All these areas will be patrolled by police with orders to ensure the rules are not broken.
At a meeting today (April 3), it was announced that the main aim of the no-drink zones is to prevent road accidents.
Last year, during the holiday in Phuket, there were 44 accidents, with three dead and 43 injured. Governor Maitree Intusut, chairing the meeting, said this year’s aim should be zero road deaths.
Unlike in Bangkok, throwing water from the back of trucks will not be banned in Phuket, but pick-up trucks full of celebrants will be told by police to go slow.
Other points from the meeting:
-
All tour companies and bus companies must check their vehicles before letting them out on the roads during the festival.
-
The marine office in Phuket will provide officers on boats to keep an eye on the shoreline. Others will check all ferries and passenger boats to ensure they are not overloaded.
-
Cases of sexual harassment will be taken seriously, with offenders being arrested.
-
Police checkpoints will be set up at the following locations to control traffic with the aim of detecting and weeding out drunk drivers:
- At Phuket International Airport;
- In front of the Isuzu showroom in Koh Kaew;
- South of the Heroines Monument;
- In front of Pa Khlok Municipality;
- Sirirat Rd, Patong;
- At the Kalim junction;
- In front of Eak Andaburi Villages, Chao Fa West Rd;
- In front of the Bangjak petrol station, Wiset Rd;
- At the Tha Chat Chai checkpoint;
- In front of Cheng Talay Municipality;
- In front of Tesco-Lotus Cherng Talay;
- At the See Ko checkpoint in Kathu;
- At the Ket Ho intersection in Thung Tong;
- In front of Big C, Kamala;
- In front of Wichit Municipality; and
- At the Ramada Hotel Curve, Karon.