As part of the Helmets for Kids road safety program in Thailand, 500 helmets will be donated to two primary schools where less than 4% of students currently wear helmets on their commute to school. Both schools are located in high-density traffic areas in the Mueang district of Nakhon Si Thammarat province. Within the last year alone, two students were reported as involved in road crashes traveling to or from school – but the actual number is likely much higher. Helmets for Kids is supported by Chevron Thailand Exploration & Production, Ltd., a long-term partner of AIP Foundation and key advocate for road safety interventions in the region.

Over 400 teachers, students, and parents from the schools came together to celebrate the launch of the new program. Representatives from Chevron, the Road Accident Victims Protection Company Limited, the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation, the Ministry of the Interior, and several provincial infrastructure- and health-related government agencies also attended the event, which was hosted at Muang district’s city hall.

Mr. Sakol Chantharak, the Deputy Governor of Nakhon Si Thammarat district, gave the opening speech at the program launch ceremony. In addition to handing over the helmets to students, AIP Foundation presented certificates to 22 teachers who recently completed the road safety curriculum training. Students also engaged in educational road safety activities, including themed games and performances. Through these activities, students learned how to properly wear their new helmets and about the importance of safe road behavior in a creative and stimulating way.

Additionally, AIP Foundation held a Helmets for Kids stakeholder meeting at the Provincial Hall of Nakhon Si Thammarat province on 31 July, 2018. Discussion of program activities as well as future collaborations between government agencies and AIP Foundation to nurture the culture of road safety in the province took place and concluded with the signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between AIP Foundation and the two participating schools, Thesaban Tambon Tha Pair School and Rajaprajanugroh 4 School.

Read the full press release here.

View more photos from the launch event and stakeholder meeting here.