More than 2,500 police officers will be sent to help with road traffic safety along Mittraphap Road in Nakhon Ratchasima, commonly known as Korat, during the upcoming New Year holidays as the highway is expected to be choked with over 300,000 vehicles a day.
Also Tuesday, national police chief Chakthip Chaijinda said helicopters will keep an eye on roads in traffic congestion-prone areas from Dec 30-31.
He and other officials will be present on the helicopter inspections, Pol Gen Chakthip said.
Damrongsak Kittipraphat, chief of Provincial Police Region 3 which oversees the northeastern region, said all officers attached to the Nakhon Ratchasima Provincial Police will assist motorists along the major northeastern highway.
Along Mittraphap Road, road users will likely face severe traffic congestion in more than six areas.
The locations include a road heading to a mountain in tambon Klang Dong of Pak Chong district and tambon Klong Phai of Sikhiu district, and both sections of the road in Nakhon Ratchasima.
To alleviate congestion, six special lanes must be established during the festive season.
Besides Mittraphap Road, Pol Lt Gen Damrongsak said he also told Provincial Police Region 3 to help motorists along other main roads in the province along with setting up both security and service checkpoints for the public.
Pol Lt Gen Damrongsak was speaking during a meeting to devise measures to cope with traffic during the New Year holidays at Provincial Police Region 3.
In Chaiyaphum, a passerby was killed and a driver injured in a road accident in Muang district Tuesday morning.
Muang Chaiyaphum police were alerted to the incident about 8am.
The deceased was identified as Sunee Chareonwai, 32, from Chaiyaphum, while the injured person was Anudet Doksanthia, from Samut Sakhon.
Sunee was hit by a Mitsubishi Triton pickup truck with Bangkok licence plates driven by Mr Anudet.
She was observing the aftermath of a collision between two pickup trucks on road No.201 near Kut La Lom village in tambon Nong Na Saeng when she was hit.
The pickup trucks were another white Mitsubishi Triton and a maroon Isuzu, both with Chaiyaphum licence plates.
Mr Anudet swerved his pickup truck sharply to avoid the vehicles in the middle of the road, but his vehicle then hit Sunee, killing her. The pickup truck also hit her Honda Wave motorcycle before crashing into a roadside electric pole.
He was injured and rushed to Chaiyaphum Hospital while his car was severely damaged in the crash.
Sunee, a local shopping mall employee, had been on her way to buy powdered milk for her baby.
The drivers of the first two pickup trucks were apprehended and tested for alcohol consumption.
