Thai PM thanks officers for taking care of New Year travellers

BANGKOK, January 4 (TNA) - Thai Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-ocha thanks all officers on duty for their hard working in taking good care of the public during just-passed New Year holidays. Government Spokesman Lieutenant General Sansern Kaewkamnerd told journalists on January 3 that the prime minister has extended his thankfulness to all officers on duty in all areas nationwide during the New Year holidays, saying that the happiness of Thai people is the happiness of the nation. The spokesman stated that the prime minister has asked motorists to also be kind to one another, to always follow traffic rules and never to drive while getting drunk for the sake of safety for all. Besides, the prime minister has expressed his worries over the plight of people in the flood-hit Thai South and ordered local agencies concerned to closely take care of flood victims, particularly children and the elderly. Meanwhile, Department of Land Transport Director-General Sanit Promwong told reporters that his department is implementing the Sure Driving/Smart Driver Programme to increase drivers' skills and knowledge on how to drive safely, covering how to handle any emergency situation, in order to reduce road accidents, injuries and death toll in the country in line with the government's policy. Under the programme, the senior official noted, his department has increased the duration of the compulsory traffic rule training session from 4 to 5 hours for news drivers and for those whose temporary driving licenses have expired for more than one year. The senior official revealed that the new training session was set to begin across the country as of January 4, 2017 and drivers, after completing the training session, are required to take an e-exam and a driving test as usual before they get their driving licenses if they pass all the tests. (TNA)