Seventy-seven people have lost their lives and 1,818 were injured in road accidents during the first two days of the extended Songkran holiday in Thailand.

The death toll stood at 27 on the first day of the holiday on Friday and 50 on Saturday, Sunthorn Riewluang, director-general ofthe Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation on Monday was quoted by The Nation newspaper as saying.

During the same period last year, 92 people were killed and 4,103 others were wounded on road.

Thai government has aimed to minimize road casualties between April 8 and 17 through the road-safety campaign.

Deputy Interior Minister Sermsak Pongpanit has urged roadside shops to limit the sale of alcoholic drinks to motorcyclists and to strictly observe a ban on alcohol sales to youngsters under 18.

More than 80 percent of the road accidents were caused by motorcycles.

High-pressure water guns were also banned to be used among Songkran revelers. Anyone whose use of the gun caused injuries would be charged with physical assault, said police.

Source: Xinhua