BANGKOK, Thailand – December 15, 2025

Thailand continues to face one of the highest motorcycle-related fatality burdens in the world. In 2024, more than 17,447 road traffic deaths were recorded nationally, of which over 14,000 involved motorcycles. Head injuries remain the dominant cause of death and severe disability among motorcyclists, contributing to an estimated 79% of motorcycle fatalities.

In alignment with the objectives of the FIA Foundation-funded Safe Guard – Helmet Advocacy Initiative, which emphasizes improving policy enforcement and operational strategies to increase the use of standard-compliant helmets and sustainably reduce motorcycle fatalities, AIP Foundation hosted an inaugural capacity building workshop on December 15 in Bangkok.

A participant of the workshop presenting one of the activities

The goal of the workshop was to enhance the capabilities of the Initiative’s Technical Working Group (TWG) members to equip them with essential knowledge, understanding, and skills necessary to drive effective helmet safety initiatives and policy formulation. The workshop was highlighted by the following objectives and activities:

• Review and Analyze Thailand’s Current Road Safety Situation: TWG members worked together to analyze the current road safety landscape and identified critical gaps or challenges across four key areas – substandard helmets, access and affordability of certified helmets, enforcement challenges, and low helmet-wearing rates 
• Knowledge and Skills Enhancement: Capacity gaps were addressed by strengthening members’ expertise, particularly regarding helmet safety standards, the design of effective enforcement strategies, the development of advocacy campaigns targeting groups with low compliance rates, and by sharing helmet safety international best practices.
• Action Plan Development: TWG members developed a draft TWG Action Plan that integrates approaches that comprehensively address standards, enforcement, and advocacy campaigns, enhancing members ability to collectively design disruptive solutions. 
• Increased Collaboration: All workshop activities were guided by the goals of establishing sustainable integration collaboration among partner agencies and stakeholders and aligning attitudes towards recognizing the importance of helmet-wearing across all target groups. 

Participation included 21 organizations from across multiple sectors, namely the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation, Department of Local Administration, Department of Disease Control, Department of Rural Roads, Office of Industrial Standards, Standards Inspection Division 3, Thai Parliamentary Advisory Committee on Road Safety, Parliamentary Committee Advisors Road Safety Research Center (RSRC), Road Accident Reduction Network Office, ThaiRoads Foundation, Road Safety Program (RSP), TDRI, Rotary Thailand, Thai Motorcycle Manufacturers Association, Rotary, Compensation Fund for Victims of Road Accidents Co., Ltd., Consumer Protection Council, Thai Health Promotion Foundation, Office of the Basic Education Commission (Happiness and Safety Management Center, Directorate), and Consumer Protection Council.

“AIP Foundation believes that lasting improvements in helmet use come from strong public sector leadership and policies grounded in evidence,” said Ms. Muslin Kunopasvorakul, AIP Foundation’s Operations Manager, Thailand. “This initiative brings government leaders together to strengthen interagency coordination, support consistent law enforcement, and enhance communication capacities – ensuring that helmet laws are not only adopted, but effectively implemented to save lives.”