BANGKOK, Dec 30 – Twenty-four people were killed and 425 were wounded in nearly 400 road accidents on the first day of Thailand’s “Dangerous Seven Days” with past indicators showing that the major cause of accidents is driving under influence of alcohol, said a senior official of Transport Ministry on Thursday.

Deputy Transport Minister Sorayut Petchtrakul said the number of accidents on the first day of the high risk period (Dec 29 through Jan 4), was at 393, 12.28 per cent lower than that of the previous year.

In 2009, he said 40 people were killed and 425 were injured in 448 accidents on the first day of the campaign.

MCOT