Authorities have said that rules will be strictly enforced to ensure that all water-splashing venues nationwide are completely alcohol-free during the upcoming Songkran celebrations. Although the national Songkran holiday runs from April 13 to 17, the "World Songkran Festival" will be held from April 1 to 21 to boost tourism.
The Alcohol Control Committee has announced that there will be a total ban on alcohol consumption at all Songkran celebration venues throughout the festival period. The ban will be strictly enforced, with special emphasis on preventing underage access to alcohol and ensuring that there are no off-license sales.
According to Public Health Minister Cholnan Srikaew, all alcohol control recommendations from the Department of Disease Control and related agencies have been fully approved. This is a crucial part of a new plan to control alcohol consumption nationwide (2022-27), with the primary goal of reducing the number of traffic accidents.
Cholnan is urging local governments to set up alcohol-free zones during the Songkran festival to improve road safety. This is crucial as most accidents are caused by drunk drivers. Data from April 11-17 last year showed 4,340 accidents, including 252 deaths, with the majority of victims under the age of 20, and these incidents mostly occurred on secondary roads.
Increased preventive measures will also be implemented in local communities to prevent accidents caused by drunk drivers. Meanwhile, road checkpoints will also be strengthened.
