Helmets go cheap in Nakhon Pathom

[Admin]

Excellent idea, educating is not less important than punishment if not more! 

Helmets go cheap in Nakhon Pathom
By The Nation
Published on January 28, 2011

Nakhon Pathom police yesterday launched a novel campaign to ensure motorcyclists and their passengers wear crash helmets.

Under the scheme, people caught without protective headgear are told they must pay fines of between Bt200 and Bt500 - or pay just Bt100 to buy a helmet.

The highquality helmets, which would normally cost much more than Bt100, come in various colours and patterns and are emblazoned with the Nakhon Pathom Provincial Police logo. Within hours of the launch, police had already sold 500.


Some motorcyclists were arrested at police checkpoints and paid for helmets only to come back and buy more. One motorcyclist asked to buy 10.

"This campaign is designed to counter the nohelmet problem," Nakhon Pathom police chief Maj General Pasin Noksakul said. A common cause of road casualties was victims' failure to wear protective gear, he said.

Muang Nakhon Pathom police superintendent Colonel Wattana Pimat said he expected all motorcyclists and passengers in his area to be wearing helmets within six months.

The campaign follows a government declaration of 2011 as "The Year of CrashHelmet Wearing Awareness".

Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban, who heads the Road Safety Centre, said 40 per cent of roadaccident victims were motorcyclists.

"Every day, about 24 motorcyclists or their passengers are killed on roads," he said.

More than 100,000 people are injured in road accidents every year. As many as 3,000 of them are left with permanent disabilities.

"The common cause is failure to wear a crash helmet," Suthep said.

The deputy PM said road accidents cost the country about Bt200billion in economic losses each year, equivalent to 2.8 per cent of the country's gross domestic product.

As well as the government campaign, 2011 also saw the United Nations launch a "Decade of Action for Road Safety".

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2011/01/28/national/Helmets-go-cheap-in-Nakhon-Pathom-30147387.html

[boloa]

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The highquality helmets, which would normally cost much more than Bt100

Even though this is a great idea and I give the Nakhon Pathom police a big thumbs up, but I very much doubt these helmets are high quality and a plastic bucket on your head would probable more use in a accident !!!

[nookiebear]

You know the Thais ,,,,,,anything that is cheap money & they are out in their droves

[boloa]

Under the scheme, people caught without protective headgear are told they must pay fines of between Bt200 and Bt500 - or pay just Bt100 to buy a helmet.

One Thai Guy that got pulled up said " I will  pay the 500  baht,I have crash helmet at home that cost me 400 baht,so same same  "...:-)

[Admin]

Helmet users increased by 30%
-NNT 2011-01-30

BANGKOK, 30 January 2011 (NNT)-Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva has revealed that a number of motorcyclists wearing a helmet has increased up to 60%, adding that passengers of a motorcycle service will be able to recieve a head pad free of charge.

The Prime Minister said the safety campaign encouraging the use of helmet has doubled the number of users compared to the same period last year. Bangkok, Phuket and Loei have reported the highest number of users since the campaign kicked off. However, the number of passengers are far less significant compared to that of drivers.

According to the Prime Minister, the government has since been paying attention to the production of helmets, making sure they are up to the standards.
For passengers who are worried about sharing a helmet with other passengers, a head pad will be given to them to wear under the helmet. It also boosts safety levels and reduces injury risks.

[boloa]

Has anybody noticed like me that people are wearing crash-helmets more than they used too
The Government have called this " The Year of the Helmet "  and to me it does seem that the message is getting through ,particularly in the daytime  .....but I have noticed the locals seem to laps in the evening after 5pm knowing the local Police have knocked off for the day. Dusk,with Insects ( that can get in your eye's )and low light conditions does seem to be the most dangerous time though.I think the Government could do more by putting Safety Add's on TV at prime times and getting the local Police to give talks at the local school's though .I know some will criticize the standards of the helmets here in Thailand but some protection is better than none to those that can't afford a top notch helmet .......Views 

[nookiebear]

Which do you deem more dangerous??? Not wearing a skid lid or driving along at night with no rear light??

[krasangchris]

Ah yes - Save Gas - turn your tail light off (and live to spend the Baht ).
-Chris.

[nookiebear]

Ah yes - Save Gas - turn your tail light off (and live to spend the Baht ).
-Chris.

the value of life 10 baht....if theres 2 on the bike 5 baht..............

[SANGKA]

There some nice one's on the market theese day's