The K-Pop sensation that’s taking the world by storm - Crayon Pop - will be performing for the first time in Thailand on 23 November 2014 as part of an event to launch ‘The 7% Project’ - a nationwide campaign to increase motorcycle helmet use and save children’s lives by the Asian Injury Prevention Foundation (AIP) and Save the Children.

Crayon Pop made the official announcement on ‘The 7% Project’ campaign website - www.7-percent.org

“We are very excited to be coming to Thailand and to support such a great cause and we would like to invite everyone to come see us perform. Don’t forget to come wearing your helmets like us,” The five members said through the video to their Thai fans.

The all-female pop group rose to popularity with their chart-toping motorcycle helmet-wearing hit music video ‘Bar Bar Bar’ in 2013. Over 21 million people have seen the video on YouTube and over a million ‘Bar Bar Bar’ cover dances have been posted online.

Since then Crayon Pop has received numerous music awards and accolades. During June - July this year Crayon Pop also performed as the opening act for Lada Gaga’s tour of North America.

“We are delighted to have the support of Crayon Pop in helping us mobilize the Thai public around this very important issue,” said Allison Zelkowitz, Save the Children Thailand’s Country Director.

“Thailand has the second most dangerous roads in the world but only 7% of children are wearing motorcycle helmets. Every year over 2,600 children are killed and more than 72,000 are injured on Thailand’s roads.  We want this campaign to kick start a movement that everyone can be involved with to ensure safer commutes for children,” said Ms. Zelkowitz.

“The AIP foundation has over 15 years of experience in implementing road safety programmes in Asia,” said AIP Thailand’s Country Director Ratanawadee Hemniti-Winther.  

“Children travel to and from school five days a week and this well-traveled route is where the majority of accidents take place. We will be working closely with schools and families to develop a culture of safety where parents, teachers and children understand the urgency of helmet wearing,” said Ms Ratanawadee.  

Event Details

Venue: Bangkok Art and Culture Center  
Date: 23 November 2014
Full artist line up for ‘The 7% Project’ launch will be announced in November.
Press Conference featuring Crayon Pop and other Thai Artists: 22 November 2014

About ‘The 7% Project’ campaign

Each day a majority of Thailand’s 18 million children travel as passengers on motorcycles, but only 7% wear helmets – even though it’s the law.

According to the World Health Organization, Thailand has the 2nd deadliest roads in the world. Traffic collisions kill over 2,600 kids annually, or more than 7 children every day. Another 200 children are injured or disabled every day - 72,680 per year.

Save the Children together with the Asia Injury Prevention Foundation is launching a nationwide campaign in Thailand - The 7% Project - to decrease motorcycle death and injury among Thai children by increasing helmet use.

Working together with teachers, parents and children, in its first year the campaign aims to create an integrated grassroots and mass media programme to mobilize decision makers to feature motorcycle helmets as a permanent part of the school uniform.

As the campaign matures, the 7% project will expand beyond schools to include all destinations in a child’s daily commute ensuring that by 2017 more than 60% of children will be wearing helmets every time they travel as a passenger on a motorcycle.

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Media Contacts:

Songporn Leelakitichok
Communications and Advocay Coordinator
Save the Children International
Email: bea.leelakitichok@savethechildren.org