Over the New Year holiday, from December 27 to 31, Thailand experienced a tragic increase in traffic-related incidents, resulting in 215 fatalities and 1,354 injuries nationwide.
These figures emerged from 1,398 reported accidents, as disclosed by Public Health Minister Somsak Thepsutin.
The minister noted that the most significant number of deaths, totaling 10 each, occurred in Bangkok and Nonthaburi.
Ayuthaya witnessed the highest occurrence of accidents with 44 incidents, while Phuket saw the most injuries, with 43 people hurt. Interestingly, eleven provinces across the country reported no deaths due to traffic accidents during this period.
Traffic congestion was a notable issue on both major and minor highways on Wednesday, as large numbers of people traveled back to Bangkok and other economically vital provinces following the celebrations on Tuesday night.
Adding to the road safety concerns, Suriya Singhakamol, the director-general of the Department of Probation, revealed that between December 27 and 31, a total of 4,020 drivers were placed on probation.
This group included 3,884 individuals caught driving under the influence of alcohol, 132 under the influence of drugs, and four for reckless driving.
The highest incidence of drunk-driving was recorded in Chiang Mai, with 397 cases, followed by 294 in Bangkok and 258 in Samut Prakan.
This alarming data underscores the ongoing challenges of road safety and the urgent need for effective measures to prevent such widespread and devastating consequences during peak travel times.
