Songkran 2023

[Gaybutton]

Today, Friday, April 14 - in my immediate neighborhood 2 little boys, maybe about 5 years old, were outside with a garden hose. So, my car got a free partial wash. That's all I saw today. Of course I really didn't go more than a few blocks from home. No appreciable traffic.

[Gaybutton]

114 road deaths reported as of April 14.

[Jun]

114 road deaths reported as of April 14.

According to the Bangkok post, that's 3 days worth of deaths. So 38 per day.
Still below the average daily figure proposed by Gerefan.
Checking for up to date information, we see that 14737 lives were lost in 2022. So an average of 40.4 deaths per day
https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand ... l/40023780

So Songkran is just like any other day for death rates. I guess it fills newspapers.

I'm hoping some board members might also report on the unique features of Songkran. Preferably with some photos of the action.

[gerefan]

I suspect road deaths were reduced during Covid which is why I used the previous figures.

I see the roads were packed with people going home in the last few days, so you couldn’t go fast enough to have a decent accident anyway!

As you say Jun it fills the rags.

[Jun]

I suspect road deaths were reduced during Covid which is why I used the previous figures.

As always, my analysis wasn't that sophisticated.
However, by either method, Songkran is making no difference to road traffic accident rates.

Moving on to Songkran, it does appear to be a good excuse for some parties: https://www.facebook.com/groups/754483435894063/media

[Gaybutton]

Apparently in Pattaya how much activity is happening depends on where you are. My area, so far virtually nothing. Not the case elsewhere.
______________________________________________

Pattaya begins week of Songkran water madness early

By Pattaya Mail

April 14, 2023

While Songkran didn’t officially begin until April 13, Pattaya, as usual, couldn’t wait to get started, with bargirls and tourists starting the splashing two days early.

Online video from bar areas showed water-throwing after dark on April 11 and in earnest all day on April 12.
Pattaya hasn’t had the official go-ahead to splash water in three years, so there certainly was some pent-up energy. It also helped that the heat-index temperature was pushing 50.

Pattaya’s infamous reputation up to nine days of water wars remains intact. Around the rest of Thailand it lasts usually three days.
Efforts to stop sales and use of high-pressure water pipes also failed miserably, as police so far have refused to enforce the law.

The finale will come April 18 in Naklua and April 19 in Pattaya and Jomtien Beach with the official “wan lai” day.

While Songkran didn’t officially begin until April 13, Pattaya, as usual, couldn’t wait to get started, with bargirls and tourists starting the splashing two days early.

Online video from bar areas showed water-throwing after dark on April 11 and in earnest all day on April 12.
Pattaya hasn’t had the official go-ahead to splash water in three years, so there certainly was some pent-up energy. It also helped that the heat-index temperature was pushing 50.

Pattaya’s infamous reputation up to nine days of water wars remains intact. Around the rest of Thailand it lasts usually three days.
Efforts to stop sales and use of high-pressure water pipes also failed miserably, as police so far have refused to enforce the law.

The finale will come April 18 in Naklua and April 19 in Pattaya and Jomtien Beach with the official “wan lai” day.

Story and photos: https://www.pattayamail.com/latestnews/ ... rly-429175

[Gaybutton]

Death toll: now 158

Despite the warnings, police checkpoints, don't drink and drive publicity, harsh penalties for violations, etc. this year's death toll is not significantly different from previous years. I guess getting killed is the harshest penalty of all. Motorbikes, speeding, and of course alcohol are said to be the leading factors.

See: https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/ge ... ses-to-158

[Jun]

this year's death toll is not significantly different from previous years.

Why would it be ? It's not even significantly different from the other 52 weeks of the year, as has already been pointed out by Gerefan.

Road deaths have absolutely bugger all to do with Songkran. They have everything to do with poor driving, not wearing helmets/seatbelts, using the wrong kind of vehicles and poor road design.

Since the Songkran death toll is the same as the rest of the year, I'm not entirely sure the topic belongs in a Songkran thread.

[Gaybutton]

everything to do with poor driving, not wearing helmets/seatbelts, using the wrong kind of vehicles and poor road design.

You left out one factor I think also applies to every day of the year: drunk driving. Some of these people seem to think they not only have to put fuel into their vehicles, but fuel into themselves too - alcohol. Oh well, at least alcohol is an environmentally friendly fuel . . .

Don't worry - we'll be talking about the same thing next year and all the years after that as well.

[Gaybutton]