PHUKET, THAILAND – Provincial authorities announced a comprehensive road safety plan for 2026 to tackle recurring holiday traffic chaos and deadly crashes.
New safety plan after years of deadly holidays
The tourist island presented a detailed emergency strategy after years of fatal accidents, especially around New Year and Songkran. Under the chairmanship of Vice Governor Adul Chuthong, all key safety agencies met and agreed on an integrated catalogue of measures. The guiding motto was “Safe Driving, Reduce Speed, Reduce Accidents,” targeting speeding, drunk driving and a lack of helmets as the main causes of crashes.
Building a lasting culture of road safety
“We must anchor a genuine safety culture in society,”
said Adul Chuthong, vice governor. The plan was intended to provide binding instructions for all authorities. From now on, infrastructure would be closely examined so that dangerous intersections and high‑risk road sections could be defused as quickly as possible.
Community checks and better data on tourist crashes
In local communities, family checkpoints and door‑to‑door visits were set to raise awareness. The number of rapid response teams would be increased to improve emergency coverage. For holidaymakers, accident data involving tourists would now be recorded in detail so that preventive measures could be more precisely targeted.
Tougher controls and points system for risky drivers
Authorities announced a tightening of traffic enforcement, including more speed checkpoints and stricter inspections of buses and trucks. Dangerous drivers would be tracked via a points system for offences and warned at an early stage, with older motorists addressed specifically. The Transport Ministry’s 1584 hotline remained the main contact point for reporting unsafe vehicles, allowing anyone to become a “safety hero.”
24-hour monitoring during peak travel weeks
Officials identified the most dangerous weeks of the year as 30 December 2025 to 5 January 2026 and 10 to 16 April 2026 during Songkran. In these periods, the Road Safety Operations Centre would be activated to coordinate all response units and monitor the situation in real time.
“We need everyone’s cooperation,”
said Adul Chuthong, vice governor, adding that only then could both high‑risk periods be endured without massive losses.
Aligning with international safety standards
The plan was designed with more than local conditions in mind, with Phuket aligning itself with the Marrakesh Declaration, through which Thailand sought to meet international safety standards. Progress would be reviewed on 21 January, the national road safety day, with the island aiming to serve as a model. For millions of visitors, this was presented as positive news, promising safer holidays if all stakeholders played their part and the ambitious plan was put into practice.