About 50,000 police officers will be deployed at road checkpoints and at public celebration venues across Thailand between December 29^th and January 4^th, to ensure public safety, Pol Gen Damrongsak Kittipraphat, the national police chief, said today (Wednesday).

During the period, trucks will be banned from highways, on both inbound and outbound routes to and from the capital, unless they have received prior permission and use the special lanes or routes reserved for trucks, he said.

Police will also be performing other duties, such as prevention and suppression of illegal activities and ensuring that law and order is maintained at the scenes of public celebrations, such as New Year countdown events.

The police chief said that they have been instructed to make sure that there is no brawling at the events and that no weapons are allowed into the celebration venues.

About 7.3 million vehicles are expected to travel in and out of the capital during the seven-day period, according to police estimates.