BANGKOK, THAILAND – Thailand’s Road Safety Centre reported 1,108 crashes, 1,073 injuries and 216 deaths in the first six days of the Songkran travel season.
Six-day Songkran toll presented in Bangkok
According to the Road Safety Centre (ศปถ.), a total of 1,108 road accidents occurred between 10 and 15 April 2569, leaving 1,073 people injured and 216 dead. The figures covered the first six days of the national Songkran road safety campaign.
The data were officially presented on 16 April at 10:30 a.m. at the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) in Bangkok. Officials framed the figures as the interim balance of the holiday travel period.
Daily figures for 15 April released
For 15 April 2569, the sixth day of the campaign “Drive safely, slow down, reduce accidents”, the centre reported 156 road accidents nationwide. These incidents resulted in 161 injuries and 23 deaths, according to the centre’s daily summary.
The one-day numbers highlighted the continuing danger on Thailand’s roads during the peak of the New Year return journeys. Authorities said they would keep monitoring and updating the situation as travel flows changed.
Speeding and alcohol as main causes
The most common cause of accidents was excessive speed, accounting for 43.59 percent of cases. Drunk driving followed as the second leading factor, responsible for 25.64 percent.
In this context, the authorities underlined a strict zero-tolerance line on drinking and driving. They announced determined enforcement of the rules under the motto that alcohol must be zero.
Motorcycles and high-risk road sections
Motorcycles were the vehicles most frequently involved in crashes, making up 67.84 percent of all recorded accidents. Officials pointed to the vulnerability of riders and the widespread use of two-wheelers during the festival.
Most accidents occurred on straight sections of road, which accounted for 89.74 percent of the total. Roads under the responsibility of the Department of Highways were particularly affected, with 46.79 percent of all cases.
Peak danger hours and affected age group
The period between 6:01 p.m. and 9 p.m. was identified as the most accident-prone time, with 17.95 percent of all crashes recorded then. Evening travel during the festival thus posed an especially high risk.
Among the injured and the dead, the age group between 20 and 29 years was most affected, representing 24.46 percent. This underlined the heavy impact of Songkran road accidents on younger adults.
Provinces with most crashes and fatalities
On 15 April, Chiang Rai recorded the highest number of accidents, with 10 cases. The province also reported the most injured people (11) and the most deaths (3) for that day.
Over the full six-day period, Phrae led in total accidents and injuries, with 47 crashes and 49 people hurt. Bangkok reported the highest cumulative number of fatalities, with 19 deaths.
Return traffic and focus on buses
As many people travelled back to Bangkok and larger provinces after Songkran, relevant agencies were urged to adjust their deployment plans to the return traffic wave. The aim was to manage rising volumes on key routes more effectively.
The Road Safety Centre announced it would strictly monitor the safety of long-distance buses and their drivers. It also planned to step up checks along major highways and important main routes.
Community checkpoints seen as positive force
At the press conference, the leadership highlighted what it called the “power of Community-Checkpoints” and the stronger role of local administrations. These local efforts were presented as a positive development in prevention.
According to the centre, community checkpoints had become more effective in stopping drunk people from driving by conducting checks and screening already in the villages where trips began.
“They have helped more effectively to prevent drinkers from driving by checking and filtering them already in the villages at the starting point.”
said the centre’s leadership.
Ongoing problems: fatigue and unsafe vehicles
At the same time, officials continued to find problems with fatigued drivers on long journeys. There were also vehicles on the road that were not in a roadworthy condition.
The responsible authorities were urged by the Road Safety Centre to draw immediate lessons from these findings. They were asked to consider additional checkpoints and service points at suitable locations and to tighten enforcement of key bans and regulations.