The northeastern province of Udon Thani reported the highest number of accidents (55 cases), resulting in |seven deaths and 59 injured, Tourism and Sports Minister Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul said at the Road Safety Centre yesterday.

The cumulative figures were higher than in the same period last year, she said. The majority of road accidents resulted from drunk driving (31.8 per cent) and speeding (31.3 per cent) and the great majority involved motorcycles (82.3 per cent). Nearly 53 per cent of those who were killed were in the working age – 20-49 years old – according to Kobkarn. So far, only 29 provinces have not reported any road fatalities, while Chaiyaphum was the only province that had not seen any road accident.

On Friday alone, there were 680 road accidents nationwide, killing 71 people and injuring 734 others. In comparison, the second day of last year’s New Year period saw 590 accidents that killed 65 people and injured 624 others, she said.

On Friday, Udon Thani saw the most accidents (35 cases) and the most fatalities (7) while Chanthaburi had the most casualties with 43 injured. Officials manning 2,070 checkpoints on Friday arrested 102,594 motorists for violating the law, mostly for failing to show their driver’s licence (29,618) and failing to wear helmet (27,753), she added.

Because of the increase in Thai and foreign tourists around the country this New Year, the government would implement stricter measures to prevent land and water accidents, she said.

The increase in the number of accidents and fatalities were due to more cars on roads and more people travelling around the country, she said. She urged hotels and business establishments to take care of visitors by warning them against drunk |driving. She also asked people to be cautious during this high-traffic |holiday period, to follow the law and cooperate with officials to reduce |road accidents.

As part of the campaign against drunk-driving, authorities have impounded 362 vehicles from drunk drivers (313 motorcycles and 49 cars) while also seizing the driver’s licence of 2,060 motorists, according to National Council for Peace and Order deputy spokeswoman Colonel Sirichan Ngathong yesterday.

During the first two days, the cases of 4,265 motorcyclists and 2,549 drivers of personal cars and public transport vehicles were also passed on for legal prosecution, she added.

Meanwhile, Department of Probation director-general Pol Colonel Narat Sawettanant said his office and related agencies would |continue to take those arrested for drunk driving to a morgue, to raise their awareness about the dangers |of their actions and the potential |harm to others and themselves.

As part of the court-issued punishments for drivers under substance influence, they must perform community service for a number of hours, including aiding injured accident victims in hospitals and helping out with some tasks at a morgue.

Narat said the agency would also collect the statistics of road accidents – in the same manner as the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Road Safety Centre – to determine the number of drunk drivers nationwide and how many were prosecuted and put on probation. The data could be used by the court in cases involving repeat offenders.

Narat also revealed that the department was in the process of redrafting the Terms of Reference for procuring electronic monitoring bracelets.

The devices would be bought and put to use by June 2017.

Meanwhile, the Mitraparp Highway in Nakhon Ratchasima |yesterday remained congested with holidaymakers’ vehicles heading to various northeastern provinces, although some people noted that the number of travellers seemed to be less than in previous years, possibly due to the shorter holiday period of only four days.

In related news, Pol Maj-General Jirapat Phumjit, acting deputy city police chief, reported yesterday that traffic around Bangkok’s three main transport hubs – Mor Chit Bus Terminal, Southern Route Bus Terminal and Ekkamai Bus Terminal – was smooth on Thursday and Friday, better than last year.

He said city police had sought |the cooperation of 5-6 transport truck companies not to run their six- to 18-wheel trucks on January 3, when the return rush after the holidays begins.