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

[marcusd]

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

well I for one don't pay at any checkpoint. I let them think,I,have all day. I say lets go call the embassy and I will tell them you wanted bribes and make this a government issue. After 30 mins or less they always let,me go.

My police friends in Chiang Mai told me to do,this and to NEVER pay bribes. If you have the time try it. It ALWAYS works for me

Marcusd. Via tapatalk

[espinoza]

Another 59 people died in Songkran road accidents Sunday

BANGKOK: -- The third day of nationwide road mishaps during the seven dangerous day of the Songkran festival claimed another 59 deaths and 747 injuries, raising total death toll in three days to 161, the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department said Monday.

It said a total of 689 accident cases were recorded Sunday with 59 people died and 747 people injured.

It said so far in three days of the seven dangerous days, a total of 161 people were killed and 1,640 others injured in 1,539 accident cases, compared with the first three days of last year’s 174 deaths and 1,526 injuries in 1,446 cases.

Drunk driving is the main cause of all road mishaps ( 43.28% ), followed by speeding ( 23.95% ).

It said vehicles involved in most road mishaps are motorcycles (76.35%), and pickup trucks (14.81%).

Motorcyclists failing to wear crash helmets posed high risk of losing lives, it said.

Nakhon Ratchasima recorded the highest accumulated death toll of 10 persons in the first three days of the seven dangerous days, while Nakhon Si Thammarat booked the highest accumulated injuries of 69.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/another-59-people-died-songkran-road-accidents-sunday/

-- Thai PBS 2014-04-14

Education, education and education. Why is that so difficult to be understood by the rulers ? Not so important for them, I guess. All responsible for this should bee brought to court, maybe the Chineese style court, because they are betraying their people everyday, and people are dying everyday because of this.

[thailand49]

This holiday is a prime example with what is wrong with the driving in this country. Don't even try to justify it with comments of it not being fair comparing the western habits and accidents with Thailand. This is a country through lack of fortitude and enforcement has allow drivers in this country to pretty much do as they wish even though their laws/ordinance are pretty much the same on paper as any other country. It is to the point from my own experience is so normal to violated a law that if point out to them it can get confrontational especially if it is a foreigner. Basic violations are so common that it has become a norm with them.

Each year the World Health Organization continues to look at Thailand and give them millions to correct the problems yet they continue to move up the chart as one of the worse country for driving. What are they now this year 2nd in the world? These millions are going towards road signs and a appearance of they doing something but only lining the pockets or Thai politicians regardless of the party they support red or yellow. No matter who is in charge it is the same they seem to fight not for democracy but because they are missing out on the their share of the cut.

W.H.O. needs to cut the funds until the Thai government start to look and tell drivers it is not a right but a privilege to drive, that a vehicle is a weapon and there are more ways to drive that peddle to the metal!

The first person they should convince is the top representatives of this government who talk a good game but drive exactly the way that are killing people each day especially during Songkran and other holidays. This holiday if they actually meant business all they got to do is on the day of celebration set up a road check and actually issue citations and took away the keys for all the drinkers that are driving instead of endorsing the problem by directing the traffic for the drunk drivers it would be a parking lot throughout the country and a revolution?

Of course this would never happen since the Thais are master at changing the subject by pointing the finger at someone else.

[chiangmaiman99]

and the hits just keep on coming...

Edited April 14, 2014 by chiangmaiman99

[webfact]

WATER SPLASHING FESTIVAL
Songkran goes into full swing
The Nation


Foreign tourists

Death toll slightly lower than last year, with most accidents the result of drink driving

BANGKOK: -- Some 161 people have been killed and 1,640 injured in 1,539 road accidents in the first three days of Songkran - with most accidents the result of drink driving, the Road Safety Centre reported yesterday.

While the death toll was lower than last year by 13, the number of accidents and injuries rose by 93 and 114 respectively.

Nakhon Ratchasima had the most deaths (10), while Nakhon Si Thammarat had the most road accidents (64) and the most injuries (69).

Chaiyaphum was the only province with no reports of crashes, while 13 provinces had no deaths - Mae Hong Son, Uthai Thani, Chaiyaphum, Yasothon, Amnat Charoen, Chai Nat, Nakhon Nayok, Phetchaburi, Lop Buri, Angthong, Narathiwat, Phang Nga and Yala.

On Sunday, 59 people were killed and 747 injured nationwide in 689 accidents.

Drink driving remained the top factor behind accidents (42 per cent) followed by speeding (24 per cent).

Most accidents involved motorcycles (76 per cent) and pick-up trucks (15 per cent). Over half (63 per cent) occurred on a straight stretch of road, with most taking place from 4pm to 8pm.

Over half (53 per cent) of the victims were of working age.

Some 2,276 checkpoints nationwide have been manned by 66,571 officials.

Some 685,803 vehicles have been stopped and 114,018 people arrested and fined for offences - most were motorcyclists who failed to wear a helmet (34,674 cases) and people who failed to present a driver's licence (32,408 cases).

The Public Health Ministry reported that the accidents were more severe than last year, with 65 per cent of fatalities instant.

The ministry's emergency medical hotline 1669 has received 12,578 calls with medical units were sent out to 3,937 cases.

The ministry found 522 violators of alcohol bans in inspections from Friday to Sunday - 330 of whom received warnings while 192 others face prosecution.

The most common offence with 113 cases was engaging in marketing activities for the sale of alcohol, punishable by up to a year in jail and/or a fine of up to Bt500,000.

That was followed by selling alcohol outside permitted times with 34 cases, punishable by up to two years in jail and/or a Bt4,000 fine.


-- The Nation 2014-04-15

[Tokay]

Not bad. They may break last years record if they drive a little faster.

[apetley]

Meaningless figures as usual. Friend of mine who lives in Chaiyaphum says there have been many accidents and a death near where she lives so how come not even a reported accident?

[NoshowJones]

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.

I actually agree with everything you are saying, Thai driving behaviour on the roads is a very sore point with me, and your statistics I would say are also right, but I have used the mini buses from Nakhon Sawan to Bangkok many times now and have always found them safe, it is true that they regularly keep changing lanes, but they do it safely, and that is because of nutters, and many of them at that, who keep hogging the outside lanes.

[boomerangutang]

Q. Why are 93% of Thai vehicles a shade of gray?

A. Each driver thinks he is commanding a war elephant.

[boomerangutang]

If traffic statistics were more realistic

(like; counting subsequent deaths, after injury, in hospitals, as deaths, rather than injuries. And reporting and tallying up deaths/injuries in out of the way provinces.)

Then Thailand would not be #2 in the world for traffic fatalities. It could squarely claim: THAILAND, THE HUB OF TRAFFIC DEATHS.

Thai-think: Ok, go ahead and break my daughter's arm in a traffic accident. I'll excuse that because it's Songkran, and everybody is frolicking and acting silly. But don't by any means,step over my mother's outstretched legs while she's sitting on the floor. Now that would be a real offense!

Edited April 15, 2014 by boomerangutang

[marko kok prong]

sitting having a beer at the local market the other day,we were suprised to see the police actually chasing a speeding pick up and overtake it and stop it up the road,they had guns at the ready too,we could only speculate as to the offence,but at least they were actually doing something,what happened i don't know as we had to return into the shop as our beer was getting warm,also nearly had a drunk on a motorbike crash into me on the way there,so drunk he looked like he was falling asleep as he drove,luckily he swerved away at the last second.

[Krataiboy]

The causes of accidents were mainly due to drunk driving. . .

And the moral of the story is . . . glaringly obvious.

No more government PR speak please, about aiming for a "nil-accident" Songkran. Or banning alcohol sales. Or bringing boozed-up drivers to justice.

We've heard it all before - then watched the body count rise inexorably day by day as a festival which is meant to be a celebration of life degenerates into a drink-fuelled, bloody massacre on the roads.

Once again, hundreds of families will have cause to remember Songkran not for the joy it was supposed to bring but for the tragedy of losing loved ones.

It's time to cut the cr-p.

For a safer Songkran next year we don't need more empty words. We need positive action - starting with an all-out war on irresponsible idiots who drink and drive.

Anti-booze campaigns and even the establishment of alcohol-free zones failed to reduce this year's carnage. The real and obvious solution is police breathalyser patrols on all major roads, with heavy fines and/or bans for offenders. It works in every civilised country across the world and it would work here.

But does any Thai government have the guts to put the necessary money where its mouth is? If not, let's have no more talk of a safer Songkran and crocodile tears for the dead and maimed and admit that nobody in power really gives a damn about their citizens' lives.

[Chicken George]

Its the Festival of death!

[phanangpete]

Is this the reason why 'proper' insurance here is so expensive, i expect this would'nt occur to the Thai's or do they really give a damn.

Carnage on the roads ,is not just at Songkran its all year round , because of attitude on the road, road rage, ive witnessed it, and complete idiots with no licence , ive driven here extensively over nearly ten years.

Songkran is taken advantage of by the , juvenile tourists who go at like there was no tomorrow and the true childishness of the thai's comes out.

Why is it, one week in Pattaya , or is it over that, does money come to mind.

lemings come to my mind when i look at what happens every year !

[Bpuumike]

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?

There are lies. d*mn lies and, err... BIB

[boomerangutang]

Did the statisticians gauge how many traffic accidents were caused by having bucketfulls of water thrown full force at close range? From personal observation, I'd guess 10 to 20%.

Even if the gov't wanted to do something sensible, like limit Songkran to one day of water throwing - they couldn't. It's no more attainable than getting rice farmers to accept less money than they've already been promised (Yingluck proposed that last summer, and then gave up, realizing it was un-doable).

Asking Thais to only celebrate one day, would like taking a class full of 6 year olds to a candy store, giving each 50 baht, and suggesting they save their money to spend on vegetables, because it's healthier.

[tomloughney]

Road accidents claim 322 lives over 7 days of the Songkran holiday. 46/day..

However they have had 336 deaths over the 5 day New Year Holiday. 67/day...

Which makes this Happy New Year holiday more dangerous than the 7 most Deadly Days of Songkran.

Normal traffic fatalities are 12,500/year or. 34/day.

So there are only 12 more deaths/day in Songkran than normal. Not so scary..

Now the scary part....

The fatality reporting in Thailand is for deaths are within 1 day of the accident. So if you are injured and live to the next day, you are not counted as a road fatality.

The WHO uses 30 days within an accident as do most western countries, this makes the fatality rate in Thailand 26,000 per year. or 71/day

But the REALLY REALLY scary comparison:

The USA has 15 deaths/100,000 vehicles (30 days of accident)

Thailand has 118 deaths/100,000 Vehicles (same basis)

UK has 5 deaths/100,000 Vehicles

Thailand is 800% (8X) more dangerous than the USA and 2300% (23X) more dangerous than the UK....

The Bottom Line is that your are more likely to die of Boredom in the UK and the USA than in Thailand......