PHUKET is preparing to ward off death and injury on the island's roads this Songkran holiday with a long campaign that begins almost two weeks in advance of the annual Thai New Year celebrations.
Residents this year are being asked to inform on people who drink and drive by calling Highway Police on 1548 or, appropriately enough, the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation on 1784.
More volunteers from local authorities and the governor's ''1000 eyes of the pineapple'' scheme are expected to be used at checkpoints that will appear from April 1, well before the week-long festival begins in earnest on April 12.
As a result of crackdowns on Phuket over the past few Songkran holidays, Phuket's road toll in the festive season has been appreciably lower than the annual slaughter that traditionally scars the celebrations throughout Thailand.
Four deaths and 60 injuries were reported across the seven days last year. This compares with the just-released tally of 15 deaths and 1550 injured on Phuket's roads during February. That included six deaths in just one day.
Phuket's death and injury rate is often compared unfairly with other provinces. The island has only 320,000 registered citizens, yet the total of those using the island's roads is at least three times that number when Thais registered in other provinces and tourists from other countries are taken into account.
This is not to say that Phuket's roads are a safe place to be. This year authorities in Phuket City and the Transport Office are combining to campaign to promote better understanding of the need for helmets when riding motorcycles and the need to obey road rules to survive.
Eighty-two percent of crashes on Phuket's road's involve motorcycles. Most of the deaths and injuries are needless and could be avoided with more thorough education and law enforcement.
As February's figure of 15 deaths and 1550 injuries reveals again, the toll creates enormous trauma that often affects a wide circle of family, friends and workmates and puts pressure on the medical care system, reducing its capacity to deal with other issues.
Phuket diver and businessman Shane Free remains one of the thousands of statistics for 2009. He survived a long period in a coma after having been found by a roadside in southern Phuket, all his valuables and means of identification stolen.
If anyone knows the cost of recovering from a serious motorcycle mishap, it's his mother, Monica Vearer.
In one sense, the time she has spent with Shane 24/7 on Phuket and now back in Britain is worthwhile, because she is witnessing his recovery. He is learning to talk and walk all over again.
''Shane is going from strength to strength,'' she wrote. ''Yesterday he walked 600 metres only holding on by one hand to the physio.
''He is slowly starting to remember his past, which is very encouraging. His sense of humor is so funny and all his friends say he has not lost that at all.''
In another sense, Monica recognises the hardship involved, not just for her but for every family struck down by the thousands of motorcycle injuries on Phuket each year.
''I am still with him 24/7,'' she says. ''People who are in the same situation as I am need to know that, for the best recovery of their love one, they have to be with them 24/7.
''Constantly telling them they love them, they are here for them, holding their hand through the night, while sitting on a chair.
''They will have to wash them, clean them. Change the bedding, provide the pads, feed them, and that can take up to an hour at a time, up to five times a day.
''Give them their medication, and if they are having physio, get them to show you how to do it, and do it three times a day.
''Massage them as much as possible all over where you can. You will be physically drained by this, but you will find the strength to do it, for your love one's sake .
''I hope to bring Shane back to Thailand one day to see his friends and the doctors and nurses.
''I do hope one day the Thai people will realise it is better to wear a helmet. That means everyone on a motorbike, children and mothers as well.''
Phuket Rip-Offs and Reds Alarm Tourism ChiefResidents this year are being asked to inform on people who drink and drive by calling Highway Police on 1548 or, appropriately enough, the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation on 1784.
More volunteers from local authorities and the governor's ''1000 eyes of the pineapple'' scheme are expected to be used at checkpoints that will appear from April 1, well before the week-long festival begins in earnest on April 12.
As a result of crackdowns on Phuket over the past few Songkran holidays, Phuket's road toll in the festive season has been appreciably lower than the annual slaughter that traditionally scars the celebrations throughout Thailand.
Four deaths and 60 injuries were reported across the seven days last year. This compares with the just-released tally of 15 deaths and 1550 injured on Phuket's roads during February. That included six deaths in just one day.
Phuket's death and injury rate is often compared unfairly with other provinces. The island has only 320,000 registered citizens, yet the total of those using the island's roads is at least three times that number when Thais registered in other provinces and tourists from other countries are taken into account.
This is not to say that Phuket's roads are a safe place to be. This year authorities in Phuket City and the Transport Office are combining to campaign to promote better understanding of the need for helmets when riding motorcycles and the need to obey road rules to survive.
Eighty-two percent of crashes on Phuket's road's involve motorcycles. Most of the deaths and injuries are needless and could be avoided with more thorough education and law enforcement.
As February's figure of 15 deaths and 1550 injuries reveals again, the toll creates enormous trauma that often affects a wide circle of family, friends and workmates and puts pressure on the medical care system, reducing its capacity to deal with other issues.
Phuket diver and businessman Shane Free remains one of the thousands of statistics for 2009. He survived a long period in a coma after having been found by a roadside in southern Phuket, all his valuables and means of identification stolen.
If anyone knows the cost of recovering from a serious motorcycle mishap, it's his mother, Monica Vearer.
In one sense, the time she has spent with Shane 24/7 on Phuket and now back in Britain is worthwhile, because she is witnessing his recovery. He is learning to talk and walk all over again.
''Shane is going from strength to strength,'' she wrote. ''Yesterday he walked 600 metres only holding on by one hand to the physio.
''He is slowly starting to remember his past, which is very encouraging. His sense of humor is so funny and all his friends say he has not lost that at all.''
In another sense, Monica recognises the hardship involved, not just for her but for every family struck down by the thousands of motorcycle injuries on Phuket each year.
''I am still with him 24/7,'' she says. ''People who are in the same situation as I am need to know that, for the best recovery of their love one, they have to be with them 24/7.
''Constantly telling them they love them, they are here for them, holding their hand through the night, while sitting on a chair.
''They will have to wash them, clean them. Change the bedding, provide the pads, feed them, and that can take up to an hour at a time, up to five times a day.
''Give them their medication, and if they are having physio, get them to show you how to do it, and do it three times a day.
''Massage them as much as possible all over where you can. You will be physically drained by this, but you will find the strength to do it, for your love one's sake .
''I hope to bring Shane back to Thailand one day to see his friends and the doctors and nurses.
''I do hope one day the Thai people will realise it is better to wear a helmet. That means everyone on a motorbike, children and mothers as well.''
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The key to more safety on Phuket's roads would be a better public transportation system.
How many accidents could be prevented if not each and everybody had to use their own motorbike to get to work, especially during the raining season?
However, every motorbike driver has a brain to decide by him/herself if they want to risk their life and drive without a proper helmet.
There is no need to waste time of the police to check on that. They have so many more important things to do, why bother and try to change the minds of the ignorant?
Posted by Anonymous on March 30, 2010 14:58