Phuket officials face conflicting road death figures as safety drive continues

Three official sources have reported conflicting figures for road deaths and injuries in Phuket this year, as provincial authorities renew commitments to improve road safety.

The Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) Phuket reported 154 deaths and 21,970 injuries between 1 January and 21 October, citing data from the Thai Road Accident Data Centre (Thai RSC). However, the Thai RSC’s own website listed 111 deaths and 21,971 injuries for the same period.

The Ministry of Public Health (MOPH) recorded 146 deaths and 22,317 people injured or killed between 1 January and 19 October. The different reporting periods do not account for the full gap between the figures.

Dr Wiwat Seetamanotch, manager of the WHO–Royal Thai Government Country Cooperation Strategy Road Safety Programme, has previously said MOPH figures are the most reliable because they are updated using information from hospitals and rescue services, with cases checked before confirmation. He declined to explain why the ministry’s death toll differed from the DDPM Phuket and Thai RSC figures. Police and DDPM Phuket have not explained the discrepancies, according to the report.

The figures were discussed as officials prepared to mark the World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims on 1 November. At a road-safety meeting at Phuket Provincial Police Headquarters on 20 October, officials reviewed accident data, high-risk locations, traffic-law enforcement and measures to improve dangerous road environments.

The meeting also covered the use of the “Phuket Eye” surveillance system and a Safety App, stricter enforcement of 10 key traffic laws and a policy requiring 100% helmet use. Officials called for closer coordination between provincial agencies, district road-safety centres and local administrative organisations.

Vice Governor Romdon Hayiawae, who chaired the meeting in place of Governor Chotinarin Kerdsom, said road-safety standards should improve alongside Phuket’s tourism standards because residents and Thai and international visitors travel extensively on the island. He called for cooperation across sectors, greater public awareness and the use of technology to monitor risks.

Phuket Provincial Police Commander Pol Maj Gen Surachai Suksai highlighted the continued use of “Phuket Eye” to support monitoring and law enforcement. Officials also said accident data should be analysed in greater detail to identify local causes and risk factors, enabling more targeted enforcement and road improvements.

The commitments follow another road-safety workshop held the previous month, which promoted technology and a Safe System approach to reducing accidents.