If you’ve spent any time in Thailand over New Year, you have probably heard of its so-called ‘Seven Dangerous Days’. These are the days before, during and after New Year’s Eve when Thais travel all over the country to visit family.
Why are they called ‘Seven Dangerous Days’?
That’s due to the number of people who die in traffic accidents, often because of excessive speed or drunk driving and, at the end of 2012 so far the number of deaths is already at 71 with 826 other people injured.
If you are traveling around Thailand on the nation’s roads during the ‘Seven Dangerous Days’, which I honestly don’t recommend, how can you minimize your chances of being in a traffic accident or, even worse, killed?
Don’t take mini-vans. At any time of the year, they are some of the most dangerous forms of transportation with accidents often occurring weekly.
Get off a bus at the next stop whose driver is driving too fast or too dangerously. This is actually more common than you may think and, even if you get off and have to purchase a second ticket or arrive at your destination late, it’s definitely better than arriving dead on time.
Do not drive with anyone who has had too much to drink. Again, this is common in Thailand, especially over the New Year’s holidays, and is responsible for at least one third of traffic deaths every year.
If possible, avoid traveling on Thailand’s roads completely during the New Year holidays. Instead, take a plane if you are flying to a destination a few hours away, or stay in Bangkok and make use of the extremely safe sky train and underground trains.
Besides, being in Bangkok over New Year is the best time of year to be here. It’s cooler, almost everything is still open and, as half the city has left to travel home to family, it’s a breeze getting around without those long, annoying traffic jams.
