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Prachuap Khiri Khan province has formally closed its Road Accident Prevention and Reduction Operations Centre for the New Year 2026 holiday period, reporting a fall in accidents, injuries and fatalities compared with the previous year.
The closing ceremony and summary meeting were held on 6 January at Prachuap Khiri Khan Provincial Hall, marking the end of the seven-day intensive road safety campaign that ran from 30 December 2025 to 5 January 2026.
The meeting was chaired by Sitthichai Sawatsan, Governor of Prachuap Khiri Khan. Members of the operations centre’s working committee attended in person, with representatives from all districts joining online.
According to the provincial summary, the final day of the campaign, 5 January, recorded six road accidents, six injuries and no fatalities. Over the full seven-day period, the province recorded a total of 41 accidents, 42 injured persons and two fatalities. The number of accidents was below the target ceiling of 54 cases set for the holiday period.
Both fatalities involved motorcycle riders who were not wearing helmets. One incident occurred in Hua Hin district, where a rider lost control and struck a wall. The second occurred in Bang Saphan district, following a collision with a dog that ran onto the road.
Data from the final day showed that five motorcycles, one multi-purpose passenger vehicle and one motorcycle with a sidecar were involved in accidents. Authorities cited drink-driving, speeding, riding against traffic, unroadworthy vehicles, driver fatigue and poor visibility as contributing factors.
Accidents on 5 January were reported in Thap Sakae district, Mueang district, Kui Buri district and Hua Hin district. Of the six injured motorcyclists, five were not wearing helmets.
A year-on-year comparison between the New Year holiday periods of 2025 and 2026 showed improvements across all key indicators. The number of accidents fell by 29 cases, hospitalised injuries decreased by 24 cases, and fatalities dropped by six.
Despite the overall improvement, officials said risky behaviour remained a concern. Failure to wear helmets accounted for around half of all injury and fatality cases, while motorcycles continued to represent the largest share of accidents at just over 69 percent. The most common causes were speeding, cutting in front of other vehicles and drink-driving.
During the meeting, the governor issued a series of directives to relevant agencies. Police and related authorities were instructed to prepare and deploy personnel to ensure safety at tourist attractions during the upcoming Children’s Day period.
The Provincial Transport Office was directed to strictly enforce regulations against vehicles continuously driving in the right-hand lane, including the installation of warning signs and the display of a public reporting telephone number.
District offices were also told to step up helmet-use campaigns, with a focus on school and university students. Helmet safety is to be included as a standing item on monthly district meeting agendas and promoted at village level, alongside stricter enforcement of legal penalties over the next three months.
The governor thanked officials from all agencies for their work throughout the holiday period, noting that the province met its safety targets. He said the data gathered would be used to refine future measures aimed at reducing road accidents during long holiday periods and limiting the loss of life and property across the province.
National road accident figures during New Year holidays
While Prachuap Khiri Khan recorded a limited number of serious incidents, national figures painted a more severe picture. According to the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation, a total of 241 people were killed and 1,313 injured in 1,364 road accidents nationwide during the first six days of the annual “Seven Dangerous Days” New Year campaign.
On 4 January, the sixth day of the campaign, 27 people were killed and 174 injured in 175 accidents across the country. Speeding was cited as the leading cause, accounting for 32.57% of cases, followed by unsafe close-range cutting in at 30.86%.
Motorcycles were involved in 68.58% of all accidents, while 84.57% occurred on straight roads. The most common time for accidents was between 9am and noon, representing 22.29% of cases. People aged between 20 and 29 made up the largest share of casualties at 17.71%.
Narathiwat recorded the highest number of accidents on 4 January, with 12 cases. Over the full six-day period, Phuket had the highest number of accidents and injuries, with 50 accidents and 53 injured, while Bangkok recorded the highest death toll at 20 fatalities. Seven provinces reported no deaths during the campaign period.
Officials said the figures would be used to review enforcement strategies and public awareness efforts ahead of future holiday travel periods, with particular attention on motorcycle safety, speeding and helmet use.
