The death toll represents a 30% rise over last year's count across the weeklong festival, with Sunday still unaccounted for during the minister's press conference. A total of 3,104 traffic collisions had occurred, resulting in 3,271 people seriously injured.
Most of the deaths were caused by speeding and drink driving, and the vast majority of accidents involved motorcycles, at over 80%, the ministry said. Thailand has one of the highest motorcycle ownership rates in the world, at 87% of households, according to Pew Research Center figures. Read more...