Twenty people were killed and 132 injured in 135 road accidents across Thailand on Friday, marking the first day of the “seven dangerous days” during the Songkran travel period, according to the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation on Saturday.
The figures represent a sharp decline from the same day last year, when 214 accidents resulted in 32 deaths and 200 injuries.
Earlier concerns that rising fuel prices might discourage travel appear to have had some effect, with anecdotal reports suggesting more people opted for buses or trains instead of driving.
Speeding was the main cause of accidents on Friday, accounting for 37.8%, followed by sudden lane changes at 23%, the department said. Motorcycles were involved in 70.5% of incidents, with most crashes occurring on straight roads, particularly highways and local or village routes.
The highest number of accidents took place between 3pm and 6pm, with people aged 60 to 69 recording the most casualties.
Trang and Songkhla in the South reported the highest number of accidents, with eight each. Trang recorded the most injuries at nine, while Prachinburi and Songkhla each reported two fatalities. No other province recorded more than one death.
Chiang Mai had the highest number of drunk-driving cases on the first day of intensified road safety enforcement.
Courts placed 436 drivers on probation on Friday after they were found guilty of impaired driving, said Piya Raksakul, director-general of the Department of Probation.
Of these cases, 353 — or 81% — involved drunk driving. Chiang Mai recorded the highest number with 74 cases, followed by Samut Prakan with 54 and Bangkok with 43.
Drug-impaired driving accounted for 80 cases, or 18.3%, while three cases involved reckless driving, Mr Piya said.
