Locals live in fear of annual fireworks terror

The deadly blaze in Suphan Buri on Tuesday capped a tragic end to three years of noisy festivities

• Published: 26/01/2012 at 12:00 AM  - Bangkok Post
• Newspaper section: News

The annual Chinese New Year celebrations in downtown Suphan Buri, including spectacular fireworks displays, have given residents reasons to be nervous.

The roof of the pavilion at Phra Si Rattana Mahathat temple lost most of its tiles following a dramatic fireworks explosion at the nearby city pillar shrine of Suphan Buri on Tuesday night which killed four people and left residents fearing for their safety. PHOTOS BY TAWATCHAI KEMGUMNERD

Samran Sudto, a retired teacher, said the fireworks, which caused the tragedy on Tuesday night, were more terrifying than beautiful.

• Tragic aftermath: Death toll rises to 4

Most people living around the town hall, where the fireworks go off, move out every year because they know what to expect.

Some houses in the community were reduced to ashes after stray fireworks set them ablaze.

Her own home, which was badly damaged in the fire, is 50m from where the fire started.

Ms Samran said many residents were out watching the festival when the fire broke out.

"This was the third year they have held the event since they built the dragon," she said, referring to the giant dragon replica built outside the city pillar shrine in Muang district.

"The fireworks are terrifying. This year was the worst as it was a major event," she said.

Ms Samran said residents could not stay home. The constant, loud noises from the fireworks can carry on all night long.

"It was so loud it scared the living daylights out of us," Ms Samran said.

Her family has checked in to a local resort while repairs are made to theirfire-damaged home.

She said few residents agreed with the giant dragon being built in front of the shrine, as it was inauspicious.

"We didn't oppose it in the beginning, thinking it might bring prosperity to the province, but we were wrong," Ms Samran said.

The dragon sits outside the shrine at which people have paid homage for generations.

The dragon was built four years ago, at the entrance to the Dragon Descendants Museum, which houses exhibits that tell the history of China and ethnic-Chinese Thais.

The museum was opened to commemorate 20 years of Thailand's diplomatic ties with China in 1996.

"If it hadn't been for the spiritual protection afforded by the lord of the pillar, many more would have perished," the retired teacher said.

Worawut Silpa-archa, son of Banharn Silpa-archa who is advisory chairman to the Chartthaipattana Party, said organisers pledged full financial assistance to families of the dead and injured. He added that Mr Banharn, who co-organised the event, said next year's celebration will not include fireworks.

He conveyed his father's apology to the people of Suphan Buri over the tragedy.

Kanchana Silpa-archa, Mr Banharn's daughter, and her mother, Khunying Jaemsai, were planning to visit the injured at hospitals yesterday.

Ms Kanchana said she believed the giant dragon had shielded some spectators at the event from injury.

Part of the giant dragon near the city pillar shrine is broken by the force of the explosion.

A building in Phra Si Rattana Mahathat temple is badly damaged after the blast.

Scientific crime investigators gather evidence from firework barrels near the shrine.

A woman picks up the pieces after the blast ripped off the roof of her house near the city pillar shrine in Muang district.

Many houses behind the city pillar shrine were completely destroyed in a blaze triggered by the explosion.

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O articulista conhece bem a zona onde a tragédia aconteceu.

Fotos extraídas do Jornal Bangkok Post.

http://cambetabangkokmacau.blogspot.com/2009/03/pagode-chines-suphan-buri.html