During the first six days of this year’s Songkran festival, Thailand experienced a significant increase in traffic accidents, with 2,008 incidents, many of which led to injuries and fatalities. This surge in accidents comes as a stark contrast to the previous year’s more subdued celebration. The reported 236 deaths represent a 4.45% decrease in road fatalities. Injuries, on the other hand, grew by 18%, according to the Interior Ministry.
Permanent Secretary Chotenarin Kerdsom stated that these traffic accidents resulted in 2,005 individuals being injured between April 11-16. The figures reveal a 16% rise compared to the same period during last year’s Thai New Year celebration. Despite the overall decrease in road deaths, Bangkok reported the highest number of fatalities with 20 deaths.
The northern province of Nan recorded the highest number of traffic accidents, with 62 incidents, followed by 63 injuries. On the sixth day of the Songkran festival travel period, there were 263 traffic accidents, causing 36 deaths and leaving 268 people injured.
Common causes for these accidents include speeding, which accounted for 39% of incidents, and drink driving, which contributed to 24% of accidents. Motorcycles were involved in a staggering 78% of these traffic accidents, according to Mr. Chotenarin.
During this six-day period, courts ordered probation for 6,705 cases of drink driving, 230 cases for drivers using drugs, and 23 cases of reckless driving, as reported by Weerakit Hanpariphan, the Probation Department Director-General.
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