Road safety center for Songkran opened in Thailand

BANGKOK, April 11 (TNA) - The Thai government, through the Ministry of Interior, has opened a road safety center to campaign for public safety during this week's Songkran or traditional Thai New Year Festival. Opening the center at the ministry's Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation on Monday, Interior Minister General Anupong Paojinda said that Thai Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-ocha is concerned over road safety during this week's Songkran Festival and has, thus, ordered the opening of the center to integrate road safety campaigns during April 11-17. General Anupong noted that the ad-hoc center focuses on area-based road safety campaigns, covering the setting up of a checkpoint in each community or village. Besides, venues of Songkran celebrations are covered with adequate safety measures and are alcohol-free, while accident-prone road sections are improved. According to the minister, officers at the checkpoints are tasked with arresting drunk and speeding drivers and seizing their driving licences. The minister acknowledged the road safety campaigns, again, focus on motorcyclists because most road accidents have involved motorcycles. The interior minister also encouraged people to save water during this year's Songkran, also known as the water splashing festival, due to the ongoing drought in the country currently. Meanwhile, Kanokkittika Kritwutikorn, Director for Rayong's provincial office of the state-run Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), projected that up to 290 million baht should be changed hands in the eastern resort province alone during this year's Songkran Festival, thanks to active local tourism promotional activities. (TNA)