Carnage on Thai roads
January 10, 2012 by Wanwisa Ngamsangchaikit
Filed under News, Thailand
BANGKOK, 10 January 2012: Thailand’s Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation confirmed the New Year road toll rose to 335 deaths and 3,375 injuries involving 3,093 accidents over the seven-day holiday, 29 December 2011 to 4 January 2012.
It was a slight improvement over statistics for New Year 2011. There were 23 fewer deaths.
But it was nothing to rejoice about as department data showed that more than 37% of accidents were due to drunk driving, while another 20% were caused by speeding and reckless driving.
Nakhon Sawan and Buri Ram gained notoriety for having the highest number of victims killed — 18 persons in each province. However, Chiang Rai a popular far -north tourist destination suffered the most road accidents at 115 with 121 injuries.
Congratulations went to 10 provinces that managed to get through the seven-day danger zone with no deaths at all. They included Sukhothai, Tak, Nong Khai, Udon Thani, Si Sa Ket, Nonthaburi, Trat, Satun, Yala and Pattani.
True to form, motor cycle drivers were involved in 81.47% of New Year accidents and most of them related to drunk driving.
In addition, 62.30% of the accidents took place on straight stretches of road. Data showed that 29% of all accidents occurred in the evening 1600 to 1800.
Nation-wide police checkpoints stopped 4,797,164 vehicles and handed out fines to 643,445 law-breaking motorists, mostly motor cyclists for not wearing helmets (200,909 cases) or for failing to present a driver’s license (185,856 cases).
Despite the decline in the death toll, multi-car pile ups and accidents involving more than two persons increased.
Driving hazards on the roads of Thailand were clearly identified in the New Year statistics. They are relevant year round for visitors on self-drive holidays.
They are:
Speeding beyond legal limit;
Reckless driving;
Driving too close to the car in front;
Lane switching and overtaking on the left;
Dozing off behind the wheel.
Motor bikers are a major hazard for their failure to comply with basic traffic rules. They load up with two or three passengers usually children.
The Metropolitan Police deputy chief, Pol Maj Gen Worasak Noppasitthiporn, gave a report on Bangkok City confirming 34 accidents (15% down from last year) of which 12 people were killed (five people more than last year) and 31 injured (17 less than last year).
Most accidents involved motorcycles and drunk driving, failure to wear helmets, speeding and the sudden overtaking of other vehicles. City police also arrested 5,133 law-violating motorists during the period, higher than last year by 2,300 cases.
Number of accidents, deaths and injuries during 29 December 2011 to 4 January 2012
What terrifying figures and a disgusting waste of life – 335 deaths in 7 days! What is the Thai government doing about this appalling state of circumstances??
The death figures are very likely higher as if a victim is not actually KILLED AT THE SCENE – and maybe dies in the ambulance or a week or two later the they are NOT counted as a road death figure. A very convenient strategy for the authorities to manipulate the figures down.
My 19 year old son and his two friends were killed in bus crash along with two others on the 28th July 2011. We have since found out the bus was a pirate bus: ‘Hino make number plate 30-2237 Chiang Mai – it was unregulated, no MOT no nothing, the bus company is CULPABLE. The driver is untrained and it likely he will not serve any sentence and the murderous bus company will continue on trading and killing people.
You need to add the word “reported” throughout the article. What was reported and what was actual are most likely far apart.
Correct. Most accidents are upcountry,involving two-wheelers (often with several people aboard)and (again, often because victims die at the scene or have no money) don’t go to hospitals, are of course not insured and are therefore unrecorded officially. Based on A&E admissions nationwide, one medical expert did some research a while back and came up with an ‘actual’ annual death toll of 76,000 people, nearly ten times the official figures.
Perspective: the UK, with more vehicles and drivers (with licences!) recorded 1857 deaths in 2010. Its worst ever total was 9,169, but that was in the depths of WW2 in 1941.