Government kicks off safe-driving campaign for New Year holiday

BANGKOK, Dec 8 (TNA) – Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva on Tuesday officially launched a seven-day safe-driving campaign, aiming to reduce the number of road accidents nationwide during the long upcoming New Year holiday period.

The premier presided over the opening ceremony of the campaign, run by the Road Safety Operation Centre.

All agencies are working together during the whole month of December, with intensified safety measures during the most dangerous peak period of the upcoming New Year beginning December 29 through January 4.

Mr Abhisit said that the government has tried to reduce the number of road accidents, declared as a national agenda. About 12,000 people are killed on average each year and 5,000 persons become handicapped, caused by road accidents.

Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban, director of the Road Safety Operation Centre, said that caravans of vehicles will leave Bangkok for upcountry provinces to promote the campaign.

The Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Office in Songkhla province in the South also began the campaign to urge local motorists to prevent road accidents during the upcoming New Year holiday period. The province has targeted reducing road accidents by five per cent from the previous year. (TNA)