Songkran ends with four dead, 70 injured in Phuket

PHUKET: The annual Seven Days of Danger road-safety campaign during Songkran ended last night with a total of 67 accidents injuring 70 and killing four.

The first death was on Saturday, when 37-year-old Bussaba Banviset fell from a tri-motorbike in Cherng Talay. She was riding without a helmet, and pronounced dead at Thalang Hospital.

Yesterday, however, three were killed in motorbike related incidents on the island.

Peerapon Namsupho, 21, was said to be speeding early morning yesterday when he lost control and hit a metal fence in Kathu, on Wichitsongkram road. He was pronounced dead at Vachira Phuket Hospital.

In the afternoon, Panudek Wongsiwong, 22, was killed when his big bike ran into a road median in Saphan Hin. He had also been speeding, according to police, and was pronounced dead at the same hospital.

Adirek Suetrong, 39, was riding pillion on a motorbike taxi when the driver reportedly cut in front of a garbage truck in Rassada. Mr Adirek was killed, while the driver, although injured, survived.

Last year, the campaign came to a close with three dead. The number of injuries was also 12.9 per cent less than this year (story here).

According to Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) statistics, the main factors causing accidents this year were speeding, unclear vision, unsafe road conditions, drunk driving, illegal overtaking, ‘not wearing a helmet’ [sic] and driving an unsafe vehicle.

“We checked a total of 37,415 vehicles this year and caught 11,177 for traffic offences. This was an increase over last year by 2,806 cases,” said Mr Chaitawat Sivabavorn, chief of the DDPM Phuket office.

As part of the National Council for Peace and Order’s (NCPO’s) ‘No Drink Driving’ initiative during the Songkran holidays, Phuket officers also confiscated 269 vehicles, including 59 cars, 208 motorbikes, and 2 trucks in alcohol-related offenses.

— Kongleaphy Keam