The FIA Foundation hosted a high-level meeting with Thai parliamentarians to focus on motorcycle helmet safety in Thailand.

The delegation, on a Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety (PACTS) study tour in London, was led by H.E. Mr. Pichet Chuamuanphan, First Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives. It included key members of the House of Representatives, members of the new Committee for Transport Safety of the Thai Parliament, and the WHO Collaborating Centre for Injury Prevention and Safety Promotion. FIA Foundation long-term partner, AIP Foundation, and Galeatus Principal Scientist and technical expert, Terry Smith, joined the meeting online.

FIA Foundation Executive Director, Saul Billingsley, opened the session, presenting the Foundation’s work and approach to reducing road traffic fatalities globally. Programmes Director Aggie Krasnolucka presented the global picture of motorcycle safety, the Foundation’s approach to and impact on reducing motorcycle fatalities through targeted action on motorcycle helmet safety, as well as international best practice. The delegation heard from AIP Foundation Thailand about the ongoing ‘Safe Guard’ project supported by the FIA Foundation, which aims to improve motorcycle helmet use among riders and passengers in Thailand, including children and vulnerable road users. The AIP Foundation presented high-level policy recommendations based on evidence gathered from the project research, as well as actions the government can take forward. 

In the discussions that followed, H.E. Mr. Pichet Chuamuanphan invited the AIP Foundation to become a formal member of the Thai Parliament Committee for Transport Safety, expressing the delegation’s commitment to keeping Thai road users safe through collective action.  

Ratana H. Winther, AIP Foundation Thailand Chairperson said: “Improving helmet use across Thailand requires a united effort, and the ‘Safe Guard’ project shows what’s possible when evidence, community engagement, and policy come together to bring about real change. Our recommendations are grounded in real-world data and experiences, and we are committed to working with government leaders to ensure every rider, especially children, is protected on the road.” 

Saul Billingsley, FIA Foundation Executive Director, said: “It was great to welcome the delegation of Thai parliamentarians, members of a new Transport Safety Committee, to the FIA Foundation, led by First Deputy Speaker H.E. Pichet Chuamuangphan. Motorcycle safety remains a vital and pressing road safety issue, and it was a great opportunity to highlight the new AIP Foundation ‘Safe Guard’ initiative we are supporting in Thailand to strengthen the institutional response to motorbike traffic casualties.”