The road will be closed to traffic for the celebrations, in which thousands of people asking for blessings are expected to shower nine auspiciously named sacred Buddha statues with water to mark the traditional Thai New Year.

"The sacred statues will be brought from nine different temples," Deputy Prime Minister Suwat Liptapanlop said Friday.

He said next week would be the first time the government had hosted Songkran celebrations on Aksa Road, which boasts scenic landscaping with fountains, flowerbeds, shady trees, a cascading waterfall and ornate lampposts.

Suwat, who supervises the National Buddhism Bureau, added that 999 monks would collect alms on Aksa Road on the morning of April 13.

"Please come and join the traditional celebrations," he said.

The Songkran Festival, celebrated across the country, has been increasingly associated with water fights in recent years. Scenes of water throwing sometimes overshadow the religious rituals of Songkran.

In a related development, Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Minister Chidchai Vanasatidya Friday said the authorities had plans to cut the road toll during this year's Songkran Festival.

During the festival, hundreds of thousand of people usually head upcountry for a break from the city or to visit their hometowns. Road casualties are always shockingly high.

Chidchai said relevant authorities would try to bring death tolls below 506 during the 10-day period starting on April 7.

He said the government was also hoping to keep injuries below 6,194.

"We have set up 876 centres and 3,009 checkpoints across the country to promote road safety," said Chidchai.

He said the road-safety campaign would focus on motorcyclists, because past statistics showed they accounted for at least 70 per cent of deaths and injuries during the Songkran period.

Chidchai also called on the media to help encourage people not to drink and drive.

The Nation