BANGKOK – The Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) has unveiled accident prevention measures for the Loy Krathong Festival, with extensive cooperation with the provincial administration and event organizers.
The DDPM director-general Chatchai Promlert has revealed that the DDPM will be implementing additional safety measures during the Loy Krathong festival, a period during which accidents, statistically, are prone to occur.
DDPM director-general Chatchai Promlert
He has said that the DDPM will cooperate with provincial administration body to ensure safety protection for the general public participating in the festival through two key strategies, namely through legal implementations and campaigns.
Provincial governors have been allowed to exercise their highest authority, as stated in the disaster prevention and mitigation act, to control and manage accident risks during the festival. The province will also be tasked with promoting the awareness of accident, risks and anger among the general public, and to publicize the legal punishment for those who violate the regulations.
All locations for the events during the festival will be prohibited from the sale of alcohol, while the general public will are encouraged to practice Thai values during the Loy Krathong festival, the DDPM director-general has said.
On the accident prevention from floating lanterns, the related agencies have been appointed to promote the dangers and the legal punishment for violating this directive.
The release of floating lanterns, smoke lanterns, balloons, and the use of laser beam generating devices and drones, must be limited to specific areas situated far from airports to minimize the effects on aviation. Violations to these regulations are punishable law.
