April 30, 2026, at 11:00 hours – Mr. Julapun Amornvivat, Minister of Labour, presided over the opening ceremony of the activity “Safe Drive Safe Life: Driving with Confidence, Building a Sustainable Safety Culture Together.” Attending the event were Mr. Phiphatchai Paiboon, member of the Minister of Labour’s team, Mr. Krirkrai Nasamoyon, Legal Advisor to the Labour Minister, Mr. Surachart Thienthong, Secretary to the Labour Minister, Pol. Lt. Col. Wannapong Kotcharak, Permanent Secretary of Labour, executives of the Ministry of Labour, representatives from enterprises and safety network partners, motorcycle taxi drivers, and delivery riders. Dr. Nuntachai Panyasurath, Director of the Institute for the Promotion of Occupational Health, Safety and Working Environment (TOSH), delivered the report at the ground floor hall of the Ministry of Labour building.
Mr. Julapun Amornvivat, Minister of Labour, stated that the Ministry of Labour places great importance on informal workers, who are a key driver of the economy, particularly motorcycle riders who face significant road risks. These workers generate income for themselves and their families, contributing to economic circulation within urban communities. As such, they form part of the urban grassroots economy while operating under high-risk conditions, including road accidents, long working hours, and limited access to certain forms of social protection. “Informal workers, especially motorcycle riders, are an essential force in the urban economy, yet they are also among the groups most vulnerable to accidents. The Ministry of Labour’s efforts today therefore focus on building a ‘safety shield’ through knowledge, skills, and appropriate protective equipment, enabling workers to perform their jobs with greater confidence and safety.”
“Safety is not the responsibility of any one individual alone, but requires cooperation from all sectors, including the government, private sector, and workers themselves. This activity marks the beginning of building a local-level safety network,” said Mr. Julapun.
Meanwhile, Dr. Nuntachai Panyasurath, Director of TOSH, explained that the activity forms part of efforts to create a “safe worker model” at the local level by emphasising participation and practical learning. The aim is for participants to immediately apply the knowledge gained and further share it with fellow workers. Approximately 100 motorcycle taxi drivers and riders from various platforms participated in the event, with expectations that they will develop into model safety networks capable of disseminating safety knowledge to informal workers on a broader scale. “The key objective of this project is to transform ‘knowledge’ into ‘behaviour’. We designed the activities so that participants learn from real-life situations, understand their own risks, and can tangibly prevent accidents,” he said.
The Ministry of Labour, through the Institute for the Promotion of Occupational Health, Safety and Working Environment (TOSH), organised the “Safe Drive Safe Life: Driving with Confidence, Building a Sustainable Safety Culture Together” campaign to promote and enhance safety among informal workers, particularly public motorcycle taxi drivers and food delivery riders. The event was held during important global and national safety observances. Every year, April 28 marks the World Day for Safety and Health at Work, which promotes a global culture of occupational safety. Thailand also designates May 10 as the National Occupational Safety Day to remind all sectors of the importance of preventing workplace accidents and losses. The “Safe Drive Safe Life” activity, therefore, represents a proactive initiative that translates international policy into concrete action at the local level.
Activities at the event included exhibitions and educational booths from 13 organisations, occupational safety training sessions, and the distribution of personal protective equipment such as helmets and gloves. A key highlight was the release of a motorcycle caravan to campaign for safe riding in surrounding areas, reflecting the advancement of safety policy from “commemorative observance” to “real behavioural change” among workers in Thai society in a sustainable manner.
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Division of Public Relations
