Songkran death toll highest in a decade with 442 people killed during seven-day span

[trainman34014]

Don't expect any change for the better in the future because there is no money in 'road safety'. The money is in the clearing up of the carnage, the funerals, the scrap metal and so on. RIP the 442 'Revelers' .

[dunroaming]

Well thank goodness they impounded the 6,000 cars where the drivers were unfit to drive because of alcohol. Otherwise it could have been much worse! This should not come as any surprise to anyone living or driving in Thailand. I suspect that true accident figures never get reported in Thailand. A proper "smoke and mirrors" society if ever there was one.

[Mudcrab]

UK, roughly the same size population, faster roads, more cars, year to date to 18th April 2016 - total fatalities was 101.

Thailand 7 days in April = 442 and that excludes casualties who died either on the way to hospital or in hospital.

Not same same and very different.

The same old nonsense comparison trotted out yet again

Try comparing passenger miles (including 3 or 4 on a motorbike) in Thailand to the mass transport systems in the UK. Do the same as the airlines....passenger miles per fatality. Except when it turns to $hit for the airlines its very public

I had the unfortunate experience many years ago to travel to a place called Harwich - the ancestral home apparently for a wedding. Took my then little kids to Great Yarmouth for the day. Had seen it on the telly in Oz and looked close by. Some old Great Aunt had a fit.....how can you go so far???? Thats an annual holiday.

Starting to get the picture?

Not in Australia love.....thats a drive to the shops in some parts.

So lets get some structure around this argument...... passenger miles traveled versus deaths/accidents.

Thais are far more mobile than the UK posters. The risks are higher sure...fact of life.

I reckon 80% of the 10 year olds in the village ride 3 up to go to school....maybe more.

You would have seen the same anywhere in your village/city. If you haven't you shouldn't be commenting in the first place. We did the same in Oz as kids...not 3 up...we usually had our own bush basher...same principle though. And kids got killed.

Same as a fully loaded pick up truck with 12 or more in the back. They roll.....high impact many deaths....still a one vehicle accident.

The point I'm trying to make is don't stress the high road toll isn't going to affect you if you can actually drive a car or motorbike. Many of us having driven/ridden for years here and will continue to do so safely with no higher risk than anywhere else.

[Alex2015]

Is that annoying waste of water really worth all the deaths, injuries and angry tourists who cut their vacation short in Thailand and traveled to another country so they could be dry and comfortable?

Please provide a link to the number of deaths, injuries and angry tourists who cut their vacation short due to presumably Songkran celebrations.

Most would have come her FOR Songkran.

As they do EVERY year.

I live in Pattaya and it's not exactly bursting at the seams, it has the opposite effect the many thousands of expats who live here either stay indoors for a week or go for a holiday elsewhere till the madness finishes. They far outweigh the number of tourists, the supermarkets do well though as we all stock up with beer and food.

[paulito]

When will they learning something about this all. Let everybody make eachother total wet, no problem, if you don't like you can go away or stay home, but make a very big fine on throwing water to bikes, motorbikes, cars or any other vehicel that use the public road. First of all, those people can't do anything back and it will save hundreds of dead people.
What's the fun of throwing water to somebody who can't do something back without bringing himself or others in danger.

Today I had almost a motorbike under my car when he want to escape water throwing crazy people on a big road (sukumvit rd).

Please make this rule for next year and look at the figures of accidents after that.

[khun custard]

Is that annoying waste of water really worth all the deaths, injuries and angry tourists who cut their vacation short in Thailand and traveled to another country so they could be dry and comfortable?

Please provide a link to the number of deaths, injuries and angry tourists who cut their vacation short due to presumably Songkran celebrations.

Most would have come her FOR Songkran.

As they do EVERY year.

I live in Pattaya and it's not exactly bursting at the seams, it has the opposite effect the many thousands of expats who live here either stay indoors for a week or go for a holiday elsewhere till the madness finishes. They far outweigh the number of tourists, the supermarkets do well though as we all stock up with beer and food.

Yep, very easy to get in and out of the Klang today - best it's been in over a month

Previous quote: "Motorcycles were blamed for most of the accidents followed by pickup trucks"

I'm so glad it had nothing to do with a large portion of arrogant drivers with little to no open road driving skills or respect for the weapon they have on loan from a bank

[Chris167]

Just checked the UK road traffic deaths stats. In 2014 there were 1775 in the whole year. Just under 5 per day. All deaths miserable for families involved, but more cars, more speed, similar population. Tells a story.

[Glumpy]

And how many more will succumb to their injuries ?........not that these figures will ever be published !!!!...

Edited April 18, 2016 by Glumpy

[balo]

If the numbers are correct , that 65 lifes are lost every single day of the year due to accidents , I don't find these numbers during songkran any special ?

It's dangerous out there, every single day, take care.

[DMC1]

Not reading this thread but let's see the stats for the next week. Pretty much the same I would guess?

Edited April 18, 2016 by DMC1

[GanDoonToonPet]

I posted in the other thread that I'd collated the data from the WHO Global Status Report on Road Safety 2015. Here's the 'Top 10' rankings (for those countries with fatalities above 30.0 per 100,000 population).

1. Libya 73.4

2. Thailand 36.2

3. Malawi 35.0

4. Liberia 33.7

5. DR Congo 33.2

6. Tanzania 32.9

7. Central African Republic 32.4

8. Iran / Rwanda 32.1

9. Mozambique 31.6

10. Togo / Sao Tome & Principe 31.1

Libya seems to be a bit of an outlier. Fatalities were 20 per 100,000 in 2011 before civil war broke out & rose sharply thereafter. Only 2% of deaths were from motorcycles, pedestrians 26% with drivers & passengers of 4-wheeled vehicles making up the rest (71%); I suspect most of the deaths were due to roadside bombs & bazookas...

So Thailand takes the top spot, if you discount countries ravaged by civil war.

[brling]

I posted in the other thread that I'd collated the data from the WHO Global Status Report on Road Safety 2015. Here's the 'Top 10' rankings (for those countries with fatalities above 30.0 per 100,000 population).

1. Libya 73.4

2. Thailand 36.2

3. Malawi 35.0

4. Liberia 33.7

5. DR Congo 33.2

6. Tanzania 32.9

7. Central African Republic 32.4

8. Iran / Rwanda 32.1

9. Mozambique 31.6

10. Togo / Sao Tome & Principe 31.1

Libya seems to be a bit of an outlier. Fatalities were 20 per 100,000 in 2011 before civil war broke out & rose sharply thereafter. Only 2% of deaths were from motorcycles, pedestrians 26% with drivers & passengers of 4-wheeled vehicles making up the rest (71%); I suspect most of the deaths were due to roadside bombs & bazookas...

So Thailand takes the top spot, if you discount countries ravaged by civil war.

Exactly, but the apologists will still chime in and say its because of motorcycles, condition of the roads, condition of brakes, etc, etc.

[MaxLee]

How ironic, surprise, surprise, the ruling constitution that must not be named and shamed, has failed with its happy dappy campaigns....

Next please

[soalbundy]

that campaign worked a treat,we'll have it again next year

[MW72]

I posted in the other thread that I'd collated the data from the WHO Global Status Report on Road Safety 2015. Here's the 'Top 10' rankings (for those countries with fatalities above 30.0 per 100,000 population).

1. Libya 73.4

2. Thailand 36.2

3. Malawi 35.0

4. Liberia 33.7

5. DR Congo 33.2

6. Tanzania 32.9

7. Central African Republic 32.4

8. Iran / Rwanda 32.1

9. Mozambique 31.6

10. Togo / Sao Tome & Principe 31.1

Libya seems to be a bit of an outlier. Fatalities were 20 per 100,000 in 2011 before civil war broke out & rose sharply thereafter. Only 2% of deaths were from motorcycles, pedestrians 26% with drivers & passengers of 4-wheeled vehicles making up the rest (71%); I suspect most of the deaths were due to roadside bombs & bazookas...

So Thailand takes the top spot, if you discount countries ravaged by civil war.

Exactly, but the apologists will still chime in and say its because of motorcycles, condition of the roads, condition of brakese , etc, etc.

I'm sure Cambodia and Vietnam have loads of motorsais but they don't make the top of the charts. No one can deny the Thais have a problem like no one else.

[Brer Fox]

Oh gosh. Nothing will ever change here will it?

OK, so a few new fixed speed cameras have been put up, mostly in places where it's already quite safe to drive at high speed (such as on the Bang Pa-in to Bang-Na expressway km 5) and then there's the occasional mobile speed camera such as at km 179 in Pak Chong where I was mailed a notice to pay a 400 Baht fine a month after getting caught. Then there are ridiculous rules like you can turn right from the middle lane from 6-9am but if you try doing so at 9.30am or an officer catches you changing lanes after you've made the turn he will threaten you with a fine even though you are legitimately turning into a shopping mall entrance located just 50m from the turn!

However, overall nothing has changed. Enforcement just isn't there. I'm about to upload a video onto Youtube that I took with my webcam from an idiot who drove a moped against the flow of traffic at relatively high speed in the fast lane last Wednesday, 13th of April around 11pm as I was heading home after a business meeting and dinner.

I have seen a lot in Thailand but this put the icing on the cake. It seems to be getting worse and nobody cares.

The Plod seem to prefer to stay indoors in their aircon offices and play with their iPhones. No rewards on offer for booking drunk drivers.

[soalbundy]

Oh gosh. Nothing will ever change here will it?

OK, so a few new fixed speed cameras have been put up, mostly in places where it's already quite safe to drive at high speed (such as on the Bang Pa-in to Bang-Na expressway km 5) and then there's the occasional mobile speed camera such as at km 179 in Pak Chong where I was mailed a notice to pay a 400 Baht fine a month after getting caught. Then there are ridiculous rules like you can turn right from the middle lane from 6-9am but if you try doing so at 9.30am or an officer catches you changing lanes after you've made the turn he will threaten you with a fine even though you are legitimately turning into a shopping mall entrance located just 50m from the turn!

However, overall nothing has changed. Enforcement just isn't there. I'm about to upload a video onto Youtube that I took with my webcam from an idiot who drove a moped against the flow of traffic at relatively high speed in the fast lane last Wednesday, 13th of April around 11pm as I was heading home after a business meeting and dinner.

I have seen a lot in Thailand but this put the icing on the cake. It seems to be getting worse and nobody cares.

The Plod seem to prefer to stay indoors in their aircon offices and play with their iPhones. No rewards on offer for booking drunk drivers.

how very sensible of them,standing out in the hot sun getting splashed by morons is way below an air-con office

[biplanebluey]

Just watched the news tonight and the police were giving the confiscated keys back to about 30 M/C's ouitside Udon Thani Police station.They waved them off and not one was wearing a helmet !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

AND SOME OF YOU THINK THINGS WILL CHANGE???????????????????????

[soalbundy]

next year 500, come on,you know you can do it

[Globalres]

A few months ago, as I was sitting in my taxi, I passed motorbike driver who happened to have "Traffic police" emblazoned on his back. He had no helmet. Neither did his 5 yr or so son who was standing on the motorbikes front of him. I was tempted to take a photo from my window, but he turned around and looked at me, so decided not to. Incredible!

[BangkokKen]

This is by all means not a surprise. How can you expect anything different,?

- No one know how to drive.

- The driving test is a joke

- More cars are joining the mayhem everyday - in greater Bkk alone 300 new cars are on the road each day.

--- Not difficult to predict that next year will be worse.

The authorities know about it and like always, let the situation get worse and will use it as an excuse to bring down more civil rights.

[ChrisY1]

And the government thinks??????

[dcnx]

I live in Chiang Mai and saw only 1 police check point the entire Songkran holiday, and it was the very last day. Hardly saw any police at all that week. Guess they didn't want to get wet.

There may have been other stops but I didn't come across them.

Edited April 18, 2016 by dcnx

[wow64]

But at least we got that guy not wearing a shirt.

Sent from my c64

[Mudcrab]

Is that annoying waste of water really worth all the deaths, injuries and angry tourists who cut their vacation short in Thailand and traveled to another country so they could be dry and comfortable?

Please provide a link to the number of deaths, injuries and angry tourists who cut their vacation short due to presumably Songkran celebrations.

Most would have come her FOR Songkran.

As they do EVERY year.

I live in Pattaya and it's not exactly bursting at the seams, it has the opposite effect the many thousands of expats who live here either stay indoors for a week or go for a holiday elsewhere till the madness finishes. They far outweigh the number of tourists, the supermarkets do well though as we all stock up with beer and food.

Perhaps you are the problem.

Stay insdie

[Jimbo2014]

As long as none of the deceased revealed any nipples I trust those in charge are not too distraught. (!!)

[apalink_thailand]

In reality, this 442 number is insignificant as a statistic. The increasing numbers of road deaths should be compared to the increasing number of vehicles on the road, to be statistically significant IMO. Then compare the year on year figures.

[apalink_thailand]

As long as none of the deceased revealed any nipples I trust those in charge are not too distraught. (!!)

Teehee...he said nipples.

[sawadee1947]

no risk - no fun

buddha is calling

[metisdead]

Off topic posts have been removed.