161 deaths, 1,640 injuries during 3-day Songkran holiday

[metisdead]

Some nonsense posts have been removed.

[NoshowJones]

161 people dead is shocking. the fact that no one in thailand cares enough to do anything about it is criminal.

A handful of the dead met their fate on the road to Mae Sot on Friday morning. I saw them. Their van, probably 30 minutes ahead of the one I was in, had obviously tried to pass something large, bus or truck, on the inside, and did not see the truck that was parked on the side of the road. He must must have been able to hit the brakes for a second or two, but still slammed into it with sufficient force to totally squash the font compartment. So he, the driver and whoever sitting next to him would have been killed instantly. 4 or 5 passengers who survived unscathed were standing away from the vehicle, waiting for .. whatever. There were a couple of policemen loitering about, waiting for instructions? They are useless pack of <deleted>. Injured and dead were still in the van. A few moans came from those in my van who saw it, but the others, glued to their mobiles, Facebook, were oblivious to the incident, and uncaring about the way our own driver was speeding, swerving between lanes, etc. I said to a few, "You should use your seat belt." One man took heed. A couple of women stared at me with indigence, as though I was suggesting they wear some unfashionable hat.

On the way back from Mae Sot, the driver we had was even worse. I reported him to police at one of the checkpoints. One policeman spoke to him softly, but he just nodded, smiled and got back behind the wheel and took off. Once around the first bend, he planted the foot as though there were no tomorrow. Back at the bus station in Nakhon Sawan, I took details of the vehicle, and lodged a complaint at the information office. The young lady their called the Tourist Police. ... The what? I said to her, and the person on the phone, that this is not about tourism, but the safety of everyone who dares to drive a car in Thailand, and every passenger of every vehicle. The tourist police person did thank me for the details, and said that they will certainly be giving the driver a warning. They would speak to him in the morning.

By the way, the only reason I was on that visa run, was that the train to Butterworth was fully booked. I do have the train tickets now, and for your information, I suggest, if you need it, book the train a couple of weeks ahead.

I wonder if that is the same minibus company that travels between Nakhon Sawan and Bangkok. I travel with them regularly, and find the drivers to be very safe.

[diehard60]

Where do they get this three day? It started on Friday and goes until wednesday. That is not three days. Maybe the actual holiday is AUPPOSED to be three days but it is not. And these deaths and accidents are only the ones recorded on major highways and in the BIG CITIES, they do not include the rural areas.

[peecee]

"Amnart Pol-amat, the head of the Disaster of Prevention and Mitigation Department (DDPM) in Songkhla Province, revealed that the department has established 32 vehicle checkpoints across 16 districts in order to help reduce the number of casualties during the festival"

So 2 checkpoints per district. Right, that's going to work.

Of 21,000 inspected vehicles, the police apprehended 10. WOW refusing to wear seat belt--helmet -no license. THE REST of the 19,990 were fined 300 baht and told to go on their way ????

How many failed a breath test?

[MaxYakov]

The Thai people are their own worst enemies. Too often innocent children are their victims.

Overloaded and unsafe bike preparing to circumvent a red light at Pracha Song Khro/Din Daeng Road intersection. Gratuitous image of a muscle-bike on left preparing for a solo drag race on the green. This behavior is more the rule than the exception and I'm out there almost daily with these jokers trying to avoid being one of their victims.

Edited April 14, 2014 by MaxYakov

[kannot]

Apart from that, the DDPM has inspected at around 21,500 vehicles over the past three days. Ten people were apprehended by the police on charges of refusing to wear a safety belt or a helmet, or driving without a license.

10?

who wouldnt pay the bribe

[allan michaud]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

Based on there being around 30,000 deaths on the roads per year, Songkran is actually safer than any other time of the year.

30,000/52 = 576 per week.

It's nearer 20,000 but the average day (55) is still worse than Songkran (53)... so clearly all the extra measures are working

[thesetat2013]

I was driving south the other day when i spotted a policeman taking pictures of the cars in the fast lane. About a kilometer further and police were jumpimg into traffic that was moving 80+ KPM trying to get cars to stop. It was enough of a shock to nearly miss hitting one of them trying to stop a car near me .

It would not surprise me if a majority of these accidents and deaths happen at or near a checkpoint.

As i drove past i did notice the extremely large basket of money that was already half full.

Business is good. But although i dont agree witj drunk drivers and feel something should be done about it. I didnt see anything about arrests or vehicle confiscations to stop them from continuing to drive drunk.

A little money paid and off they go to kill someone from an accident.

Every foreigner should already know when they make checkpoints it is really just a collection booth. So how can they justify so many checkpoints? Ohh i forgot that its holiday and the police need money for their parties too.

Sent from my GT-S5310 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[Halion]

Shocking as it may be it is a fact of life in this country that during every holiday many will be killed on the roads.

The article states that the majority of theses fatalities are due to speeding and alcohol abuse,both of which are eminently controllable by the authority's through the medium of strict police enforcement.

But this never happens which make the same authority's guilty of depraved indifference through their awareness and lack of substantive actions.

Drinking and speeding are the effects of poor enforcement because they can get away with it until they have the fatal accident. The authorities have to share the burden of blame that allows this shameful road carnage which reaches it's peaks during long holidays.

[harber8]

Just walked home from songkran festivities in BKK and saw lots of young kids having bikes seized by the BiB for no licences/drunk etc. the bikes were lined up by the hundreds. Sent them walking to pick up the bikes tomorrow in return for cash no doubt. Good to see.

[TechnikaIII]

Shocking as it may be it is a fact of life in this country that during every holiday many will be killed on the roads.

The article states that the majority of theses fatalities are due to speeding and alcohol abuse,both of which are eminently controllable by the authority's through the medium of strict police enforcement.

But this never happens which make the same authority's guilty of depraved indifference through their awareness and lack of substantive actions.

Drinking and speeding are the effects of poor enforcement because they can get away with it until they have the fatal accident. The authorities have to share the burden of blame that allows this shameful road carnage which reaches it's peaks during long holidays.

Yes, there is such disgraceful lack of action on the part of the police, in other countries one might even be able to bring a class action case against the entire police force, on a charge of criminal negligence. However, we shouldn't expect too much of them. They were established as a mob of mercenaries and effectively remain such, with the brass at the top firmly in Thaksin's grip.

[wilcopops]

Just walked home from songkran festivities in BKK and saw lots of young kids having bikes seized by the BiB for no licences/drunk etc. the bikes were lined up by the hundreds. Sent them walking to pick up the bikes tomorrow in return for cash no doubt. Good to see.

I wouldn't describe watching police corruption in action "good to see".

It is the police's duty to prevent crime and protect the public not take part in extortion.

The law - not the police - has the task of punishing miscreants and that is how road traffic offences should be dealt with.

[harber8]

I was driving south the other day when i spotted a policeman taking pictures of the cars in the fast lane. About a kilometer further and police were jumpimg into traffic that was moving 80+ KPM trying to get cars to stop. It was enough of a shock to nearly miss hitting one of them trying to stop a car near me .

It would not surprise me if a majority of these accidents and deaths happen at or near a checkpoint.

As i drove past i did notice the extremely large basket of money that was already half full.

Business is good. But although i dont agree witj drunk drivers and feel something should be done about it. I didnt see anything about arrests or vehicle confiscations to stop them from continuing to drive drunk.

A little money paid and off they go to kill someone from an accident.

Every foreigner should already know when they make checkpoints it is really just a collection booth. So how can they justify so many checkpoints? Ohh i forgot that its holiday and the police need money for their parties too.

Sent from my GT-S5310 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Large baskets of money that were half full?? How does that work? Large baskets of money aren't large baskets of money if they are half full.

I've never seen the corruption on the street that blatant. Usually it's cash discreetly past to the cop.

Are we getting a bit carried away with our criticism?

[mok199]

me and my pals have a ''pool''......winner takes the pot.....my bet is 495....go thailand go....i have absolutley no sympathy for this rediculous festival and its carnage.....waste water and innocent people all for revenue...

Edited April 14, 2014 by mok199

[metisdead]

A post containing derogatory slur toward Thais has been removed.

[philw]

me and my pals have a ''pool''......winner takes the pot.....my bet is 495....go thailand go....i have absolutley no sympathy for this rediculous festival and its carnage.....waste water and innocent people all for revenue...

Hope you get toothache.................

[kevvy]

How can it change in a lawless country .Every year this happens and what then...Headlines about the deaths!! then as usual nothing or nobody in the goverment does anything .

[kevvy]

me and my pals have a ''pool''......winner takes the pot.....my bet is 495....go thailand go....i have absolutley no sympathy for this rediculous festival and its carnage.....waste water and innocent people all for revenue...

Hope you get toothache.................

So you bet on peoples lives ...

[boomerangutang]

Yes there are plenty who care , until there is far better education at school level , responsibility in the community and it's leaders , understanding the limitations of vehicles and alcohol , you are banging your head against a brick wall .

words that come to mind when thinking of Thai drivers: selfish, rude, uncaring, callous, flippant, immature.

I wonder if that is the same minibus company that travels between Nakhon Sawan and Bangkok. I travel with them regularly, and find the drivers to be very safe.

Are you kidding? I've ridden public transport in Thailand on and off for 30 years. 90% of drivers are dangerous on the road, and the remaining 10% are moderately safe. I have never had a driver who was 'very safe' - certainly not remotely as safe a driver as I. I slow for curves, I'm courteous to others, both other drivers and pedestrians. I wear a seat belt and encourage other so also. I've never, in over 1,000 rides in buses and taxis, experienced any Thai driver ask that I wear a seatbelt. If I start to put one on, they grin and wave their hand, "I'm a safe driver, what are you worried about, ha ha." The average Thai driver does so many rude and unsafe things on the road, it could fill a fat book, small font.

[thesetat2013]

I was driving south the other day when i spotted a policeman taking pictures of the cars in the fast lane. About a kilometer further and police were jumpimg into traffic that was moving 80+ KPM trying to get cars to stop. It was enough of a shock to nearly miss hitting one of them trying to stop a car near me .

It would not surprise me if a majority of these accidents and deaths happen at or near a checkpoint.

As i drove past i did notice the extremely large basket of money that was already half full.

Business is good. But although i dont agree witj drunk drivers and feel something should be done about it. I didnt see anything about arrests or vehicle confiscations to stop them from continuing to drive drunk.

A little money paid and off they go to kill someone from an accident.

Every foreigner should already know when they make checkpoints it is really just a collection booth. So how can they justify so many checkpoints? Ohh i forgot that its holiday and the police need money for their parties too.

Sent from my GT-S5310 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Large baskets of money that were half full?? How does that work? Large baskets of money aren't large baskets of money if they are half full.

I've never seen the corruption on the street that blatant. Usually it's cash discreetly past to the cop.

Are we getting a bit carried away with our criticism?

Not criticism at all and not carried away.

I know what i saw

Sent from my GT-S5310 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[crazydrummerpauly]

The death rate during Songkran is only slightly different to the normal everyday death-rate on Thailand's awful roads. With some variations due to unknown factors, the daily death-rate runs at around 55 a day [20,000 -:- 365]. So 55 x 3 days = 165 - how close does this have to be to the Songkran number to get news outlets to stop sensationalising the Songkran rate ?

[boomerangutang]

I don't know about other provinces in Thailand, but mine, Chiang Rai, has never had what Americans call; 'a stop for a moving violation.' In other words, if a person wants to speed, cut blind corners, go through red lights, whatever, ....come to Chiang Rai. You'll never get apprehended for doing so. Usually, C.Rai is tops or near tops in New Years eve and Songkran deaths, but this year they're slipping in the ranks. Maybe something has improved. I hope so.

More people will die on Thai roads during Songkran, than in that mystery Malaysian plane. Yet look how much more grief is expressed by those relatives (and their countries) when comparing the two tragedies.

[Ruin]

Wonder how accurate the figures are? For instance, 5 died in a pickup crash in the wife's village this morning. It's in the middle of nowhere, I suppose there could be a reporting procedure but....... Haven't seen anything about it in any press.

[uptheos]

Here Lite Beer's headline from this day last year.......nothing much changes.

173 Deaths In First Three Days Of Songkran

173 deaths, 1,526 injuries in 1st three of seven dangerous days during Songkran holiday, most deaths (5) recorded in Prachuap Khiri Khan

Edited April 14, 2014 by uptheos

[Gonsalviz]

161 people dead is shocking. the fact that no one in thailand cares enough to do anything about it is criminal.

You are apparently easily shocked.

[Gonsalviz]

161 people dead is shocking. the fact that no one in thailand cares enough to do anything about it is criminal.

There are plenty of people in Thailand who not only care but have researched and suggested measures,; the problem is the ignorant leaders who sit on their and think they know better and issue these ridiculous dictums with scant regard to any advice or scientific thought...........

e.g. - putting anklets on convicted drunk drivers........

Maybe a group of you rich falang should pool your money and buy these anklets.

[Gonsalviz]

25 injured, 2 killed, in road accidents at Songkhla Province

SONGKHLA, 14 April 2014 (NNT) - In Songkhla Province, 25 people were injured and 2 people were killed so far during the third day of the Songkran holidays.

Amnart Pol-amat, the head of the Disaster of Prevention and Mitigation Department (DDPM) in Songkhla Province, revealed that the department has established 32 vehicle checkpoints across 16 districts in order to help reduce the number of casualties during the festival. At least 11 road accidents were reported yesterday on April 13th, where 13 people were injured and one person was killed.

So far, there have been at least 23 road accidents, where 25 people were injured, and 2 people have died. Of the two people who have been killed, one of them was driving under the influence of alcohol and crashed his car into an electric pole while the other drove beyond the required speed limit.

Reports indicate that most road accidents in Songkhla involved motorcycles and Hat Yai City was the place that had the most accidents. Unsafe driving and speeding were the reasons to blame.

Apart from that, the DDPM has inspected at around 21,500 vehicles over the past three days. Ten people were apprehended by the police on charges of refusing to wear a safety belt or a helmet, or driving without a license.

-- NNT 2014-04-14

10 people out of 21,500 were apprehended.. Thats' .05% of the people that they checked,, so everyone else was clean? Please, I mean please,,,!

So, how many were drunk, paid 200 baht and drove on their merry way?

It's all a total farce, we all know it. People will continue to die until the police actually do their job and enforce the law rather then behave like a money grabbing commercial entity.

Only you can find out.

[marcusd]

Road safety directing centre? Now that is one department that really has directed itself somewhere else

Marcusd. Via tapatalk

[marcusd]

Nothing is going to work, Bluespank.

May be, in some time in the future, Thai driving mentality and drunk habits will change.

Then Thailand will see a change.

Don't know about you, but I don't think I will be alive to have that pleasure

the ONLY way Costas, that Thai driving attitudes will change is when,either all fuels run out

or it becomes so,expensive that Thai have to go back to elephants

Marcusd. Via tapatalk

[marcusd]

161 people dead is shocking. the fact that no one in thailand cares enough to do anything about it is criminal.

agreed but ask anyone and the response you get is "its normal because a lot of people on road in a hurry to get home"

Go figure that one

Marcusd. Via tapatalk