Over 12,000 drink-drivers were sent to the Department of Probation during the seven-day road safety campaign for the Songkran period this year, according to department chief Prasarn Mahaleetrakul.
Among them, 480 people were ordered by the court to wear the smartwatch-like electronic monitoring (EM) bracelets while some drunk drivers will be required to attend an alcohol rehabilitation programme, he said.
On Wednesday, the last day of the so-called "seven dangerous days", there were 3,693 road safety offences, including 3,454 drink-driving cases, 231 cases of driving under the influence of other substances (6.25%) and eight reckless driving cases (0.22%), he said.
The court has ordered 91 drunk drivers to wear the EMs. The drivers are prohibited from leaving their houses from 10pm-4am for 7-15 days and will be on probation for one year.
In addition to having to make four in-person reports, the drivers will also have to complete 24 hours of community service.
Over the entire seven days, 478 drink-drivers and two who drove under the influence of drugs have been ordered to wear the EM.
However, a total of 12,597 cases were sent to court, including 12,192 cases of drink-driving, 386 cases of driving under the influence of drugs and 19 cases of reckless driving.
Police say 727 drink-driving cases were in Bangkok, 714 cases in Maha Sarakham and 533 cases in Nakhon Phanom, he said.
Nevertheless, there were fewer road accidents, deaths and injuries during this year's seven-day safety campaign, which closed on Wednesday night, according to figures released by the Road Safety Directing Centre yesterday.
From April 11 until Wednesday, the road safety campaign saw 3,338 reported accidents -- a 10% decline on the same time period last year.
There were 386 road fatalities (a decrease of 7.7%) and another 3,442 people injured (a decrease of 11.7%).
Lop Buri and Udon Thani recorded the most deaths, with 15 each, while Krabi, Phangnga, Sukhothai and Ang Thong had a clean sheet, with zero fatalities.
Chiang Mai and Nakhon Si Thammarat led with 128 accidents each throughout the period, while Nakhon Si Thammarat also had the most injuries, with a total of 136.
Deputy Interior Minister Sutee Markboon said that drivers under the influence of alcohol and who ignore speed limits or drive against the traffic flow would be the prime targets for law enforcement in keeping the figures lower in future.