Police spokesman Pol General Dechnarong Sutticharnbancha yesterday said the 90,000 policemen would not only tackle crimes but also oversee traffic flow and arrest motorists violating laws.

He warned that drunk drivers would be arrested and their vehicles impounded, while driving licences of reckless drivers would be seized.

At Don Mueang Airport, travellers showed up in large numbers to take previously booked flights back to their hometowns. Airlines are reportedly flying more than 12,000 flights during Songkran to cater to the increased demand.

The Mor Chit Bus Terminal was buzzing with holidaymakers yesterday, with some arriving as early as 4am to board early-morning buses to avoid congestions en route. Highway number 304, towards Nakhon Ratchasima (known as the Gateway to the Northeast), was already full of cars and although they largely moved smoothly, two bottleneck areas in Prachin Buri, where road expansion work is ongoing near the Khao Yai and Thab Lan national parks, slowed down the traffic.

Meanwhile, various provinces have prepared grand celebrations for this Thai New Year. Songkhla’s Hat Yai district closed the downtown area near the Thammanoonvithi intersection and the Nipat Uthit 3 Road to set up stages and tents for its famed “Hat Yai Midnight Songkran 2016” party from April 11-13. Tourists from Malaysia and Singapore yesterday started to arrive in the southern province. The Tourism Authority of Thailand’s Hat Yai Office estimated this Songkran to generate at least Bt300 million and the number of tourists in Hat Yai could inch towards 100,000 people.

In Yala and Narathiwat provinces, shops now placed bright-coloured flower-printed shirts and water guns on sales for customers.