About us

History

Road accident is inflicting heavy burden on Thailand economy as majority of the victims are from the economically active segments of the population. It was estimated that every hour there are approximately two deaths due to road accidents and several injured or crippled for rest of their lives. Recognizing the alarming road safety situation in Thailand and the need of road safety improvements to help alleviate the situation, the Ministry of Transport and Communications (MOTC) of Thailand with the World Bank assistance initiated in 1995 with a consultant study. This study based on the available accident data, estimated the economic losses due to road accidents are more than 100,000 Million Bahts per year. This means over 12 Million Bahts per hour.

Alarmed by the findings of the study, under the World Bank loan assistance, MOTC has developed a comprehensive road safety master plan in 1998. The master plan vividly mentioned that lack of knowledge of accidents as one of constraints for road safety improvement in Thailand. In particular, accident knowledge on how, when, where, and if possible contributory factors to why they happen is essential for effective road safety improvement. Existing road safety research in Thailand seems to be very limited and fragmented. Accordingly, recognizing the urgent needs of accident knowledge and research, the Thailand Road Safety Master Plan, among others, identified the need for establishing a Thailand Accident Research Center (TARC) as a priority in its long-term action plan. Furthermore, the Master Plan made a strong recommendation that the best results of the research are achieved when it is carried out in an academic community, such as an university or a research institute and if possible, independent of the authorities responsible for implementing road safety measures. Another important point is that research is a long term and learning process. It is therefore preferably combined with education and training to transfer the knowledge gained by research to new generations of students. Thailand Accident Research Center (TARC) officially saw the light of reality in 2002 when the center was opened by King Carl XIV Gustav of Sweden.

Mission

• Increased efficiency in road safety work through increased know-how and understanding about why road accidents happen in Thailand. 
• To find innovative and yet, pragmatic solutions to avoid accidents and improve road safety in general, through high-standard research, application, evaluation and dissemination of practices on the partnership basis. 

Objectives 

• The objectives of TARC show what TARC undertakes research activities in road safety aspect in Thai context. The objectives are mentioned as follows: 
• To investigate, analyze, evaluate and acquire know-how on the mechanism behind the accidents and the incidents of personal injuries on continuous basis. 
• To provide a scientific and objective approach to reducing the suffering and losses caused by road accidents with adaptable solutions in Thai context. 
• To encourage partnership to build up, co-ordinate and implement accident research studies in order to establish a sustainable research program. 
• To build capacities of the responsible agencies and persons concerned on the road safety improvement in Thailand through education and training. 
• To facilitate translating the research into implementation through dissemination of research benefits as knowledge center.

Are you from an Accident Research Center?

TARC strongly believes that road safety is a global problem and it requires a systematic approach to enervate this problem. Being the leading road accident research center in Thailand, the experts of TARC have contributed substantially in road safety projects both in the national and international arena. Therefore, it is highly expected that our experience is establishing a research center and capacity building will help the newly developed accident research centers to shorten their learning curve. We are delighted to extend our helping hand to other accident research centers by capacity building, technology transfer and sharing ideas as well as resources. 

How can we help you?

Thailand Accident Research Center amalgamates knowledge from multifarious disciplines to provide scientific information and actionable solution to road accidents. Therefore, the stakeholder spectrum for TARC innumerate national and international research centers, public health, road authorities, law enforcement agencies, insurance companies, vehicle manufacturers, non government organizations as well as educational institutions, individual researchers or students.

People

	Assoc.Prof.Dr. Kunnawee Kanitpong kanitpon@ait.ac.th	Director, Thailand Accident Research Center (TARC), Thailand.
	Kanwalai  Nachaisit kanwalai@ait.ac.th	Office Secretary
	Nuttapong Boontob nuttapong.boontob@gmail.com	Research Associate
	Auearree Jensupakarn a.jensupakarn@gmail.com	Research Associate
	Jetpan  Wetwitoo jetpanw@ait.ac.th	Research Associate
	Santosh Baral sbaral@ait.ac.th	Research Associate
	Pathumporn Dabsomsri pathumporn.d@#gmail.com	Research Associate
	Sriwarang  Jensupakarn patteera.ae@gmail.com	Research Associate
	Saowapha Boonaiem Saowapha.Boonaiem@ait.ac.th	Research Associate