The government media also reported that during the entire Thingyan period, there were 208 Thingyan-related crimes causing the death of 16 and 194 injuries. There were also 992 crimes not related to Thingyan that caused 269 deaths and 879 injuries.

Yangon Region recorded 44 deaths and 223 crime cases during the festive season, followed by Bago Region with 37 deaths and 154 cases. Mandalay came in third with 36 deaths and 160 cases.

Compared to last year, there are 233 more cases and 13 more deaths this year.

The cases involved pick-pocketing, causing hurt, road accidents, homicide and drug seizures.

Over the four days, beginning from the eve of Thingyan, the Mandalay Hospital also recorded 17 deaths and 813 injury cases, according to the hospital’s media social relations department.

The department’s director U Min Lwin said the death cases in Mandalay, which recorded the third highest number of deaths, were outside the five inner townships.

He said the many injuries recorded were mainly due to road accidents.

The Walking Thingyan event was held in Mandalay, but there were less cases of people fighting this time.

“We monitored the event. We expected more fights to break out, since it was a walking Thingyan event.
But it was peaceful.

“We were also a bit worried about road accidents. There were popular music bands playing in the outskirts.

“But the road conditions were not so bad this year, compared to before,” he said.

The Mandalay General Hospital had also coordinated six local civil groups to provide medical treatment to patients during Thingyan.

The traditional new year is also celebrated in other Buddhist countries including Thailand, Cambodia, Laos as well as in Xishuangbanna, southern China.

Over in Thailand, 390 people died in road accidents during the Songkran celebration from April 11 to 16. Nearly a third of the accidents were due to drunk driving, Thai authorities said on Tuesday.

Thai authorities also seized 5600 motorcycles and 1800 cars over reckless driving.

This year, the Thai government began a campaign to reduce the holiday death toll. The number of fatalities this year dropped by more than 10 percent.

 

– Translation by Zaw Nyunt