Interior Minister Gen Anupong Paochinda announced at a press conference held by the Department of Public Disasters Prevention and Mitigation on Monday, April 17, a total of 442 people died and 3,656 others were injured in nationwide road accidents during the seven days of Songkran celebrations from April 11-17.
Gen Anupong said there were 3,447 road accidents during April 11-17.
The death toll this year is higher than last year in numbers of fatalities (78), of the injured (97) and of accidents (74).
He said on April 17 alone, there were 343 road accidents in which 45 people were killed and 385 others injured.
This year’s Songkran festival celebration claimed 442 lives, with 3,656 reported injuries.
During the seven-day period, Chiang Mai came top with 168 road accidents and 175 injured, while Bangkok and Nakhon Ratchasima topped the list with the highest fatality rate, 19 killed each.
Drunk driving accounted for most accidents, followed by speeding.
Motorcycles were blamed for most of the accidents, followed by pickup trucks.
