Hundreds die at Songkran 2023 water festival

Tuesday, April 18, 2023 | 15:45:21

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More than 230 people died and more than 2,000 were injured during the 2023 Water Festival - an event that the country's media called '7 dangerous days'.

Tourists and residents participate in a water gun fight on April 13 in Bangkok, Thailand. Photo: Reuters

According to statistics during Songkran in Thailand, there were more than 2,000 accidents, more than 2,000 injuries, 236 deaths, including tourists and locals. Bangkok was the place with the most casualties in the country. The province with the most traffic accidents was Kanchanaburi. Chumphon province had the most injuries.

The number of injuries increased by 18% and the number of accidents increased by 16% compared to last year. However, the number of deaths decreased by 4.45%. The number of deaths during this time in 2019 was 386 and more than 3,300 traffic accidents.

"Never drive or ride a motorbike during Songkran" is the most common piece of advice tourists hear when participating in the water festival in Thailand.

This is one of the most accident-prone times in the country, as people and tourists get drunk and drive, leading to accidents. The media has even called Thailand during Songkran "the most dangerous place on earth to drive". That is why Thai New Year is also known by the nickname - "7 dangerous days or 7 deadly days". The number of deaths and accidents is updated daily.

Authorities have set up nearly 1,900 checkpoints and more than 54,000 people on duty to direct traffic to prevent accidents. More than 322,000 vehicles have been handled, more than 48,000 cases have been prosecuted. More than 14,100 people have been fined for not having a driver's license, more than 13,000 people have not worn helmets.

Songkran is a Thai New Year celebration, with activities such as going to temples to pray for blessings, paying respect to parents, and splashing water for good luck. Songkran takes place over 3 official days (April 13-15), but side events have started before.

This year’s festival helped Thailand attract more than 300,000 international visitors and generate revenue of more than 18 billion baht (nearly 537 million USD), according to the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT). This figure increased by 525% compared to the same period last year, equal to 58% compared to before the pandemic, with nearly 600,000 international visitors. This year, Thailand is expected to welcome 25 million international visitors, reaching more than 60% compared to 2019.

According to Vnexpress

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