7 Dangerous Days

Post by **Svein66** » April 13, 2014, 1:10 pm

Here we go again. Will Thailand ever learn? After 2 of Songkran`s 7 "dangerous days", 102 people has been killed in traffic accidents, 1 up from last year. And almost 900 injured.

http://www.mcot.net/site/content?id=534 ... 0ok0KKLWop

Post by **Bandung_Dero** » April 13, 2014, 3:47 pm

Actually it's the safest time of year to be in the roads:
WHO rates Thailand as the 6th (2010) highest fatality rate in the world with 26000+ deaths during that year.

That equates to 71 deaths a day. So we are down some 40 on a standard 2 day road toll!!

That should be cause for some healthy back slapping and self congratulations for our politicians and BiB. =D> =D> =D>

Post by **Svein66** » April 13, 2014, 4:08 pm

Officially 33 people are killed in accidents in Thailand every day (approx 12000 per year), but after what I have heard that only include those who dies at the scene, so an unofficial number should be a lot higher.

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/nationa ... 31317.html

Seems like Yingluck won`t get "happiness" instead of "dangerous"...

Post by **Earnest** » April 13, 2014, 4:12 pm

Ah, this is where we have to be careful with our empirical data. Bandung Dero refers to road fatalities while Svein's statistic identifies accidents in Thailand. How did the data collectors differentiate in their data collection?

Post by **BobHelm** » April 13, 2014, 4:57 pm

Indeed Earnest...

When I saw Svein's original post my immediate thought was
I wonder how many people die on Thai roads' every day??
(I know, sad, but I am stuck in my cave until Wednesday).
I also found such widely varying numbers as those quoted, but finding the process behind the figures was impossible.
The large figure - 28,000 - is, I believe a simple error in calculation. It is calculated from the WHO data that says that Thailand is the second or third most dangerous country to drive in. The figure to prove that which it quotes is 44 deaths per 100,000 of population. I saw that a The Nation article then said that was 28,000 deaths per year. Presumably they got that figure by (total population/100K)^44 - & 65M/100K*44 does give you 28K.
However I believe that the 65M is total population & that the 44 in 100K UN figure is based solely on adults.
I found this site in my searches...
http://www.thaiwebsites.com/caraccidents.asp
It is supposedly compiled from data from the Transport Statistics Sub-Division. The figures show a greatly improving position in regards to death by driving.
The figures appear to be comprehensive by way of detail for the last year they record - 2010.
However they are also bewilderingly small compared to anything else I have ever read &, frankly, smack of dishonesty taking place with how they were complied too.

So take any number you like, someone somewhere would appear to support your view..

Post by **FrazeeDK** » April 13, 2014, 6:44 pm

there's at least a million more cars on the road in the last couple of years along with their new low-skill drivers.. I'll bet there is at least 3-4 million more motorcycles on the road too with the improved economy and "easy credit." The hypothesis of dishonesty in statistics on vehicular accidents here is most likely part face saving measures and the fact that when ol' Somchai is flying through the village on his motocy drunk and get killed hitting a tree chances are its never even reported through the official system.

Post by **Svein66** » April 14, 2014, 12:46 pm

After 3 of the 7 dangerous days: 161 dead...

http://www.bangkokpost.com/breakingnews ... -accidents

Post by **GT93** » April 14, 2014, 4:18 pm

The UK now seems to have problems with the manipulation of its crime statistics. I don't know if this extends to road accident statistics.

http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2014 ... es-figures

I gather there are cops all over the Udon roads at present. Do they have a bigger presence each year? I wonder if the penalties for driving under the influence of alcohol are much of a deterrent for most Thais?

Post by **747man** » April 14, 2014, 7:15 pm

GT, Deterrent..............What 400 Baht, I Don't think so..

Post by JR » April 14, 2014, 7:40 pm

GT93 wrote:The UK now seems to have problems with the manipulation of its crime statistics. I don't know if this extends to road accident statistics.

http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2014 ... es-figures

I gather there are cops all over the Udon roads at present. Do they have a bigger presence each year? I wonder if the penalties for driving under the influence of alcohol are much of a deterrent for most Thais?

Cops? What cops? So far I have not seen one (1) police officer on Udon streets this Songkran. And if a drunk driver should have the misfortune to be stopped at a checkpoint, he would be told to drive straight home carefully! I have seen that.

Post by **Drunk Monkey** » April 14, 2014, 8:11 pm

JR wrote:
GT93 wrote:The UK now seems to have problems with the manipulation of its crime statistics. I don't know if this extends to road accident statistics.

http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2014 ... es-figures

I gather there are cops all over the Udon roads at present. Do they have a bigger presence each year? I wonder if the penalties for driving under the influence of alcohol are much of a deterrent for most Thais?
Cops? What cops? So far I have not seen one (1) police officer on Udon streets this Songkran. And if a drunk driver should have the misfortune to be stopped at a checkpoint, he would be told to drive straight home carefully! I have seen that.

For numerous weeks before Songhkran there has been a daily heavy police presence on the roads in and around Udon notably on the ring rd , i would expect this to carry on after the holidays are over ,,,,,, its a fact that over the 3 days of the water festivities there are little or no police actually out on the streets unless of serious problems such rival gangs fighting and or nudity (topless girls etc) .. alcohol abuse drink driving go un checked and a blind eye is turned . ... only my opinion .

I may be wrong

DM

Post by **SanukJoe** » April 14, 2014, 8:27 pm

Problem with statistics of road deaths is they forgot to count the "Deaths caused by road accidents".

If a bus gets a road accident, 12 people die and 30 hospitalized, of which 4 more die, some people working in statistics would count this as 12 deaths on the road, whereas the correct count would be 16 deaths, caused by a road accident.

On the other hand, if we want to compare years, it is best to compare the same (even if wrong) statistics, as only then we have a fair comparison.

Sticking to that, 161 deaths in 3 days is way above normal (33 per day) and is one up from last year in the same period of Songkran.

I read that 42% is due to drunk driving and 25% due to speeding. Also 76% motorcycles and 15% pick up trucks.

Post by **redwolf** » April 14, 2014, 8:35 pm

Well, I violated my rule of staying off the roads especially at night. Wife suggested I check on one of our new office spaces I almost paid for it with my life.

Pulling out from the light near 7-11 on Udon Dutsadi at Soi 6 Hang Jhia (Udon Thani Christian School), light was green for 3 seconds, but I had to wait for all the usual vehicles who turn into your lane even though they are supposed to wait.

I see my opening, and then from my right side, through the red light, speeds a motorbike doing about 60kph, no lights, driver wearing all black, blended in perfectly with the darkness. Missed me by about half a meter, and kept on going.

I was so mad I gave chase, so they ran at full speed. Caught them at the intersection, and it was a teenage girl. Sheesh, she drove like a professional bank robber. Not much I could do but yell in Thai about not wanting to die because of someone else's stupidity. She apologized and wai'd several times, but my fault though in the end as it's complete idiocy to have been on the road to begin with. If you want to stay alive out here, stay off the road.

There's a fella in town who walks everywhere he goes. Seems quite a brilliant strategy.

RW

Post by **Earnest** » April 15, 2014, 3:26 am

What were you driving, Redwolf?

Post by **redwolf** » April 15, 2014, 3:54 am

Earnest wrote:What were you driving, Redwolf?

was driving all 125 CC's of my Yamaha Mio.... lesson learned...

Post by **Bandung_Dero** » April 15, 2014, 6:27 am

I guess you can interpret this any way you like????? :-

Dr Nopporn Cheunklin, Deputy director of the Department of Disease Control, said the number of road accidents during April 11-13 was 1,539, an increase of 93 from last year.

The highest number of accidents at 64 occurred in the southern province of Nakhon Si Thammarat. It also saw the highest number of injuries at 69, while the northeastern province of Nakhon Ratchasima reached the highest death toll at 10.

The causes of accidents were mainly due to drunk driving and speeding by motorcycles and pickup trucks respectively.

Chaiyaphum has so far been the only province not having experienced road accidents.

As of April 13, the number of accidents reached 689, an increase of 34 accidents year-on-year with 59 deaths and 747 injuries, or a drop of 14 cases and an increase of 59 cases respectively.

The deputy director, meanwhile, said according to the projection of incidents, the level of road accidents this year has been more serious than last year with 65 per cent of the total deaths having occurred immediately during the actual accidents. (MCOT online news)

Post by **Drunk Monkey** » April 15, 2014, 11:21 am

Some one not quite as lucky as Redwolfs near miss !!

Heres another stastistic to add ,,, took Bisto out for a walk around Nong Sim last night 10pm and witnessed a car plough into a teenage girl on a motor bike , heavy contact motorbike and girl ending up on the grass roadside bank . Alas the car a white Toyota Camry fled the scene driving at high speed up the side of the lake and past the BBQ restaurant and Bon Bosco , called to police but as is the norm the ambulance and TV crew arrived first as they listen in to police calls .

Hope the young lady is ok AND THE CAR DRIVER TURNS HIM/HERSELF IN , car was front passenger side damaged .

DM

Post by **Svein66** » April 15, 2014, 2:55 pm

After 4 days: 204 killed...

http://www.bangkokpost.com/breakingnews ... 42-injured

Post by **747man** » April 15, 2014, 6:41 pm

Songkran toll: 204 killed, 2,142 injured
Published: 15 Apr 2014 at 11.45 Online news: Local News
Forty-three people were killed and 502 injured in 488 accidents on April 14, the fourth of the "seven dangerous days" (April 11-17) of the Songkran festival, the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department reported on Tuesday.

The greatest number of the accidents on Monday were caused by drunk driving (43.03%), followed by speeding (22.34%). The majority (78.23%) of the accidents involved motorcycles.

Monday's figures brought the number of people killed and injured in the first four days, April 11-14, to 204 and 2,142 respectively in 2,027 accidents.

The four-day figures showed Nakhon Ratchasima had the largest number of fatalities (11).

Nakhon Si Thammarat saw the highest accumulated number of accidents (75) and injuries (82).

The accident-free province as of Monday was Chaiyaphum.

Post by **wazza** » April 16, 2014, 4:52 am

As with all Stats, still need to really pull them apart.

Eg, I worked in the Trauma Centre in Khon Kaen , some years ago during Sonkran, and our ER teams had delivered some basic trauma courses to the peripheral / referring hospitals in the provinces.

What you see is trauma victims , being transported under CPR ( 0% of an outcome - ) to Khon Kaen and other larger referring ER hospitals ( Udon eg )

That way the deceased is seen to have died in the larger clinical centre and that's where the reporting is recorded.

Did Chyiaphum refer any trauma case/s that subsequently died in Khon Kaen ?? ( Trauma Centre / Sirikarin )

Its also a piss poor attitude by the local Doctors, who don't want to deal with calling off a resus locally.

Ever see in the back of the ambulances, CPR being performed, Its 95% ineffective in a moving vehicle, places unrestrained nursing staff in a dangerous situation, and NO DEFIBs are available anyway. DEFIB for a trauma patient is 100% useless, as its hypoxia and blood loss causing the cardiac arrest , not a lack of or unstable electrical activity of the heart muscle for which a DEFIB can revert some electrical activity.