How many will die on the roads during Songkran this year?

The Thai Government has officially announced the Seven Dangerous Days of Songkran (Thai New Year).  In 2011, the body count days will be from 11 April up to and including 17 April.

Songkran 2010

These are the 7 days before, during, and after the Songkran celebration that supposedly all of the hospitals report how many deaths on the road there are.

In 2010, there were 361 deaths and 3,802 injured during Songkran.  Keep in mind that these are the reported numbers and may actually be a lot higher.  There is always pressure on the local Provincial Governors to bring down the numbers and no one wants to report more deaths than the previous year for fear of being move to an inactive post or being fired.

This year, the Thai authorities hope to reduce last year’s Songkran road death number by 5% – so there should only be 343 dead caused by alcohol, water, insane drivers, and speed. Most of these will be male motorcycle drivers that are not wearing helmets.

So, how do the Thai authorities hope to cut down the numbers?

The Public Health Minister, Jurin Laksanawisit, said that they will “enforce  several strict measures to promote road safety during this Songkran period” .  This is political-speak for “we will do absolutely nothing”.

Here is the big plan to cut down the number of road deaths during Songkran:

The measures include the strict enforcement of laws related to the sale of alcohol and drunk driving and having medical teams fully prepared and on standby.

Hmmmmm.  If there is going to be such strict enforcement of the laws during Songkran regarding the sale of alcohol and driving drunk, why all the medical teams and equipment on standby?

Khun Jurin also stated that medical teams would be on the scene of an accident within 10 minutes of receiving a call on the 1669 hotline.  I think that Khun Jurin is on drugs or lives in a castle in the sky.  Traffic is atrocious on a normal day and is far, far worse during Songkran.

The Secretary General of the Emergency Medical Institute of Thailand (Narendhorn), Dr Chatri Charoensuchevakul, said

“We have 100,000 members ready to take action around the clock.” He said the team had a fleet of more than 10,000 cars, trucks and vans, in addition to 1,000 boats and 100 helicopters.

They also plan to have ambulances stationed at 100 accident prone areas.  Only 100 areas?  More like 1 million areas are accident prone in Thailand.  Or, maybe there is just one accident prone area during Songkran – Thailand.

But it gets better.

Since drunk driving accounted for 40 per cent of the accidents during last Songkran, the authorities have decided to make this year’s festival period alcohol free.

Alcohol Free!  More like Free Alcohol.  This will never happen.  I know that the Thai Government is supposed to set up areas (which The Nation reported but never said where they were or provided any maps so no one knows where these booze free areas are} and there are supposed to be volunteers taking photos of drunks so that police will have an easier time identifying crooks that commit crimes during Songkran (more likely an easier time identifying dead bodies wrapped around motorcycles on the highways).  And, I sincerely believe that it was more like 80% caused by drunk driving during Songkran 2010.

But, this is the best.

Roadside shops and minimarts in petrol stations will undergo random checks because they are barred from selling alcohol during the period. Also, all shops have to stick to the rules of selling alcohol only between 11am and 2pm and 5pm and midnight.

The Thai Government has attempted to do this during Songkran in years past.  It does not work because the shops and mini-marts are all trying to make a buck (baht) and they will continue to sell out of coolers round back.

As far as the rules limiting the time of sales, I have seen this abused personally on numerous occasions.  I have been to 7-11′s in Bangkok that have enforced the rule going so far as to lock the beer cooler during the “closed hours”.  But, I have then gone a few doors down to a mom and pop mini-mart and was able to buy beer.

I have also seen it at a 7-11 in Phuket that had no problem selling beer to me during the hours that they weren’t supposed to.  And, in Hua Hin, the 7-11 cash register locks out beers sales during those hours, but the counter help are glad to oblige by writing down the sale on a piece of paper so that they can ring it up later.

And, even though you supposedly cannot buy from these roadside shops, bars are allowed to be open, restaurants and noodle stands are open, and all of these sell beer and alcohol.  Everyone is trying to capitalize on making money during the one week long Songkran celebration.

This is the same song and dance that precedes Songkran every year.  There is this great campaign to cut down the number of road deaths but it fails.  Last year, the number of road deaths during Songkran increased over 2009.

The Thai Government just does the same as it has in past years during Songkran and the results are the same or higher.  More and more people die on the roads despite the road blocks and police checks.  The police make numerous arrests for speeding and/or drunk driving, collect plenty of tips, and the people go on their merry Songkran way.

It all comes down to – Nobody listens to the Thai Government.  No one pays attention to the Thai Police knowing that they are only subject to a small fine if they break the law (and the fine usually winds up in the cop’s pocket).  Thai cops make a small fortune during Songkran.

Even if you get into an accident and kill 9 people or drive so fast in your daddy’s Porsche that you cut a 17-year old girl in half, all you have to do is pay the grieving family some money and walk away.  No jail, no manslaughter charges, just a slap on the wrist.

So, starting tomorrow, the Seven Dangerous Days of Songkran will begin and the online newspapers, the Bangkok Post and The Nation, will both be posting the body counts.

The Thai Government should actually be counting the bodies already as Songkran has started in some Provinces. In Khon Kaen, the opening ceremony for Songkran was held on 8 April and in some areas, the festivities will continue until 24 April.  Lots of water, alcohol, and dead bodies.

And, this year, there could be a lot more with many local Thais staying in Thailand and not going to Japan for the duration of the Songkran insanity. There will be a lot more vehicles on the road with family members going home to celebrate and then back to work a week later.

For me, I plan to play Songkran for one day only.  One day of eating, drinking, and getting soaking wet.  This will most likely come after the real meaning of Songkran and we go to visit my wife’s grandmother to pay respects and then go to the local temple to honor the family ancestors.

One day of Songkran celebrating is about all I can handle.  After that, getting buckets of ice-cold water thrown at you while sitting in the back of pick-up truck isn’t that much fun.  The smart ones are the ones that lock their doors and stay home for the duration of Songkran.

Anyone want to give a guess on how many will die during the Seven Dangerous Days of Songkran?

Have a Safe and Happy Songkran.

Tags: accidents drunk helmets motorcycles police seven dangerous days songkran Thai