More people leave houses under Thai police care

BANGKOK, December 29 (TNA) - More people in Bangkok and outlying areas are expected to leave their houses and properties under Thai police care while they are away to celebrate the New Year festival. Royal Thai Police Deputy Spokeswoman Colonel Witchayakorn Nichaboworn told journalists on Sunday that owners of about 1,270 houses in the capital and outlying areas have requested police to look after their houses during the ongoing long New Year holiday. According to the deputy spokeswoman, it is expected that the number of those who ask police to look after their houses during the ongoing New Year celebrations should exceed those of last year. The deputy spokeswoman revealed that National Police Chief Police General Adul Saengsingkaew has ordered police to step up security measures for New Year celebrants nationwide, including those at key tourist destinations. Meanwhile, updated statistics released by the Road Safety Directing Center (RSDC), run by the Thai Ministry of Interior's Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation, showed that a total of 86 people were killed and 885 others were injured from 866 road accidents nationwide during the first two days of “Seven Dangerous Days" of New Year travels in Thailand this year, set from December 27, 2013-January 2, 2014, with fatalities and injuries on the second day alone, December 28, recorded at 47 and 486 respectively from 474 road accidents, still caused mostly by drunk driving and speeding. Dr. Winai Sawasdivorn, Secretary-General of the National Health Security Office, under the Thai Ministry of Public Health, told reporters that New Year revelers can receive medical treatment at any state-run or private-run hospitals if they fall sick. According to the doctor, people who have joined the Thai government-sponsored Universal Health Care programme can receive treatment at any nearby hospital participating in the programme in case of emergency, while critical patients can also receive treatment at private-run hospitals even though they do not join the programme because the private hospitals can later disburse medical fees from his office.(TNA)