Udon Thani set to prevent dangers from firecrackers during coming festivities

  

UDON THANI, 5 October 2016 (NNT) – Authorities in Udon Thani province are preparing to raise public awareness of the danger of playing with firecrackers as the end of Buddhist Lent as well as Loy Krathong Day are approaching. 

Deputy Governor of Udon Thani Somwang Phuangbangpho has met with related officials to discuss measures for minimizing losses from the use of firecrackers in the province during end-of-Lent and Loy Krathong celebrations this year. The meeting was called after Udon Thani Governor Chayawut Jarntorn expressed his concerns over the safety of revelers and assigned his deputy to lay down response plans for firecracker-related accidents. 

The meeting acknowledged an order from the Governor to have local officials get tough on issuing licenses for the production, imports and sales of fireworks and firecrackers. Retail shops are to be asked not to sell the explosive devices to the public while inspections will be conducted stringently in a bid to take action against those selling the items without permission. Parents will also be encouraged to monitor their children closely during the festive period to keep them away from firecrackers. 

This year, the end of Buddhist Lent falls on October 16 while Loy Krathong Day will be on November 14. Last year, the period between the two occasions saw 158 injuries and two fatalities related to firecrackers in Udon Thani. A target has been set for the province to have zero deaths and no more than 80 injuries this year. 

 

-- nnt 2016-10-06

This has been going on for decades and NOW they decide to address the safety issue?

Australia totally banned firecrackers about 50 years ago excepting when handled by professional firecracker handlers. There were many injuries when I was a kid, especially from the tuppeny bungers but the double happies were  great too. It was a good time for us, but as usual some people were not up to handling the high explosives.

19 hours ago, jerojero said:

This has been going on for decades and NOW they decide to address the safety issue?

They have been getting tough now for a couple of years, in my village now nobody sets off fireworks,even during new year, before they were setting off crackers and rockets days before,a real nuisance.

Are they referring to those rocket launchers?