At least 489 people have been killed and 38,651 injured in accidents and brawls during Thailand's traditional New Year holiday period, a government statement said Sunday.
Deputy Health Minister Surapong Suebwonglee said the festive period toll was expected to climb as Thais began to return home from the provinces for the first working day of the new year on Tuesday.
"After seeing the figures and analysing the situation, the accidents seem to be spread accross all provinces, happening at a rate of about 4.9 deaths and 285 injured every hour," he said in the statement.
The grim statistics were collected from 808 state-run and private hospitals nationwide since Thursday, when celebrations to mark the traditional New Year began.
Most of the deaths occurred in automobile accidents.
The health ministry earlier reported that the toll was the highest ever, with only 164 deaths last year over the whole "Songkhran" holiday period.
It said at least 70 percent of patients treated by nurses and doctors were drunk.
"According to reports from emergency rooms, between 70 and 80 percent of people treated at hospitals were drunk," Surapong said in a statement late Saturday.
This year's Songkran celebrations were held amid tight security, after two bomb attacks hit tourist centres in the south on April 7, leaving one child dead and nearly 50 people injured.
Extra police were deployed in high-risk areas such as transportation hubs, major temples and embassies in the capital, Bangkok.
Tourism authorities said the holiday weekend looked set to be the busiest in Thailand's history with 1.5 million tourists, both Thais and foreigners, expected to converge on the nation's cities and resorts – BANGKOK (AFP)
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