PHUKET: The increasing number of people killed on Phuket’s roads, especially tourists, has prompted Phuket officials to ramp up their campaign to improve road safety on the island.
A foreigner waits for traffic lights to change in Phuket, as seen in a video that was widely shared across Thai social media this past week. Screenshot: Morning News TV 3
Officials, led by Phuket Governor Narong Woonciew as the director of the Phuket Road Safety Center Committee, held a series of meetings at the Phuket Provincial Administration Center, home of Phuket Provincial Hall, on Monday (July 3) to announce the revitalised campaign.
The campaign is called “Road Safety in the Phuket area”, with the focus on reducing the number of deaths and injuries resulting from road accidents in Phuket.
At the key meeting with officials from all relevant departments were Phuket Vice Governor Anupap Rodkwan Yodrambam, Phuket Provincial Police Deputy Commander Pol Col Jirasak Siemsak, Chalong Hospital Director Dr Chuchat Nitwattana, Somsak Phoksueng of the Phuket land Transport Office (PLTO) and Udomporn Kan, Chief of the Phuket Provincial branch of the the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM-Phuket).
Also present was Dr Wiwat Seetamanotch, Manager of the World Health Organisation (WHO) ‒ Royal Thai Government Country Cooperation Strategy for Road Safety Programme
Dr Wiwat is of special importance to Phuket with regards to road safety. He is Vice President of the Provincial Traffic Accident Prevention Support Plan. As a former Deputy Chief of the Phuket Provincial Health Office, he has long championed road-safety initiatives in the province.
He is also the person who in 2015 brought to public attention Phuket’s special place as the most dangerous province in the country for road accidents, at a time when Thailand was ranked, according to officially recognised statistics, as the most dangerous country in the world.
Road accidents are one of the main reasons of death among the people in Phuket that causes the loss of both life and property and is a huge obstacle to economic development, said an official report of the meeting.
On average, 135 people a year, an average of 11 people a month, are killed in road accidents in Phuket, but the situation is becoming increasingly worse, the report said.
From January through April this year, 64 people died in road accidents in Phuket, compared with 41 deaths during the same period last year, the report noted.
On average 16 people were killed each month over the first four months of this year, with most of those killed on motorbikes. Of the total number of people killed, 93% were people riding motorcycles, while motorbike riders accounted for 89% of the people injured in road accidents.
At the current rate, Phuket was likely to see more than 200 people die on the island’s roads within the coming year, the meeting was told.
In response, all government departments and agencies on the island are to enforce heightened measures to improve road safety.
Officials are to launch awareness campaigns calling for 100% helmet use by all people riding on motorbikes, for all people in cars to wear seat belts, for people to not speed or drunk drive and to slow down when approaching pedestrian crossings, and to give ambulances and emergency vehicles clearance to pass unimpeded,
The policies must be made in writing by the head of each department, it was noted.
Of note, the Royal Thai Police have issued a public notice warning motorists that from July 1 police will be enforcing the ‘100% helmet use law, with “100% use” meaning that the chin strap must be used when wearing a helmet.
Motorbike riders caught not wearing a helmet faced a fine of up to B2,000 and having one point deducted from their licence, Royal Thai Police warned.
RENTALS TO TOURISTS
Car and motorbike rental operators were singled out to ramp up their efforts to make sure that tourists renting their vehicles have the correct licences and are aware of the road safety laws and the dangers on Phuket’s roads.
Motorbike rental operators were especially asked to make sure that tourists renting their motorbikes could safely operate one.
A special meeting of dozens of rental operators was held on Monday at the offices of the Phuket Provincial Administrative Organisation (PPAO), where officials recognised that many of the foreign tourists who come to Phuket use rental cars and motorbikes to visit various attractions in the area.
From January through April this year, 24 foreign nationals were killed in road accidents in Phuket, the rental operators were told.
Nine of those killed were Russians, four were Myanmar nationals and two were Danish nationals. All of them were killed while riding motorbikes.
All rental operators were asked to ensure that the people renting their vehicles had the capability to safely control the car or motorbike they were renting.
They must also ensure that the people renting the car or motorbike were told that they must obey all road safety laws, especially that motorbike riders and passengers must wear a helmet at all times.
In launching the new campaign, officials also asked especially for Phuket people to be a good host and a good role model for tourists by practising safe, disciplined driving for tourists to follow.
