Thailand’s Songkran festival sees 8% drop in fatalities
Thailand reported a notable decrease in accidents and casualties during the seven dangerous days of the Songkran festival, with figures significantly lower than previous years. Jirayu Huangsub, an advisor to the prime minister, stated that injuries related to accidents decreased by more than 27%. In comparison, fatalities dropped by 8% compared to the average figures from the last three Songkran festivals.
The advisor credited this improvement to enhanced safety measures and proactive law enforcement efforts initiated by the PM before the holiday.
The Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation, working alongside the Royal Thai Police, disclosed that on April 17, the final day of the increased accident prevention campaign, there were 147 accidents reported in Thailand.
This reflects a 34.38% decrease from the same day in 2024. Over the entire seven-day period, there were 1,538 accidents, a 25.12% reduction from the three-year average. Provinces with the highest accident rates included Phatthalung with 63 incidents, Lampang with 52, and Narathiwat with 49.
The number of injuries also saw a significant decrease, with 1,495 people injured over the seven days, representing a 26.89% drop from past years. Phatthalung again reported the highest number of injuries at 61, followed by Lampang with 58, and Narathiwat with 53.
Fatalities decreased as well, with 253 deaths recorded—an 8.33% reduction from the three-year average. Bangkok had the most fatalities, with 19, while Saraburi, Chiang Rai, and Phitsanulok each reported 10, and Nakhon Ratchasima had nine, as reported by Pattaya News.
The enforcement of road safety laws played a critical role in reducing accidents. Over 609,000 traffic violations were recorded for ten major offences, including 21,299 cases of drunk driving, 164,036 cases of speeding, 141,992 instances of failing to wear helmets, 32,616 cases of not using seatbelts, and 14,538 cases of driving against traffic flow.
Officials attributed the decline in accidents to ongoing public awareness campaigns, strict law enforcement, and extensive collaboration among various government and private sectors. Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra expressed appreciation to all involved agencies and urged them to continue these successful safety measures during other major national celebrations.
Even though the formal Songkran festivities have concluded, extended celebrations continue in some regions until the end of April.
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