New Bangkok police chief to enforce traffic law strictly as he lifts all traffic checkpoints

[webfact]

 

New Bangkok police chief to enforce traffic law strictly as he lifts all traffic checkpoints

By Thai PBS

 

 

BANGKOK: -- The acting commissioner of Metropolitan Police Bureau yesterday (Oct 2) announced to lift all traffic checkpoints in Bangkok, reasoning that they didn’t help much to ease traffic problems.

 

Pol Lt-Gen Chanthep Sesawech, the acting MPB commissioner, announced his priorities in assuming the Bangkok police chief, after he led Bangkok senior police to worship and pay respects to ancient Thai and Chinese shrines at the MPB Headquarters on Monday before assuming the top position in the bureau.

 

Pol Lt Gen Chanthep said he would lift all traffic checkpoints as he saw setting up such checkpoints do more harm than good.

 

Full story: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/new-bangkok-police-chief-enforce-traffic-law-strictly-lifts-traffic-checkpoints/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2017-10-03

[petermik]

The "on the spot fines" will be sadly missed by fellow officers

[Cuchulainn]

..............setting up such checkpoints do more harm than good................

 

Finally!!!

[colinneil]

His underlings not going to be happy about that, no more screwing over people for tea money.

[taichiplanet]

If we see an illegal police check point can we take a photo and claim a cash reward!

[darksidedog]

Most of us have commented on the appalling driving we see on the roads and many of us have bemoaned the tea money stops while nothing was done to stop poor and dangerous driving. I hope that finally they have seen the light and will address the real issue. The carnage on the roads has to come down, and I wish them every success in actually starting to do so.

[Nip]

4 hours ago, darksidedog said:

Most of us have commented on the appalling driving we see on the roads and many of us have bemoaned the tea money stops while nothing was done to stop poor and dangerous driving. I hope that finally they have seen the light and will address the real issue. The carnage on the roads has to come down, and I wish them every success in actually starting to do so.

With all due respect sir .... Oh yee of TOO much faith. Nothing ever changes in Thailand just the names of the Police chiefs. He has paid for his snout to be placed in the feed trough. The rule of thumb here is "Mind over Matter" They don't mind and the people don't matter.

[1337markus]

Just checking. This is in Bangkok only? So the rest of Thailand is same same, tea money checkpoints continue?

[Bob12345]

4 hours ago, darksidedog said:

Most of us have commented on the appalling driving we see on the roads and many of us have bemoaned the tea money stops while nothing was done to stop poor and dangerous driving. I hope that finally they have seen the light and will address the real issue. The carnage on the roads has to come down, and I wish them every success in actually starting to do so.

Time for idiot-Thailand-fans to jump in and point out that if you don't like it here you can always leave.

 

But totally agree with you.

I've even had several occasions where the roadblocks were so badly visible from a distance that you see people almost crashing into each other because traffic goes from 100-120km/h to a complete stop without warning.

[RBOP]

So drink drivers will have no worries then.

[anon467367354]

The easy money would be targeting cars parked in no parking zones. That would really help in so many ways! 

[longevity]

You need to read the source article folks, where it says at the bottom:

 

Quote

For alcohol, crime and security checkpoints, the new Bangkok police chief assured that they will be allowed to be set up as usual.

 

 

[rumbo1]

5 hours ago, darksidedog said:

Most of us have commented on the appalling driving we see on the roads and many of us have bemoaned the tea money stops while nothing was done to stop poor and dangerous driving. I hope that finally they have seen the light and will address the real issue. The carnage on the roads has to come down, and I wish them every success in actually starting to do so.

 

I think the point is it costs the economy more in lost time for business than the small fines generated by the checkpoints 

[billrose]

Maybe then the national police chief will follow suit for the rest of Thailand.

 

I can only dream!

[Sirbergan]

46 minutes ago, RBOP said:

So drink drivers will have no worries then.

You actually think their check points stops  drunk drivers? That's adorable!

[Minnehaha]

So stopping traffic actually does not ease traffic flow.  

Now we know.  

[johnny49r]

Checkpoints were created to allow police to pick the low hanging fruit. Checkpoints were always in the same place and at the same time of day. Anyone wishing to circumvent the checkpoint could do so easily.

So my question is this: without checkpoint duty what will the police do all day? I have never seen police do much except reroute traffic so that traffic problems happen in another area. 

Police are not proactive and only get involved in law enforcement after a problem occurs. Is the new chief implying that police will now begin practicing law enforcement for the benefit of the public? 

 

[wealthychef]

1 hour ago, longevity said:

You need to read the source article folks, where it says at the bottom:

  Quote

For alcohol, crime and security checkpoints, the new Bangkok police chief assured that they will be allowed to be set up as usual.

 

 

 

So what checkpoints are they removing?  The ones that are not for alcohol, crime and security?  What is left?  

[richard_smith237]

1 hour ago, rumbo1 said:

 

I think the point is it costs the economy more in lost time for business than the small fines generated by the checkpoints 

 

Indeed, in 2016 Kasikorn Research Centre estimated the cost to Thai Economy to be as high as 11 Billion baht per year.

 

http://www.thailandherald.com/news/247551269/cost-of-traffic-jams-in-bangkok-costs-the-economy-11-billion-baht

 

Although the very same article also quotes 60 Million Baht per day... which is double the estimated 11 Billion per year so I'm not sure how much I trust and article who's authors didn't get their own maths correct. 

 

The article also quotes an additional energy cost of 6 Billion Baht per year (i.e. in fuel) shouldered directly by commuters.

 

 

This is all significantly greater than any tea money dragged in by the BiB. The extra revenue generated by an efficient city 'could' be reinvested - Fire Service, Ambulance Service, Police Services etc... of course the same boring posters will complain that they don't want a nanny-state !...  the rest of us call this development. Realistically though, this would take generations to achieve and as others have commented... nothing will change, this is simply lip service for a new chief. 

[spermwhale]

NO shit they don't improve traffic. They CREATE traffic problems. 

Maybe the cops here can instead get off their collective asses and actually do  real traffic enforcement by driving around and pulling people over for moving violations. 

 

I've lived here 14 years and I have never seen a cop pull anyone over for breaking the law. 

 

 

[wvavin]

Oh....the Thai police additional incomes would be greatly affected now.

[Guest]

6 hours ago, darksidedog said:

Most of us have commented on the appalling driving we see on the roads and many of us have bemoaned the tea money stops while nothing was done to stop poor and dangerous driving. I hope that finally they have seen the light and will address the real issue. The carnage on the roads has to come down, and I wish them every success in actually starting to do so.

exactly

[Bangkok Barry]

So there will be no more checkpoints, except that there will:

 

'For alcohol, crime and security checkpoints, the new Bangkok police chief assured that they will be allowed to be set up as usual.'

 

Perfectly clear then. They'll need the checkpoints that won't exist anymore to check that there are no alcohol (drunk driving) or any other criminal activities going on.

 

[spermwhale]

4 minutes ago, Bangkok Barry said:

So there will be no more checkpoints, except that there will:

 

'For alcohol, crime and security checkpoints, the new Bangkok police chief assured that they will be allowed to be set up as usual.'

 

Perfectly clear then. They'll need the checkpoints that won't exist anymore to check that there are no alcohol (drunk driving) or any other criminal activities going on.

 

Those checkpoints are only late late at night. That's the only time they ever check for drunk driving. I've driven through hundreds of checkpoints here and only at night do they ask you if you've been drinking and shove a wand in your face to blow into 

 

[alfalfa19]

When he says traffic checkpoints, is he referring to the mobile extortion stations?  If so, I don't expect the BIB to pay much attention. 

[Satcommlee]

Maybe they will actually go and exploit the people that flout traffic laws like lanes violations and illegal u turns - parking in crazy places for their tea money now... would be a good thing..

[Jonmarleesco]

10 hours ago, webfact said:

Pol Lt-Gen Chanthep Sesawech ... led Bangkok senior police to worship and pay respects to ancient Thai and Chinese shrines at the MPB Headquarters on Monday before assuming the top position in the bureau.

Well, I'm sure that'll help improve traffic flow.

 

What would help more would be getting the traffic-light button pressers out onto the streets to work, while upgrading - as I'm sure will be necessary - the computer systems that would be multiple times more efficient in controlling the lights, and putting some logical thought into the setting up and use of the contraflow systems.

[PremiumLane]

I have heard this before, oh yeah, it was last year, and the year before... didn't last long

[George FmplesdaCosteedback]

6 hours ago, longevity said:

You need to read the source article folks, where it says at the bottom:

 

 

 

Yes, a misleading headline.

Thanks for pointing that out.

 

Not much will change as usual.

 

Same song different day

 

[Lupatria]

Reads like the cop's SUV's and houses are paid for already. Now their mia noi's may get hungty too