BANGKOK,(NNT) – An anti-alcohol network has staged a campaign urging strict controls on alcohol consumption ahead of the approaching Songkran holiday.
Anti-alcohol campaigners, led by Alcohol Watch, organized a symbolic activity to raise public awareness in the dangers of liquor and call for tough measures to prevent losses associated with alcohol consumption.
The campaigners submitted an open letter to Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-ocha requesting that the government issue precautionary measures to avoid and reduce risks that drunk revelers might bring on.
Kamron Chudecha, coordinator of Alcohol Watch disclosed over 3,400 accidents occurred during last year’s Songkran holiday, claiming more than 400 lives and injuring more than 3,600 people. Drunk driving and speeding were blamed for the tragedies.
Entertainment events, including concerts and product marketing activities are found to promote liquor consumption which lead to reckless driving and brawls.
The activists called on the government and the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) to announce a ban on sales of alcoholic drinks at concert venues and revoke temporary liquor sales licenses during the Thai New Year holiday.
They also asked the government to reduce the legal limit of alcohol level for drink driving penalties from 50 milligrams percent to 20 or 30 milligrams blood alcohol level.
