Thai PM calls on change in motorists' behaviors for road safety

BANGKOK, April 18 (TNA) - Thai Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-ocha has called on reckless drivers to change their behaviors for the sake of road safety. Expressing his dissatisfaction with latest statistics on road accidents and casualties during April 11–16, the so-called six dangerous days for long Songkran holidays this year, the prime minister said on Tuesday although the accumulated death toll during the long Songkran holidays 2017 was lower than last year, the good spirit of drivers remains needed to further reduce the annual festivity's death toll. "The government's officers on duty have strictly enforced traffic laws, but drivers should change their behaviors and have the good spirit of upholding the laws by refraining from drunk driving and overspeed", the prime minister suggested. According to the official figures, the accumulated death toll and injuries during this year's Songkran public holidays reached 335 and 3,506 cases respectively from a total of 3,388 road accidents nationwide. In response to more frequent reports on violence from the use of weapons with increasing casualties, the Thai premier stressed that he has assigned Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister General Prawit Wongsuwan to concretely crack down on the violent acts. The prime minister, however, thanked the combined force of over 300,000 police and military officers nationwide who had sacrificed their holidays to take care of the public during the recent Songkran or Traditional Thai New Year Festival. The prime minister, meanwhile, affirmed, however, that his government's compromise on a strict law enforcement over the total ban on back rides of convertible pick-up trucks will be continued for a certain period to provide some times for affected people to follow the new road safety law. (TNA)