Road accidents kill 241 in first 4 holidays in Thailand

Road accidents have claimed lives of 241 people and injured 2,382 others in the first four days of the New Year holiday week, a little higher than the same period last year, the Road Safety Center said on Monday. From Dec. 29, 2011 to Jan. 1, 2012, there were 2,167 road accidents in total, falling by 306 or 12.37 percent from the 2,473 accidents reported during the same period last year, the Thai News Agency reported, citing statistics of the Road Safety Centre. The death toll rose to 241, up by seven or 2.99 percent over the same period of last year. The total number of the injured amounted to 2,382, down by 274 or 10.32 percent. Northern province of Chiang Rai reported the highest number of accidents with 85 while the most deaths were reported in northeastern province of Buri Ram with 16. On New Year's Day, the fourth day of the New Year travel period, the Road Safety Centre reported 562 accidents, down 26.67 percent from 777 recorded on the same day last year, Public Health Minister Witthaya Buranasiri told a news conference. Some 47.86 percent of the accidents were caused by drunk driving, followed by speeding with 19.93 percent and motorcycles are involved in most of the accidents, accounting for 82.59 percent, he said.