There were 1,917 traffic accidents in Thailand, killing 278 people and injuring1,869 others, during the seven days of the government's road safety campaign for the Songkran festival from April 11 to 17, Nirat Pongsitthithaworn, the country’s deputy interior permanent secretary, said on April 18.
Thailand’s Department of Disease Control (CDC) has urged more than 2 million elderly people to get COVID-19 shots before the Songkran festival as infections may soar during the festive period.
COVID-19 daily caseloads in Thailand may top 100,000 by the Songkran festival in the middle of March in the worst-case scenario, according to the country’s Department of Disease Control (DDC).
A total of 277 people were killed and 2,357 injured in more than 2,300 road accidents during the Songkran holiday this year, according to official data.
Thai Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Health Anutin Charnvirakul has confirmed that Thailand is in talks for travel bubbles with several countries.
Malaysia is to issue a smart vaccination certificate to people in the country who have been vaccinated against COVID-19, said Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba.
Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha on April 10 called on people to stay at home during the traditional Songkran festival to curb the spread of COVID-19.
The acute respiratory disease caused by a novel coronavirus (COVID-19) may subside in the second half of 2020 or earlier, Thailand’s Minister of Tourism and Sports Pipat Ratchakitprakan said on February 23, expecting that the country’s tourism would recover after its Songkran New Year festival.
Traffic accidents took the lives of at least 297 people and injured over 2,800 others in Thailand from April 11-15 during the traditional New Year festival, Songkran.
Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has called for national unity in a Songkran (Thai New Year) message, saying that it is important to promote solidarity to maintain peace and steer the country toward democracy.
Tourist destinations in Thailand began their celebrations of the traditional New Year festival Songkran on April 11, two days ahead of the official date.
The Thai Chamber of Commerce (TCC) forecast Thailand’s gross domestic product (GDP) growth at 3.5 percent in 2019 if the new government takes office by September.
The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has forecast that the number of tourists during this year’s Songkran festival from April 12-16 will drop by 10 percent partly due to the northern haze problems.
The Angkor Songkran festival in celebration of Cambodia’s traditional New Year festival Chol Chnam Thmay kicked off in Angkor Wat relic site, the Cambodian province of Siem Reap on April 13.
Vietjet offers more than a half of million tickets priced from only 0 VND on some flights to Thailand, Myanmar and Cambodia during three golden days from April 4 2018 to celebrate the Songkran Festival.
The weather on the day of Songkran, Thailand’s traditional New Year, could prove very hot as the temperature is predicted to rise to 40 degrees Celsius, the Thai Meteorological Department said.