PHUKET: Thirteen people died on Phuket's roads in May, a figure that would not please former Phuket City Police Superintendent Colonel Wanchai Eakpornpit. Most of the deaths involved motorcycles.
Colonel Wanchai, who sparked a ''100 percent helmet'' campaign on Phuket that actually worked, was today continuing a similar program in Ranong, the province on the border with Burma, north of Phuket.
When Phuketwan dropped by recently, his office was filled with boxes of helmets that will be given away during the campaign, much as hundreds of helmets were given away on Phuket last year.
''One difference between Ranong and Phuket is the large proportion of Burmese here,'' Colonel Wanchai said. ''We have to keep them off the roads after nightfall.
''It's not a security matter. The Burmese have very little money, so they cannot pay for insurance or for compensation after a crash.''
Ranong people caught without a helmet in July will be obliged to watch a road safety movie, just as thousands were on Phuket last year.
Phuket police and schools on Phuket are continuing the safety campaign begun by Phuketwan's 2010 Phuket Person of the Year, much to Colonel Wanchai's delight.
''The 100 percent campaign is continuing and over time, it will save many lives,'' he said.
Latest figures released today show there were 13 deaths on Phuket roads in May, a fall of two from the figure in April. For the first five months of the year, there were a total of 58 deaths on Phuket's roads.
That's two down on the Phuket figure for the first five months of 2010, and 15 less than the Phuket figure for 2009.
Every month, though, between 1000 and 1500 people continue to be injured, and sometimes permanently maimed, mostly as a result of motorcycle crashes.
Two people drowned on Phuket in May, according to today's official Public Health figures. That brings the total for Phuket for the year so far to 16 - one more than for Phuket to the same period in 2010, but well down on the 24 for Phuket to the same period in 2009.
Colonel Wanchai, who sparked a ''100 percent helmet'' campaign on Phuket that actually worked, was today continuing a similar program in Ranong, the province on the border with Burma, north of Phuket.
When Phuketwan dropped by recently, his office was filled with boxes of helmets that will be given away during the campaign, much as hundreds of helmets were given away on Phuket last year.
''One difference between Ranong and Phuket is the large proportion of Burmese here,'' Colonel Wanchai said. ''We have to keep them off the roads after nightfall.
''It's not a security matter. The Burmese have very little money, so they cannot pay for insurance or for compensation after a crash.''
Ranong people caught without a helmet in July will be obliged to watch a road safety movie, just as thousands were on Phuket last year.
Phuket police and schools on Phuket are continuing the safety campaign begun by Phuketwan's 2010 Phuket Person of the Year, much to Colonel Wanchai's delight.
''The 100 percent campaign is continuing and over time, it will save many lives,'' he said.
Latest figures released today show there were 13 deaths on Phuket roads in May, a fall of two from the figure in April. For the first five months of the year, there were a total of 58 deaths on Phuket's roads.
That's two down on the Phuket figure for the first five months of 2010, and 15 less than the Phuket figure for 2009.
Every month, though, between 1000 and 1500 people continue to be injured, and sometimes permanently maimed, mostly as a result of motorcycle crashes.
Two people drowned on Phuket in May, according to today's official Public Health figures. That brings the total for Phuket for the year so far to 16 - one more than for Phuket to the same period in 2010, but well down on the 24 for Phuket to the same period in 2009.
''One difference between Ranong and Phuket is the large proportion of Burmese here,'' Colonel Wanchai said. ''We have to keep them off the roads after nightfall."
I wonder on what law this practise is based on ? Sounds like blatant discrimination to me.
I wish PW would have asked him to elaborate but I guess the "Man of the Year" can't be challenged in such a way.
Disappointing.
Posted by Chris on July 2, 2011 09:46
Editor Comment:
Don't be too disappointed. As Deputy Ranong Commander, I doubt that Colonel Wanchai has much say in the general treatment of Burmese. As we learned with the Rohingya, the Army is in control of the movements of Burmese and other illegals in Ranong - perhaps because it's a border province and the emphasis is on ''stability''. Provincial governments also have the power to impose curfews on Burmese, as was the case in Phuket once.