Road safety is a stubborn public health challenge in Thailand, despite years of policy focus. The country’s road traffic death rate stands at 25.4 per 100,000 people, as per the World Health Organisation (WHO). WHO also estimates suggest roughly 50 deaths a day in 2021, with 15-29-year-olds and motorcyclists most affected. The economic impact is equally sobering: 531,058 million baht (roughly $15.51 billion) in 2022, or 3.06% of GDP.
Against this backdrop, auto rivals Toyota and Honda via creative major Hakuhodo, have launched ‘Kub-Dee-Dai-Dee (Good driving brings good returns)’, a joint initiative to tackle car–motorcycle collisions on Thai roads.
Rather than leaning on broad awareness messaging, the campaign positions itself as a behaviour-change intervention. Led by the Toyota Mobility Foundation (TMF) and Honda Thailand Foundation under the ‘Tateshina Meeting’ collaboration, the work reframes the familiar Thai proverb ‘Tam-Dee-Dai-Dee (Good deeds bring good returns)’ into a road-safety context.
Youth-focused and digitally led, the campaign promotes ‘KUB-DEE (Good driving)’ actions across its website and social channels. Messaging is simple and practical: avoid road accidents, watch for motorcycles in traffic, check blind spots, maintain safe distances, and, most critically, wear helmets. Data on Thailand’s common crash patterns provided insights to specifically focus on these behaviours.
The dedicated platform, kubdeedaidee.com, houses films, visuals and safety guidance. An interactive ‘Kub-Dee-Dai-Dee Generator’ encourages users to select safe-driving pledges, generate personalised wallpapers or short videos, and share them socially. Hopefully, this nudges awareness toward visible commitment.
Visuals by Thai artist Sarawut Pannoo blend contemporary graphic design with traditional Thai motifs, designed to engage younger audiences.
Originally launched in November 2025, the campaign has been running digitally and offline in Bangkok and Chiang Mai via social media, outdoor ads, a dedicated website, and Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) media channels. Building on insights from this phase, the initiative will expand this year through partnerships with Toyota Motor Thailand (TMT) and Honda Thailand Foundation to reach a wider audience with traffic safety messaging.
“We hope ‘Kub-Dee-Dai-Dee’ resonates as positive reinforcement, spreading compassion across all road users,” says Susumu Matsuda, deputy chairman of TMF. "We’re thrilled to partner with TMF on this to confront Thailand’s road crisis,” adds Hideaki Takaishi, general manager of Honda’s Safe Driving Promotion Division. “By championing considerate driving from every angle, we’re delivering safety, joy and a path to zero accidents.”
Campaign's take: The pragmatic shift from standalone CSR initiatives to a systemic industry action is laudable. The critical test, however, will be whether digital participation translates into sustained behavioural change on Thailand’s chaotic roads.
Source: Campaign Asia-Pacific
