Traffic accidents on New Year holidays

BANGKOK, Jan 1 (TNA) - Thai authorities reported that on the first two days of New Year holidays, there were 1,133 traffic accidents, which killed more than 100 people. The accidents happened while concerned authorities were campaigning for road safety as New Year vacationers considerably raised road traffic. Kannikar Saengthong, director-general of the Department of Probation, said that 128 people were killed and 1,158 others were injured in the traffic accidents on the first two days of the government's road safety campaign during the New Year festival. The most common cause of the traffic accidents was drunk driving and 83.30% of vehicles involved in the accidents were motorcycles, she said. The highest number of killed victims in a province was seven and was reported in Phetchabun, Surat Thani, Chiang Mai and Buri Ram provinces each. The highest number of the injured was 52, recorded in Nakhon Sawan province. (TNA)