Phuket police step up student road safety campaign

PHUKET: Officers at Phuket’s Kathu Police Station today stepped up their campaign to have students at Kathu Witthaya School use the pedestrian bridge instead of risking life and limb by crossing the busy road in front of the school.

Tung Tong Police Superintendent Col Kraitong Chantongbai told the Phuket Gazette that nearly every day he receives reports of students being involved in an accident or narrowly escaping serious injury while crossing the road.

“Ever since I moved to Tung Thong Police Station, I have continually received reports about students being involved in accidents while crossing the road under the bridge.

“So we would like the students to actually use the bridge – every day. It’s much safer, especially when the school finishes and many people come to pick up the students,” he said.

The campaign is a collaborative by Tung Tong Police, Kathu Municipality and Kathu Witthaya School, Col Kraitong explained.

Today, Kathu Municipality workers cut the grass around the bridge and about 20 Scouts who are students at the school collected trash lying around it.

“We have a new main gate at the school that is only about 10 meters from the pedestrian bridge,” said Aekachai Nulong, a teacher at Kathu Witthaya.

“Also, we will have two teachers on duty standing at the new gate to make sure students use the bridge instead of crossing the road,” he said.

Col Kraitong added that Kathu Municipality has been requested to repaint and add a roof to the bridge.

“This will help encourage the students to want to use it,” he said.

— Atchaa Khamlo