The Ministry of Interior has opened a command center to reduce road accidents during the 2026 New Year period, strictly controlling the 7 dangerous days. It stresses that all areas must integrate efforts to enforce “drink no drive” and reduce risk points, while implementing community checkpoints specifically on secondary and local roads.
At 10:00 a.m. on 29 Dec 2025 GMT+7, Mr. Assit Sampanarat, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Interior, assigned Mr. Chaiwat Chuenkosum, Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Interior and head of the Disaster and Urban Development Mission Group, to chair the opening of the command center for prevention and reduction of road accidents during the 2026 New Year festival. Present were Mr. Theerapat Kachamat, Director-General of the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation; Police General Samran Nuamma, Deputy Commissioner-General of the Royal Thai Police; Mr. Chakree Bamrungwong, Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Transport; Mr. Wirun Sithiwong, Deputy Director-General of the Department of Provincial Administration; Mr. Siriphant Srikongphlee, Deputy Director-General of the Department of Local Administration; executives from the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation; members of the Road Safety Command Center; governors from 76 provinces; and relevant agencies. The event took place at Meeting Room 1, DDPM Building 3, 5th floor, and was broadcast electronically.
Mr. Chaiwat Chuenkosum said that Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Anutin Charnvirakul is concerned about citizens’ road safety, especially during the year-end New Year festival. The government places great importance on preventing and reducing road accidents during festivals and continually focuses on building road safety. Permanent Secretary Assit Sampanarat has emphasized to governors of all 76 provinces the importance of establishing and operating “community checkpoints,” especially on secondary and local roads, to enhance safety for villagers and communities.
“For the 2026 New Year festival, all areas are required to integrate plans to prevent and reduce road accidents using a clear operational framework. Command centers will continuously provide services to the public to strictly control safety during the 7 dangerous days from 30 Dec 2025 to 5 Jan 2026, with the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) as the main driving agency. The goal is to create a sustainable road safety culture, such as promoting the “drink no drive” mindset, educating the public about legal penalties, reducing risk points and dangers in communities, and instilling traffic discipline among youth and schools. The Ministry of Interior thanks all sectors for their sacrifice and integrated efforts in preparing routes, traffic signals, vehicles, law enforcement, management, and mobilizing public cooperation to ensure everyone travels safely during the New Year festival,” Mr. Chaiwat said.
Mr. Theerapat Kachamat, Director-General of the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation, stated that the National Policy Committee for Road Accident Prevention and Reduction (NPRAPR) has approved an integrated plan to prevent and reduce road accidents during festivals and holidays in 2026. It also mandates establishing the annual New Year festival Road Accident Prevention and Reduction Command Center under the supervision of the year-round Road Accident Prevention and Reduction Command Center, to direct, monitor, evaluate, and integrate operations with partner agencies from all sectors for maximum efficiency.