More Songkran water play zones designated

PHUKET CITY: Phuket Governor Udomsak Usawarangkura has designated two more zones for Songkran water play, adding to the three previously announced by Phuket Provincial Police. In a pamphlet issued by the Provincial Public Relations Office, the Governor listed the following areas as places where people may legally fling water at one another during Songkran: Muang District: Saphan Hin, Tambon Rawai, King Rama IV Park (Suan Luang); Thalang District: Nai Yang Beach; Kathu District: Patong. Within these areas the following regulations will apply: – High-powered water guns, water-and-talcum-powder mixtures and dyed water are banned. Violators will be subject to a maximum of one month in jail, or a fine of 1,000 baht, or both. – Water-play among under-18s should be strictly monitored for safety by parents or guardians. – No alcoholic beverages are to be consumed. – “Lewd, obscene or immoral” behavior during water play is prohibited. Violators will be subject to jail terms of up to 10 years or a maximum fine of 10,000 baht, or both. To ensure traffic safety, police say the following measures will be strictly enforced from April 9 to April 18: – Drivers found to be drunk will face a three-months in jail or a fine of up to 10,000 baht, or both. – Motorcyclists riding without helmets face a maximum fine of 500 baht. – Vehicles that have been modified so that they no longer match the description in their registration documents face seizure. They may be held until the owner restores them to their original condition. – Those failing to produce a driving license on demand face seizure of the vehicle. If the driver is not the vehicle owner, police will take legal action against the owner too – Those caught exceeding speed limits face a maximum fine of 1,000 baht. – Those caught racing on public roads face a jail sentence of up to three months or a fine of up to 10,000 baht, or both. Violators will also be suspended from driving for anything from one month to life. Patrol police will man checkpoints throughout the holiday period, with the period of strictest enforcement being from 2 pm to 10 pm each day. All offenders, especially drunk drivers, will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law, the pamphlet warned. Because of the high death toll on the roads, stern warnings and promises are an annual part of the run-up to Songkran. In 2003, the official road toll in Phuket was three dead and 311 injured between April 11 and 17. Nationwide, the death toll topped 500 and at least 37,000 were injured on the roads over the same period.