181 die, 1,777 injured in three-day period of Songkran celebration

[webfact]

181 die, 1,777 injured in three-day period of Songkran celebration



BANGKOK: -- The Department of Public Disasters Prevention and Mitigation said today that a total of 181 people died and 1,777 injured in the three day period of the Songkran festival celebration from April 11-13.

Only in a single day yesterday 65 were killed in 750 accidents, it said.

Buriram registered the highest death of 10 people in the three day period, while Chiang Mai had the highest accumulated number of 80 injured.

Yesterday the total road death toll in two days stood at 116 killed and 981 injured.

Meanwhile the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) says a total of 64,310 drivers were arrested and 1,565 vehicles compounded during its no drink driving campaign from April 9-13.

NCPO deputy spokesperson Col Sirichan Ngathong said these drivers were arrested from various roads for drink driving and would be charged with reckless driving.

She also said the overall picture of the Songkran festival in many places was peaceful and in order.

She said the NCPO would like to thank the people for their cooperation to make the peaceful celebration of the festival, and observe its road safety campaign.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/content/159544

-- Thai PBS 2016-04-14

[lostinisaan]

She also said the overall picture of the Songkran festival in many places was peaceful and in order.

What would people of this country do without the good general?

Edited April 15, 2016 by metisdead
Irrelevant trolling photo removed.

[NongKhaiKid]

Is she by any chance related to the Minister of Tourism ?

[jaltsc]

"The Department of Public Disasters Prevention and Mitigation said today that a total of 181 people died and 1,777 injured in the three day period of the Songkran festival celebration from April 11-13."

Isn't amazing how, all of a sudden. all the articles about the government's Songkran safety campaigns have disappeared from print.

[lonewolf99]

I am not a betting man - But, since bookmakers go on previous form, I am sure that making a bet on them beating last years total is now..... Odds on.

[55Jay]

The population has increased in my village, as it does every year for SK. Lots of dolts tearing up and down the sois on motorbikes. I heard ambulance sirens yesterday up on the main highway. Natural selection I hope. I feel badly for those who are just minding their own business and get killed or injured at random by the senseless act of another.

[Thunder26]

I am not a betting man - But, since bookmakers go on previous form, I am sure that making a bet on them beating last years total is now..... Odds on.

This year the numbers are pretty bad.

[MROLL320]

Surely something needs to be done... 2 days is enough, does the carnage really need to go on so long?

[WhizBang]

The road carnage numbers signify an epic fail for the 'road safety campaign', yet the junta is touting this as a success?

Ok, Thai logic, I guess.

[kingalfred]

Cant educate stupidy

[webfact]

754 accidents occurs on Songkran’s first day, most at Nakhon Si Thammarat

BANGKOK, 14 April 2016 (NNT) – The number of accidents on 13 April 2016 was recorded at 754 cases, Nakhon Si Thammarat province records highest accidents nationwide, says Minister of Tourism and Sports.

Minister of Tourism and Sports Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul has announced the official accident record for 13 April 2016 according to the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation, at a total of 754 cases causing 796 injuries and 65 casualties.

The most common cause of accident intoxication at 39.7 percent, followed by speeding at 32.7 percent. Motorcycles are the most common type of vehicle involved in accidents. Most accidents occurred during 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Nakhon Si Thammarat is the province with the highest counts of accidents at 37 cases and highest number of injures at 41. Nakhon Ratchasima province has recorded the highest number of fatalities at six.

650,000 vehicles have been surveyed at checkpoints nationwide, with over 100,000 offenders prosecuted by officials. The accumulated number of accidents during 11-13 April 2016 is at 1661 cases with 1777 injuries and 181 casualties.

The province with the most accumulated accidents is Chiang Mai at 74 cases, Buriram is the province with the most accumulated casualties at 10 cases, while Chiang Mai is the province with the most injuries at 80 persons. 19 provinces have not recorded any fatalities during the Songkran holidays.


-- NNT 2016-04-14

[NongKhaiKid]

The road carnage numbers signify an epic fail for the 'road safety campaign', yet the junta is touting this as a success?

Ok, Thai logic, I guess.

The No Fail Policy extends far beyond education it seems.

[ChrisY1]

With Col. Sirichan' comments, she shows the level of care that the authorities have for road kill.......they simply don't give a fig.....that there is "ongoing happiness' is the prime concern of the drolls!

[NickJ]

Well......As on average 80 die everyday so what they are doing is working....

[PeVee1st]

Well on the way to being the No.1 for traffic deaths.

[ttl]

How can daily totals be available at 4.30pm.Does a day not start at midnight and end 24 hours later

I notice majority of deaths occur between 4pm and 8.30 pm it is stated

How do they do their calcs???????????/Phew

[mesterm]

Ok.

[English 1]

She also said the overall picture of the Songkran festival in many places was peaceful and in order.

What would people of this country do without the good general?

I guess the middle young Ladyboy is left handed?

[wabothai]

To understand why 181 die and 1777 are wounded so far one has to dig into the great depths of Thainess.

After 9 years in Thai traffic I still don't have a grip on it, so don't they, I suppose.

[Jdiddy]

Why has this been a focus on this site and in news emails this week?

181 people dieing in a 3 day period is below the average if the typical deaths per year on the roads are ~24k

[SOTIRIOS]

...if they can ignore...or excuse away such horrific statistics...along with everything else wrong....what is there to discuss....

...arrest a foreigner for taking off his shirt and make it front page news.....

.....then everything is right in the world....

[slippery snake]

I would be interested to know how many of this number or 181 deaths, was from motorbike crashes with no helmets ? any one know ?

[ggt]

One can always measure the success of Songkran by the number of dead and wounded...

[bkksteve123]

Fun fact:

Thailand has around 24,000 road fatalities per year (source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_traffic-related_death_rate)

Averaging at 65 per day.

In this case, had this not been Songkran, we would expect 3*65 = 195 deaths. However, there have been only 181 deaths in 3 days, hence Songkran is safer than the average day.

Why all the headlines about this?!

[BangkokKen]

Fun fact:

Thailand has around 24,000 road fatalities per year (source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_traffic-related_death_rate)

Averaging at 65 per day.

In this case, had this not been Songkran, we would expect 3*65 = 195 deaths. However, there have been only 181 deaths in 3 days, hence Songkran is safer than the average day.

Why all the headlines about this?!

Because years fatalities counts the TOTAL deaths, some die days/weeks after accidents.

Here we only have the deaths at the scene.

[rethaier]

64,310 drivers were arrested and 1,565 vehicles compounded (maybe they mean impounded) But why isn't the number impounded the same as the arrested.

[docspinoff]

http://www.richardbarrow.com/2015/04/full-road-accident-statistics-for-songkran-2015/

[FolkGuitar]

Fun fact:

Thailand has around 24,000 road fatalities per year (source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_traffic-related_death_rate)

Averaging at 65 per day.

In this case, had this not been Songkran, we would expect 3*65 = 195 deaths. However, there have been only 181 deaths in 3 days, hence Songkran is safer than the average day.

Why all the headlines about this?!

Actually, I was under the impression that the average daily death toll was 85 per day. Making it 255 for three days, in which case the Thai government's safety campaign was VERY effective. Even at 65 deaths. that average would still be higher than the reported toll for these three days.

Sometimes it pays to look at the facts before slamming the government for not doing what it proposed. Perhaps we need to congratulate them this time for running an effective campaign!

[MorristheRunt]

How can daily totals be available at 4.30pm.Does a day not start at midnight and end 24 hours later

I notice majority of deaths occur between 4pm and 8.30 pm it is stated

How do they do their calcs???????????/Phew

They produce their figures before the start of the holidays.

Don't want Dr Statistic Somchai to miss his Songkran holiday's do you.

[Hawk]

"She said the NCPO would like to thank the people for their cooperation to make the peaceful celebration of the festival, and observe its road safety campaign."

It appears by the figures that nobody has taken any notice at all of the government's so-called safety campaign! Over 60,000 drunk drivers caught, 181 dead, 1,777 injured, people fighting in numerous places, knife attack and the odd gun fight.

Just think of the number of drunk drivers that were not caught! Many hundred thousand? And drivers are still speeding because the police just don't care.

The police today were doing absolutely nothing at every so-called checkpoint I passed.