The plan was discussed at the 2nd National Road Accident Prevention and Reduction Policy Committee meeting for 2025, held on Friday (Dec 12) at the Phuket Provincial Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Office (DDPM Phuket) and chaired by Vice Governor Adul Chuthong.
The meeting brought together representatives from road safety agencies, partner networks and relevant government offices, with some participants joining via electronic media. The key agenda was consideration of a draft integrated plan for preventing and reducing road accidents during the New Year and Songkran festivals in 2026.
Officials agreed on the concept ‘Safe Driving, Reduce Speed, Reduce Accidents’, aimed at reinforcing the government’s road safety policy and fostering a stronger safety culture across society. The plan sets out joint operational guidelines for all sectors, with particular emphasis on reducing high-risk behaviours such as speeding, drink driving and failure to wear helmets.
According to the meeting, integrated management will be central to the strategy, including the establishment of road safety command centres at all levels. Community-based measures will include family and village checkpoints, door-to-door safety visits, an increase in rapid response teams and improved collection of accident data involving tourists and foreign nationals to support analysis and targeted prevention.
Infrastructure safety was also highlighted, with agencies instructed to accelerate upgrades to local roads, address accident-prone intersections and urgently resolve hazards along irrigation canals that may contribute to serious crashes.
In parallel, stricter inspections of public transport vehicles and drivers will be enforced, alongside an expansion of speed checkpoints and public awareness campaigns targeting unsafe or poorly maintained vehicles. Authorities reiterated that the Department of Land Transport hotline 1584 remains open for the public to report unsafe buses and trucks.
Measures directed at road users will focus on stricter enforcement of traffic laws, application of a misconduct points system, closer monitoring of risky behaviour within communities and early warnings for repeat offenders. Special outreach will also target elderly drivers, encouraging cautious driving and the use of safe, road-worthy vehicles.
The meeting also acknowledged preparations for National Road Safety Day on Jan 21, and progress on implementing the Marrakech Declaration, aimed at raising Thailand’s road safety standards to align with international benchmarks.
Authorities confirmed that the Road Safety Operations Centre will be activated during the 2026 New Year holiday period, from Dec 30, 2025 to Jan 5, 2026, and again during Songkran, from Apr 10-16, 2026, when intensive enforcement and monitoring will be in place.
Vice Governor Adul stressed that preventing and reducing road accidents requires cooperation from all sectors, and called on relevant agencies to strictly implement agreed measures to protect both residents and tourists during Phuket’s busiest and most high-risk travel periods.