He told a meeting of officials this afternoon (December 16), “I would like to ask all of you to be on duty during this seven days of danger from December 30 to January 5, because my target is to reduce the number of the accidents and death toll.”
Last year at the same time, five deaths were recorded on the roads, along with 28 crashes involving people being hospitalised.
The statistics for last year showed that most of crashes took place at night. In Patong most of the accidents involved drunkenness. In Thaland and Phuket Town most injuries occurred because people were not wearing helmets.
So in order to prevent road mayhem as much as possible this year, the Governor has set up three main integrated bodies, one per district, with a vice-governor in charge of each.
Apaty from setting up checkpoints in various parts of the island, the Governor also told the Rural Roads Department and the Highways Department to ensure that all road signs are clearly visible to road users.
“I want officals to install lights or signs that can be seen vividly in order to prevent losses such as the recent death of a seven-year-old child [Molly Baily]. I don’t want to see that repeated.
“Also, the Transportation Department needs to keep a look-out for buses and other types of mass transport coming in from other provinces, whose drivers may not be familiar with Phuket’s roads, especially the road over patong Hill.
“You need to install checkpoints in high-risk areas and report back to me. Check their power and their brakes.”
He also addressed marine safety. “I know it is hard for government officials to control and force tourists to follow the rules and regulations but we need to do it for their own sake. We will enforce the tour boat rules strictly. And if we find tourists breaking the law [by not wearing life jackets], then we will fine them [B500 per head].”
He also urged the Marine Department to enforce rules – to be officially announced on Thursday (December 18) – governing jet-skis. He added that he had many expressions of concern about this topic from ambassadors of other countries.