Phuket Vice Governor Adul Chuthong chaired a meeting at provincial hall at 9am this morning to reveal statistics from the campaign which has been extended this year from the traditional seven days to 10 and is being held under the theme ‘Safe Driving, Accident-Free Thailand’.
Vice Governor Adul confirmed there were a total of 11 reported accidents on the road in the 24 hour period from midnight yesterday (Dec 27); nine of these accidents were recorded in Mueang, with one each in Kathu and Thalang. A total of 11 injured people were reported, excluding the one death confirmed. No details as to the deceased were provided in the official government report on the PR Phuket Facebook page.
Motorcycles were the most common vehicle involved in the accidents on Department of Highways roads, with riders not wearing helmets a significant issue.
The official report today confirmed that traffic offenders were prosecuted and either fined or arrested relating to 10 main charges: 392 without a driving license; 258 not wearing a helmet; 79 not wearing a seatbelt; 36 violating traffic lights; 26 driving unsafe motorcycles; 19 drunk driving; seven using a mobile phone while driving; six driving in the opposite direction (or ‘ghostriding’); six overtaking in a ‘tight spot’; and five exceeding the speed limit.
With this year’s campaign also extending to marine safety under an initiative launched on Dec 26 entitled ‘Road and Marine Accident Prevention and Reduction Operations Center’, this morning’s report confirmed there were no accidents, injuries or deaths in local waters in the specific 24-hour period yesterday.
Pol. Col. Phasakon Santhikun, Deputy Commander of Phuket Provincial Police who was also present at this morning’s meeting, said that police have extended an extra, specific focus on safe guarding Myanmar nationals who are involved in the extensive construction boom flooding the island and who are transported daily in vehicles and manners that are somewhat precarious safety wise.
In addition to Vice Governor Adul and Pol. Col. Phasakon, the following were present at this morning’s meeting: Sophon Thongsai, Chief of the Phuket Provincial Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Office; Kiatsak Chotiwongpiphat, Deputy Director of the Phuket Provincial Public Health Office; representatives of the Mueang Phuket, Thalang and Kathu District Chief offices, heads of government agencies, police, local administrative organisations, and relevant agencies.
This year’s road safety campaign began at midnight yesterday (Dec 27) and continues until midnight at the end of Jan 5.