Control on booze consumption to reduce road deaths this New Year's, says govt
Government agencies have been instructed to ensure motorists do not drive in an inebriated state, so there are few road accidents during the New Year break.
Deputy government spokesperson Traisuree Taisaranakul said on Monday that police and the Interior Ministry have been instructed to strictly screen drivers during the holiday period to ensure they are not drunk and follow traffic law.
Violators will be punished, she said.
“The PM has issued these instructions as many Thais will be travelling out of the city during the New Year break, especially now that Covid-related restrictions have been lifted,” she said.
Traisuree said Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has also asked police and local officials to work on an action plan to control the consumption of alcohol during the break.
The action plan includes surveying venues where alcoholic beverages are sold to ensure operators are complying with laws, such as refraining from the sale of alcohol to people below the age of 20 and closing entertainment venues at prescribed times, she said.
Motorists caught drunk driving will also be sent to rehabilitation centres after the New Year break, she added.
Citing data from the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation, Traisuree said the last New Year break saw 2,707 road accidents, 333 deaths and 2,672 people injured.
She said 29.51% of these accidents were due to drunk driving.
“Up to 15,000 people were charged for drunk driving during last year’s New Year break,” she said, citing Court of Justice’s data.
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