Drunk driving accounted for 3,726 cases recorded during the 2026 Songkran Festival, with Chiang Mai reporting the highest number, according to Thailand’s Department of Probation.
Director-general Piya Raksakun said the department instructed probation offices nationwide to enforce strict measures under campaigns promoting road safety, including “safe driving, reduce speed, reduce accidents” and efforts to reduce road incidents during the holiday period.
Provincial officials also set up 18 checkpoints where motorists could rest while receiving information on traffic laws and the risks of alcohol consumption. A total of 381 people took part in these activities.
Between April 10 and April 15, courts ordered probation in 3,961 cases linked to Songkran-related offences. Of these, 3,726 involved drunk driving.
Chiang Mai Songkran Festival recorded the highest number of drunk driving cases at 651, followed by Samut Prakan with 317 and Nonthaburi with 266. Other offences included 230 cases of driving under the influence of drugs, four cases of reckless driving, and one speeding case.
Data reported by Thai PBS showed 951 road accidents during the same period, resulting in 191 deaths and 911 injuries. Speeding and drunk driving were identified as the main causes.
One of the tragic accidents occurred in Pathum Thani province on April 14, when a drunk pickup truck driver crashed into a group of four Thai boys in the Chiang Khan district of Loei province, killing them instantly.
Four more people were killed on April 12 on Pathum Thani road while travelling home from the Songkran Festival.
The Ministry of Public Health reported a decrease in drunk driving cases compared with last year, with 6,100 cases recorded during the 2025 Songkran Festival. In that period, 253 people died and 1,495 were injured in road accidents.
Although the official Songkran Festival ended yesterday, April 15, some provinces and entertainment venues extended celebrations under the Wan Lai events.
In Chon Buri and Pattaya, Wan Lai activities are scheduled in several areas from today, April 16, to April 20. In Samut Prakan, Phra Pradaeng will host its Wan Lai celebrations from April 24 to April 26.
Piya urged the public to prioritise road safety during the extended holiday period, noting that roads across the country remain busy.
The story Chiang Mai records highest drink driving cases during Songkran as seen on Thaiger News.
