Bangkok: This Songkran, "whether the statistics decrease or increase depends on you." The Department of Transport urges those who drink and drive to stop the losses before it's too late. The Department of Land Transport is encouraging a culture of safety for Songkran 2026 with a focus on reducing road accidents.
According to Thai News Agency, the Department of Land Transport is advancing its efforts to enhance road safety during the Songkran festival in 2026 under the concept of "This year's Songkran accident statistics: decrease or increase depends on you." The initiative concentrates on altering driver behavior to minimize fatalities to zero, with a particular emphasis on motorcycle users, who are frequently involved in accidents annually.
Mr. Sorapong Paitoonpong, Director-General of the Department of Land Transport, highlighted that past accident statistics reveal that the most hazardous locations often occur within a 5-kilometer radius of homes. Drivers' familiarity with these routes often leads to negligence, especially during Songkran when water splashing and drinking are prevalent in residential areas. Risky behaviors such as "drunk driving" and "not wearing a helmet" over short distances significantly contribute to serious and fatal accidents. The primary aim of this campaign is to inspire the public to alter their attitudes and driving behaviors, with a focus on addressing negligence as the main cause of accidents. The Department is inviting all Thais to help reduce accident statistics through simple guidelines:
- Avoid drinking and driving to prevent accidents often caused by intoxication.
- Wear a helmet at all times to reduce injury severity, especially for motorcycle riders, the group with the highest number of accidents.
- Drive cautiously, avoid speeding, and strictly adhere to traffic regulations to ensure your safety and that of other road users.
To effectively reach the public, the Department of Land Transport has prepared a comprehensive set of campaign materials for dissemination by various agencies. These materials include a television commercial (TVC) depicting the harsh realities of fatalities, urging drivers to "think twice" before negligence leads to irreversible consequences. Additionally, a key visual showcases a series of images of wrecked vehicles with a statistics scale to emphasize that the number of fatalities "decreases" or "increases" based on everyone's traffic discipline. Infographics are also provided to educate the public on confidently using public transportation and surviving emergency situations.
Mr. Sorapong concluded by stating that the Department of Land Transport's ultimate goal is to ensure that Thais return home safely. Reducing accident statistics requires everyone's cooperation because these statistics are not just numbers; they symbolize the loss of family happiness due to momentary carelessness. He invites all sectors to assist in disseminating this campaign material to raise awareness. The materials are available for download from the Facebook fan page "Safe Driving by DLT" and the website .
The belief is that if everyone collaborates to change risky behaviors and drive mindfully, accident statistics can be significantly reduced, allowing this year's Songkran festival to be a joyous celebration and ensuring everyone reaches their destination safely.