Phuket: Police start 100% helmet wearing campaign for riders and pillion passengers

[webfact]

Picture: Manager

 

Everyone who was anyone in Phuket was at the Mueang Police HQ earlier in the week for the kick-off of a drive to ensure that 100% of motorcycle riders and pillion passengers wear helmets. 

 

Heading the top brass was provincial commander Pol Maj-Gen Sermphan Sirikhong who was joined by local dignitaries from the state and private sector, students, motorcycle taxi riders and other members of the public.

 

Police were pictured setting a good example.

 

Picture: Manager

 

Deputy of the local police Pol Lt-Col Sathit Noorit said that road traffic accidents caused huge death, damage and economic losses, reported Manager.

 

Much of this was because motorcyclists and their passengers don't wear helmets. 

 

So the Region 8 chief had ordered all stations on the island to crack down.

 

There will be a softly-softly approach at first from now until the end of January. Warnings will be given and if fines are given offenders will get a free helmet they can return in seven days. 

 

Picture: Manager

 

Then the police are really going to get tough - but in three gentle stages.

 

Firstly from February 1st to the 31st of March they will fine drivers and pillion passengers 200 baht.

 

Then in stage two from April 1st to 31st of May the fine will increase to 300 baht.

 

Picture: Manager

 

Then it gets worse.

 

From the 1st of June and thereafter the fine will be 500 baht, plus a free helmet. 

 

With a death toll from road accidents in Thailand of around 25,000 and an estimated 80% of these being motorcyclists it is thought that around 20,000 die annually on the Thai roads, notes ASEAN NOW.

 

Probably the only place in Thailand where helmet wearing is commonplace is Bangkok where about 90% of riders and less pillion passengers wear helmets on the main streets. 

 

In the provinces helmet wearing is far less common. Police often turn a blind eye. 

 

The law has existed in Thailand for the best part of 30 years but is routinely flouted. 

 

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[baansgr]

Tourists are back

[smedly]

pretty much defines the range of policing in Thailand - they are not capable of much else 

 

There are much more serious offences to deal with 

[jvs]

5 minutes ago, smedly said:

There are much more serious offences to deal with 

Yes of course there  but that does not mean they can also deal with this now?  The question remains,when is a helmet a helmet?

When is it safe?Many helmets over here split in two when you drop them on the

cement,but where do you start?How many
Thai people can afford a real helmet?I had two good helmets over here,both were stolen.

How long is this crackdown going to last?We had 100% helmet wearing here also(for a short while)

 

[bdenner]

Quote

The law has existed in Thailand for the best part of 30 years but is routinely flouted. 

Yep, they're flogging a dead horse! Anyway their heads are thicker than those "Like" sparkling new, high quality junk helmets!

[richard_smith237]

What...  a 'helmet crack-down’ ??

 

What a novel idea..... 

 

 

[herfiehandbag]

58 minutes ago, smedly said:

pretty much defines the range of policing in Thailand - they are not capable of much else 

 

There are much more serious offences to deal with 

They are not particularly capable at this one!

 

Any realistic chance it will last beyond ( or even until) the new year?

[sungod]

1 hour ago, smedly said:

There are much more serious offences to deal with 

Yes, to purge the earth of the dreaded claw machines

[ikke1959]

a fine of 500 THB and a free helmet???? That will surely solve the problem, and good they start after the holiday season. Suppose there would be lower figures at this time... No it would be better a good system for registration. First time 300 THB fine, second time 500 THB, hold the motorcycle and go buy a helmet and after that you can't have your motorcycle back for at least 3 months.... That would be better solution because in all the years I live in Thailand, it never was succesful whatever nd whenever they tried to solve this problem. Besides that in Europe your insurance is not valid if you don't wear a helmet and have an accident. 

[Asquith Production]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

The law has existed in Thailand for the best part of 30 years but is routinely flouted. 

And they are still going to take a softly softly approach at first !!!!!!!!

[pattjock]

This law has been on the books for years. They should fine 500Baht immediately and scrap all these limited time campaigns, keep it up 365 days per year. After every crackdown they have had before everyone reverts to normal.

[Russell17au]

But, what about the parents that do not wear helmets and take their 3 small children on the bike with them without helmets. Where can you buy a helmet for a 3 year old?

[madmitch]

2 minutes ago, Russell17au said:

But, what about the parents that do not wear helmets and take their 3 small children on the bike with them without helmets. Where can you buy a helmet for a 3 year old?

Most helmet shops!

[Paul Henry]

Its Christmas time ! Have to have aditional income to celebrate a Christian holiday in a Buddist country.

No fine, 100 bht Christmas gift thank you. Come February everything back to normal. 

[Ramdas]

Show time again  ???? ?! If only they were slightly serious about enforcing any sort traffic laws, they should be visible and active on the roads as they do in any other civilised country. 
They’d surely make millions of bath just off the reckless suicidal not looking where they’re going Thai bikers who regularly jump the red lights, drive against the traffic and the like happening right in front of the police nose but why on earth do they always let their own people get away with everything is beyond my understanding, what is the point of repeating the same mistakes all the time, you’ll have the same results more deaths  ????????‍♂️
 

[digger70]

18 minutes ago, Russell17au said:

But, what about the parents that do not wear helmets and take their 3 small children on the bike with them without helmets. Where can you buy a helmet for a 3 year old?

Many different size Coconuts about and a bit of string. Sure will beat the cheap so called Helmets.

[yogi yogi]

can i choose the color of the helmet they give me

[Dont confuse me]

"From the 1st of June and thereafter the fine will be 500 baht, plus a free helmet"

 

I'll keep 'borrowing' helmets until June then take the hit! 500 THB that's a cheap helmet, problem will arise when a family of 3 or more get stopped, 500 THB for a helmet isn't that bad but 1500 for 3 is going to hurt!

[Burma Bill]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

Firstly from February 1st to the 31st of March they will fine drivers and pillion passengers 200 baht.

For foreigners and "sandbox" tourists - 500 baht???

[connda]

Best of luck.  Haven't see a change in 14 years.  Tell the commoners that wearing helmets prevents Covid.  You may have better luck as it seem about 100% wear masks.

[PETERTHEEATER]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

and if fines are given offenders will get a free helmet they can return in seven days. 

Me no unnerstan....

[NE1]

Telll the Police higher ranks that wearing a peaked police cap although it shows your status , it also shows the locals near us that " it is not neccessary to wear a helmet ".

[mikek]

@connda the reason most motorbike riders wear masks, is that the fine for not wearing a mask in public is up to 20,000 baht! Maybe if the fine for repeatedly not wearing a helmet was a similar amount, more people would wear them. But then again, that seems too simple ????

[soalbundy]

On what day will this crackdown be?

[ChaiyaTH]

Those free helmets are in fact dangerous, when they crack they can turn into sharp objects penetrating the skull. 

Edited December 17, 2021 by ChaiyaTH

[bangon04]

"Police were pictured setting a good example."....

 

so can we have a social media page now for RT police being photographed NOT setting a good example??

[steevjee]

21 hours ago, smedly said:

pretty much defines the range of policing in Thailand - they are not capable of much else 

 

There are much more serious offences to deal with 

So you actually believe this story?  Guarantee it will only happen in the tourist areas and farang will cop a 500 bht fine starting immediately, Thai Police are run by the Military, say no more

[473geo]

The school my son attends fines those arriving on motorcycles without helmets 10 baht this appears to work so there is progress

[xylophone]

23 hours ago, webfact said:

Everyone who was anyone in Phuket was at the Mueang Police HQ earlier in the week for the kick-off of a drive to ensure that 100% of motorcycle riders and pillion passengers wear helmets. 

The message obviously didn't get through to all of the cops, because just yesterday at traffic lights in Kathu, at least two Thai guys, neither wearing helmets, stopped within a metre or so of a cop on a bike, but he did nothing – – which is the norm and I have seen it happen time and time again over the years.

 

As a friend of mine used to say, "if things don't change, they'll stay as they are"!

[Sydebolle]

Well, saw a policeman the other day on his motorbike wearing a mask but no helmet going 80+ km/h. 

I assume the boys are getting ready to cream off their New Years Eve bonus of 50 - 100 Baht each - good luck and keep up the good work!