A public forum, hosted by the Thai Health Promotion Foundation (ThaiHealth) and the Working Group on Welfare Policy for Young Children, was convened on Friday to spotlight road safety for children in Thailand.

 

The event highlighted the urgent need to address road safety concerns, particularly for children who rely on public transport for school commutes, making them notably vulnerable.

 

Associate Professor Sunee Chairoj, leader of the comprehensive welfare policy initiative, cited a 2022 Rangsit University study uncovering worrying trends: among Thailand's 4.3 million young children, around two million use public transport regularly, exposing them to road threats like driver negligence, poorly maintained vehicles, and overall lack of rule enforcement.

 

In response, the group advocates for enhanced policies, regulations, and stricter safety standards.

A key proposal from the forum is the introduction of the children's book "Drive Safely to the Beach" in schools, aiming to bolster road-safety skills among young Thais.

 

This initiative is supported by alarming statistics from ThaiHealth's Office of Child, Youth, and Family Health Promotion. In 2023, the Ministry of Public Health reported 17,498 road accident deaths, with children and youth making up a distressing segment—approximately 10 fatalities each day, revealing that one in five road deaths affects young people.

 

Contributing factors include non-use of helmets by 90.7% of riders, alcohol-affected driving at 38.3%, and non-use of seatbelts in 37.5% of cases. The forum stressed an urgent imperative for government intervention to prioritise children's safety on the roads.

 

Additional suggestions include enhancing school transport safety through better management of school, bus, and field trip vehicle systems, encouraging helmet use, and embedding road safety education within school curricula, reported Tha Nation.

 

Saree Aongsomwang from the Office of the Consumer Protection Board proposed developing a transportation safety curriculum and a special driver's licence for student transport vehicles, reiterating a need for immediate action to safeguard young lives.

 

Picture courtesy; MGR online

 

-- 2024-10-21

 

 

This is a start and hopefully these efforts will come to all kids in schools.

Training drivers properly before issuing a licence, is the really hard part. Virtually anyone can get a drivers licence with minimum fuss.

25 minutes ago, ChrisY1 said:

This is a start and hopefully these efforts will come to all kids in schools.

Training drivers properly before issuing a licence, is the really hard part. Virtually anyone can get a drivers licence with minimum fuss.

 

from experience, we all know that such safte measures in thailand often start but fade away within a few weeks ...

unfortunately, this is the harsh truth and reality in thailand ... nothing will improve for a lasting solution ... 

 

parents also should care about their children's safety, but they don't! in many cases, they actually set a bad example

when it comes to safety, they just don't care as long nothing happen ... but if something happen the blame  game starts ...

 

 

Edited October 21, 20241 yr by motdaeng
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More of this please - everywhere.

Often and regularly please.

3 hours ago, webfact said:

exposing them to road threats like driver negligence, poorly maintained vehicles, and overall lack of rule enforcement.

Overall lack of Rule Enforcement, is the #1 problem IMO, they know the Cops do nothing, and even if caught and fined, the fines are minimal. 

This should be taught in school, public forums are OK but who will bother to go ?

 

 Invite the local cops along and point out to the kids, that these are the reason, they are vulnerable on any road anywhere 'coz they are lazy and don't do their job properly.

 Now kids altogether say boo to the cops, blow raspberries, and stick your tongues out, thumbs on noses. 

When I started primary school in London in 1948 we would have at least one visit from the local policeman each year to tell us all of the dangers for pedestrians crossing the road.

 

These were the days that you were respectful of the police, because they might apply light physical punishment, and if necessary visit your parents at your home to let them know what you had been up to. Retribution from your father often followed.

 

When I was a bit older the BBC television had a series of Information adverts concentrating on road safety, such as: Clunk Click, Every Trip so you remembered to use your seat belt.

 

All the Brits that remember that ad know that the narrator was a notorious paedophile.

5 hours ago, webfact said:

urgent need to address road safety concerns, particularly for children

 

maybe you want to focus on the adults, the children are victims

Do they have a clue what is going on in Thailand?? overloaded school vans and busses, kids without helmets and driverslicense and underaged on motorcycles with 3 or more, teachers who don't care at all and policemen who don't enforce any law,  maybe just start at the beginning with proper education and the adults doing their job 

4 hours ago, brianthainess said:

Overall lack of Rule Enforcement, is the #1 problem IMO, they know the Cops do nothing, and even if caught and fined, the fines are minimal. 

Yes, there's that taboo word again. Enforcement. It's what's needed but never done.

2 hours ago, peterpaintpot said:

These were the days that you were respectful of the police, because they might apply light physical punishment, and if necessary visit your parents at your home to let them know what you had been up to. Retribution from your father often followed.

Off subject a bit, but I remember when we used to have the old police phone boxes with a copper stood there, I came past him one evening, and had not lights on my pushbike,

He shouted 'Where are your lights!' I raced back home and told my Dad, he said " Next time Son shout back Next to my Liver ! "........

 

 

Instead of giving everyone 10k they should have given them 9k and a 1k voucher to buy a crash helmet.

 

.......then a 6 month amnesty to get used to wearing one......after that, bring out the dreaded RTP for enforcement.

8 hours ago, peterpaintpot said:

When I started primary school in London in 1948 we would have at least one visit from the local policeman each year to tell us all of the dangers for pedestrians crossing the road.

 

These were the days that you were respectful of the police, because they might apply light physical punishment, and if necessary visit your parents at your home to let them know what you had been up to. Retribution from your father often followed.

 

When I was a bit older the BBC television had a series of Information adverts concentrating on road safety, such as: Clunk Click, Every Trip so you remembered to use your seat belt.

 

All the Brits that remember that ad know that the narrator was a notorious paedophile.

"All the Brits that remember that ad know that the narrator was a notorious paedophile. "

 

What you try to say?

8 hours ago, webfact said:

Contributing factors include non-use of helmets by 90.7% of riders, alcohol-affected driving at 38.3%, and non-use of seatbelts in 37.5% of cases.

Hmmm??? Speeding and complete inconsiderate ass-hols not represented in these %s. 

Good…

 

But, the leading cause of death in u see 15 years olds in Thailand is drowning…

 

 

Teach water safety too !!!

& electrical safety while they are at it.

 

A waste of time, any rules they come up with will be ignored, by the public and the police.