Bangkok (VNA) – The Thai Government is making plans tocurb drink-driving during the Songkran festival which will be extended to 21days this year after the festival was formally recognised as an IntangibleCultural Heritage by the United Nations Educational, Scient⭕ific, and CulturalOrganisation (UNESCO).

Following agreement at a meeting of the Alcoholic BeveragePolicy Committee on March 11, Thai Minister of Public Health Cholnan Srikaewannounced the approval of guidelines for controlling alcohol consumption atthis year's celebration. The ministry’s Department of Disease Control, incollaboration with the Alcohol Control Network, has proposed a campaign titled,“Don't drive and drink. Don’t drink and drive”. This initiative is to be integratedwith the National Alcohol Control Plan Phase 2 (2022-2027) to prevent andreduce road accidents during Songkran festivals. The operational plan for the festival is divided into threephases - the pre-festival preparation period from April 1 to 10, the festivalperiod from April 11 to 17, and the post-festival period from April 18 to 21. It focuses on creating safe areas for water-splashing, withthe plan also requesting that provincial governors and the Governor of Bangkokconsider organising alcohol-free and safe Songkran water celebration areas. Furthermore, the plan encourages the Alcohol ControlCommittees in the provinces and Bangkok, along with relevant agencies, tocollaborate to develop a public relations campaign to persuade businesses andthe public to adhere to the law. It also urges district officers and activists to activelyparticipate in and enforce strict compliance with the law, especially inmatters such as the prohibition against selling alcoholic beverages toindividuals under the age of 20, selling alcoholic beverages throughpromotional activities of all kinds, sales outside the legally specified hours(from 11 am to 2 pm and from 5 pm to midnight), as well as in the sale andconsumption in places specified under the law. Under the plan, every driver involved in an accident will betested with breathalyzers. Individuals under the age of 20 with alcohol levelsexceeding 20mg/100ml should be thoroughly investigated, with legalaction taken against those who supplied the alcohol. Moreover, the plan also includes preventive measuresaddressing risky behaviours within communities to keep intoxicated people offthe streets, for example, family and community checkpoints and screening foralcohol use by people who are under court-ordered behavioural control due todrunk driving./.