Health Chief in plea for safe Songkhran

PHUKET: Dr Wanchai Sattayawutthipong, Chief of the Phuket Provincial Health Office, has urged people to be particularly careful on Phuket’s roads during this year’s Songkhran festival. Citing statistics showing the rising numbers of dead and injured during the period in each successive year, Dr Wanchai urged everyone to take care when driving, to use safety belts or helmets, and not to drive drunk. Last year, Dr Wanchai said, 13 people died and 1,637 people were injured in Phuket between April 11 and 17. Nearly half of those people – six dead and 520 injured – were involved in traffic accidents on April 13 or 14.