Songkran traffic crackdown effective

PHUKET: Two people died in Phuket over the Songkran period, one less than last year. Another 359 were injured between April 8 and 15, compared with 424 injured last year.

The deaths occurred on April 10 and 12. Both victims were male.

The figures were well below the official target of no more than five dead and 611 injured. This year’s “target” was raised from last year’s figures to reflect the rise in the island’s population, officials had said earlier.

Speaking from the Songkran Safety Center set up at Provincial Hall to track the annual carnage during the Thai New Year festivities, Vice Governor Supachai Yuwaboon said the network of eight major police checkpoints, manned by 304 officers, had been effective in keeping casualties to a minimum.

Police at all of the checkpoints were busy writing tickets and collecting fines from violators on a variety of infractions, including: Driving without a license 20,475; drunk driving 7,580; driving a car without a seatbelt 6,729; riding a motorcycle without a helmet 6,551; riding a motorbike recklessly 3,624; and speeding 286.