Songkran Death toll way over last year as millions return to Bangkok
Play
The first five days of the Songkran holiday saw 253 people killed on the roads - a large jump over last year, although the numbers of accidents and people injured were slightly down.
There were traffic jams on most major roads late yesterday as holidaymakers headed back to Bangkok amid full buses and trains operating at extra capacity to cope with peak demand.
The first five days (April 11-15) of the Thai New Year saw 253 deaths and 2,751 injuries in 2,581 road accidents – compared to 188 deaths and 2,786 injuries in 2,584 accidents over the same period last year. Drunk driving remained the major cause of accidents.
Surat Thani and Nakhon Si Thammarat in the South had the most deaths with 10, and Chiang Rai reported the most injuries at 106 people, as well as the most accidents (also 106).
Although there were more deaths than last Songkran, acting government spokesman Anusorn Eiamsa-ard said yesterday that injuries and road accidents were actually down and that there were 12 provinces with no road deaths. They were Kamphaeng Phet, Nakhon Phanom, Nong Bua Lamphu, Chon Buri, Trat, Lopburi, Sing Buri, Trang, Pattani, Yala, Ranong and Satun.
Anusorn said the government’s “Songkran Plodpai Tai Pen Soon” (Safe Songkran with zero death rate) campaign created public awareness of road hazards, stricter implementation of traffic laws, and the setting up of checkpoints to stop drunk drivers. This succeeded in lowering the number of accidents and thus saved money.
He said the government would continue its road safety campaign for various Thai holidays, and wished that all Songkran holiday-makers could return home safely.
At the Road Safety Centre, Probation Department deputy chief Kasem Moonchan said that on Sunday 477 accidents claimed 43 lives and saw 463 others injured – compared to 443 accidents, 40 deaths and 2,786 people injured on the same day last year.
Drunk driving was the major cause at 42 per cent followed by speeding at 22 per cent, while most accidents involved motorcycles at 83 per cent. Over half (52 per cent) of road casualties were people of working age, Kasem said.
Some 69,819 officials manned 2,411 checkpoints. They stopped 743,201 vehicles and charged 114,165 motorists for breaking the law. Most failed to wear helmets or to present a driver’s licence.
Public Health Minister Witthaya Buranasiri said he had instructed hospitals, especially those located on Phaholyothin, Asia, Mitraparp, Phetchkasem and Sukhumvit roads, to prepare for road trauma, as drivers were rushing home and some were tired and may doze off behind the wheel.
Officers enforcing restrictions on selling alcohol at gas stations and to people under the age of 20 checked on 552 shops and arrested 95 people for illegal sales of alcoholic beverages, he said.
Public Health permanent secretary Dr Phaijit Worachit said only 19 per cent (3,828 people) of the 20,302 injured and deceased people sent to hospitals nationwide went by ambulances over the five days (April 11-15). Given that 97 per cent of the injured treated by EMT rescuers survived, he urged people to use the EMT service more by calling 1669.
Asia Highway in Ayutthaya’s Bang Pahan district saw tailbacks kilometres long yesterday, while Mitraparp Highway in Nakhon Ratchasima saw police open a special lane at four congestion-prone spots until midnight.
Nakhon Ratchasima’s Bus Terminal added 120 bus trips to the usual 200 trips to help clear all passengers, while Uttaradit added 50 buses yesterday to support 5,000 passengers until midnight. Chiang Mai operators added 100 Bangkok-bound bus trips to get people back to the capital.
The State Railway of Thailand added 12 trains to serve the North and Northeast from April 16-18.
