BANGKOK – Thailand’s New Year break has reached its halfway point, but the mood on the roads is anything but festive. By the end of day four of the so-called “seven dangerous days”, deaths had climbed to 171, based on figures from the Road Safety Centre. That is up about 6% from the 161 reported at the same stage last year. Motorcycles continue to dominate the tragedy, linked to 73% of all crashes.

The “seven dangerous days” campaign runs from 30 December 2025 to 5 January 2026. It is meant to limit crashes during the peak travel period, when people head home or travel to popular tourist areas. Officials have increased checkpoints and pushed safety messages, but the numbers still keep rising, pointing to risky driving and riding habits that do not shift easily.

On Friday, 2 January, the fourth day of the campaign, the Road Safety Centre logged 187 accidents across the country. Those crashes left 185 people injured and killed 21. Across the first four days, totals reached 991 accidents, 956 injuries, and 171 deaths.

Officials have linked the rise to heavier travel as tourism and domestic trips pick up, plus weaker enforcement in some rural areas. Teerapat Kachamat, director-general of the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM), said the figures show how quickly holiday travel can turn into heartbreak. He added that authorities are asking motorists to put safety first, although changing long-standing behaviour remains a tough task.

Daily breakdown: Deaths keep adding up

The holiday period began on 30 December with 198 crashes, 190 injuries, and 29 deaths. Some measures looked better than long holiday averages, and officials pointed to a reported 38% fall in accidents compared with older long break trends. That early relief did not last.

On 31 December, New Year’s Eve, the situation worsened. Authorities counted 271 crashes, 262 injuries, and 53 deaths. Reports also showed a jump in incidents during the evening, especially between 6 pm and 9 pm.

On 1 January, day three, numbers climbed again. There were 326 accidents, 317 injuries, and 54 deaths. After three days, the running totals sat at 798 crashes, 769 injuries, and 145 deaths.

Friday’s totals were lower than the previous two days, but they still added 21 deaths. Across four days, accidents fell by about 6.3% compared with last year’s 1,058 at the same point. Injuries also dropped, from 1,058 to 956. Even so, the higher death toll suggests crashes have been more severe.

Speeding and drink-driving: The key causes behind the crashes

Across the first four days, speeding and drink-driving stayed at the centre of many incidents. On day one, officials blamed speeding for about 42% of crashes (83 cases). Drink-driving was tied to around 20% (40 cases). On day two, speeding still led at about 41%, while drink-driving rose to around 27%. Motorcycles were involved in 74% of crashes that day.

On day three, speeding accounted for about 40% and drink-driving for about 29%. That matched a rise in late-night incidents, with a spike reported between midnight and 3 am. On Friday, the shares dipped a little, with speeding at 35% and drink-driving at 21%. Most crashes still happened on straight roads (86%) and on highways (47%).

Authorities also reported more than 2,793 probation cases linked to traffic offences during the period, with about 94% tied to drink-driving. Nonthaburi recorded the most, with 290 cases. Jirapong Songkhro, deputy director of the Road Safety Centre, warned that alcohol slows reactions and weakens judgement, and high speed makes the outcome far worse. He said breath tests have increased, but avoiding checks remains an issue in remote areas.

Motorcycles remain the most exposed, making up 73% of vehicles involved in crashes. Many injured riders were reported to have gone without helmets, which can make injuries much more serious. Younger adults have also been hit hard, with people aged 20 to 29 making up 23% of casualties. Straight roads and routes overseen by the Department of Highways carried a large share of incidents, where higher speeds are easier to reach and harder to control.

Thailand hotspots: Where the danger is greatest

The spread of crashes shows clear differences between provinces, with busy cities and tourist areas taking a heavy toll. Over the first four days, Phuket recorded the most accidents (39) and the most injuries (43). The province draws large holiday crowds, and its roads can be demanding in places. Bangkok had the highest number of deaths, at 14, which officials often link to traffic volume and faster roads such as expressways.

Other provinces also stood out. Nakhon Ratchasima and Suphan Buri each reported five deaths by day two. Pathum Thani and Prachin Buri appeared often in daily reports, with Prachin Buri matching Phatthalung for the highest number of accidents on Friday (10 each). Bueng Kan recorded the highest deaths on Friday with three, while Phatthalung had the most injuries that day with 12.

Chiang Rai in the north also saw early pressure. On day one, it matched Phuket with 12 accidents, a sign of how hard holiday travel can be on mountain routes and roads near border areas.

Daily injury and death figures were not fully broken down for Chiang Rai, but local reports pointed to speeding motorcycles and risky overtakes. Patrols have increased, while some residents have raised concerns about poor lighting and weaker road conditions on rural routes.

Calls for action: What comes after the campaign

With the holiday period still underway, the government has deployed more than 60,000 staff for checkpoints, focusing on higher-risk areas. Safety messages on the radio and social platforms continue to push slower speeds and safer driving.

Critics say the focus should go beyond the holiday period, with stricter year-round rules, better rider training, tighter licensing, and more public transport options to reduce reliance on private vehicles.

The cost goes far beyond the daily totals. Road crashes also bring heavy bills for hospitals and lost work time. With tourism climbing again, the pressure is greater, especially in major destinations such as Phuket. A DDPM spokesperson said the deaths represent families facing sudden loss, not just numbers in a report.

The New Year often carries a message of fresh starts, but the road toll tells a different story. Until behaviour improves and enforcement becomes more consistent, Thailand’s “dangerous days” will continue to bring preventable grief.