BANGKOK, Thailand – Thailand’s police chief has praised officers nationwide for their work during the Songkran holiday period, saying road accidents and deaths both declined this year thanks to tougher enforcement and stronger public safety measures.
Speaking at the Royal Thai Police headquarters on April 17, Police General Kitrat Phanphet, Commissioner-General of the Royal Thai Police, said the overall management of Songkran 2026 had been successful, with police officers working tirelessly to keep the public safe throughout the holiday.
He said accident statistics were lower than last year, while the number of fatalities also dropped. Senior officers were deployed across the country to monitor operations and encourage frontline personnel.
Although traffic accidents decreased overall, most incidents still involved motorcycles. Police also reported a high number of arrests for offences such as failing to wear helmets and speeding.
Police General Kitrat said authorities had carefully managed traffic on expressways and roads leading into Bangkok and major cities. He noted that officials initially expected large numbers of people to leave the capital on April 10, but travel volumes were actually higher on April 11, when more than 300,000 vehicles left the city.
He said the workload for officers had been heavy but operations had gone smoothly.
“Songkran water celebrations were generally peaceful and orderly. Those who behaved badly while playing water were prosecuted. Police officers worked hard to manage traffic, maintain order, and ensure public safety. I would like to praise every officer for their dedication,” he said.
The police chief added that authorities had applied lessons learned from New Year operations to Songkran, particularly through the use of checkpoints and roadblocks to target drink driving.
According to Police General Kitrat, the number of drink-driving cases dropped significantly this year because of stricter enforcement and better planning.
He said he would give police officers “10 out of 10” for their Songkran performance.
“There may have been some mistakes because this is a large-scale operation, but officers showed great dedication and sacrifice. I thank every officer who gave up their time to look after the public,” he said.
The police chief also praised officers who joined in Songkran celebrations with the public, saying he had encouraged police to be more approachable.
“Police must stay close to the people because police are public servants, not people with power over the public. Officers can enjoy Songkran while also taking care of the people,” he said.
When asked about cases of sexual harassment reported during Songkran celebrations this year, Police General Kitrat said authorities would continue to treat such offences seriously.
He noted that some Songkran venues attract hundreds of thousands of people, making it difficult for police to monitor every area at all times.
“In some crowded areas, misconduct can happen where officers cannot immediately reach. That is why police must enforce the law seriously,” he said.
He added that he had already instructed police nationwide to pay close attention to inappropriate behaviour during Songkran, including sexual harassment and assault.
As a result of stricter enforcement, several offenders were arrested during this year’s celebrations.
