BANGKOK, Jan 1— Thailand’s death toll from road accidents nationwide during the first five days of the New Year’s holiday has climbed to 254, while the number of injured has reached 2,454, the national Road Safety Centre reported Tuesday, New Year’s Day.
Yesterday alone, New Year’s Eve, 52 deaths and 556 casualties were reported in 524 road accidents.
The central province of Nakhon Pathom had the highest death toll of 12 persons, followed by Chiang Mai with 11 and Nakhon Ratchasima and Bangkok with 10 deaths each.
So far, the eastern province of Trat has not recorded any road accident in the past days.
The major causes of road accidents were attributed to drunken driving and speeding.
The government’s Road Safety Centre was set up to prevent and reduce the number of the road accidents, deaths and injuries as well as serve as headquarters to link all commands at all level, to solve immediate problems occurring from road accidents and to adjust traffic plan to response the needs arising during from the 2013 New Year period from December 27, 2012 through January 2.
In related developments, holidaymakers on Tuesday began gradually returned to their homes as well as to Bangkok.
In Lamphun, traffic is congested on Highway No 11 while Chiang Mai Arcade Bus Terminal 2 is crowded with travellers.
Meanwhile, Mo Chit Bus Terminal in the capital began to be packed in the afternoon through evening. The number of travellers who returned to the capital was expected to be approximately 200,000-300,000.
