The Facebook group ROKS - https://www.facebook.com/groups/599017576877886/ - is merely one aspect of the Road Awareness Kampaign Samui - RAK. There is now so much conversation on the Facebook pages that members are constantly asking us why are we not doing anything, only posting photos of accidents.

The Facebook group is NOT intended to be a social media chat site. It serves the purpose of documenting as many accidents as we can record - with the intention of not only raising social awareness, but also providing evidence for the Authorities, when they need us to state our case.

We are, in fact, doing a lot, in addition to this. So for those of you who are not aware, below is an outline of what we have achieved, and what we propose to set in motion in the future.

The Thai Hotels Association (THA) Samui Chapter is a large group of 4-and 5-star resorts around the island, affiliated to the larger national THA. They have agreed in principle to establish an ongoing campaign, linking with us and Samui Rescue.

The scheme is directed at visitors to the island, stressing that the roads here are not what they are accustomed to. When guests register at a participating resort, the staff on the reception desk will complete a small credit-sized card on which will be the guests' details, the phone contact of the resort and a statement about their holiday insurance, together with emergency phone numbers for the local hospitals and Samui Rescue. Guests will be asked to carry the card in a wallet or bag at all times.

Whether guests have holiday insurance or not is of great importance to Samui Rescue. Much of the time there can be a communication problem, or there are even unconscious accident victims. Samui Rescue needs to know about insurance, as it affects what hospital accident victims are taken to.

Additionally, hotels and resorts will distribute warning leaflets in each of their rooms and make reference to this, and the work of ROKS, warning their guests about the road conditions, when they collectively greet everybody at the first-day cocktail get-together.

A list of approved car and motorbike rental companies is being compiled, those who have an established record of safety and responsibility. A scheme is in place for these to provide discounts and other benefits to participating hotels and resorts.

Leaflets and emergency card samples can be seen on our Facebook Group ROKS - please keep scrolling down.

We have road awareness schemes written and ready to go for the two local International schools, and also the 26 Thai government schools on Samui. The Director of Samui Center of Learning in Lamai, Emma Dyas, has already compiled a course of studies - in Thai and English - and has been given the go-ahead By the Director of Education in Surat Thani to run this course as a permanent part of the schools curriculum.

Discussions are in place with Mark Kent, the Bristish Ambassador to Thailand, who has expressed an interested in RAK Samui and is reviewing our aims, objectives and intentions, with a view to assisting us.

Bangkok Airways have agreed to allow us to run a short public service video in their departure lounges and to include our leaflets as part of their in-flight passenger literature.
(Having been let down by the person who offered to make a one-minute video - if there is anyone out there who has the equipment and skill - contact us!)

We have been going for around 18 months now, at the time of writing, and have received many offers of financial help and sponsorship. However, at the moment we have come to a pause. We will NOT accept any donations or sponsorship until we have registered as a Thai charity. Simply printing out thousands of ID cards and leaflets - or setting up a website - costs money which our few committee members can't afford on an ongoing basis. And registering as a charity is smothered in legal problems and red tape. We are still finding our way around this.

And that is where things are at the moment.

October 2015.