Phuket road-safety campaign continues after initial success
Kongleaphy Keam

PHUKET: -- A road-safety campaign encouraging Phuket motorcyclists to wear helmets has been hailed a success in Kathu, where less riders are being arrested for not wearing protective head gear. The progress has prompted officials to extend the campaign at least until the Songkran break in April.

The ‘One District, One Road, with 100 Per Cent Helmets’ campaign was launched on February 1 as a one-month initiative. Helmet-less riders caught at checkpoints across the island had their bikes seized and then were escorted to the police station to view road accident videos, purchase a 99-baht helmet and pay a fine.

During the first week of the island-wide campaign, 64 helmet-less drivers were arrested. The number of people being busted then jumped in the second week to 121, before it spiked to 222 in the third week.

Full Story: http://www.phuketgazette.net/phuket-news/Phuket-roadsafety-campaign-continues-initial-success/63395?desktopversion#ad-image-0

-- Phuket Gazette 2016-03-11

It might be worth of concentrate to the crazy van, bus and other 'professional' vehicle drivers, instead of simply offering subpar helmets for the scooter drivers.

Nowadays I rarely go outside of my North-East corner of the Phuket island, as I don't like to put my life in to the hands of these racing drivers when riding at the Thepkasattri road.

But the BIB is not doing that. Maybe too many friends, too many own businesses, would get hurt?

Third world, and will always be. No role models. Anybody can be bought. There mantra is greed.

Good, but they should screen traffic safety videos during the breaks of every soap and variety show screened here.

"purchase a 99-baht helmet and pay a fine."

Says it all doesn't it. So this is not about safety at all!

Quote: "During the first week of the island-wide campaign, 64 helmet-less drivers were arrested. The number of people being busted then jumped in the second week to 121, before it spiked to 222 in the third week".

Whoopee........they could have caught the whole lot on Nanai Road in under two hours on one day!!! And still left enough riders to ensure ongoing revenue collection, cos the Thais still ride without their helmets and there's always the stupid farangs, both long term and tourists, who don't give a toss!

It might be worth of concentrate to the crazy van, bus and other 'professional' vehicle drivers, instead of simply offering subpar helmets for the scooter drivers.

Nowadays I rarely go outside of my North-East corner of the Phuket island, as I don't like to put my life in to the hands of these racing drivers when riding at the Thepkasattri road.

But the BIB is not doing that. Maybe too many friends, too many own businesses, would get hurt?

Here's the latest example of what oilinki is talking about, Driver dead, 3 passengers injured.

http://phuketgazette.net/phuket-news/BREAKING-NEWS-One-dead-three-injured-Phuket/63404#ad-image-0

Should the program be judged a success based on more people wearing helmets or based

on lowering the number of deaths. Of course with riders wearing 99 baht helmets it is much

easier to claim success by measuring helmet wearers.

Third world, and will always be. No role models. Anybody can be bought. There mantra is greed.

Yes, but if we they issue press releases stating crackdowns, arrests, fines, loss of license etc etc - the world will believe, and the tourist will come.