Annual blessings
Double-decker inferno kills five
People line up to pour blessed water on the Buddha statue in Samut Prakan’s Wat Bang Phli Yai to mark the start of the three-day Songkran festival yesterday. Many religious events and festivities were cancelled in the wake of a fresh outbreak of Covid19.
Fifty-four people were killed and 373 injured in 388 road accidents across the country on Monday, the third day of the Songkran road safety campaign, deputy permanent secretary for the interior Ansit Sampantarat said yesterday.
On average of about 55 people die on Thailand’s roads each day, so Monday’s figure appears no higher than normal, and the toll during the previous two days was lower than average.
However, the actual number of deaths will be much higher since the official Songkran tally only includes deaths at the scene of an accident. Many of those injured will likely die later.
Mr Ansit, as chairman of the Interior Ministry’s sub-committee on the prevention and reduction of road accidents, said Monday’s figures raised the three-day (April 10-12) death toll to 110 and accumulated injuries to 1,099 from a total of 1,090 accidents.
On Monday, speeding caused 30.2% of accidents, followed by drink-driving with 28.4%, he said. Motorcycles were involved in 87.1% of accidents, about 30% of which occurred between 4pm and 8pm, he said.
The highest number of accidents — 22 — was recorded in the southern province of Nakhon Si Thammarat, which also had the highest number of injuries — 21.
Sakon Nakhon and Suphan Buri recorded the highest number of deaths with four each.
There were 1,896 main checkpoints manned by 59,079 officials across the country. A total of 343,703 vehicles were checked and 65,929 drivers were charged for various offences, including 18,210 for driving without a licence and 16,553 for not wearing a crash helmet.
Meanwhile, five people died and 12 others were seriously injured when a Bangkok-bound double-decker bus burst into flames in Khon Kaen’s Ban Haet district early yesterday, police said.
The tragedy occurred about 12.30am on the Mittraphap highway near Nong Kham in tambon Non Sombun.
Survivors told police the 407 Pattana Company bus left Bung Kan province on Monday evening and stopped in Udon Thani before heading for Bangkok with 33 passengers on board.
The bus made another stop in Khon Kaen and then proceeded shortly after midnight. While passing Nong Kham, a rear tyre burst and caught fire. The fire spread to the engine compartment and the entire bus was soon engulfed in flames.
Five passengers, two of them children, died and 12 others suffered serious burns. Sixteen other passengers were able to escape the burning vehicle. The bus driver also sustained injuries. Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has expressed his condolences to the families of the victims.