On 6 October, Professor Kasem Choocharukul had the opportunity to participate in the 3rd Thai Parliament: Joining Forces for Road Safety Seminar, where the ThaiRAP team showcased the work of the Thailand Road Assessment Programme (ThaiRAP) bridging road safety research and national policy.
A key highlight was the announcement of the “Parliamentary Statement on Safe System for Thailand”, emphasizing the importance of a Safe System approach to reducing road traffic deaths and serious injuries.
Reporting on the event, Professor Choocharukul, ThaiRAP Lead and Professor of Civil Engineering at Chulalongkorn University said, “Since 2018, ThaiRAP has been promoting safer road infrastructure through internationally recognized iRAP methodologies, using evidence-based assessments to identify risks, prioritize investments, and improve safety for all road users, particularly vulnerable road users.
“It was particularly encouraging to see road safety research and engineering tools gain visibility and recognition at the national policy level, highlighting the growing connection between scientific evidence and policymaking.”
iRAP Global Programme and Communications Manager Judy Williams said, “ThaiRAP is an inspiration to all our national Road Assessment Programmes and iRAP partners worldwide. Star Rating targets are set in Thailand’s 2022-2027 Master Plan and the National Roads Policy which requires all new roads to achieve a safe technical standard of 3-stars or higher for road users. The programme is award-winning with ThaiRAP recognised in 2022 with a Prime Minister’s Award for Road Safety.”
ThaiRAP activity has assessed 150,737 km of roads and designs, and 10 schools, influencing the safety of US$1.6 million of road infrastructure investment. More than 2,000 people have been trained in programmes delivered locally.
Chulalongkorn University which hosts ThaiRAP is one of 11 iRAP Centres of Excellence helping to guide the development of the global road infrastructure safety standard and tools.