Full Road Accident Statistics for New Year 2016-2017 in Thailand

It is now that time of year when the Thai government publicize the daily accident reports from around Thailand. This year, the “Seven Dangerous Days of the New Year” is from 29th December 2016 to 4th January 2017. During the new year holiday last year, 380 people were killed in road accidents. The three year average is 52 deaths and 474 injuries every day during the new year holiday. The leading causes of accidents every year is drunk driving and speeding. Most accidents involve motorcycles. It is difficult to get statistics for the whole year, but I am told that this year so far (up to 29th December), there have been 9,517 deaths in Thailand due to road accidents. This month alone there were 749 deaths. These stats only include deaths at scene, so the numbers are surely higher.

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7 Dangerous Days on Thailand’s Roads 2016-2017: xxx deaths (380 last year)
Day 1:
 42 deaths (39 last year)
Day 2:
71 deaths (65 last year)
Day 3:
86 deaths (74 last year) * 1 died from accident day before
Day 4: 
81 deaths (75 last year)
Day 5:
 87 deaths (39 last year) * 12 died from accidents on earlier days
Day 6:
59 deaths (48 last year) * 7 died from accidents on earlier days
Day 7:
52 deaths (40 last year) * 15 died from accidents on earlier days

* Please note, all deaths are recorded regardless of whether it happened at the scene of the accident or not. If someone died a few days later in hospital, they are added to the tally, as long as it is within the so-called “7 dangerous days”.

29th December 2016 to 4th January 2017:
478 dead (380 last year)
4,128 injured (3,505 last year)
3,919 accidents (3,379 last year)

Thursday 29th December 2016: On the first day, 42 people were killed and 565 injured in 524 road accidents. Causes of most accidents were drunk driving (29.77%) and speeding (29.77%). Most accidents involved motorcycles (83.09%). The most dangerous province for accidents was Chiang Mai. Province with the highest number of deaths was Pathum Thani (4 deaths).

Friday 30th December 2016:  On the second day, 71 people were killed and 734 injured in 680 road accidents. Causes of most accidents were drunk driving (33.8%) and speeding (32.50%). Most accidents involved motorcycles (81.66%) and pick-up trucks (7.74%). The most dangerous provinces for accidents were Udon Thani, followed by Chiang Mai & Buriram. Provinces with the highest number of deaths were Udon Thani (7 deaths), followed by Ayutthaya (5 deaths) and Roi Et (5 deaths).

Saturday 31st December 2016: On the third day, 86 people were killed and 800 injured in 757 road accidents. Causes of most accidents were drunk driving (43.86%) and speeding (33.29%). Most accidents involved motorcycles (80.84%). The most dangerous province for accidents was Chiang Mai (33 accidents). Provinces with the highest number of deaths were Udon Thani and Surat Thani (5 deaths each).

Sunday 1st January 2017: On the fourth day, 81 people were killed and 778 injured in 751 road accidents. Causes of most accidents were drunk driving (48.87%) and speeding (29.29%). Most accidents involved motorcycles (82.94%) and pick-up trucks (8.59%). The most dangerous provinces for accidents were Chiang Rai (33 accidents) & Suphanburi (27 accidents). Provinces with the highest number of deaths were Sakon Nakhon (7 deaths) followed by Kalasin and Nakhon Pathom (6 deaths each).

Monday 2nd January 2017: On the fifth day, 87 people were killed and 465 injured in 445 road accidents. Causes of most accidents were drunk driving (37.53%) and speeding (33.03%). Most accidents involved motorcycles (84.06%). The most dangerous province for accidents was Udon Thani (25 accidents). Province with the highest number of deaths was Chonburi (25 deaths).

Tuesday 3rd January 2017: On the sixth day, 59 people were killed and 419 injured in 422 road accidents. Causes of most accidents were speeding (27.73%) and drunk driving (26.30%). Most accidents involved motorcycles (79.17%). The most dangerous province for accidents was Nakhon Ratchasima (20 accidents). Province with the highest number of deaths was Chachoengsao (6 deaths).

Wednesday 4th January 2017: On the seventh day, 52 people were killed and 367 injured in 340 road accidents. Causes of most accidents were speeding (33.53%) and drunk driving (21.76%). Most accidents involved motorcycles (80.23%). The most dangerous province for accidents was Suphanburi (13 accidents). Province with the highest number of deaths was Roi Et (5 deaths).

New Year Statistics for Past Years:

New Year 2010: 347 deaths, 3,827 injuries and 3,534 accidents
New Year 2011: 358 deaths, 3,750 injuries and 3,497 accidents
New Year 2012: 336 deaths, 3,375 injuries and 3,093 accidents
New Year 2013: 367 deaths, 3,329 injuries and 3,176 accidents
New Year 2014: 341 deaths, 3,117 injuries and 2,997 accidents
New Year 2015: 380 deaths, 3,505 injuries and 3,379 accidents

It should be noted that these statistics are not 100% accurate as some accidents do go unreported. However, in these days of social media reporting, which includes local media, it is more difficult to hide any reports of deaths. There was once a case a few years back when local media in Phuket disputed the numbers. They had reported the death of a migrant worker but it wasn’t reported in official statistics. Hopefully this year will be more accurate.

11 thoughts on “Full Road Accident Statistics for New Year 2016-2017 in Thailand

  • January 5, 2017 at 12:10 pm
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    Yes something needs to be done to educate and enforce road rules and improve design of roads.
    My 5 year old Daughter and Mother in Law were both killed in 2016 near Chiang Mai when hit by a Ute at high speed while waiting to turn right, by a driver that was obviously distracted by his phone or asleep. Annoying thing is he seemed to get off light which is hardly a deterrent.

    Reply
  • January 4, 2017 at 4:49 pm
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    So much for magic amulets.

    Reply
    • January 5, 2017 at 2:16 pm
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      Frustratingly superstition is a pathetic prevention of disaster .

      Reply
  • January 4, 2017 at 12:59 pm
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    Unfortunately the ‘safety campaign’ has no impact on the way Thai people drive. The government need to legislate and enfoce new laws to improve driver behaviour. Too many drivers stay in the outside lane(s) at slow speed, thereby preventing the free flow of traffics and making other drivers undertake in order to pass them. If the government cannot improve the roads they need to improve people driving skills and educate them by means of informative advertising on TV in order to reduce what is an unacceptable accident rate for a civilised country.

    Reply
  • January 4, 2017 at 6:37 am
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    Ther should not be a great problem to install a fingerprint reader combined with a breath analyser (alcotester) in public transport vehicles, to prevent motor to start if driven more than ?? Hrs. in a 24 Hr. period by the same driver.
    I post this as an afterthought to the awful accident on Monday, caused by an overworked minivan driver.

    Reply
  • January 3, 2017 at 3:15 am
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    These figures make interesting – although scary – reading and perhaps other governments should publish similar statistics in an attempt to reduce RTA’s during the holiday season.

    Reply
  • December 31, 2016 at 4:59 pm
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    No doubt the majority of the accidents were caused by over imbibing … sadly this will never change . And not only in Thailand.

    Reply
    • March 7, 2017 at 2:33 am
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      Hi Ryan

      I am based in the UK, however I am involved with a pre-hospital care NGO in NE Thailand, and was wondering if you’d like to get in contact re your post above. I think that we have some common ground here and perhaps can look at how your Emergency Blood Donation scheme could become something lifesaving!

      Leave me a message here, I have also requested to join your Facebook page.

      Keep up the good work!

      Chris

      Reply

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