The fifth day of the seven dangerous New Year holidays saw 41 people killed and 460 others injured, bringing the cumulative casualty count for the long holiday to 279 and 3,185. Deputy Permanent Secretary for Interior Ministry Wibul Sanguanpong told a press conference at the road accident monitoring centre that 421 accidents were reported on Saturday, the fifth day of the monitoring period. The cumulative road accidents reached 2,931, he said. Drunk driving remained the main cause of the accidents, he said. (The Nation/Manager)

Russian tennis star Maria Sharapova eyes the ball during her exhibition match against Venus Williams of the U.S. in Hua Hin, southern Thailand, Saturday, Jan. 2, 2010. Sharapova won the match 6-3, 6-4. (AP Photo)

Russian tennis star Maria Sharapova, right, shakes hands with Venus Williams of the U.S. at the end of their exhibition match in Hua Hin, southern Thailand, Saturday, Jan. 2, 2010. Sharapova defeated Williams, 6-3, 6-4. (AP Photo)

Buddhist Thais offer alms to Buddhist monks at the morning alms offering on the New Year day Friday, Jan. 1, 2010 in Samut PrakanOffering Alms for , Thailand. (Richard Barrow/Paknam.com)

Thai welcome in the new year at The Erawan Museum in Samut Prakan by watching concerts and playing fun fair style games (Richard Barrow/Paknam.com)

Police have arrested two suspects on charges of possessing 1.98 million methamphetamine pills, 32kg of crystal methamphetamine, known as ice, and 3.5kg of heroin with a combined street value of about 500 million baht, Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban told reporters at a press conference on Wednesday. (Matichon/Bangkok Post)

Hmong returnees from Thailand settle in a temporary shelter in Laos' Paksan district, Bolikhamsai province, December 29, 2009. Thousands of ethnic Hmong asylum-seeker were forcibly repatriated from a camp in Thailand despite concerns they may be persecuted in their home country. (Reuters)

Hmong returnees from Thailand are seen in a temporary shelter in Laos' Paksan district, Bolikhamsai province, December 29, 2009. (Reuters)

Thai soldiers stand guard during an operation to repatriate thousands of ethnic Hmong asylum-seekers to Laos, at the Ban Huay Nam Khao camp in Phetchabun province, about 416 km (258 miles) northeast of Bangkok December 28, 2009. The Thai army began the forced repatriation of thousands of ethnic Hmong asylum-seekers to Laos on Monday, defying international concerns that some would be persecuted back home. (Reuters)

Ethnic Hmong refugees stand inside a truck during an operation to deport of thousands ethnic Hmong asylum-seekers to Laos at the Ban Huay Nam Khao camp in Phetchabun province, about 416 km (258 miles) northeast of Bangkok December 28, 2009. (Reuters)

Thai Hmong woman walks by Thai Army soldiers outside the Hmong camp in northern Phetchabun province, Thailand, on Sunday, Dec. 27, 2009. The Thai government said it would not disclose the timing for its expulsion of 4,000 ethnic Hmong to Laos, but human rights groups warned it could begin as early as Sunday evening and degenerate into violence. (AP)

People launch floating paper lanterns into the sky over the Andaman Sea in remembrance of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami victims, in Khao Lak, in Thailand's Phang Nga province, about 110 km (68 miles) north of the resort island of Phuket, December 26, 2009. (Reuters)

Buddhist monks receive alms during the anniversary of the Indian Ocean tsunami in Thailand's Phang Nga province, about 110 km (68 miles) north of the resort island of Phuket, December 26, 2009. Thousands of saffron-robed Thai monks chanted and prayed for victims of the Indian Ocean tsunami on Saturday as Asia marked the fifth anniversary of one of history's worst natural disasters. (Reuters)

Policemen pray in front of Police Boat 813 that was washed ashore during the 2004 tsunami, at the marking of the fifth anniversary of the tsunami in Khao Lak, in Thailand's Phang Nga province, about 110 km (68 miles) north of the resort island of Phuket December 26, 2009. (Reuters)