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The number of deaths increased by five from last year, but there were 471 fewer injuries and 266 fewer accidents, said Interior Ministry permanent secretary Wichai Srikwan.

Chiang Mai reported the most fatalities at 14. Chiang Rai had the highest number of injuries at 164 and the highest number of accidents at 145.

Meanwhile, Trat, Chachoengsao, Yasothon, Amnat Charoen, Sakon Nakhon, Nan and Yala provinces did not report any deaths during the seven dangerous days.

On Thursday alone, there were 52 deaths and 371 injuries in 343 road accidents.

A total of 5,271,977 drivers and motorcycle-riders were examined at checkpoints nationwide. Of those, 408,020 were cited for violating the law, including 137,806 for driving without a licence and 136,772 for not wearing a helmet.

Motorcycles were the vehicles most involved in road accidents, about 82 per cent of all vehicles. The biggest cause of accidents was drunken driving (40.66 per cent), followed by speeding (19.96 per cent).

The Public Health Ministry reported that its emergency units had given medical assistance 21,456 times and 74 per cent of victims had received help from the units within 10 minutes.

People called the 1669 emergency hotline for help 11,113 times.

The ministry found that three times more shopkeepers on secondary roads violated the Alcoholic Beverage Control Act of 2008 than on main roads. Alcoholic drinks were also sold in petrol stations, which is prohibited.

Ministry officials randomly inspected 28 provinces in all four regions between April 10 and this past Wednesday.

Out of 661 petrol stations inspected by the officials, alcoholic beverages were found on sale in 102, 28 per cent on secondary roads and 9 per cent on main roads.

A total of 140 out of 767 inspected shops violated the Act by selling alcohol outside legal hours.