Dear Editor
"The Chief of the Chiang Mai Traffic
Police, Pol. Col. Sitthichai Tananchai , reported on police readiness to
deal with the influx of traffic in the city and traffic jams created by the
opening of schools on May 16, 2012. He noted that the number of parents
bringing their own children to school is quite high contributing to the
traffic and noted that Charoenphratet and Kaewnawarat Roads have a high
concentration of schools and will see heavy traffic at the beginning and end
of each school day. He said measures will be taken to ease the flow of
traffic in these areas as well as others."
This quote from the Chief of Traffic
Police touched a raw nerve.
It does not address a critical issue
which police, teachers and parents have been turning a blind eye to for many
years.
That is, the number of school children
who ride motorbikes to and from school without wearing helmets.
Add the fact that many of these
students are younger than the legal age and do not posses the necessary
license to ride the bike.
Add to that the fact that it is rarely
just the one student on the bike, but two, three or four!
Add to that they often ride into and
from the school yard directly past an on-duty policeman and school staff.
I have actually seen policemen direct
underage and helmet-less students into the dense traffic flow from the
school grounds!
If the authorities are ever to get
truly serious about road safety here why not start with the school children.
And that means parents and teachers too.
Signed,
Wake Up
Chiang Mai
