Bang Fai Rocket Tradition Being Spoiled, Critics Say

[Thai at Heart]

A Kid Almost Killed By Bang Fai Accident

A 20 Kgs. firecracker fell on a tent and a boy sitting in there watching the show, got severe head injury.

SRISAKET – May 12, 2013 [PDN]; Utumpornpisai police station got notified that there was an accident of a giant firecracker swerved when slamming down on the tent and hit on a 14 years old boy’s head , caused the boy got severely injured, at the temporarily firecracker launching base, Bantungchai, Tungchai, Utumpornpisai. Right after the incident, the unlucky kid was sent to Sappasittiprasong, Ubonrachathanee, immediately.

From investigation, witnesses informed that , while the boy was sitting in the tent to watch the giant firecracker soaring into the sky, unfortunately, it fell down swerved at the tent and hit the boy’s head, caused him a severe head wound.

Initially, the police planned to inspected the crime scene, and would gathered all evidences and find the firecracker producers to be questioned and legally prosecuted.

pattayadailynews May 13, 2013

And the world turns, and turns, and turns.........

[Tywais]

From June 19, 2011 - Seems a too often occurrence.

Rocket festival death

A 12-year-old boy was killed instantly in an accident during the Bun Bung Fai Lan - Thai Traditional Rocket Festival - in Khon Kaen's Kranuan district yesterday afternoon.

While adults and kids were observing rockets launch, one soared upwards for about 10-20 metres and suddenly exploded, sending a piece of metal shrapnel which cut into the throat of Ekkachai Khamlapa, standing by his dad 6-7 metres away. Witnesses said an organiser's warning for spectators to stay at least 10 metres from the launch area was lost in loud music so people were not standing a safe distance away until the explosion caused the boy's death. Police said tragedy was an accident, but they are considering a charge of recklessness causing death against the person who lit the rocket and event organisers.

The Nation

[outre99]

Step by step, the Thais are having their freedom taken away...

With freedom comes responsibility. So if one cannot handle one's freedom in a sane manner it should be taken away.

Over the years of living in the kingdom i have come to believe that most of the problems that plague this beautiful country, starting from mundane every day frustrations to the corruption to criminal public policy comes from the cultural inability to think a few steps ahead and consider consiquences before acting.

When Thais launch the ever-larger rockets causing loss of property or life, or just stop at the end of an excalator forcing everybody else behind them to trip over each other, or make a u-turn across 4 lanes of busy traffic causing a backup of dozens of cars, or take over an airport or the city center causing immeasurable damage, or execute a rice scheme that essentially ruins the country's rice industry, a thoughtful observer wonders how they not consider the consequenses of their actions. What was going through their heads to make them act that way. I don't think most Thais are malevolent or stupid. The only other logical explanation then would be that their mental calculations do not award as much importance to planning a few steps ahead. It might not even be concious thinking at all. Something akin to the innocent selfishness of children who simply haven't developed the mental awareness of the world around them nor the necessary skills to navigate in that world.

Despite being obsessed with formal politeness and social face Thais seem rather selfish and incosiderate unless they know somebody personally. I keep thinking back to last year when i read of people taking apart sand bag barriers because they felt it was unfair that their neighborhood had flooded but others had not, so they thought it would be a good idea to spread the misery around.

I've been in the country only 8 years so am wondering if this is a new social phenomenon. Would be curious to hear from the old timers.

Lastly, these are just personal musings and NOT an attempt to knock down our adopted home or start a flame war.

[belg]

so, did they shoot to many rockets a few years ago when the floods came

loooooooooooooool

[Thai at Heart]

so, did they shoot to many rockets a few years ago when the floods came

loooooooooooooool

Well someone just had a big win. Torrential storm, bit like a few years ago.

[MikeOboe57]

From June 19, 2011 - Seems a too often occurrence.

Rocket festival death

A 12-year-old boy was killed instantly in an accident during the Bun Bung Fai Lan - Thai Traditional Rocket Festival - in Khon Kaen's Kranuan district yesterday afternoon.

While adults and kids were observing rockets launch, one soared upwards for about 10-20 metres and suddenly exploded, sending a piece of metal shrapnel which cut into the throat of Ekkachai Khamlapa, standing by his dad 6-7 metres away. Witnesses said an organiser's warning for spectators to stay at least 10 metres from the launch area was lost in loud music so people were not standing a safe distance away until the explosion caused the boy's death. Police said tragedy was an accident, but they are considering a charge of recklessness causing death against the person who lit the rocket and event organisers.

The Nation

Let' do a quick calculation:

The boy allegedly stands 6-7 meters from the launch pad, the rocket explodes at a height of 10-20 meters.

Phytagoras: 6-7 square + 10-20 square = 36/49 + 100/400 = 136/449; sqrt = 11,6/21,2 metres

So the boy was between 11,6 to 21,2 metres away from the exploding missile. This also means that the shrapnels had a lethal range of at least 11,6 to 21,2 metres.

This means that asking the spectators to keep 10 metres away from the launch pad is, sorry, idiotic. As is blasting safety instructions away with loud music.

[Thai at Heart]

From June 19, 2011 - Seems a too often occurrence.

Rocket festival death

A 12-year-old boy was killed instantly in an accident during the Bun Bung Fai Lan - Thai Traditional Rocket Festival - in Khon Kaen's Kranuan district yesterday afternoon.

While adults and kids were observing rockets launch, one soared upwards for about 10-20 metres and suddenly exploded, sending a piece of metal shrapnel which cut into the throat of Ekkachai Khamlapa, standing by his dad 6-7 metres away. Witnesses said an organiser's warning for spectators to stay at least 10 metres from the launch area was lost in loud music so people were not standing a safe distance away until the explosion caused the boy's death. Police said tragedy was an accident, but they are considering a charge of recklessness causing death against the person who lit the rocket and event organisers.

The Nation

Let' do a quick calculation:

The boy allegedly stands 6-7 meters from the launch pad, the rocket explodes at a height of 10-20 meters.

Phytagoras: 6-7 square + 10-20 square = 36/49 + 100/400 = 136/449; sqrt = 11,6/21,2 metres

So the boy was between 11,6 to 21,2 metres away from the exploding missile. This also means that the shrapnels had a lethal range of at least 11,6 to 21,2 metres.

This means that asking the spectators to keep 10 metres away from the launch pad is, sorry, idiotic. As is blasting safety instructions away with loud music.

The once I went to a big festival fortunately there was a viewing point 200 metres away. I figured the thronged thousands would break the blast and get killed first as protection.

These things are really really dangerous.

[SantiSuk]

Thais probably wonder why falang go to F1 race tracks and enjoy the risk of a racing car hurtling into the crowd at 200 mph.

[MESmith]

Thais probably wonder why falang go to F1 race tracks and enjoy the risk of a racing car hurtling into the crowd at 200 mph.

I guess that's why thailand's trying to get one

[Thai at Heart]

Thais probably wonder why falang go to F1 race tracks and enjoy the risk of a racing car hurtling into the crowd at 200 mph.

Indeed. Bangkok is going to get the privilege next year or so. Maybe afterwards they might learn that if they make the crowd stand behind a catch net at 150m distance no one dies when a bung fai explodes on the ground.

[theajarn]

From June 19, 2011 - Seems a too often occurrence.

Rocket festival death

A 12-year-old boy was killed instantly in an accident during the Bun Bung Fai Lan - Thai Traditional Rocket Festival - in Khon Kaen's Kranuan district yesterday afternoon.

While adults and kids were observing rockets launch, one soared upwards for about 10-20 metres and suddenly exploded, sending a piece of metal shrapnel which cut into the throat of Ekkachai Khamlapa, standing by his dad 6-7 metres away. Witnesses said an organiser's warning for spectators to stay at least 10 metres from the launch area was lost in loud music so people were not standing a safe distance away until the explosion caused the boy's death. Police said tragedy was an accident, but they are considering a charge of recklessness causing death against the person who lit the rocket and event organisers.

The Nation

It's the silly boy's fault. He was unlucky. Perhaps if he wasn't unlucky he wouldn't have gotten himself killed.

This is the way Thais think.

Then again, as I bad-mouth superstitious, brainwashed Thais we have to cope with our own people's incompetence in Texas... does the name "West Fertilizer" ring a bell ?

And that xxxx did MUCH more damage. Killed more too, I think (dunno how many the Thai festivals kill each year).

So I guess I'll put a sock in my mouth now.

Edited May 18, 2013 by metisdead

[Scully]

This just gets more interesting:

There is one near me and the launching area is cordened off for safety, only nowhere far enough away. If this happened at my local bang fai festival there would surely be injuries at best a lot of spilt lao kow.

[wildorchid]

Yet again Thailand takes something innocent and fun and goes to the extreme of making it stupid and dangerous. Reminds me of Songkran.

Just a thought,

why not have only traditionally made bang fai qualify as being able to be launched, and those found out to be taking bribes loose there job, (NOT JUST MOVED) AND NEVER HOLD A PUBLIC POSTION OTHER THAN PUBLIC TIOLET CLEANER, that goes for police as well as government officials, and village head man.

no need to dismantle a very long tradition on the behaviour of a few,

that goes for songkran also.