Songkran Drenchings Could Well Be Zoned

[george]

Songkran drenchings could well be zoned

BANGKOK: -- In a bid to curb traffic accidents during next month's long Songkran holiday, the Road Safety Centre will ask the Cabinet to ban water-throwing on public roads and zone the activity in all provinces, a source said yesterday.

Those and other measures proposed by the centre, which is headed by Deputy Prime Minister Cha-turon Chaisang, will be implemented for the "water festival" between April 9 and 18.

Provincial governors will handle the implementation, using a combined budget of Bt117.3 million.

At its meeting today in Pattani province, the Cabinet will be asked to ban the practice of splashing water along public roads.

The once-gentle individual exchange of water has evolved into a raucous frenzy of high-volume drenching that can endanger passing motorists.

The Cabinet will also be asked to set out specific zones for the activity in order to ensure safety, the Government House source said.

If the proposed measures are approved, road repairs and construction will be halted during Songkran and special road signs and lighting will be installed at risky locations.

The centre also wants strict enforcement of traffic laws during the festival, particularly offences involving overtaking, driving against oncoming traffic, speed violations and drunk driving, according to the source.

Statistics show road accidents double or in some places triple during long holidays, when inter-provincial traffic on highways is heavy.

More than 500 people were killed and 37,000 injured in road accidents during Songkran last year.

--The Nation 2004-03-16

[davethailand]

yeh right, if i see it i'll believe it

[dr_Pat_Pong]

yeh right, if i see it i'll believe it

I'm with you Dave. One can but wonder how they'd enfoce the rule with thousands involved in the water chucking. Machine guns ? ( don't talk about it ...lest Cheerless Leader goes for the idea )

[ayakiawe]

I like this!

This festival normally "before" (before motors) happened in Thailand with out cars, motorbikes and ice which was then quite safe I am sure!

Modern Thailand with all the above and more is killing itself with the modern toys from the West!

Yes !!!!!!! Now the "party" can move from the cars & roadways to parks and ped. pathways (like it all was before) and other people friendly places where we can play safely and have even more fun!

Take the best from the West sure but throw out the worst from the West is my thought!

Now it seems the reverse.

So sad!

Better party to you and safer too! Sanook dee!

[mouse]

I agree with the problems, but enforcing it is like making a rule that all Orientals must have Farang eyes or all Farang must have Oriental eyes. UN-ENFORCEABLE!!

[pascharay]

The Great Leader has once more spoken. The death toll is abominal. This year will probably top a 1000 fatalities. Something has to be done. Throwing water from a truck on a national highway is a prudent move. Of course if the current drought heightens, then a water ban will curtail all activities.

[meadish_sweetball]

I agree that it seems wise to try to enforce a ban of water throwing in public highways, but since Thai people don't even give up their chickens when there is an obvious risk of a LETHAL epidemic of bird flu, why would they stop throwing water at trucks?

ayakiawe: with respect, splashing water is hardly a Western idea, and water guns are today mostly being designed and produced in China. It is too simple to blame the west for what has happened with the Songkran tradition.

Apart from that, I agree with you that it would be smart to designate special zones for water throwing, and also about the general principle of taking the best ideas from the West (or anywhere else) and keeping the best from the East.

I just don't think that people will obey the rules. Did the ban on fire crackers here in Thailand stop kids from blowing up their own hands and eyes, and throwing them in the face of others?

Good ideas are good ideas, no matter who thinks them or in which country or part of the world they originate.

[ovenman]

Provincial governors will handle the implementation, using a combined budget of Bt117.3 million.

Uh-huh. Plenty o' cash available for the purchase of liquid refreshment during the festivities while contemplating enforcement of this new zoning.

[Maejo Man]

What a wonderful idea, a "zoned Songkhran" Just about as unenforceable as keeping under eighteens out of discos!!

Where on earth do they get these brainstorms from? Now if they were to rethink the legislation on banning the use of mobile phones while driving, they would have my support for eternity. Mind you, it would be fun to watch them trying to enforce that. "Enforcement" is a word that doesn't seem to translate easily into Thai........

[NedKelly]

One good thing is that things like driving against on coming traffic is actually seen as a bad practice by the authorities. Its amazing to me even after 5 years of driving on Thai roads, that people still overtake against obviously oncoming traffic and over hills and around corners too. Incredible. Theyhave good ideas, but can they make them stick. Remember new years ??

[fatter than harry]

Remember new years ??

Ned, is that a plea?, I'd put money on you not remembering New Years!

I'm all for zonning on Songkran - I'll zone my mobile and my pants, to He.ll with everything else, lets throw water!

[Up2U]

Pattaya - Beach Road - Song Khran.

The only traffic I've seen there was a 10,000 gallon water tanker, with people on top with pressure hoses

How can it possibly be curtailed. Like standing in front of a fast-moving train.

[TizMe]

I think that the Nations Article has been printed 16 days too early....

[z21rhd]

Having witnessed a "songkran" death - a motor cyclist lost control when children threw

a bucket of ice in his face - I cannot join those who find Songkran "a bit of fun" ,

I shall stay at home!

[PhysaliaOS]

I've seen far too many motorcyclists unexpectedly hit with ice-cold water as well, and its usually not pretty, nor was the intent of the splashing appreciated. Of course, the organizers of the Phuket Bike Week intentionally pick Sonkran in order to maximize their attendance, but they are also inviting an inordinant number of bikers into town when it couldn't any more dangerous to ride the streets and highways of Phuket. Outlaw it, though, and I'll go elsewhere in April.

[billd766]

Wouldn't it be better to ban the government and keep the water throwing for Songkran?

They tried to ban it last year but it made no real difference where I lived. We just threw less water at the police who didn't mind anyway. Up country where we live now there is not much of a problem as we have very little water anyway.

[Kringle]

They should think more about the drinking of these guys while they're driving. Dousing people and vehicles going down the highway is just plain stupid. The other

thing I really hate is the high pressure water guns, got hit with one with one in the eyes and almost blinded me. I wanted to shove the thing where the sun don't shine.

[Lifelover]

Stopping people from using a national holiday to have fun, no way and no thanks. But any attempt to reduce the carnage will be much appreciated. For example it is obvious that throwing ice or squirting pressured jets of water at motorcyclists is insane. So is doing the same in the face at close proximity to pedestrians.

In my 10 years experience of Songrans in Chiang Mai I've seen too many accidents and been a victim too (I was blinded in one eye for two hours and had impaired vision for several days after being squirted with a cannon at two feet by a crazed farang). Although everyone throws water it is the farangs who are most to blame for the throwing stupidities and the Thais who are stupid enough to willingly run the gauntlet.

[Begs]

In Pattaya it seems to be mainly Farangs that do the high power water cannon gig, i got hammered while on the bike in the aftrernoon 3 days before the 19th, then whilst i was trying to recover and see again, 2 farangs came to me and emtied the contents of 2 tins of talc in my face, most of which went in my mouth as it was open due to the ice water that was tipped all over me from the girl with the ice bucket....................................

Still, its a good laugh and if i was trying to avoid a soaking i would not have gone up Soi 8, on a motorcycle, in the daytime, with my gf armed with a water pistol riding shotgun... This year she gets a cannon too!

[thatguy]

i'm told by my thai gf, " don't be stupid, don't throw ice"

guess that covers it.

[marto]

This year I`ll be for the first time in Thailand during Songran. Last year I missed it. Is the water splashing a Thai tradition or it is invented for the tourist and farangs?

[thatguy]

been there forever

[thatguy]

it's the thai new year

[somboon]

Some of you guys are saying "good idea lets have zoning" You might be right on the good idea bit but you are as devoid of brains as the average Thai if you think it could work.

It just aint gonna happen.

There will be another 1,000 fatalities and who really gives a shit because the Thais themselves certainly don't.

[britmaveric]

Another Unenforceable policy-however prob will line the thai coppers pockets. (fine for every incident?)

[p1p]

There will be another 1,000 fatalities and who really gives a shit because the Thais themselves certainly don't.

I should imagine you might "give a sh*t" if you, your wife or girlfriend or child was one of the fatalities. I've been through it with a member of my staff being killed and others seriously hurt. I do give a major sh*t and sincerely believe something must be done to try to curb the over exuberance evidenced every year. If zoning works, good for it.

[kjvegas]

I was in Thailand last Songkran on Beach road and I couldn't believe people were throwning water at people on motorbikes, their natural reaction is to turn their head to avoid the water and that is how accidents start. I think it should be illegal to splsah someone on a motorbike, maybe save a life or two.

I remember seeing the nightly news in Thailand and seeing all the deaths, I couldn't believe it, very sad.

cheers

kj

[KevinN]

The law is not enforceable the way Thai cops work[or don't work], They had a cop every 50 meters for 25 kilometers from the airport into Pitchman standing along the hyway for the princes visit to his namesake university for scout week a few weeks past,

But standing along the edge of the road will not enforce any traffic laws or stop water throwing,and no traffic laws will be in effect,except not wearing a seatbelt at a stoplight.and maybe drivers license check,but you cannot stop a car that is running 160KPH on the wrong side of a solid yellow line from the shoulder of the road,or stop a drunk til he has already killed someone.

The cops in Thailand are real good at issuing tickets for a farang dropping a cig.butt on the street,no safety belt while stopped at a red light,or parking their motorcycle on the sidewalk and going into a shop and drinking beer while on duty.Other than that they are just parasites sucking the money from the people,You can not even call one if you have a disturbance in your area,cause they don't work at night.

But the new law would be enforceable if they would concentrate on it this year and by next year I think they would have the word out that it would cost you money to throw water,maybe sooner than that, as when the motorcycle headlight law went into effect,I see most Thais with their lights on now.so word does travel fast.

[Boon Mee]

There's nothing like having a five-gallon bucket of nasty/smelly brown klong water thrown in your face while driving your bike! Been there, done that, and will not ride during Thai New Years ever again...

[castelleone]

Of course, most of us ,,farangs,, are sceptic and ironic about the attempt of diminishing the danger of the water splashing. But mind you, at least somebody from the Thai side also thinks, the custom is ,,slightly being overdone,,.

Anyway, I think the idea of slowing down is worth to be considered. Even Thai officials noticed that the currently used practice has nothing to do any more with ancient Thai customs.

It will take time to think it over. In the meantime, at least for this year, I shall stay at home for the famous three days in April and shall keep dry and without danger.