The Department of Land Transport (DLT) is ensuring the preparedness of facilities and promoting road safety practices during the upcoming Songkran holidays.
The DLT Director-General Sanit Promwong revealed the department is working to ensure the preparedness of facilities to accommodate travels of the general public during this year’s Songkran holidays under the department’s Safe Drive Save Lives campaign.
The campaign will be carried out in three phases, starting with 7 days prior to the holidays on April 4th-10th, 2018, 7 days during the festival on April 11th-17th, and 7 days after the festival on April 18th-24th. It is aimed to minimize casualties and injuries during the long holidays, and to ensure there will be no casualties from accidents related to public transport.
DLT officials will be working to inspect the blood alcohol levels from all public transport drivers who are required to have zero blood alcohol level while operating vehicles. Transport companies and staff must inform passengers of safety regulations and safety practices in case of emergency, as well as advise them of law and regulations related to passengers.
All public transport vehicles will undertake inspections to make sure they are of good condition to operate, and must be equipped with GPS tracking systems which allows the DLT, companies, and the general public to track the location and the behavior of drivers real-time.
Speed detection devices will be placed along the main roads in and out of Bangkok, as well as at security checkpoints.
Provincial Land Transport Offices are instructed to prepare more buses serving passengers during the festival, to enforce security checking measures at bus stations to prevent thieves, and employ more staff at passenger protection and complaint centers.
