent from my GT-P6200 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[venturalaw]

I noticed on the news that a lot of these flipped over in a ditch cars look like very brand new "first buyer" get a rebate from the government cars.

many of them have red license plates. There is no emphasis on driver education here. People have to wait until they are adults

to get a license rather than a learner's permit and learn to drive with an experienced driver. <----ridiculous assumption noted

I have a friend the failed her test 3 times and when asked how much experience she has driving, her response was 10 hours.

That's it in a nutshell. A push for more cars on the road operated by people who don't have a clue how to drive - add in Songkran alcohol/celebration and you have the perfect cocktail for accidents. Prediction - will the government learn and at the very least implement driver's training and enforce driving under the influence laws? Absolutely not.

[KhunHehe]

Why don't they make dying on Songkran illegal? If they enforced it, all problems solved.

Khun Troll signing off.

PS Songkran and Christmas have nothing in common here. Thai do drink on Christmas, but that's no different than every other day.

[clockman]

I love Thailand and love it with a passion, but there is one blatent problem that needs to be resolved. And that is the stubborness of this nation to ask for assistance and education by other countries that have proven ability in law enforcement. Not just law enforcement, but in many area's. This has always been put down to the fact that Thailand was never colonised by outside forces, proving Thailand to be superior. I'm proud of the fact that Thailand held its head high, and didnt allow itself to become merciful of outside forces, but this is 2013, not 1901. Times have changed and Thailand need to change with the times. If there is corruption within the police ranks, stamp it out. If the way they build infrastructure doesnt work, get someone in to show you how it works. If your health system is failed, and doesnt protect your people in a time of need, look for a model that does. If the law states, "WEAR A HELMET" then every police officer should be wearing one, and upholding that law. Get your people trained by proffesionals that have mastered the systems that they operate under to the highest level, do not accept corruption as a part of life, and come down hard on anyone that is seen to be corrupt within your rank and file. Unfourtunately it lays in the hands of the law makers, and of the highest officials, and for some reason, whilst their people are out on the road killing themselves and others, well, they are just to busy doing something else. This is a great country that could be so much greater if they bit the bullet, asked for training, asked for advice, and understood that not every tourist that comes to Thailand lives under the banner of Som Num Nah. In fact we often now are starting to look like the country NOT to visit.........

Never happen!

[Keesters]

22% of accidents occurred on straight roads? My god if they can't even drive properly on a straight road, these idiots wouldn't last one minute on mountainous Laotian roads where there are surprisingly few accidents mind you.

The road maybe straight but the driving isn't with continual lane changing, over- or undertaking the vehicle in front of you the norm.

[laobali]

22% of accidents occurred on straight roads? My god if they can't even drive properly on a straight road, these idiots wouldn't last one minute on mountainous Laotian roads where there are surprisingly few accidents mind you.

You don't think that might have something to do with the little traffic on them? As to the number of accidents, how would you know that? Everything Lao drivers and riders have learned is by copying their Thai neighbors' habits. They are even worse.

Edited April 15, 2013 by laobali

[FarangTalk]

All the fun of the fair.

It's what happens when you go from buffalo to 150BHP in less than 25 years.

[bri1guy]

Its Songkran people are still going to drink, drink & drink.. Dont keep people from drinking just offer other alternatives to driving.. The Gov spending money on free shuttle buses to party areas or something would be better $$ spent..

possibly because too much concentration on keeping the city booze free and too little on our roads,

[Tchooptip]

34,936 drivers could not produce or didnt have a licence,what happened to the vehicle's? korp-kun [mahk mahk]

In Vietnam not being able to produce a local license results in confiscation of the bikes and in theory, you can go to jail for a long, long time. In practice this law is rarely exercised, but the confiscation of the offender's bike for up to 30 days DOES indeed happen and SHOULD also happen in more developed Thailand.

In China, you can be detained for up to 15 days for not being in possession of a driver's license. I'm pretty sure that in China the police can and do carry out enforcement of this law, although it is up to the discretion of the officer of course.

Thanks to this enlightenment its not too late for some honourable TV members to go live in Vietnam...or why not in China

as far as I am concern I still prefer Thailand

[thomash]

"Not wearing a helmet was the top risk behaviour" well if they actually strictly enforced this all year around maybe then during Songkran their would not be such a high death rate. A friend of mine once said it is amazing how in Thailand you can get most people to wear the same colore shirt on a certain day of the week no problem at all. But try to get those same people to wear their motor bike helmet in order not to get killed forget it, while in the West it would be the exact opposite, interesting!

[Roadman]

Corruption and lawlessness. The decree of those in power. Its Thailand and nothing will change until someone with power actually cares about the Thai people above their own mafia family's and payee's.

[jbrain]

All the fun of the fair.

It's what happens when you go from buffalo to 150BHP in less than 25 years.

I'm sure you had 25 minutes in mind.

[Go4er]

Until the laws are enforced all the other days & nights throughout the year nothing will change. No drivers training, no law enforcements, and no common sense equals death on the roadways. When so many people drive without licenses, kids on the road riding motor bikes, the carnage will continue sorry to say.

[tropo]

Are most of the deaths/accidents from motorbikes? They drive bad enough when sober...get some Sangthip in them and watch out! I have a rule at Songkran to avoid going out on the streets after 5pm if I can help it.

LOL. My rule is not to go out until after 5pm or preferably after most of the water throwing mayhem is over for the day.

Edited April 15, 2013 by tropo

[Thai at Heart]

There are many ways to stop people drinking and driving, I would even go with 100 % breathalyser checks on the highways if that is what it takes.

Unfortunately, it takes the police to actually DO something real and tangible.

[techboy]

Given the number of people that used the morbid statistics as an opportunity to do Thai-bashing it is surprising there were no hands clapping smily's in the posts.

[Westaurel]

LOL It will change nothing, the law should be tougher and better enforced all the year not only for Songkran !

[thaikahuna]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y2iEkw7itkc

[bangkokheat]

so it must be true what they say, "dont mix your drinks" alcohol and water may kill you

[bangkokheat]

i would think that going to korea as a potential warzone would be for the brave, adventurous or mentally challenged, bit like songkran really

[animatic]

Fewer accidents, but more fatal ones.

Seems those that ignored the law did so in a bigger way.

[Thai at Heart]

Given the number of people that used the morbid statistics as an opportunity to do Thai-bashing it is surprising there were no hands clapping smily's in the posts.

How does acknowledging the fact that driving in Thailand is more dangerous than elsewhere in the world Thai bashing?

Is one expected to park ones brain at immigration?

[thhMan]

At least the Thai Govt is doing something right !!!

Statistics are difficult to work out and I have to give them credit for their math calculations...

Pity the same effort couldnt be used to enforce the laws in Thailand....

[anselpixel]

"Dr Chonlanan Srikaew, a deputy public health minister, said this year's
accidents were more severe than last year. Of the 1,321 seriously
injured, 67 per cent died at the scene and 43 per cent in hospital
emergency rooms."

So all died? What does this mean?

[ChrisY1]

The authorities do not have a clue, do not take notice of other countries campaigns and will not accept that they do not understand......as for the cops.......complete farce!!

[MaxYakov]

Are most of the deaths/accidents from motorbikes? They drive bad enough when sober...get some Sangthip in them and watch out! I have a rule at Songkran to avoid going out on the streets after 5pm if I can help it.

A bike was laying on the ground outside my school the other day. A bit of rain and the rider fell off; fortunately at a low speed. I wouldn't be surprised if most of the accidents involved motorcycles. They ride bad enough as it is, let alone drunk.

And in the OP - not wearing a helmet is not a risk behaviour - it does not increase the risk of an accident itself, only may increase the likelihood of injury. Simply riding a bike increases the risk of an accident, based on the statistics we are seeing.

That's right, no helmet probably means the absence of eye protection and no projectile protection for the head in general.

No problem - couldn't increase the risk of an accident.

[apetley]

Given the number of people that used the morbid statistics as an opportunity to do Thai-bashing it is surprising there were no hands clapping smily's in the posts.

How does acknowledging the fact that driving in Thailand is more dangerous than elsewhere in the world Thai bashing?

Is one expected to park ones brain at immigration?

Yes, in exchange for rose tinted specs.

[MaxYakov]

Given the number of people that used the morbid statistics as an opportunity to do Thai-bashing it is surprising there were no hands clapping smily's in the posts.

How does acknowledging the fact that driving in Thailand is more dangerous than elsewhere in the world Thai bashing?

Is one expected to park ones brain at immigration?

That is, of course, assuming there is one to park.