SONGKRAN FESTIVAL

The roads have been even more deadly this year, with the death toll at the halfway period of the Songkran festival above last year's figure.

Justice permanent secretary Jarun Pukditanakul said there were 1,018 accidents on Songkran day, Sunday, the third day of the seven-day most dangerous period. This was 5.5% up on last year.

He said 76 people were killed (7% up) and 1,103 people injured (3.9% up).

About 45% of the road accidents involved drink driving and 84% involved motorcycles.

The highest number of accidents (39%) occurred on village roads. Most accidents (57%) happened at night, with 30% between 4pm and 8pm.

Chiang Rai province recorded the highest number of accidents, 50, followed by Phetchabun province with 42.

Chon Buri had the highest road death toll yesterday with five fatalities, and Chiang Mai saw the highest number of people injured in road accidents _ 51.

In the first three days, since April 11, there were 2,238 road accidents, 180 deaths and 2,514 injuries.

All the stated figures are higher than last year at the same stage.

Mr Jarun, who heads the government's road safety centre, said most road accidents involved teenage motorcyclists in villages after dark and mainly resulted from drunk driving.

He suggested that parents who let their children violate traffic laws should be punished as well.

Anucha Mokhawet, director-general of the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department, said since the figures showed that most deaths occurred in the North, he had ordered the governors of the northern provinces to increase the number of road checkpoints.

He said the state should impose a ban on alcohol sales during Songkran because drink driving was the main cause of road accidents during this period.

Earlier, Interior Minister Chalerm Yubamrung suggested that if such a ban is introduced it should only cover two days, the first and the last, of the Songkran holiday since most of the driving is done on these two days.

But Mr Jarun has suggested that the ban be enforced on April 13 and 14 as the casualty toll seem to peak on these two days.

Dr Thaejing Siripanit, secretary-general of the Don't Drive Drunk Foundation, said the ban should cover the entire week.

The Thai Red Cross Society yesterday reported that it was running out of blood supplies.

The society needs 1,500 units of blood daily during the Songkran festival, but received only 973 units on April 12 and 950 units on April 13. Its blood bank distributes daily to hospitals nationwide.