Safety measures for New Year celebrations

BANGKOK, Dec 10 (TNA) -- The agencies under the Transport Ministry have mapped out safety measures for bus and train passengers in an attempt to reduce casualties and accidents among the revelers during the upcoming New Year celebrations. Noppharat Karunyavanich, Executive Vice President of the state-run Transport Co, Ltd, said many people are expected to travel during the New Year holiday and Transport Co, Ltd has planned to add more than 600 buses per day so that it could cater to some 180,000 passengers a day. Currently, the bus company provides 7,670 buses daily. Wuthichart Kalyanamitra, Governor of the State Railway of Thailand (SRT), said that SRT projects approximately 120,000 passengers would travel by train during the annual celebration. About 90,000 train passengers travel daily at present, said Mr Wuthichart. Land Transport Department director-general Sanit Phromwong, meanwhile, said every agency has been informed to prepare sufficient buses for passengers travelling between this December 29 – January 4. Drivers will be checked before leaving bus stations that they are not driving under an influence of alcohol, said Mr Sanit. Also, a GPS system will be installed to ensure that public bus drivers drive under a speed limit allowed by the law. (TNA)