Songkran holiday toll: 204 deaths, 2,142 injuries; 43 more die on third day

[webfact]

Forty three more die on third day



BANGKOK: -- The third day of the Songkran festival Tuesday claimed another 43 people, raising total death toll in the first three days of the seven dangerous days to 204 deaths and 2,142 injuries.

The Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department said a total 488 accident cases were reported on April 15, with 43 deaths and 502 injuries.

It said that since the start of the festival from April 13-15, 2,027 accidents were reported and a total of 204 people died and 2,142 injured.

Drunk driving remained the cause of most accidents, followed by speeding. Vehicles involved in most accidents were motorcycles and pickup trucks, it added.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/forty-three-die-third-day/


-- Thai PBS 2014-04-15

[crazyguyinthailand]

Songkran Happy Madness

[Mentors]

Brainwashed Happiness

[PatOngo]

The Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department spokesperson added that "We will try to reduce the number of fatalities and accidents next year at this time"

[marko kok prong]

I told my sister in law Thailand number 2 for road deaths ,she thought this was good 'oh Thailand number 2',and no she was not joking!Reckon deaths will top 500 at this rate over the 7 days,personally i can't wait for it to be finished,next year i am going to go to malaysia for the duration.

[marko kok prong]

Or Maybe Syria,safer at the moment i think.

[Guest]

I could be wrong, but I remember reading that on average there is 30-35 road deaths per day. During Songkran this number is a bit increased to 50 per day.

Numbers are big, but not that much of an increase compared to the normal days.

[jamstock]

I could be wrong, but I remember reading that on average there is 30-35 road deaths per day. During Songkran this number is a bit increased to 50 per day.

Numbers are big, but not that much of an increase compared to the normal days.

Right. These stats only have meaning if compared to number of deaths on normal days.

[Travel Dude]

We have seen many checkpoints. Seen even more unmanned checkpoints. Haven't seen any check being carried out.

[Mentors]

Anyway, most Thais have no respect for lives.

[Travel Dude]

I could be wrong, but I remember reading that on average there is 30-35 road deaths per day. During Songkran this number is a bit increased to 50 per day.

Numbers are big, but not that much of an increase compared to the normal days.

Yeah... Me pen rai, right? It has been like this for ages so why change?

Wait till your son or daughter or perha50s mother dies in a car accident. Just statistics till it touches you personally.

[Guest]

Anyway, most Thais have no respect for lives.

I assume you mean the length of the life as we farangs might learn a thing or two about quality of life from Thais.

The traffic is not one of those moments, but often the life in the western world is so regulated and "protected" that all the fun is drained out of life itself. People are executing life, instead of living it.

[Guest]

I could be wrong, but I remember reading that on average there is 30-35 road deaths per day. During Songkran this number is a bit increased to 50 per day.

Numbers are big, but not that much of an increase compared to the normal days.

Yeah... Me pen rai, right? It has been like this for ages so why change?

Wait till your son or daughter or perha50s mother dies in a car accident. Just statistics till it touches you personally.

Personal misfortune is what you look at family level, statistics is what you look at society level. These are two quite different things.

[otherstuff1957]

I could be wrong, but I remember reading that on average there is 30-35 road deaths per day. During Songkran this number is a bit increased to 50 per day.

Numbers are big, but not that much of an increase compared to the normal days.

Close, the average rate is 35 - 40 deaths per day and the Songkran average for the past few years is 45 - 50.

[bangkokheat]

did i see correctly a pic of disaster prevention and mitigation group, fresh out of college youngsters? can see the policies are working very well, keep up all the good work boys and girls, maybe one of your own will get wasted on thai roads this year, then you can blame the spooks for their death and not your brain dead approach to accident prevention

[chainarong]

Whatever the final stats the number is way to high , the amount of bulls!!t talked about the high road deaths is a copout , they have no idea how to lower the road toll, instead of admitting that SongKran is a free for all kamikaze four day demolition derby, they pile on crap that would put super highways the length and breadth of Thailand , the problem stems from poor education at school level and in the general community , when you have 95% of the population in dumb down mode anything is possible, not forgetting the road toll is high, every day of the year.

[webfact]

Road Death Tolls Climb As Songkran Ends
By Khaosod English

BANGKOK: -- Commuters are heading back to Bangkok on the last day of Songkran holiday season, while the total road accident fatalities throughout the festive week currently stand at 161.

According to the police, at least 1,539 accidents have been reported across the country since the beginning of Songkran (traditional Thai New Year) last week, resulting in 161 deaths and 1,640 injuries.

The death toll is a far cry from "Songkran Zero Death" campaign launched by the authorities prior to the holidays.

Although roads in many areas of Bangkok remain largely empty, major highways connecting the capital city and the upcountry are increasingly clogged today, with thousands of commuters returning to their works after a nearly week-long holiday season in their hometowns or other tourist destinations.

The situation is particularly severe at Hat Yai Train Station in Songkhla province, where crowds of passengers flooded the platforms to catch the trains to Bangkok, some of which are free of charge.

Our correspondent says the passengers need to queue up for at least one hour before a train departs in order to secure their seats. Each train has a maximum of 50 seats, forcing the rest of the passengers to stand on their hours-long journey to Bangkok.

Police officers and soldiers were seen patrolling the rail station as an effort to deter any terror attacks from Islamist separatists thought to be active in Songkhla province.

Meanwhile, major waterfight venues in Bangkok such as Silom and Khaosarn Road continue to welcome massive number of tourists on the last day of Songkran festival.

Source: http://en.khaosod.co.th/detail.php?newsid=1397548754


-- Khaosod English 2014-04-15

[ThaiTrav]

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

Songkran Happy Madness

Credit to the Police debt who as all have been told have stepped up efforts this year!!!! BRAVO

[henrymeier99]

This are "only" the deads in the street. How many dead there will be in the Hospital, they are not counted, right?

[stephenterry]

The report states that Vehicles involved in most accidents were motorcycles and pickup trucks. What a surprise - talk about stating the obvious. I've ventured out twice in daylight and the standard of driving is atrocious, let alone the young Thais who use hosepipes to soak speeding motorbikes on dual carriageways. Accidents waiting to happen.

[Sakeopete]

I remember during Thaksin's tenure he threatened the police if they didn't get the death toll down for Songkran. My wife's aunt worked in Sakeaw hospital she was telling us how the police were reporting pickup accidents as lightning strikes. Also if a person doesn't die at the seen of the accident it is not counted as a road fatality.

[clockman]

Like evrything in Thailand, smoke and mirrors. Nobody will stand up, and be responsible. Always excuses. Third world and always will be

[A1Str8]

First of all accusing thais of any wrongdoing is insane. They are the smiling folks, remember. So no matter how it is twisted, they have nothing to do with those deaths and injuries.

Sent from my GT-I9500 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[webfact]

Road accidents claim 204 lives on first 4 days of Songkran holiday
By English News



BANGKOK: -- The Road Safety Centre of the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation reported today that there have been 2,027 road accidents between April 11-14, resulting in 204 deaths and 2,142 injuries.

The northeastern province of Chaiyaphum has remained the only province not having experienced road accidents, while the southern province of Nakhon Si Thammarat recorded the highest number of road accidents at 75 and the highest number of injuries at 82.

The centre said it also saw the highest death toll at 11 in Nakhon Ratchasima.

Deputy Education Minister Sermsak Pongpanich said the number of deaths has fallen from that of last year but the number of accidents and injuries has increased.

He said most accidents resulted from drunk driving, followed by excessive speeding.

Motorcycles are the vehicle type with the highest number of accidents, followed by pickup trucks. (MCOT online news)


-- TNA 2014-04-15

[ChrisY1]

It almost sounds like the death score needs to be higher than last year.....maybe I'm missing something......but the media seems to feed on this stuff.

[janpharma]

Let the beasts go...but keep the "Amazing Smile"....

[SanukJoeII]

I could be wrong, but I remember reading that on average there is 30-35 road deaths per day. During Songkran this number is a bit increased to 50 per day.

Numbers are big, but not that much of an increase compared to the normal days.

Close, the average rate is 35 - 40 deaths per day and the Songkran average for the past few years is 45 - 50.

Don't manipulate figures to make things "smoother"!

Average on normal days is 33, the 204 in 4 days makes an average for Songkran of 51. That is 18 more or an impressive nearly 55% increase.

Looks different now, right?

[yooper2001]

How can this Retard Minister of transportation keep his job when this happens year after year.

Last year his proposal to help lower the death rate was to have all monks pray for safe highways.

They did as good as a job as the police which was nothing

[Loles]

NO COMMENT.

I always upset when the Thais talk about bad karma and bad luck instead of their own idiocy.

[timber]

Every one knows what needs to be done. Its a matter of the right people don't care. 50 vrs. 30 is a little bit of increase.

I wish my bank account would increase this much.