BANGKOK, 15 April 2011 (NNT) – The Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) has reported 2,141 road accidents with 148 fatalities during the first four days of the Songkran Festival.
Based on the DDPM’s summary for April 14, the fourth day of the seven dangerous days of Songkran, there were 515 road accidents, which claimed 32 lives and injured 556 people. Since the beginning of the festival, the toll has reached at 2,141 cases with 2,316 injuries and 148 deaths, which is lower than last year by 20.
The southern province of Nakhon Si Thammarat has the highest number of road accidents at 97 while the capital of Bangkok accounts for the most fatalities at 8. The top causes of accidents are drunk driving and going over the speed limit.
Officers at road checkpoints have been instructed to step up their enforcement of traffic rules and take action against violators, especially those driving under the influence and riding motorcycles without helmets. Preparations are also being made to ensure people’s safe commute back to the city at the end of the Songkran holiday this weekend.
