CHIANG RAI – Police Lieutenant General Yingyot Thepchamnong, Assistant Commissioner-General and spokesperson for the Royal Thai Police, said Police General Kittirat Panphet, the Commissioner-General, has ordered every unit to get ready to protect the public and tourists during Christmas and New Year 2026.
The plan covers crime prevention, traffic control, fewer road crashes, and readiness for any unrest during the long holiday period. The goal is simple: help people feel safe while travelling and celebrating. Police are carrying out broad enforcement across all major crime types. This includes firearms offences, drugs, gambling, cybercrime, and illegal lending.
Police have also been told to increase patrols in key areas, such as:
- Transport hubs and major terminals
- Tourist attractions and hotels
- High-risk zones
- Important sites and public places
Security checks will be tighter to stop illegal entry and to intercept weapons, explosives, and narcotics. Entertainment venues will face stricter oversight, with a focus on banning weapons and drugs, stopping human trafficking, and closely controlling alcohol sales.
Home Security 4.0 for people travelling out of town
The Home Security 4.0 program (Police partnership to improve home safety during major holidays) will run from 22 December 2568 to 5 January 2569. Anyone leaving home without a caretaker can register their residence for police monitoring. Registration can be done through the “OBS” app or at a local police station.
To reduce the risk of opportunistic attacks during the long break, the Commissioner-General directed stronger security measures across the country. All units have been ordered to stay alert, keep teams ready, and set clear emergency plans.
Key steps include closer monitoring of important locations, assigning the right patrol teams for each area, and preparing support units for rapid response. This includes special units, tactical teams, rapid response teams, and EOD (bomb disposal) teams, so help can be deployed right away if an incident happens. Police are also monitoring for unusual activity.
Police Hospital has been instructed to prepare emergency doctors and nursing teams. The Police Aviation Division is also on standby to provide aircraft for urgent medical evacuation when needed.
Traffic measures and strict enforcement during the 7 key days of New Years
Traffic management measures will be used to improve flow and reduce delays. Police will strictly enforce traffic laws to cut the risk of crashes, especially during the 7 key days from 30 December 2025 to 5 January 2026.
Police will focus on 10 serious traffic violations, including impaired driving, speeding, and not wearing a helmet. Highway Police and local traffic police will be deployed nationwide to manage congestion, set up detours and alternate routes, and consider opening special lanes where appropriate.
The spokesperson added that the Commissioner-General has instructed all police units to reinforce a clear message: this New Year, safety should be a gift to the public.
He called on officers to work hard and work smart, so people can feel confident that Thai police are ready to protect lives and property throughout the New Year 2026. He also urged everyone to travel safely, return home with peace of mind, and enjoy time with family.
The public is asked to follow traffic laws and safety measures. If anything suspicious is seen, report it to the 191 or 1599 hotlines, available 24 hours a day.
National Overview of New Year’s 2024-2025
Thailand’s New Year break, often known as the Seven Dangerous Days (usually late December through early January), brings a sharp rise in road accidents. For the 2024 to 2025 holiday period, national reports recorded 2,467 traffic crashes, with 2,376 people injured and 436 deaths. Speeding and drink-driving were major factors, and motorcycles were involved in a large share of the incidents.
In Chiang Rai, authorities logged 12 single-vehicle crashes and five fatalities over the same period. The province ranked among the higher areas for single-vehicle accidents, which often happen when riders or drivers lose control, drive too fast, or travel while impaired.
Chiang Rai has also appeared near the top in past holiday road tolls, including some New Year and Songkran periods. That said, in the New Year 2024 to 2025, it was not one of the provinces with the highest overall accident or death totals nationwide, with places such as Bangkok and other areas reporting higher fatality numbers.
These figures come from official updates and local news round-ups released after the holiday. Road safety campaigns keep pushing the basics: wear a helmet, don’t drink and drive, and ride with care, especially on motorcycles, which make up a big part of Thailand’s road deaths.
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