Kachorn Srichawanothai, deputy permanent secretary for the interior, said today (Apr 17) that the fatalities resulted from 1,377 traffic accidents in which 1,362 people were injured, reports the Bangkok Post.
“Motorcycles are the most common kind of vehicles involved in the accidents, accounting for 83.32% of the incidents… I would like people to wear helmets whenever they ride on motorcycles and please seriously follow traffic rules,” he said.
From Apr 11 to 16, the southern province of Phatthalung had the most traffic accidents at 52. The northern province of Lampang recorded the highest number of injured people, 56. Bangkok saw the highest road fatalities at 16, he said.
Yesterday alone, Mr Kachorn said there were 155 traffic accidents, 22 fatalities and 149 injured people. Lampang had the most accidents and the highest number of injured people, at nine for both. The most common cause of the accidents was speeding.
Saharat Wongsakulwiwat, deputy director-general of the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation, said most Songkran travellers had already returned to Bangkok and major provinces.
Pichet Kunathammarak, director-general of the Department of Rail Transport, said that people took about 1 million train trips yesterday.