Michael T. Doherty and Paul Hayward of Bangkok, co-founders of the Panthera Group Thailand recently donated 300,000 Baht to the Asia Injury Prevention Foundation (AIP Foundation) through AIP’s representative, Mr. Sawai Seesai, Country Manager Thailand.
Over the years, the founders of the Panthera Group Thailand Mr. Paul Hayward and Mr. Michael T. Doherty have been involved in various charitable causes dedicated across Asia. With this donation, the Panthera Group Thailand aims to reach 1,000 students from 10 different schools in Bangkok and Phuket. The donated money will be used to produce 1000 helmets for students. This funding from the Panthera Group Thailand will be a part of AIP Foundation’s Helmets for Kids Program whose aim is to provide students and teachers with quality helmets and road safety education.
Recent reports showed that Thailand has the second highest road traffic fatality rate in the world with an annual estimate of over 6,000 deaths per day. During the country’s major festivals like Songkran, this rate rises up claiming countless lives. During 2018, the death toll jumped to 418, which was 7% up from 2017 (Road Safety Centre,2018).
“The death toll on the roads in Thailand is truly appalling, up amongst the highest in the world. Motorcycles in particular are most vulnerable. I realise that the motorbike is a necessary form of transport but it horrifies me to see children being driven to school and around town while not wearing helmets. If our donation to the AIP Foundation saves even one young life then it will have been worth every baht.” said Paul Hayward and Micky Doherty Panthera Group co-founders.
ThePanthera Group Thailand hopes that this initiative will help raise awareness about the importance of road safety and will provide the helmets students require which would result in less fatalities during Songkran.
