Songkran 2017: More accidents, fewer deaths on first day of dangerous week

[webfact]

More accidents, fewer deaths on first day of dangerous week
By  THE NATION

 

Accident in Samut Prakan province on April 12.

 

BANGKOK: -- The first day of the week-long road accident monitoring period for the Songkran holiday from Tuesday to next Monday, saw 33 deaths and 420 injuries in 409 road accidents nationwide, according to the Road Safety Directing Centre. The number of accidents on Tuesday increased while deaths and injuries decreased compared to the previous year’s Songkran first day with 52 deaths and 431 injuries in 387 crashes. 

 

Chiang Mai had the most accidents with 18 cases, while Ubon Ratchathani and Nakhon Ratchasima had the most deaths with four each, and Chiang Rai had the most injuries at 17, the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO)’s civil affairs office head Lt-General Thanes Kalpruek told a press conference yesterday. 

 

Drunk driving was the most common cause of road accidents at 45.4 per cent, followed by speeding at 24.9 per cent, Thanes said. Most crashes involved motorcycles (77.8 per cent) and took place on straight stretches of road (65.2 per cent). While highways saw 36.6 per cent of accidents, rural roads saw 32 per cent. Most accidents (29.3 per cent) occurred between 4pm and 8pm. Almost half (46.3 per cent) of those who were killed or injured in accidents were of working age (20 to 49 years old), Thanes said.

 

About 63,000 officials manning 2,025 checkpoints nationwide arrested 93,564 motorists for violations – mostly for a failure to present a driver’s licence (27,081 cases) or failure to wear a helmet while riding a motorcycle (26,465 cases), he added.

 

As many people headed to their hometowns for Songkran, various Bangkok outbound highways saw higher volumes, while officers checked motorists to ensure they were following traffic regulations, including a requirement for all passengers in public transport vans and buses as well as those in the front seats of cars and trucks to wear seat belts. 

 

A large number of holidaymakers crowded the roads to the Northeast, especially Mitraparp Highway. Traffic jams occurred at the highway’s various sections including Tambon Nong Nam Daeng and Tambon Klang Dong in Nakhon Ratchasima’s Pak Chong district, the highway section passing through Muang district. 

 

Many travellers were also boarding airplanes and trains to reach their destinations. More than 180,000 travellers to domestic destinations were expected to pass through Suvarnabhumi Airport yesterday – a 5-per-cent hike from the same period last year.

 

In the deep South, the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) has set up a safety centre at Songkhla’s Hat Yai Train Station to augment security on trains and at railway stations from Hat Yai to the three southern border provinces of Yala, Pattani and Narathiwat, which will be functional from last Monday to next Monday, said SRT southern train operation center head Banhan Kobyayang. Deputy Transport Minister Pichit Akarathit yesterday inspected Hat Yai officials’ preparedness to support the higher number of travellers during the holiday.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/news/national/30312170

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-04-13

[PatOngo]

Could we thus assume that, after day one, the promoted fatality free Songkran has failed?

[kannot]

23 minutes ago, PatOngo said:

Could we thus assume that, after day one, the promoted fatality free Songkran has failed?

Nope, they  will claim their enforcement of seatbelt wearing has led to fewer deaths and shout it triumphantly............ more  accidents = they still drive like <deleted>, Thais  will assume   better amulets =fewer deaths

Lets see how  much they can suppress the real figures to meet their agenda

Edited April 12, 2017 by kannot

[jaiyen]

They are only just warming up ! Wait for tomorrows figures. Over 93,000 nicked in 1 day ! Thats incredible. I hope the increased number of check points and publicity will make a difference, but I doubt it.

[darksidedog]

93,000 in a day. Impressive. Do the same every day and confiscate the vehicle and accidents will come down swiftly.

Sad to hear of so many deaths, which shows, despite police measures, that these people really can not drive well at all.

[Dunky]

How many of these road deaths do you think are caused simply by the extremely poor standard of driving in Thailand?

[mogo51]

2 hours ago, PatOngo said:

Could we thus assume that, after day one, the promoted fatality free Songkran has failed?

No, k ets not be negative, give it a few more days, it may go backwards,

[tompelli]

I would expect that after being stopped & fined, they just hand the keys back & on you go (with no licence/tax/insurance). If any of these clowns hit you, you have to sue...

[catman20]

35 minutes ago, jaiyen said:

They are only just warming up ! Wait for tomorrows figures. Over 93,000 nicked in 1 day ! Thats incredible. I hope the increased number of check points and publicity will make a difference, but I doubt it.

with all these laws the country is now enforcing there going to have to build more police stations,courts and jails.

[franklnooner]

Dont worry they are just getting started the real piss up starts today numbers to increase. They are number one in the world!! Congratulations you idiots.

[terminatorchiangmai]

What about the day before ?

It was a lot more busy on the roads then.

Lets see today's numbers because i don't believe it will be less at the end of Songkran.

I do hope so , because it will finally be a step forward.

[hobz]

Here in CM they have set up the cones etc for checkpoints two days in advance. They have been unmanned but they reveal the location and probably caused a few accidents as well..genius 

[Mosha]

Well yesterday I was passed by a motorbike, driver no skid lid. I sped up to see what happened at the checkpoint. Nothing, the police didn't even twitch. Business as normal.

Sent from my iris 505 using Tapatalk

[jaltsc]

 "The number of accidents on Tuesday increased while deaths and injuries decreased..."

 

All they probably did was NOT declare the victims dead or injured until they left the scene in an ambulance and arrived at the hospital. Unless the deaths and injuries are recorded at the scene of the crash site, they are not listed as a traffic deaths or injuries. A sneaky way to manipulate the statistics to meet the needs of the government.

[jimstar1]

Accident numbers up this is working well boys keep up the good work

deaths down oh maybe a few more wearing seat belts

ok Happy New Year

[AlphaSoiDog]

1 hour ago, jaiyen said:

They are only just warming up ! Wait for tomorrows figures. Over 93,000 nicked in 1 day ! Thats incredible. I hope the increased number of check points and publicity will make a difference, but I doubt it.

 

A pity though that most of the busts were not presenting a licence. Hardly as important as being drunk, running red lights, erratic and unsignalled lane changes etc etc. And how many people didn't take their wallet to get soaked? I certainly didn't.

 

So again we have stationary checkpoints busting riders while cars are cutting up lanes right in front of them.

 

 

[quandow]

Any holiday that focuses on how many died should probably be rethunk.

[Ramen087]

More than twenty five thousand people driving without a license. Are you kidding me?! (dripping sarcasm).  forty five percent of accidents involving driving drunk?  staying off the roads for the next five days seems a prudent strategy if possible in any way.

[khunpa]

1 hour ago, tompelli said:

I would expect that after being stopped & fined, they just hand the keys back & on you go (with no licence/tax/insurance). If any of these clowns hit you, you have to sue...

No license is THB 200 and of course you are allowed to drive on. Thai-Logic.

[Ryder88]

Hope to see the high stats on the drunken arrogant obnoxious  <deleted>packers...

Edited April 13, 2017 by metisdead
Vulgar term edited out of post.

[wealthychef]

1 hour ago, catman20 said:

with all these laws the country is now enforcing there going to have to build more police stations,courts and jails.

.. until they catch up to the USA?  They've got a long way to go.  

[Ceruhe]

4 hours ago, PatOngo said:

Could we thus assume that, after day one, the promoted fatality free Songkran has failed?

If you do that, you pave the way for whichever agency claimed to reduce the road deaths during songkran as it was a major success by a first day metric lol

[wealthychef]

51 minutes ago, AlphaSoiDog said:

 

A pity though that most of the busts were not presenting a licence. Hardly as important as being drunk, running red lights, erratic and unsignalled lane changes etc etc. And how many people didn't take their wallet to get soaked? I certainly didn't.

 

So again we have stationary checkpoints busting riders while cars are cutting up lanes right in front of them.

 

 

 

Kind of a lame excuse.  Isn't your license waterproof?  Doesn't it come out of your wallet?  

 

[wealthychef]

If the police really will enforce the laws as written, reasonably fairly, i.e., not targeting hated groups and letting people out with bribes, maybe word will get out though about the arrests and things will improve over the next few days.  Just an idea, I know, I shouldn't enforce my cultural norms on another society.  LOL

[williamgeorgeallen]

33 deaths is about half the normal average number of deaths per day (generally reported to be about 70) over the rest of the year. that is very impressive, almost hard to believe really.

[PatOngo]

2 hours ago, jaiyen said:

They are only just warming up ! Wait for tomorrows figures. Over 93,000 nicked in 1 day ! Thats incredible. I hope the increased number of check points and publicity will make a difference, but I doubt it.

Oh, it will make a difference alright..........the cops will be singing all the way to the liquor store with their pockets full!

[PatOngo]

4 minutes ago, williamgeorgeallen said:

33 deaths is about half the normal average number of deaths per day (generally reported to be about 70) over the rest of the year. that is very impressive, almost hard to believe really.

The exodus began last weekend, how many fatalities will slip under the body count radar?

[bbbbooboo]

2 hours ago, Dunky said:

How many of these road deaths do you think are caused simply by the extremely poor standard of driving in Thailand?

hmmm.....extremely poor on a good day

[ChrisY1]

6 minutes ago, williamgeorgeallen said:

33 deaths is about half the normal average number of deaths per day (generally reported to be about 70) over the rest of the year. that is very impressive, almost hard to believe really.

Agree....hard to believe....almost too hard to believe and I wonder if the media have been "briefed"?

[Ulic]

Plenty of time to set a new record, just be patient.