Govt Sets Out Songkran Precautions For Phuket

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Govt sets out Songkran precautions for Phuket
Naraporn Tuarob


Songkran starts on April 11. Photo: Kazuhiro Nakamura

PHUKET: -- Sales of alcohol will be banned during the Songkran holiday from April 11 to 17 in the main water fight areas including parts of Patong and Cherng Talay, Surin Beach, Saphan Hin and Nai Yang Beach.

All these areas will be patrolled by police with orders to ensure the rules are not broken.

At a meeting today (April 3), it was announced that the main aim of the no-drink zones is to prevent road accidents.

Last year, during the holiday in Phuket, there were 44 accidents, with three dead and 43 injured. Governor Maitree Intusut, chairing the meeting, said this year’s aim should be zero road deaths.

Unlike in Bangkok, throwing water from the back of trucks will not be banned in Phuket, but pick-up trucks full of celebrants will be told by police to go slow.

Other points from the meeting:

All tour companies and bus companies must check their vehicles before letting them out on the roads during the festival.

The marine office in Phuket will provide officers on boats to keep an eye on the shoreline. Others will check all ferries and passenger boats to ensure they are not overloaded.

Cases of sexual harassment will be taken seriously, with offenders being arrested.

Police checkpoints will be set up at the following locations to control traffic with the aim of detecting and weeding out drunk drivers:



At Phuket International Airport,

In front of the Isuzu showroom in Koh Kaew

South of the Heroines Monument,

In front of Pa Khlok Municipality,

At the Patong Hill junction,

At the Kalim junction,

In front of Eak Andaburi Villages, Chalong,

In front of the Bangjak petrol station, Chao Fa West Rd,

At the Tha Chat Chai checkpoint,

In front of Cheng Talay Municipality,

In front of Tesco-Lotus Cherng Talay,

At the See Ko checkpoint in Kathu,

At the Ket Ho intersection in Kathu,

In front of Big C, Kamala,

In front of Wichit Municipality, and

At the Ramanda Hotel Curve, Karon.

Source: http://www.thephuketnews.com/govt-sets-out-songkran-precautions-for-phuket-38358.php


-- Phuket News 2013-04-03

[Jimi007]

LOL! Good thing they announced all the alcohol checkpoints for the island! There aren't any checkpoints in Rawai or alcohol bans. Party on!

[madmitch]

They appear to have changed the dates in the Phuket News to state that the drink ban only applies on 12th and 13th April.

What's the betting on a blanket alcohol sales ban next year after this latest ridiculous ruling fails to reduce the number of accidents?

[Suffinator]

They'll have as much chance of enforcing the alcohol ban as I have of not getting laid tonight - it ain't gonna happen.

[wirat69]

Hmmm.... dare to mention, but if they banned driving [except public transport] during Songkran.... there would be very few road accidents, good trade for taxis, tuk-tuks (though they are fair game, at least in Chiang Mai) busses and rail.... with ice in the water, people could rink until they are cold sober... Thailand could also be the hub of fuel savers!!

[JetsetBkk]

Fair enough. So let's all get drunk before we drive to the alcohol banned areas.