BANGKOK, Thailand – Deputy Prime Minister and Transport Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn has launched the national New Year 2026 road safety campaign at Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal Station, leading the deployment of police officers to support public travel and safety during the holiday period.
The campaign operates under the theme “A Festival of Happiness, Everywhere Across Thailand” and targets reducing road accidents, deaths, and injuries on transport ministry road networks by at least 5%. The initiative covers the five-day New Year holiday from December 31, 2025, to January 4, 2026, during which nationwide travel is expected to surge.
The Transport Ministry projects more than 25 million passenger trips during the holiday period, including over 21.5 million trips within Bangkok’s public transport system and nearly 4 million interprovincial trips. Traffic congestion is expected to be heaviest from Dec. 30 to Jan. 1, with Dec. 31 forecast as the busiest day.
To manage safety risks, all transport agencies have been instructed to coordinate operations across prevention, travel facilitation, and enforcement. Measures include free vehicle inspections, nationwide safety and service points, real-time traffic updates, strict law enforcement, alcohol- and drug-testing for drivers, road repairs, safety equipment installation, and the temporary suspension of construction work. More than 200 public transport inspection points will operate nationwide.
Rail safety measures include 18 additional trains on major routes, expanded CCTV monitoring, alcohol bans on trains and at stations, and joint security operations with police and local officials. A 24-hour national safety operations center will operate from Dec. 30 through Jan. 5, while travelers are advised to plan ahead, stagger travel times, and avoid peak hours to reduce congestion and accident risk. (NNT)
