BANGKOK, THAILAND – Holiday traffic checks in Thailand revealed that more than 95% of recorded violations were linked to alcohol, while a fatal crash in Bangkok underscored the growing danger of GPS distraction.
Probation data showed alcohol behind most offenses
The Probation Department reported that on 31 December 2025 alone, 1,150 traffic offenses were recorded nationwide. Of these, 1,093 cases were attributed to driving under the influence of alcohol, accounting for 95.04% of all violations. Over two days there were 1,473 cases in total, 92.74% of which involved drunk driving, a slight decrease compared with the previous year.
Nonthaburi, Bangkok and Samut Prakan led drunk-driving cases
Nonthaburi province topped the list with 174 drunk-driving offenses, followed by Bangkok with 131 cases. Samut Prakan ranked third with 127 violations, placing these areas under particular scrutiny from authorities.
“The figures show that drunk driving is still the biggest problem,”
said Police Captain Piya Raksakul, a police officer.
Teenage student killed in GPS-related crash
Beyond alcohol, a deadly crash in Bang Khen district in Bangkok highlighted another risk. A 19-year-old student named Patithep died when his Vespa motorcycle was struck by a Toyota Vios that entered a curve at high speed and plunged into the Khlong Bang Bua canal. The car’s two occupants, Malee (28) and Sukontha (30), were rescued and said they had not been drunk.
Driver blamed distraction from navigation app
In their statements, the women blamed distraction from the GPS navigation app for the crash. Malee told investigators they had been driving at normal speed while looking at the navigation device.
“We only realized that we had hit something shortly before we ran off the road,”
said Malee, adding that they had not seen the motorcyclist.
New Year’s Day crash under investigation
The collision occurred at around 5 a.m. on New Year’s Day. The body of the student and the heavily damaged vehicles were recovered from the canal. Both drivers were tested for alcohol and drugs, and while results were pending, a formal investigation was already under way.
Authorities urged tougher action during ‘seven dangerous days’
Amid reports of 271 accidents with 53 deaths on just the second day of the so‑called “seven dangerous days,” officials called for stricter enforcement. They warned that not only alcohol, but also distraction from technology and excessive speed, continued to pose lethal risks. Campaigns such as “Don’t Drink and Drive” had shown some initial impact, but were seen as far from sufficient.
Experts warned about distraction behind the wheel
Experts urged authorities to combine tighter checks with more public education on the dangers of distraction at the wheel. They stressed that a glance at a phone or navigation device could be as deadly as alcohol consumption. For the family of Patithep, however, any future changes would come too late, with an autopsy now expected to determine his precise cause of death.