A proposed ban on alcohol sales on Songkran day, which falls today, has been shelved.
A decision on the proposed ban was postponed because Deputy Prime Minister Chatchai Sarikulya, who is chair of the Alcohol Control Committee, was absent from a crucial meeting on the proposed ban.
The ban was the brainchild of the Alcohol Control Committee, which on Feb 15 informed the public of the idea, claiming April 13 is the day when road accidents peak. The claim is open to debate, however.
Anti-alcohol activists may be upset by the delay, and it is more than likely they will try to renew their efforts with the hope of having the ban in place next Songkran. But they should not. Instead, they should realise such a prohibition could end up being a wasted effort that just causes inconvenience without any constructive outcome. They should spend their time designing more meaningful measures.
This is because even if the booze ban really takes effect, drinkers can always stock up on alcohol before the actual date, and there is no law to stop them doing so.
What is really needed is stringent law enforcement against drink driving. The authorities must make people who have been been drinking realise they must refrain from driving.
Checkpoints and breath tests are short-term measures that can be taken, but long-term ones such as education are necessary. In short, drunk people must be prevented from getting behind the wheel.
At the same time, people must realise that some statistics are misleading. On April 11, the day prior to Songkran day, there were 468 crashes, with 46 deaths and 482 injuries.
Such outrageous figures may make many think it's not a good start for the safety campaign during the festive season that has become known as the "seven dangerous days". The fact is, however, that the roads in Thailand are not safe whether in the festive season or not. This is because the state still has not imposed effective measures to prevent reckless drivers, some of whom are not drunk, from using the roads.
To be fair, the Prayut Chan-o-cha government has made enormous efforts to deal with the problem but there have been no results. Law enforcement should review the short-, medium- and long-term measures, and fix them where necessary to ensure those who habitually drive recklessly face harsh penalties.
Bad road planning is another problem. Highway authorities must inspect road conditions and fix blind-spot areas in particular, that may make roads unsafe. Signage must also be improved.
In the long run, a culture of safety needs to be instilled into society. Recklessness must not be compromised whether it's the festive season or not. Drivers must know they have to respect traffic laws and regulations at all times.
The state should also do more to promote the idea of drinking responsibly and moderately.
The goal must be maintained of keeping the roads in Thailand safe throughout the year. Intensifying measures during the festive season has proven useless.
Let people drink and have a good time during the festive season. Everyone will be fine, as long as they don't drive.