Thailand –
Thailand’s festive season has been overshadowed by a surge in road accidents, with 145 fatalities and 769 injuries reported nationwide during the first three days of the New Year holiday period. The Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) confirmed a total of 798 accidents between December 30th and January 1st, highlighting Bangkok and Phuket as the provinces with the highest cumulative losses.
On January 2nd, Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Transport, Jiraphong Theppitak, presented the figures at a press briefing. He noted that January 1st alone saw 326 accidents, resulting in 317 injuries and 54 deaths, despite ongoing campaigns urging motorists to “Drive Safely, Slow Down, Prevent Accidents.”
Leading Causes
- Speeding accounted for 40.18% of accidents.
- Drunk driving was responsible for 29.45%.
- Motorcycles featured in 76.92% of crashes.
- Most incidents occurred on straight roads (78.22%), particularly on highways (36.81%) and local village roads (29.75%).
Risk Patterns
- The deadliest hours were between 12:01 a.m. and 3:00 a.m., responsible for 25.15% of accidents.
- Victims were predominantly aged 20–29, representing 22.91% of casualties.
Provincial Impact
- Phuket recorded the highest number of accidents (34) and injuries (38).
- Bangkok reported the highest death toll, with 12 fatalities.
For the original version of this article, please visit The Pattaya News.
