Happy New Year, everybody. It's time for the madness of Songkran once again. Everybody take a deep breath and get ready for the mayhem.
While there's a lot of fun to be had at this time of year, it's also worth remembering that the Songkran holiday period is one of the most deadly times on Thailand's roads and highways.
According to the Bangkok Post, the traffic accident-related death toll last year was 321 over the seven-day holiday period. In addition to the deaths, more than 3,000 people were injured. Accidents totaled 2,828. That's a lot.
Songkran is a really dangerous time to be out on the roads. People are more worried about having a good time than paying attention to what's happening when they're behind the wheel. And a lot of folks make the unbelievably stupid choice to drive when they've been drinking.
Drunk drivers aren't just endangering their own lives — they're risking the lives of anybody else who's dumb enough to get in the car with them. Worse yet, they're also playing with the lives of countless other innocent people who are out driving or even standing by the side of the road.
Most of the readers of this magazine probably aren't old enough to drive. Even if you are old enough to drive, I know that as a Student Weekly fan, you're already smarter than most people and would never dream of drinking and driving. Right?
But even if you're not old enough to get behind the wheel, there are some things that you can do to keep yourself and others safe.
If somebody you know has been drinking decides they're going to drive a car or ride a motorbike while they're drunk, do whatever you can to keep them from doing it. Steal their keys. Beg them not to drive. Call their family or friends. Get the cops involved if you have to.
Never, ever get into a car if you know that the driver has been drinking. Just don't do it. If they tell you that you'll miss out on all the fun if you don't go, tell them that you'd rather miss a little fun than miss out on the rest of your life.
Take the train, take a taxi, take a tuk-tuk. Whatever you have to do to avoid getting in a car with a drunk driver.
I want you all to have a great, fun and safe Songkran. And I want you to keep having may more in the future.
Happy New Year, and stay out of trouble.
Sean Vale
Editor
[email protected]
