Thailand will introduce measures to cut road fatalities by 50% by the year 2020, as part of a road safety campaign that has been placed on the national agenda. In theory, national agenda status means all ministries must co-operate and coordinate efforts to reach the objectives of road safety projects or campaigns.
Thailand will introduce measures to cut road fatalities by 50% by the year 2020, as part of a road safety campaign that has been placed on the national agenda.
In theory, national agenda status means all ministries must co-operate and coordinate efforts to reach the objectives of road safety projects or campaigns.
Ministry of Interior deputy permanent secretary, Panadda Diskul, said “The country is targeting a 50% drop in road fatalities by the year 2020 after the cabinet approved the idea of making 2011 to 2020 a decade of road safety. The country will promote road safety as a national agenda item to raise awareness of the issue.”
The proposed measures are:
• Cooperation with the Royal Thai Police, Emergency Medical Institute of Thailand, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, embassies, related tourism associations and the Professional Tourist Guide Association of Thailand to reassess the death toll statistics and arrive at a more accurate record of fatalities;
• Enforce rules monitoring tour buses, drivers, security equipment and safety systems;
• Provide road safety handbooks to tourists;
• Encourager tourist destinations to improve road safety management through training course;
• Setting up consultancy units.
During the two most popular holidays, New Year and Songkran, more than 600 people were killed on Thailand's highways. The main causes of accidents were drink driving followed by speeding and reckless driving.