The Director-General of the Department of Probation disclosed that on the second day of the 2026 Songkran festival, drunk driving cases surged to 1,127, with Chiang Mai, Nonthaburi, and Samut Prakan holding the top three highest records.
On 12 Apr 2026, Lt. Col. Piya Raksakul, Director-General of the Department of Probation, revealed statistics for cases under probation ordered by the courts on 11 Apr. There were a total of 1,174 cases entering the probation process, including 1,127 cases (96%) of drunk driving and 47 cases (4%) related to driving under drug influence. Meanwhile, cumulative data for the first two days (10–11 Apr) showed 1,610 total cases: 1,480 drunk driving cases (91.9%), 127 drug-influenced driving cases (7.9%), and 3 reckless driving cases (0.2%). The top three provinces with the highest drunk driving cases were Chiang Mai with 246 cases, Nonthaburi with 147, and Samut Prakan with 145.
The Director-General added that the Department of Probation has implemented proactive measures to prevent and reduce road accidents during the 2026 Songkran festival under the concepts "Drive Safely, Reduce Speed, Reduce Accidents" and "Probation Together Builds a Safe Society, Reduces Road Hazards." He instructed probation offices nationwide to coordinate continuously with all sectors to organize campaigns, such as supporting missions at 29 community and checkpoint locations involving 386 participants, conducting training on traffic laws and the dangers of alcohol, and involving probationers in real-time driving behavior monitoring via CCTV systems to raise safety awareness.
Furthermore, the Director-General expressed concern for the public nationwide, urging everyone to celebrate Songkran joyfully yet safely by adhering to traffic discipline, respecting the rights of all road users, and avoiding risky behaviors—especially emphasizing the "Don't Drink and Drive, Don't Drive After Drinking" principle—to collectively reduce accidents and build a sustainably safe society.