Bangkok – With the annual water festival Songkran less than a month away, Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha has called for a year-round road accident prevention campaign in the hope of lowering the number of fatalities, especially during holiday breaks.
Transport Minister Pailin Chuchottaworn said it is the prime minister’s intention to continue raising public awareness of road accidents and improving the effectiveness of road safety campaigns throughout 2018, especially during important occasions like the Thai New Year’s festival or Songkran where the number of road fatalities is always high.
The latest survey found that up to 60 people are killed on the roads on a daily basis, which accounts for 20,000 people a year. Pailin said his ministry is trying to slash these numbers, adding that several agencies of the ministry have begun their road safety campaigns and will continue to do so throughout the year.
In addition, he said the ministry will improve transportation services and infrastructure so that people’s commutes are safer, faster, and more convenient.
