Bangkok: The Road Safety Center announced alarming accident statistics for January 1, 2026, reporting 317 injuries and 54 fatalities from 326 road accidents. Over the three-day campaign period, the death toll reached 145, with 769 individuals injured. Bangkok recorded the highest number of fatalities, accounting for 12 of the deaths.
According to Thai News Agency, the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) and the Road Safety Center (RSC) released these figures on January 2nd. Mr. Jirapong Theppitak, Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Transport and chairman of the press conference, highlighted the campaign "Safe Driving, Reduce Speed, Reduce Accidents, or 7 Days of Danger Monitoring," which was underway during the New Year Festival 2026.
The primary causes of these accidents were speeding, responsible for 40.18% of incidents, followed by drunk driving at 29.45%. Motorcycles were the most involved vehicles, representing 76.92% of the accidents, followed by pickup trucks and passenger cars. Phuket reported the highest number of accidents and injuries, with 16 incidents and 18 injuries respectively, while Bangkok had the highest number of fatalities with 7 deaths reported on January 1st alone.
Cumulatively, from December 30, 2025, to January 1, 2026, there were 798 accidents, resulting in 769 injuries and 145 fatalities. Phuket led with the highest cumulative number of accidents at 34 and injuries at 38, whereas Bangkok had the highest number of fatalities at 12.
Traffic volumes on major highways and motorways around Bangkok are expected to peak on January 4, 2026, with an estimated 644,572 vehicles entering the city. Despite a lower cumulative number of accidents compared to previous years, daily accident rates remain higher. Authorities are intensifying measures, such as setting up checkpoints and coordinating with local agencies to manage speed limits and address drunk driving.
The ongoing campaign includes rigorous monitoring and the establishment of roadblocks to address speeding and drunk driving. Authorities are also evaluating the impact of the recently lifted restrictions on the sale of alcoholic beverages in the afternoon, from 2 PM to 5 PM, to determine its effect on drunk driving incidents.