January 2, 2008
BANGKOK - Traffic accidents killed 336 people and injured 3,984 in Thailand over the New Year holidays, according to the Interior Ministry.
Fatalities during the December 29 to January 1 holiday period were down about four percent from last year, while the number of injuries rose slightly, he Department of Prevention and Relief of Public Disasters said in a statement.
Drunk driving caused 42 percent of the incidents, the ministry said, while speeding, reckless driving and motorcycle drivers not wearing helmets were blamed for the rest, according to AFP.
Khon Kaen province had the highest death toll of 18.
The highest number of deaths occurred on December 30, when 85 people were killed, while 84 percent of all accidents over the New Year period involved motorcycles.
Throughout December, police and government officials had waged a campaign against drunk drivers, with officials -- often dressed in eye-catching costumes -- handing out cautionary leaflets on motorways.
Thais are among the world's heaviest drinkers. A health ministry study found that per capita, Thais consumed 41.6 litres of alcohol in 2001, up 67 percent from a decade earlier.
