Deaths So Far During Songkran Holiday.

[Prakhonchai Nick]

The sanook and non-confrontational aspects of Thai culture are high up among the reasons why most farangs like living here.  Turn Thailand into a 'first-world' country, and I guess we wouldn't like it any more!

Not really sure those are the reasons. More importantly perhaps are the cost of living, the weather and for most of us the Thai women!

I believe many farangs would like to see more attention paid to law and order, especially when lack of it endangers them and their families personally.

[isanbirder]

I agree, Nick, that cost of living, weather, and women (or boys) are the attractions which make us come here.  But I think when we are here, the sanook and non-confrontational attitudes are things which make life more pleasant.

Yes, indeed, we would like to see better law enforcement.

[nookiebear]

i'LL HAVE A JOB TO WAIT UNTIL THE WEEKEND!!

[Vombatus]

An interesting description of Thai culture.  It makes it all the more remarkable that the number of fatalities this Songkran is so far lower than previous years (to get back to topic!).

The sanook and non-confrontational aspects of Thai culture are high up among the reasons why most farangs like living here.  Turn Thailand into a 'first-world' country, and I guess we wouldn't like it any more!

Maybe "Second-World country" is a happy compromise for all ?  Especially, if it starts to take out corruption and introduce 'more appropriate' education.

Certainly worthy of a separate topic and if 'Thai bashing' can be avoided we could see a balanced view of the Farang appraisal of Thais/Thailand.

Not that it really matters - as mentioned earlier, third party views are not usually welcome,.

[isanbirder]

The Second World is Communism, isn't it?

Death toll 148 after four days... sounds not so bad as usual (can't really say 'good'!).

[Admin]

Songkran road toll rises to 188
Published: 16/04/2011 at 11:54 AM
Bangkok Post: Online news: Local News
 
A total of 188 people were killed and 2,786 others injured in road accidents from April 11 to 15, the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department reported on Saturday.

On Friday, 40 people were killed and 470 others injured in 443 road accidents, according to the department.

The department reported the road toll for the first four days of the “seven dangerous days” of Songkran festival at 148 yesterday.

[isanbirder]

Good news again compared with what it might have been.  About 30% down on last year.

[Admin]

NEW YEAR CELEBRATIONS
Revellers set new 'human wave' record
By OLARN LERTRATANADAMRONGKUL,
SOMPOCH SOMBAT
The Nation 2011-04-16


More than 50,000 people counted at Khon Kaen party; road toll down 30%

At 7pm yesterday, some 50,208 people got together to break the Guinness World Record by taking part in the Human Waves NOAL World Record on Khao Niew Road as part of the Songkran celebrations in Khon Kaen.

Infrared devices placed at both ends of the road counted the number of participants.

A similar record was broken on this very road last year, when 42,652 people took part in creating the human wave, which is part of the campaign to ensure a booze-free Songkran, explained Nirut Utha, director of the centre for limiting alcohol consumption. This "human wave" phenomenon was first held in 2009.

This year's participants were crowded in a 800-square-metre part of the road, while another 50,000 revellers celebrated the events nearby.

Meanwhile, some 148 deaths and 2,316 injuries have been reported after four of the "seven dangerous days of Songkran", road safety officials said yesterday.

The death toll was 64 lower or 30 per cent down on the previous year. The number of people injured was down by 418 or 15 per cent.

The number of accidents - 2,141 - was down by 374 or 15 per cent, Kamol Rodklai, deputy permanent secretary for Education, told a press conference yesterday.

Bangkok topped the four-day death toll with eight, followed by Suphan Buri and Chiang Mai, which both recorded seven deaths.

Nakhon Si Thammarat had the most injuries with 103, followed by Chiang Rai with 100. Nakhon Si Thammarat had the most accidents at 97, trailed by Chiang Rai at 93, he said.

Kamol said on Thursday alone, there were 515 accidents, which killed 32 people and injured 556 people across the country.

Drunk drivers were still the major cause of accidents at 45 per cent, and 81 per cent of crashes involved motorcycles, he said.

The major cause of injuries and deaths in the North and Northeast was drunk driving at 50 per cent, while in the Central region travelling without wearing safety helmets was the prime concern (42 per cent). So, police had been told to strictly enforce motoring laws to deter people from driving over the speed limit, driving while drunk or riding without helmets.

"We've told bus transport companies to provide two drivers per bus if the bus travels more than 400 kilometres - so they can take turns driving.

"And all drivers are not allowed to drink alcohol. Anyone violates the ban will be jailed for up to three months or face fines of Bt2,000-Bt10,000. Moreover, [bus] companies will be fined Bt40,000 as well, which will affect renewal of transport licences," Kamol added.

Vocational institutions have set up 250 centres to help provide vehicle checks and basic repairs on primary and secondary roads nationwide free of charge. People were told to call 1156 for information about these.

With Songkran, the traditional New Year festival, officially ending yesterday, the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) and bus companies are offering extra trips to help travellers get back to Bangkok this weekend.

SRT will add 12 Bangkok-bound train trips from the North and Northeast to support an expected 40,000 passengers per day from Saturday to Monday (April 16-18), SRT public relations division chief Nuanla-ong Wongchan said.

The extra train trips include the 962 departing Sila-ard at 7.30pm, arriving in Bangkok at 04.45am; the 976 departing Si Sa Ket at 4.30pm, arriving in Bangkok at 3.30am; the 936 leaving Udon Thani at 8.40pm and arriving in Bangkok at 8.30am; and the 934 from Ubon Ratchathani, leaving at 7.45pm and arriving in Bangkok at 8.10am.

The SRT had over 250 train trips for travellers for this year's Songkran break, she said, but reminded passengers to beware of thieves and not to hang on to steps while travelling due to the risk of injury from falling off moving trains.

Holiday-makers were seen queuing up to buy tickets for Bangkok and elsewhere at the bus station in the southern transport hub of Hat Yai. Tickets for all 35 buses scheduled daily for Bangkok from Hat Yai were fully booked till today (Sunday). This prompted the state Transport Co to prepare extra buses so people would not be stranded. In the northeast province of Si Sa Ket, private bus firms were also reported to have added eight more daily trips.

[isanbirder]

229 people were killed in traffic accidents in the first six of the 'seven dangerous days', a decrease of about 30% on last year's figure.  This is pretty amazing considering the Government were only targeting a 5% decrease.

[rufusredtail]

I HEAR ON THE NEWS IN BKK, THAT SONGKRAN WAS DECLARED THE BIGGEST WATER GAME IN THE WORLD, NOW IN THE GUINESS BOOK OF RECORDS.

[isanbirder]

229 people were killed in traffic accidents in the first six of the 'seven dangerous days', a decrease of about 30% on last year's figure.  This is pretty amazing considering the Government were only targeting a 5% decrease.

Since the average daily fatality rate from road accidents throughout the year is somewhere between 40 and 50, this is pretty good.

[Pee Nuu]

Certainly worthy of a separate topic and if 'Thai bashing' can be avoided we could see a balanced view of the Farang appraisal of Thais/Thailand.

HA! HA! That would be a trick, Ray. The subjectivity would never be compromised.

[Pee Nuu]

229 people were killed in traffic accidents in the first six of the 'seven dangerous days', a decrease of about 30% on last year's figure.  This is pretty amazing considering the Government were only targeting a 5% decrease.

Since the average daily fatality rate from road accidents throughout the year is somewhere between 40 and 50, this is pretty good.

YEP! QUITE THE SUCCESSFUL SONGKRAN IT WAS!!!

[Admin]

I HEAR ON THE NEWS IN BKK, THAT SONGKRAN WAS DECLARED THE BIGGEST WATER GAME IN THE WORLD, NOW IN THE GUINESS BOOK OF RECORDS.

[isanbirder]

Trivia are of course always more sanook than road fatalities,,, which this thread is supposed to be about.  Total for the seven days was 271, 25% down on last year.  We should congratulate the authorities for the measures they took (which must have had some effect).