Day Three of Seven Dangerous Days, 161 Dead, 1,640 hurt in 1,539 Accidents

THIALAND – So far this year on the third day of the “Seven Dangerous Days,” Fifty-nine people were killed and 747 injured in 689 accidents on April 13, the third of the “seven dangerous days” (April 11-17) of the Songkran festival, the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department reported on Monday.

Sunday’s figures brought the number of people killed and injured in the first three days, April 11-13, to 161 dead and 1,640 hurt in 1,539 accidents. Nakhon Ratchasima had the largest number of fatalities at 10.

The highest number of accidents, 64, and the highest number of injuries, 69, was recorded in Nakhon Si Thammarat.

The greatest number of the accidents were caused by drunk driving (42.38%), followed by speeding (23.95%). The great majority, 76.35%, of the accidents involved motorcycles, followed by 14.81% for pickup trucks.

Teen Electrocuted At Songkran Foam Party

Mrs Chomwalai Yusawat the mother of a 14-year-old Peechakorn Boonpu who was electrocuted at a Songkran activity organised by Pichit municipality has vowed to bring harsh legal action against those found responsible for the death of her son.

Preechakorn was splashing water with other Songkran revelers at an outdoor foam party held as part of Pichit’s Songkran activities in Bung Si Fai swamp on Sunday afternoon when he fell unconscious after getting a massive electric shock.

It was reported one of the foam machines had short circuited and the young teenager received the full charge.

Preechakorn was pronounced dead at the provincial hospital. Another youth, 16-year-old Patiwet Tiangkijsuwan,  was seriously injured  and admitted to an intensive care unit. Prakasit Uwawes, mayor of Pichit municipality, led officials to visit Patiwet at the hospital and talked to his family

Mrs Yusawat,  said on Monday she was really angry that the organizer of the event failed to ensure the safety of those taking part, the Bangkok Post online reported.

Meanwhile Nine Cambodians on their way home for a holiday break died when their van crashed into a tree and burst into flames in eastern Thailand, police said.

The van, carrying more than 20 passengers, took a sharp turn, veered off the road and smashed into a tree in Thamai district in Chanthaburi province early Friday morning, Police Col. Somchai Treesukhon said.

Eight construction workers and one child died in the blaze, while 15 others, mostly Cambodians, were hurt in the accident.

“The accident took place at a sharp curve and there was a long screeching tire track before the car went off the road,” Somchai told The Associated Press. “We believe the van’s driver was not familiar with the route.”

The workers were heading back to Cambodia from the central province of Ayutthaya for the Thai New Year holiday. Thailand has more than 1 million migrant workers, most of whom are from Myanmar, Cambodia and Laos.