Songkran Road Carnage 2016

[PeteC]

52 people killed and 431 injured on first day of Songkran festival on Monday

http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/content/159267

There is a seven day chart at the link to keep track of fatal developments from April 11 through 17.

Please feel free to update daily if I don't do it in a timely fashion. Pete

[Nothappyjan]

Driving down from BKK to HH you come across some of the worst drivers known on this planet. Switching lanes at high speeds seems to be the norm rather than the reality.
A few well placed speed cameras would do wonders to slow these crazy incompetents down just a little and in the doing saving many lives.
What a waste of human life caused by downright idiots who take too many risks and drive at speeds above their levels of incompetence.

[dtaai-maai]

Please feel free to update daily if I don't do it in a timely fashion. Pete

Sorry, Pete, but this is one stat I don't need to know.

[Dannie Boy]

Just read this on the BBC - doesn't hold out much hope for any long-term changes to the annual carnage -

[Terry]

Driving down from BKK to HH you come across some of the worst drivers known on this planet. Switching lanes at high speeds seems to be the norm rather than the reality.
A few well placed speed cameras would do wonders to slow these crazy incompetents down just a little and in the doing saving many lives.
What a waste of human life caused by downright idiots who take too many risks and drive at speeds above their levels of incompetence.

Totally agree but I know of at least 9 locations where speed cameras are located on Rama II and Petchkasem Roads, and this STILL does not deter the 5uckwit5...........

[Big Boy]

For any movie buffs out there, I reckon Songkran is Thailand's answer to The Purge.

[aragon]

Driving down from BKK to HH you come across some of the worst drivers known on this planet.

Granted, there some pretty atrocious drivers/driving on the road down from BKK, but the worst drivers on the planet, nah sorry, not even close, for that you really have to come here to the Middle East, they make Dick Dastardly and Whacky Races look like a BSM driving school

[PeteC]

"The Interior Ministry's road safety centre said 64 people were killed and 550 hurt in 520 traffic accidents on Tuesday April 12....."

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/transpo ... ter-2-days

[PeteC]

http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/content/159427

[usual suspect]

It seems most reports show the %age of deaths caused by speeding & by alcohol, I think sheer impatience should somehow be added to the list.
I was coming down to H.H. from Ratchaburi on the 12th & so,so many drivers were seeing their way blocked by slower vehicles in the R/H lane & without slowing down were simply scything thru' to the left lane or hard shoulder..& many of these times their vision was blocked by a truck as they made this move..!
Blind madness, stupidity, mental rage, label this level of driving as you feel fit to do so, but over the Songkran period
how many innocent lives will be lost..be it the passengers in the offending vehicles or the folk they take out when 'fatal contact' is made by their speeding 2 tons of metal box..?
The death toll is the same each year, yet it all seems avoidable.

[PeteC]

It's not only the same each year but very close to the same everyday regardless if holiday period or not. I think Bristolian did some analysis and research last year showing that point correct. Mea culpa Bristolian if it wasn't you but someone else. Pete

[hhinner]

Pete, you're right. Depending on where you read it, the normal daily toll is somewhere between 60 and 80 traffic deaths. Also, it's said that traffic deaths are only counted if dead at the scene or DOA at hospital. How many of the injured so far are going to end up dead in the next few days or weeks due to their injuries? One day Thailand might form a police force.

[NOKYAI]

I think all the official figures should be taken with a pinch of salt! They announced the second day's figures at about 4 pm with still the most dangerous part of the day to come!

[Khundon1975]

prcscct What surprises me, is not how many deaths there are so far, but how few there are.

It seems to me, that every year the numbers of deaths during Songkran and Christmas holidays, go up and up.
A day does not pass, without reading in the press of yet another mini bus accident that wipes out most passengers, due, in most part, to speeding or a drunk or drugged up mini bus driver with a death wish, or just lousy driving.

Back in 2000, my wife used to catch the HH to BKK mini bus, from that old cinema building next to the market.
I dropped her there early one morning, she got into the bus and I leaned in to pass her bags in and smelled alcohol on the drivers breath! I dragged her out and never let her ride in a mini bus again.

Every year during Christmas and Songkran, we see the road deaths printed in the papers and every year they go up.
The police announce how many drunk drivers they catch and what do they do with the idiots, a small fine and impound there vehicles for a few days!
They should jail them and crush their cars.
I'm sorry to say it, but the Thais and others will never learn that poor driving, when mixed with drink or drugs, is fatal.

[HHTel]

As has already said, the deaths on the 'most dangerous days' are no different from 'normal' days. These deaths go on day to day, week to week and month to month...........NO CHANGE - HOLIDAY OR NOT!