Thailand aims to reduce road accidents during New Year holidays

Minister of Public Health Cholnan Srikaew noted that there is a possibility that road accidents during the festive period may increase, due to the government’s decision to allow pubs to stay open until 4 a.m., and until 6 a.m. on New Year’s Day.

Therefore, it is necessary to tighten measures to prevent road accidents by drawing on support from public health volunteers, local administrative officials and the police to test the blood-alcohol levels of drivers and motorcyclists.

According to statistics, there were 2,440 road accidents between Dec. 29, 2022 and Jan. 4, 2023, resulting in 317 deaths and 2,437 people injured.

The minister added that the most shocking finding is that 96% of those involved in the accidents were over the legal alcohol limit.

To achieve the 5% cut in road accidents, the minister said all parties concerned must cooperate, including drivers, who should not drive when they are drunk. He also asked all hospitals to be on standby to support the police and local officials.

Pol Major Veerawat Sivapaet, deputy commander of the Office of Police Strategy, said that, if the drunk drivers are under 20 years old, the police will take legal action against the venues or stores that sold the alcohol to them.