New Year Warning

[DavidFL]

The "farang" New Year break this year looks like being a good 'un.
With the 2 scheduled holidays of Dec 31st being a Saturday & Jan 1st being a Sunday, that means 2 days taken in lieu = a 4 day break from Sat 31st - Tues 3rd Jan 2006.
So traffic will be even more horrendous with thousands of Thai (Bangkok drivers) out on holidays touring North Thai to sample the cold weather, and early morning seas of fog from various mountain top vantage points.
The worst two places to ride will be
1. Doi Inthanon = routes 1009 & 1192
2. Phu Chi Fah = routes 1155 & 1093.
Last year there were traffic jams at both places, with traffic down to a single lane, and alternate periods of travel when you could go up & down the relevant roads!

So the tip is to stay right away from either of these places for at least the 4 break Dec 31 - Jan 3rd, unless you want to get stuck in a traffic jam!

Davidfl
Keep The Power On

 

[aikido]

Any idea what R1249 to Doi Angkang will be like over the holidays? Does it also become a parking lot like Inthanon and Phu Chi Fah?

 

[SilverhawkUSA]

Absolutley, in fact on the Thai TV tonight they were showing film from Angkhan. The hilltribes are having some type of celebration, plus, groups were delivering clothing and blankets. I am sure it will be crowded also.

Dave Early

Ever notice that "What the Heck!" is usually the right answer?

 

[Champasak]

It's that time of the year again.
New Year!
And two years on - you all ride carefully now.
The traffic will be even worse.

 

[SilverhawkUSA]

http://www.bangkokpost.com/breaking_new ... ?id=124781

118 killed, 1,254 injured in road accidents over past 2 days

BANGKOK, Dec 30 (TNA) -- A total of 707 road accidents took place in Thailand on Saturday, resulting in 85 deaths and 776 injuries.

It was the second day of the "seven high risk travel days" of the New Year holiday, with most revelers having left Bangkok for upcountry to join their family members or for touring, said a senior Interior Ministry official.

Niran Jongwutiwes, deputy permanent secretary for Interior, said so far 1,147 road accidents had been recorded over the past two days, bringing the total death toll to 118 - up nine people from the corresponding two days of last year. 1,254 people were injured, 46 less than last year.

Most road accidents over the two days took place in the northern capital of Chiang Mai and in Nakhon Pathom, near Bangkok, said Mr. Niran.

Drunk driving was the reason most given for the accidents at 38.19 per cent of causes, followed by speed driving at 21.07 per cent, according to Mr. Niran. Most accidents on Saturday were caused by motorcycles at 82.52 per cent, followed by pickup trucks at 6.01 per cent.

In an attempt to reduce road accidents and casualties during the New Year celebrations by at least 10 per cent from last year's figures, the government initiated a Road Safety Center (RSC).

In operation until January 3, the centre aimed to reduce road accidents to a maximum of 4,133 and the death toll to 413 at most, while the number of injuries was estimated to reach 4,568 nationwide during the seven day holiday period.

Director-General of the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation, Anucha Mokhaves, said in his capacity as secretary-general of the RSC announcements urging motorists to refrain from reckless driving and statistics of motor vehicle accidents would be announced daily from December 29 through January 4. (TNA)-E111

UNBELIEVABLE! I drove my truck from Chiang Mai to Chom Thong today and saw 4 accidents and many traffic jams. Unfortunately I have to do it again tomorrow.

Be careful out there!!! :shock:

 

[tropicaljohno]

Went to Doi Tung today with Peter Warburton, traffic unbelievable, cars had to park about 3kms away and had songathews to ferry the people up to the gardens, glad we were on the bikes

off to Doi Mae Salong tomorrow, so hopefully quitened down a bit then

Happy New Year to you all

 

[DavidFL]

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2008/01 ... 060876.php

262 DIE ON ROADS IN 1ST FOUR DAYS
The first four days of the so-called "seven dangerous days" of the New Year break saw 262 fatalities and 3,081 injuries on roads nationwide, a senior official said yesterday.Published on January 2, 2008

Deputy director-general of the Disease Control Department, Dr Seri Hongyok, announced that 2,823 road accidents occurred from Friday to Monday following a stepped-up campaign to promote safe driving.

The number of accidents during the four days was 38 (1.36 per cent) higher than in the same period in 2006.

But the number of road deaths was 13 (4.73 per cent) fewer than in the previous year.

The number of road injuries was 14 (0.46 per cent) lower than in 2006.

Chiang Rai had the highest number of road accidents and injuries. It recorded 102 accidents and 108 injuries, followed by Surin, which saw 91 accidents and 107 injuries.

Khon Kaen posted the highest death toll at 16, followed by Nakhon Pathom with 13 and Rayong with 11.

Mae Hong Son, Pattani, Narathiwat, Mukdahan, Satun, Ranong and Roi Et were yet to report road accidents during this period.

On Monday alone, 858 accidents were recorded nationwide, with 74 fatalities and 950 injuries, Seri said.

Drunk driving was the main cause of accidents, blamed for 46.97 per cent of cases. That was followed by speeding, which caused 24.13 per cent of accidents.

A vast majority of Monday's crashes involved motorcycles (85.42 per cent) and most accidents took place on secondary roads (about 70 per cent), he said.

The deadliest time when most crashes happened was from 4pm to 8pm (31.7 per cent), he added.

Some 1,702,437 vehicles were stopped at checkpoints nationwide and 50,185 motorists were found to have violated traffic laws - mostly for failing to show driving licences (34.31 per cent) and for not wearing helmets (32.62 per cent).

With many people returning to work in Bangkok during this period, the Road Safety Centre had contacted provincial authorities to set up checkpoints and service points along highways and secondary roads to curb violators, Seri said.

He also urged people to avoid driving at high speeds as well as refrain from taking the wheel if they felt tired or drowsy.

Both of Nakhon Ratchasima city's old and new bus terminals were packed with people headed for Bangkok since early yesterday morning.

Provincial transport official Chatchai Makkhawiman said there were 300 buses to provide 560 trips per day. In all, they could ferry about 24,000 passengers each day.

He advised commuters in the city to set out in the morning because people from outer districts and provinces tend to travel in the afternoons and evenings.

 

[SilverhawkUSA]

Some 1,702,437 vehicles were stopped at checkpoints nationwide and 50,185 motorists were found to have violated traffic laws - mostly for failing to show driving licences (34.31 per cent) and for not wearing helmets (32.62 per cent).

Why does that not surprise me....... :?

 

[Marco]

Davidfl wrote:
Drunk driving was the main cause of accidents, blamed for 46.97 per cent of cases. That was followed by speeding, which caused 24.13 per cent of accidents.

It might that most of the speeding drivers where drunk as well, so that would rise total Drunk+Speeding = 71.1%

 

[DavidFL]

THE FINAL KILL: 401 DEAD!!

http://www.bangkokpost.com/breaking_new ... ?id=124863

The overall death toll from road accidents throughout Thailand reached 401 on Thursday, the last day of the ‘seven high risk travel days’ of the New Year's holiday, a senior official said Friday.

Deputy Interior Minister Bunyat Junsena, in his capacity as deputy director of the government-initiated Road Safety Centre (RSC) said that 354 road accidents took place nationwide on Thursday, causing 32 deaths and 389 injuries.

Drunken driving was a factor in most accidents and most accidents involved motorcycles, he said.

Total road accidents during the so-called ‘seven high risk travel days’ from December 28 through January 3 reached 4,475, up 19 from last year, while the number of people killed was 401, 48 victims less than 2006, while the total number injured was 4,903, down 40 from last year.

The northern province of Chiang Rai had the most accidents (157) and most injured (169), while Bangkok had 24 fatalities, highest among the country's 76 provinces.

The northeastern province of Yasothorn recorded the fewest accidents (3).

Provinces with no fatalities were Mae Hong Son, Pattani, and Narathiwat.

In an attempt to reduce both road accidents and the number of casualties during the New Year celebrations by at least 10 per cent from last year, the government established the RSC.

In operation through January 3, the centre aimed to reduce road accidents to 4,133 at most and the death toll to not more than 413, while the number of injuries was projected to reach 4,568 nationwide by the end of the seven-day holiday period.

After the press conference, Mr Banyat officially closed the RSC. Thanking all those involved in ensuring the safety of the public during the holiday, the deputy minister said he would apply the lessons learned from operating the centre this year to make more effective measures in the future

 

[DavidFL]

It's coming again, a 4 day break for New Year.

Thursday 31 December 2009
Friday 1st January 2010
Saturday 2nd January 2010
Sunday 3rd January 2010

You all take care out there now.

 

[DavidFL]

Another reminder the four day mayhem break is about to hit us. Coming in from Mae Hong Son yesterday it was single lane east of Pai where hundreds of Bangkok Thais were parked beside the road taking photos of the view at Love In Pai.

Slower vehicles in the mountains had 20+ vehicles backed up behind them in the queue hoping to get past when & if there was an opportunity. Scary stuff indeed & it is going to be crazy out there on the roads the next few days; so you all take care now.

Pai & R1095 is definitely one place you should avoid until New Year is over. Indications are that there are even more thousands of city slickers heading to Pai, so if it is anything like last year:
1. No accommodation – sleep at temple. No rooms.
2. No fuel for 48 hrs – sold out.
3. No food in the markets after 10.30AM – sold out.

Happy New Year & enjoy yourselves wherever.

DRINK DRIVING POLICE WARNING NEW YEAR 2010
Police claim that motorists caught drunk driving over New Year will be jailed immediately in a bid to reduce road accidents.
The crackdown has begun and will run until Jan 4.
Motorists found with over 50 milligrams of alcohol in their blood (.05) will be arrested and jailed immediately.
Drivers whose blood-alcohol level exceeds the legal limit are now arrested and sent to court within 48 hours.
Penalties are up to a year in jail, a 5,000 to 20,000 baht fine and a ban from driving from six months to life.

Drunk motorcyclists will be jailed for three days.

Drivers of other vehicles will be imprisoned for seven to 10 days.

The jail term will vary depending on whether they were involved in an accidents.

Previously drunk drivers were put on probation and ordered to do community service in a bid to make them review their habits. However, public figures who were among those drunk drivers were painted as good persons or heroes when news spread that they were ordered to do community service."
Most offenders preferred to pay fines rather than be jailed, said Dr Thanapong Jinwong, manager of the National Health Foundation's Road Safety Academic Project.

Last year, 11,267 people were killed in road accidents - 31 a day on average. The number of deaths jumped to between 50 and 60 a day during the New Year and Songkran festivals.

 

[bigal]

just went for a little ride to warm the engine up today over to doi inthanon but even prior to party time and the effects of alcohol the traffic was bad with avoiding action needed on a number of occasions at cars fustrated by slower vehicles carved up the road with no concern for anyone else. time to wait for a couple of days before the bike comes out again me thinks.

 

[DavidFL]

41 road fatalities on Saturday 2ND JANUARY 2010

279 people died and 3,185 others were injured from 2,931 road accidents across the country between Dec 29 2009 and Jan 2 2010, the Interior Ministry reported on Sunday.

On Saturday, there were 421 road accidents, resulting in 41 deaths and 460 injuries. 41.57 per cent of the road accidents were caused by drunk driving.

Chanthaburi, Chiang Mai and Ayutthaya provinces had the highest number of road fatalities of 10 people each.

During the New Year's holiday last year, 3,824 road accidents took place and the death toll was 367.

Comment: I wonder what the final toll is going to be?

 

[monsterman]

If you follow the Pattaya new papers and TV average of 10 fatalities a week in the area thats 500 a year!!!!!!in just one small area.

 

[TonyBKK]

Gotta say that on our New Year ride we were blessed by very little traffic. Rode Bangkok-Nan-Phayao-Phrao-Chiang Rai-Bangkok and it was really surprising how little traffic there was... Guess the masses stick to the main highways, because we tried to stick to smaller roads as much as possible and it worked like a charm. Riding back to Bangkok on Saturday to avoid the Sunday rush probably helped as well. Accomplished Chiang Rai-BKK in about 9 hours :mrgreen:
Happy Trails!
Tony

 

[8lackhonda]

Rode from Mae Hong Song to Chiang Mai on 31/12 but one of our rider crashed and we had to make a turn back to MHS, he was warded for the night and we shipped him to Chiang Mai with his bike using a rented truck. Manage to fly him back on 2nd Jan to Singapore. We continued riding form MHS to Chiang Mai Alog the Mountains but couldnt get to Doi Ithanon as its already 5pm when we reach at the town area. so no choice got to ride til dark all the way to chiang mai, traffic was good overall.

Left Chiang Mai for Hua Hin on the 2nd Jan @ 7am and was greeted by chaotic jam with signs showing Bangkok some 300+ km away. Met some F**king mad maye drunk drivers along the way but still we went along some small roads into some padi fields to escape the chaos and we finally reached Hua Hin appoximately @ 2130 hrs.... 14 hrs on the road!