The announcement came yesterday (April 18) after it was reported that Phuket had suffered four deaths and 70 injuries in 67 accidents during Songkran “Seven Days of Danger” road-safety campaign, which ran from midnight at the beginning of last Thursday (Apr 11) through to midnight at the close of Monday (Apr 17).
Gov Norraphat yesterday recounted the details of the four deaths.
Bussaba Phanwiset, 37, died from head injuries in a fall from a samlor (motorcycle fitted with a tray sidecar) near Wat Thepwanaram in Baan Manik, Cherng Talay, last Saturday (April 15). (See story here.)
The other three deaths all came on Monday (April 17).
In the afternoon, Phanudet Wongsiwong, 22, died in hospital after between thrown from his motorbike at high speed when it mounted the the central divide on Thepsrisin Bridge near Phuket Town and slammed a palm tree on April 17. (See story here.)
Later that day across town in Rassada, Adirek Suetrong, 39, died from head injuries after he was thrown from the motorbike taxi he was riding as a passenger when the motorbike was struck by a garbage truck. (See story here.)
However, the black Monday on Phuket’s roads began when Peerapon Namsupo, 21, lost control of his motorbike at high speed and slammed into the roadside guardrails on Wichit Songkram Rd between Makro and Baan Ketho in Kathu at 4:29am. He died of his injuries later at Vachira Phuket Hospital in Phuket Town.
“All these deaths and injuries happened because of driving at high speed, driving recklessly and not wearing helmets,” Gov Norraphat pointed out.
“I will bring all the road accident statistics and other relevant information to discuss with the Phuket Provincial Committee to come up with ways to solve this problem and create a campaign that will make driving safer in Phuket,” he said.
Despite the death and injury toll over the holidays, Gov Norraphat also thanked all police and officials who took part in the Songkran road-safety campaign, noting that without their efforts the death and injury toll could have been much higher.
“Thank you to every official who worked hard during the Songkran holidays this year,” he said.