First day of late bar hours results in fatal road accident in Chiang Mai
Chiang Mai was the first to experience the repercussions of the extended bar closing time, which went into effect on Saturday.
Just before 4am on Saturday, a speeding car crashed into a group of workers installing underground cables on Khotchasan Road in Muang district.
One worker was killed immediately, while two others sustained injuries and are in hospital.
The driver, an unidentified foreigner, was apprehended for an alcohol test and further legal proceedings. The white sedan he was driving was severely damaged from the collision.
December 15 marked the start of a new regulation issued by the Interior Ministry, allowing night entertainment venues in selected areas to stay open until 4am. The extended operating hours are applicable for registered establishments in Bangkok, Phuket, Chonburi, Chiang Mai, Surat Thani’s Samui island, and bars in hotels nationwide.
Experts have voiced concerns that longer bar hours could lead to more cases of drunk driving, which is blamed for many car accidents across the country.
