BANGKOK - TRAFFIC accidents killed 336 people and injured 3,984 in Thailand over the New Year holiday, one of the most dangerous times to be on the kingdom's roads, the interior ministry said on Wednesday.

Fatalities during the Dec 29 to Jan 1 holiday period were down about four percent from last year, while the number of injuries rose slightly, the ministry's disaster prevention bureau said in a statement.

Drunk driving caused 42 per cent of the incidents, the ministry said, while speeding, reckless driving and motorcycle drivers not wearing helmets were blamed for the rest.

The highest number of deaths occurred on Dec 30, when 85 people were killed, while 84 per cent of all accidents over the New Year period involved motorcycles.

Throughout December, police and government officials had waged a campaign against drunk drivers, with officials - often dressed in eye-catching costumes - handing out cautionary leaflets on motorways.

Thais are among the world's heaviest drinkers. A health ministry study found that per capita, Thais consumed 41.6 litres of alcohol in 2001, up 67 per cent from a decade earlier. -- AFP