Thai holiday toll at 70 deaths

Thai holiday toll at 70 deaths

BANGKOK (AP): Road accidents in Thailand during the five-day Buddhist New Year's holiday have killed 70 people so far, highway police said yesterday.

During the holiday, many Thais who work in Bangkok travel back to their ancestral homes in the provinces, jamming roads out of town but leaving the capital unusually free of traffic tie-ups. Police said 322 people were injured in holiday road accidents during the holiday, which began April 10. Property damage in 207 accidents totaled 11.9 million baht ($299,000).

Despite a traffic safety campaign, the number of accidents is up 20 percent from last year. Thai police attribute the increase to faster driving because of improved roads and highways throughout the country.