The Road Safety Operation Centre reported 51 deaths and 224 injuries from 237 road accidents on 13 April 2026, marking the fourth day of the Songkran holiday safety campaign. Cumulative figures from 10 to 13 April show 755 accidents, 705 injuries and 154 deaths nationwide. Authorities have ordered stricter enforcement measures as travel volumes remain high during the festival period.

Get today's headlines by email

The figures were announced on 14 April 2026 at 10:30 at the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation. Officials said speeding accounted for 41.77 percent of accidents, followed by drink driving at 27.43 percent. Motorcycles were involved in 70.93 percent of incidents, with most occurring on straight roads and local village routes.

Accidents were most frequent between 15:01 and 18:00, accounting for 20.25 percent of cases. The highest number of casualties occurred among people aged 20 to 29 and 30 to 39, representing 17.82 percent. Chumphon and Chiang Rai recorded the highest number of accidents with 12 cases each, while Chumphon had the most injuries at 13, and Pathum Thani and Loei reported the highest fatalities at four each.

Over the four-day period, Lampang recorded the highest cumulative number of accidents at 33 and injuries at 34. Bangkok had the highest cumulative death toll with eight fatalities, while 22 provinces reported zero deaths. Authorities have instructed all provinces and Bangkok to strictly enforce laws in designated water play zones and during Family Day, including tighter controls on alcohol sales to minors.

Officials warned that large numbers of people are travelling both to celebrate Songkran and returning early to Bangkok to avoid congestion. Agencies have been directed to manage traffic on major routes, especially those under construction, and to set up checkpoints to prevent fatigue-related crashes and rear-end collisions.

Public transport operators have been ordered to ensure vehicle safety and driver readiness, including zero alcohol levels and mandatory rest breaks of at least 30 minutes every four hours. Passengers are also encouraged to report unsafe driver behaviour. Authorities urged motorists to remain alert, take breaks when fatigued, and prioritise safety throughout the holiday period.

Pictures courtesy of DDPM

Related stories

Car-hits-motorcycle-flips-in-Pathum-Thani-four-dead

The-road-safety-centre-reports-24-deaths-on-3rd-dangerous-day

Join the discussion?

Already a member?

Adapted by ASEAN Now DDPM 14 Apr 2026

View full article

It’s hard to understand how a level of road carnage this extreme isn’t treated as a national disgrace.

In other countries, numbers like these would spark public outrage and serious pressure on the government to act.

Here though, it barely seems to register beyond the daily statistics.

Unfortunately, when dozens of people die in a single day and the reaction is seemingly a collective shrug, it suggests the problem has become so normalised that many no longer expect anything to change.

6 minutes ago, Jim Waldron said:

It’s hard to understand how a level of road carnage this extreme isn’t treated as a national disgrace.

In other countries, numbers like these would spark public outrage and serious pressure on the government to act.

Here though, it barely seems to register beyond the daily statistics.

Unfortunately, when dozens of people die in a single day and the reaction is seemingly a collective shrug, it suggests the problem has become so normalised that many no longer expect anything to change.

Maybe the lack of outrage is due to the fact less people die on the roads during these holiday periods than the typical daily average.

Unfathomable! They will have more deaths here in 7 days, that Sweden has in a full year!

It’s lack of enforcement. I remember working in a club in Canberra Australia when they bought in Random Breath Testing in the eighties. The club patronage dropped by 60-70%, particularly on the busy nights. Presumably people drunk drove regularly up till this time even though they knew the consequences. And yes, I was a drink driver in those days.

I was also one of those Brettoj in my 20's. Got busted, disqualified from driving for 12 months. I've rarely done it since and even then only 3-4 cans. For the last 4-5 years I only drink at my home. The governments drink driving campaign in Australia definitely worked. The Thai Government should run with it on prime TV time slots. The main problem here is the penalties for law breaking are ridiculously low, so people run the gauntlet knowing if they caught they can pay without it taking any ill effect on their lifestyle. While I was grounded I took up jogging, lost 30 kg's and ran 4 marathons. I didn't mention that I've lived in Thailand for 25 years.

21 hours ago, Georgealbert said:

Motorcycles were involved in

I suppose even though the numbers are high compared to the West the risks are still low as almost 71% of the deaths were of people stupid enough to ride a motorbike and even more stupid to do it while people were throwing water at them.

For the rest of us who go by car, the risks are still low, especially in place like Phuket where the traffic moves slowly anyway.

I had a good time at Songkran, from the inside of a car as I joined the thousand of other cars in the procession.

Part of the problem is the extreme level of refusal that the highway patrol brings to the table when it comes to patrolling the highways, you see them at the scene of an accident, you see them at occasional roadblock, but you rarely ever see them patrolling the highways, and never in my two decades here have I seen them pull anyone over for reckless driving or pull a truck over for going 40 km per hour in the fast lane.

The secondary aspect is the lack of driver education, when we used to go to school they would show these horrific crashes of semi trucks crashing into cars and breaking them into little bits, with bodies flying all over the place. Perhaps Thais

need more of that sort of education so they understand the true dangers of driving.

The other problem is the lack of mentorship and the lost art of parenting. When I was growing up my mother spent countless hours with me in the car, showing me how to drive, teaching me etiquette, respect, politeness and courtesy. They don't have that wonderful benefit here.

The last problem is the lack of vision most here have. Many just do not seem to be able to visualize three seconds ahead. If I am at a u-turn and I see a car coming at 120 kph and I wait 2 seconds for him to pass I will have completely safe passage for myself and my family onto the highway, yet many insist on cutting in front of that car and creating a dangerous or deadly situation.

3 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

Part of the problem is the extreme level of refusal that the highway patrol brings to the table when it comes to patrolling the highways, you see them at the scene of an accident, you see them at occasional roadblock, but you rarely ever see them patrolling the highways, and never in my two decades here have I seen them pull anyone over for reckless driving or pull a truck over for going 40 km per hour in the fast lane.

The secondary aspect is the lack of driver education, when we used to go to school they would show these horrific crashes of semi trucks crashing into cars and breaking them into little bits, with bodies flying all over the place. Perhaps Thais

need more of that sort of education so they understand the true dangers of driving.

The other problem is the lack of mentorship and the lost art of parenting. When I was growing up my mother spent countless hours with me in the car, showing me how to drive, teaching me etiquette, respect, politeness and courtesy. They don't have that wonderful benefit here.

The last problem is the lack of vision most here have. Many just do not seem to be able to visualize three seconds ahead. If I am at a u-turn and I see a car coming at 120 kph and I wait 2 seconds for him to pass I will have completely safe passage for myself and my family onto the highway, yet many insist on cutting in front of that car and creating a dangerous or deadly situation.

The road layout is also a factor, having U-Turns and traffic lights on so called highways is just plain stupid, what is wrong with the underpasses, the bridges etc we have in the West, not a U turn in sight.

And having a driving test a ten year old could pass in Thailand is another factor, it is very difficult to pass the driving test first time in the UK for example.

Thai guy next door was arrested, a couple days ago, for drunk driving on his motorbike. Also included in the fine was driving without a license. Gf informs me that no one on the block or around here has a license.....only she and I!

20 hours ago, Gottfrid said:

Unfathomable! They will have more deaths here in 7 days, that Sweden has in a full year!

Sweden could learn a thing or 2 from Norway though.

but meh, zero relevance to thailand!

Picking up my daughter late last night and the plainly impaired and drink driving was out there in plain sight. Frightening. That’s Because there appears to be zero consequence for not doing so. The result of which is a free for all, and the inevitable carnage. Perhaps I am wrong, but it appears to me that Roads are just not being Policed. What Tragic waste of life, and consider the abject misery that brings to those left behind.

The average "normal" day deaths are 44 person per day. So this 51 p. p/d. Is not so bad, if you look the mass migration, and the mass consumption of alkohol.

My wife told me, no worry, we are 65 millions.

Some deaths is no matter.

9 minutes ago, bogozy said:

My wife told me, no worry, we are 65 millions.

Some deaths is no matter.

Yeah parents can just pump out more if they lose one or two.

2 hours ago, JamesPhuket10 said:

The road layout is also a factor, having U-Turns and traffic lights on so called highways is just plain stupid, what is wrong with the underpasses, the bridges etc we have in the West, not a U turn in sight.

And having a driving test a ten year old could pass in Thailand is another factor, it is very difficult to pass the driving test first time in the UK for example.

Bollacks my Thai wife passed the UK driving test first time!🤣

Crash my truck into a house!

Drove her truck into a 12 foot gate post!

So what are the accident/death stats for a normal working day accross Thailand ?

2 minutes ago, Humpy said:

So what are the accident/death stats for a normal working day accross Thailand ?

2025 average per day was like 55.

I’m hoping to finish the holiday travels without becoming a statistic. I hope everyone else here has the same luck.

We’ve driven about 10 hours so far, not including the short local trips. The only police I’ve seen have been under a tent on the roadside, not stopping anyone, not checking anything. Just keeping the chairs warm.

I could do without all the tailgating at high speed as well as all those u-turns on the divided highways.

3 hours ago, bertshaft said:

Perhaps I am wrong, but it appears to me that Roads are just not being Policed.

Appears ? That's an understatement.

Fair play to the RTP’s graphic designer, their work is brilliant. It makes our police stats look dead boring by comparison. :)

It's the same story every Songkran on the number of deaths incidents ect

Nothing improves the government talk the talk on serious consequences going to be introduced every year

Nothing happens a waste of lives for nothing

6 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

Part of the problem is the extreme level of refusal that the highway patrol brings to the table when it comes to patrolling the highways, you see them at the scene of an accident, you see them at occasional roadblock, but you rarely ever see them patrolling the highways, and never in my two decades here have I seen them pull anyone over for reckless driving or pull a truck over for going 40 km per hour in the fast lane.

The secondary aspect is the lack of driver education, when we used to go to school they would show these horrific crashes of semi trucks crashing into cars and breaking them into little bits, with bodies flying all over the place. Perhaps Thais

need more of that sort of education so they understand the true dangers of driving.

The other problem is the lack of mentorship and the lost art of parenting. When I was growing up my mother spent countless hours with me in the car, showing me how to drive, teaching me etiquette, respect, politeness and courtesy. They don't have that wonderful benefit here.

The last problem is the lack of vision most here have. Many just do not seem to be able to visualize three seconds ahead. If I am at a u-turn and I see a car coming at 120 kph and I wait 2 seconds for him to pass I will have completely safe passage for myself and my family onto the highway, yet many insist on cutting in front of that car and creating a dangerous or deadly situation.

You really can not put all the blame on the RTP. Looking at the stats, the 20-39 age group was the main area, along with motorcycles.

These numbers are probably close to what the daily numbers are for tht age group that does not understand speed limits, the use of a helmet, self-responsibility, or any real driver training. We are talking about an age group that is immortal and can bounce back from anything but then again, it will never happen to them. Was alcohol a problem, maybe, but I WOULD BET MINIMAL the real culprit is stupidity.

• Proportional Deaths: If applying the lower end of reported percentages (roughly 15–20% of 20,000), it is estimated that approximately 3,000 to 4,000 individuals in the 20-29 age range die on Thai roads annually.

• 3600/12 = 300 a month or roughly 10 a day.

SONGKRAN IS NOT THAT MUCH OF A DIFFERENCE MAKER

simply the same sea snake every single year.....will never learn

6 hours ago, blaze master said:

Appears ? That's an understatement.

6 hours ago, blaze master said:

Appears ? That's an understatement.

6 hours ago, blaze master said:

Appears ? That's an understatement.

10 hours ago, bertshaft said:

Picking up my daughter late last night and the plainly impaired and drink driving was out there in plain sight. Frightening. That’s Because there appears to be zero consequence for not doing so. The result of which is a free for all, and the inevitable carnage. Perhaps I am wrong, but it appears to me that Roads are just not being Policed. What Tragic waste of life, and consider the abject misery that brings to those left behind.

My thought too- here in UT some of the drivers of bikes are clearly under the influence at 12 noon

It seems to me each year it’s the same same they sit intense they shouldn’t have the police cars out in numbers patrolling streets is that they sit intense play cards eat watch TV play on the phone each year it’s always the same here they haven’t learned that they need to be out on the streets TIT

On 4/15/2026 at 10:34 AM, Ralf001 said:

Sweden could learn a thing or 2 from Norway though.

but meh, zero relevance to thailand!

Yeah, your comment had zero relevance, but mine was a comparison.

Last year 18.000 deaths = daily average of 49.
So nothing special.

"Nothing to see here, people, pls move on!"

On 4/14/2026 at 11:41 PM, JamesPhuket10 said:

The road layout is also a factor, having U-Turns and traffic lights on so called highways is just plain stupid, what is wrong with the underpasses, the bridges etc we have in the West, not a U turn in sight.

And having a driving test a ten year old could pass in Thailand is another factor, it is very difficult to pass the driving test first time in the UK for example.

The U-turns are a poor's man solution...