boat accident"Most villagers now say they |want to travel by car or bus in-|stead," Jakkrit Senkhao, imam of A-Lee Yinnuroy mosque, said yesterday.On Sunday, nearly 100 people living near his mosque joined a boat trip to the festival, but many of them did not return alive.Their boat capsized on the Chao Phraya River in the afternoon, killing 28 passengers and injuring dozens of others.Jakkrit said he would discuss |with imams from other mosques |in Ayutthaya's Mueang district |the possibility of changing the |mode of transport for the annual festival. "We need to ensure that no |such tragedy ever occurs again," |he said, adding, "At this point, |we have not yet reached a conclu-sion, but I will definitely raise |the idea of using cars with other imams. "A local resident, Preecha Yimyoo, said he intended to join the an-|nual merit-making trip next year, no matter what mode of transport was used. "But during the past few days, I've heard that we will be travelling in cars instead," he added.Jakkrit said a transport-safety discussion was essential after the accident.He lamented that Sunday's tragedy had taken the lives of 28 people, who meant the world to the families left behind.Preecha lost three family members in the accident. "We are shocked.

Source: The Nation Bangkok September 21, 2016 17:26 UTC