317 people killed, 3,160 others injured due to Thailand's road accidents during New Year festival
Xinhua
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Fireworks erupting over downtown Bangkok during New Year's celebrations on January 1, 2020.(Photo: ANN)

BANGKOK, Jan. 2 (Xinhua) -- A total of 317 people have been reportedly killed and 3,160 others injured due to road accidents during New Year festival in Thailand, the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) said Thursday.

Thai New Year holiday started from Dec. 27 to Jan. 1.

Those casualties have resulted from a total of 3,076 road accidents throughout the country, with 39 percent of the accidents being reportedly caused by drunk driving, followed by 28 percent due to speeding. The DDPM reported that 79 percent of the automobiles which have had road accidents are motorcycles.

Of those casualties reported during New Year season, 14 people were killed by road accidents in Bangkok, accounting for the highest rate of fatalities among all the provinces nationwide, while 100 others were injured by road accidents in Songkhla province in southern Thailand, accounting for the highest rate of injuries among all the provinces.