Thailand's 'floating' pedestrian crossing forces drivers to stop

Painting, done by 50 students and volunteers, plays on the perspective view of elevated zebra stripe

BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thailand is trying out a creative solution to reduce the number of pedestrian accidents -- by painting on ‘levitating’ zebra crossings that force drivers to take a second look and stop.

Outside Wat Bueng Thong Lang school on the outskirts of Bangkok, students crossing the road look like they are walking on planks that float a few inches above the road.

The painting, done by some 50 students and volunteers, plays on the perspective view of elevated zebra stripes over the road surface, and is located by the main entrance of the school. It is the sixth of its kind that the group of volunteers has completed in an effort to improve road safety.

According to statistics from the past four years published in November by Thailand’s National Health Security Office (NHSO) there were 10,672 number of pedestrian accidents in Thailand. Over 900 of the victims died.

A survey done by Super Poll in 2016 reported that about 90 percent of the 1,204 surveyed said they felt ‘unsafe’ crossing a road, even when using a zebra crossing.

Refurbishing them from old faded zebra crossings, the project’s manager, Natthapong Jiravijit said the group has brought their art to temples and schools over the past few months, due to their wider reach as community landmarks.

The group has at least three projects across the country to complete in the next six weeks before the venture will be reviewed by Thailand’s Government Savings Bank to renew further financial support.