KHON KAEN, 11 April 2017 (NNT) - Transport terminals and border crossings have seen a jump in foot traffic, as people go on vacation to celebrate the Songkran Water Festival with their families and at tourist destinations.

The northeastern province of Khon Kaen has seen a great number of travelers looking to beat the rush during the Songkran holiday, which is held from April 13th - 15th. In the capital district, officials at the Khon Kaen Bus Terminal are conducting intoxication screenings for their drivers. At the Khon Kaen Railway Station, the timetable from April 10th - 17th has added another trip per day, and each train will add three cars to increase passenger capacity.

On the northeastern border in Nong Khai province, the first Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge saw an increase in outbound traffic from the same period last year, as Laotian workers in Thailand return to their hometowns. The Cabinet recently approved a measure intended as a Thai New Year gift, waiving visa re-entry fees for legal migrant workers from the countries of Myanmar, Cambodia, and Laos.

In Ratchaburi province, Wang Manao Police Booth held a blessing ceremony for the adjacent highway. Highway police led local officials and the general public in a ceremony to scatter Buddhist talismans and amulets to ward off disaster ahead of the Thai New Year, which is notorious for road accidents and drunk driving. The police also handed out energy drinks and coffee to public van and bus drivers to stay sharp on the road.