Songkran road safety campaign launched in Thailand

BANGKOK, March 30 (TNA) - The Thai government, through the Ministry of Transport, has launched the official road safety campaign for the upcoming Songkran or the traditional Thai New Year Festival in mid-April, when there will be heavy road traffic nationwide. Deputy Transport Minister Ormsin Chivapruck presided over a ceremony in Bangkok on Wednesday to launch the "Drive Safe Be Safe" campaign, focused on safe public transport services and the control of public vehicles' speed. On the occasion, the deputy transport minister also handed aids to 12 persons with disabilities (PWDs) resulting from traffic accidents. Under the campaign, the deputy minister said, all local transport agencies have also been ordered to provide travelers with sufficient transport services during the Songkran Festival, while his ministry's Department of Land Transport will ensure that public buses are safe and drivers and attendants are not under any drug or alcoholic influences, or are not too tired to work. Meanwhile, Land Transport Department Director-General Sanit Phromwong told reporters that his department's officials will check buses' speeds with laser speed guns and the global positioning system (GPS) devices installed on buses, while drivers who violate speed limits and the owners of their buses will be legally punished. Sanit revealed that his department will also set up 14 checkpoints to examine the conditions of inter-provincial passenger buses and drivers on highways. Besides, motorists can have their vehicles checked free of charges at 2,000 private garages nationwide until April 10, while 189 service areas on main highways will be set up where motorists can rest and have their vehicles checked by vocational students during April 11-17. (TNA)