BANGKOK — The Natural Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department reported on Monday that there were 3,516 road accidents during the so-called “seven dangerous days” of the Songkran holiday, resulting in 361 deaths and 3,802 injured. This figure far exceeds the 22 dead and 400 injured in the clashes between the anti-government red-shirt protesters and the army on April 10.
It also represents the 86th consecutive year that road fatalities have far exceeded the number of deaths from civil unrest and political strife.
Additionally, the number of road fatalities exceeded the number of people killed by beheadings, shootings, and arson in the Deep South over the same period, as well as the number of Thais killed by poisoned food, environmental catastrophes, natural disasters, AIDS, drinking, drugs, tobacco, illegal abortions, suicide, pesticide-laden vegetables, obesity, voodoo hexes, vengeful ghosts, occult phone numbers, and karma.
In related news, the government’s plan for a comprehensive national, youth-targeted road safety educational program was scrapped today to make budget space for the army’s new Gripen jet fighters.
