During New Year travelling from Dec 29 to Jan 3, a total of 2,083 traffic accidents occurred nationwide, resulting in 256 fatalities and 2,106 injuries.
Suthep Kaengsanthia, permanent secretary for education, on Thursday announced the figures on the losses incurred during the six-day New Year vacation period. Kanchanaburi province recorded the highest number of accidents at 77 and the greatest number of injuries at 83, while Bangkok reported the highest death toll at 17.
During this period, 11 out of all 77 provinces reported zero traffic fatalities.
On Wednesday alone there were 239 traffic accidents, claiming 35 lives and injuring 250 people. The most common cause of road accidents on Wednesday was speeding (contributing to 37.66% of all road accidents), followed by drivers cutting in front of other motorists (21.76%) and drunk driving (14.64%), Mr Suthep said.