The Vientiane Traffic Police Department has rostered over 200 police for security detail over the Christmas and New Year period.
Deputy Chief of the Vientiane Traffic Police Department, Major Sangkhom Phommalath, told Vientiane Times on Wednesday that guidelines from the Ministry of Public Security require them to assign 207 police officers to various duties.
Traffic police will be stationed around the capital from December 22 to January 2 in the districts of Sikhottabong, Xaythany, Chanthabouly, Naxaithong, Sisattanak, Hadxaifong, and Xaysettha.
They will focus on roads No. 13 North and South, Thadeua Road, Kaysone Phomvihane Avenue, 450 Road, Lane Xang Avenue, Samsenthai and other main roads.
Police will direct traffic, monitor motorists’ speeds and assess their levels of sobriety along roads No. 13 North and South, and Thadeua Road. They will also be on standby to deal with any accidents.
They will also explain road safety regulations and make them known to drivers along roads and in villages and schools as well as at the southern and northern bus stations in a bid to reduce accidents and traffic congestion.
Traffic police warned that reckless driving, intoxication and general violation of the traffic rules would not be tolerated over the festive period.
Minor infractions will incur warnings but fines and other penalties will be imposed in the case of more serious offences.
Traffic police reminded members of the public to drive with caution, observe the traffic rules and show courtesy to other road users. They expressly reminded people not to drive while drunk.
The department’s records show that over the five days from December 29, 2015, to January 2, 2016, there were 33 road accidents in Vientiane in which 52 people were injured and two people died.
The main causes of accidents over the New Year were intoxication and speeding. Most accidents involved motorbikes and pickup trucks and occurred around midnight and during the early hours of the morning.
President of the Society of Volunteers Rescue Vientiane, Mr Lam Ngern Vongphachanh, said he had arranged for staff to be on duty to take emergency calls at three stations in Vientiane from December 24 to January 1.
Some 65 volunteers will be on standby to rush to the scene of an accident from stations in Hadxaifong, Xaythany and Xaysettha districts.
This year the society will join forces with rescue teams from the Chinese Foundation, Pasanchai and Phatthana Phasouk to help accident victims. When they receive a call asking them to go to the scene of an accident or other incident they will contact the team nearest to the event.
The rescue team can be reached on hotline no. 1624, which is open 24 hours a day.
Source: Vientiane Times
