Bangkok: Over the three-day New Year period, a total of 798 road accidents occurred, resulting in 769 injuries and 145 deaths. The government has ordered intensified "community checkpoints" to curb risky behaviors that lead to accidents in affected areas and is preparing plans to accommodate returning travelers.
According to Thai News Agency, Ms. Airin Phanrit, Deputy Spokesperson for the Prime Minister's Office, revealed that the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) and the Road Safety Center (RSC) released statistics on road accidents during the New Year's holiday period of 2026, as of January 2, 2026, the third day of the "Safe Driving, Reduce Speed, Reduce Accidents" campaign. There were 326 accidents, resulting in 317 injuries and 54 fatalities. The leading causes of accidents were speeding (40.18%) and drunk driving (29.45%).
Motorcycles were the vehicle most frequently involved in accidents, accounting for 76.92%. Most accidents occurred on straight roads (78.22%), primarily on highways (36.81%), and on local/village roads (29.75%). The peak time for accidents was between 00:01 and 03:00 (25.15%). The highest number of injuries and fatalities occurred in the 20-29 age group (22.91%). Phuket had the highest number of accidents (16 incidents), followed by Phuket with the highest number of injuries (18 people), and Bangkok with the highest number of fatalities (7 deaths).
Summary of road accidents over the 3-day period (December 30, 2025 - January 1, 2026): A total of 798 accidents occurred, resulting in 769 injuries and 145 fatalities. Phuket had the highest cumulative number of accidents (34 incidents), the highest number of injuries (38 people), and Bangkok (12 fatalities).
However, today (January 2, 2026) is still a long holiday weekend, and there is still a relatively high volume of travel between districts and provinces. The public is urged to drive cautiously, maintain a safe distance from the vehicle in front, avoid sudden braking, and always wear seatbelts and helmets while riding. Some people have already begun planning their return to Bangkok and work in various areas to avoid heavy traffic, especially those traveling on the northeastern and northern routes.
The government has urged provinces, districts, local administrative organizations, and relevant agencies, especially the Ministry of Transport, to plan and prepare for the return journey and facilitate travel for people on various routes. This includes ensuring sufficient public transportation, as it is estimated that over 700,000 vehicles, both public buses and private cars, will remain in the area and gradually return over the next 1-2 days.