Pollution crisis: Bangkok police set up emissions roadblocks

[webfact]

Pollution crisis: Bangkok police set up emissions roadblocks

 

Picture: TNA

 

Bangkok traffic police have reacted to the ongoing crisis regarding the city's air quality. 

 

Yesterday they set up 12 checkpoints on roads in the capital and surrounding areas. Twenty are due to be in place today, said traffic chief Maj-Gen Nithithorn Jintakanon. 

 

TNA reported from the Bang Na-Trat road where one of the checkpoints for emissions was in place from 10 am to 3pm. 

 

Picture: TNA

 

Fifty one vehicles - mostly large ones - were found to be belching black smoke. 

 

Fines of 1,000 baht were handed out and orders were made forbidding use of those vehicles for a period of 30 days. 

 

Owners would need to have them serviced and then rechecked to be able to use them again. 

 

If they were not serviced the fine would go up to 5,000 baht. 

 

Source: TNA

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2019-01-16

[Moonlover]

Now that's what I like to see. Action not just words!

[BigBadGeordie]

Great idea.

Check Points.

Slow the traffic.

Keep the vehicles on "idle".

Yup, that will solve the problem.

[robblok]

1 minute ago, BigBadGeordie said:

Great idea.

Check Points.

Slow the traffic.

Keep the vehicles on "idle".

Yup, that will solve the problem.

At least something is done about those vehicles that belch out that black smoke. I see it so often poorly maintained cars and trucks that keep spewing black smoke. I wish they kept this up like this. Finally action and yes it holds up traffic but if done a lot it will help the situation. 

 

The alternative is to do nothing.

[mok199]

Is it me and my sceptisism, another one day wonder like plastics and foam  complete with photo opp..Checking some vehicles on a few designated streets will solve absolutely nothing ,either get serious and professional about this crisis or ''stand down officers''..emissions control is for everyone with cars trucks buses boats and scooters older than 3 yrs...period

Edited January 16, 2019 by mok199

[Bassosa]

Good job Thai police! Can you come to Chiang Mai and do the same? Mind you, it will disrupt "public transport" as nearly every Songthaew will be fined.

[mok199]

16 minutes ago, Moonlover said:

Now that's what I like to see. Action not just words!

I do hope you are right moonlover .

[taichiplanet]

it is due to all those foreign cars, Thai made cars never pollute!

[Swede65]

Not to mention all roadside barbecuing. A huge contribute to the pollution if you ask me. 

 

[bluesofa]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

TNA reported from the Bang Na-Trat road where one of the checkpoints for emissions was in place from 10 am to 3pm. 

So they know what times to avoid the roadblock now.

I assume the police will be doing the usual crackdown for, say, one week, two weeks? Then it's all back to normal again.

[robblok]

17 minutes ago, bluesofa said:

So they know what times to avoid the roadblock now.

I assume the police will be doing the usual crackdown for, say, one week, two weeks? Then it's all back to normal again.

That is the problem with policing here.. just one or two weeks and then back to normal. Regular enforcement does not happen a lot. I wonder is it a man power thing or just lazyness. 

[bluesofa]

16 minutes ago, robblok said:

That is the problem with policing here.. just one or two weeks and then back to normal. Regular enforcement does not happen a lot. I wonder is it a man power thing or just lazyness. 

Ha, you're spot on there. It is a 'man power' thing, as opposed to manpower.

 

[marqus12]

...because every reason is good to catch a few without a helmet ...

[Oztruckie]

Are Thailand, reap what you sow, you allowed those older vehicles into the country years ago when Western countries were banning them, cause they didn't meet emission tests, servicing the trucks aren't going to help much unless the air filters are blocked, or the injection pumps have been opened up or injectors are kaput, on a positive note here in Thailand a lot of the heavy trucks have gas conversions which is a huge advantage with very low emissions. 

[Classic Ray]

What is the follow up procedure? I can't see many cops bothering to check later if they have already had their 1000 baht sweetener without any effort at the beginning, even if the 5000 baht carrot is being dangled.

 

In the UK they have a Vehicle Defect Rectification Scheme where you have to get your car repaired and tested at an MOT garage as an alternative to prosecution, and provide the evidence to the police within a few days, or to court you go.

[1337markus]

Fifty one vehicles - mostly large ones - were found to be belching black smoke. 

 

Fines of 1,000 baht were handed out and orders were made forbidding use of those vehicles for a period of 30 days. 

 

How do they pass annual tax inspections?  Even my Honda PCX gets an exhaust check for the year for road tax certificate?

[bluesofa]

1 minute ago, 1337markus said:

Fifty one vehicles - mostly large ones - were found to be belching black smoke. 

 

Fines of 1,000 baht were handed out and orders were made forbidding use of those vehicles for a period of 30 days. 

 

How do they pass annual tax inspections?  Even my Honda PCX gets an exhaust check for the year for road tax certificate?

I went with someone who took their motorbike for the annual MOT. The mechanic looked at it and wrote the certificate - no checking whatsoever.

[snoop1130]

Police nearly double checkpoints for exhaust-spewing vehicles

By Khanathit Srihirundaj 
The Nation

 

 

To help curb fine-particle dust pollution in Bangkok, traffic police have increased the number of checkpoints where they will check vehicles spewing black exhaust smoke.

 

The number of checkpoints was increased on Tuesday to 20 from the previous 12, leading to 1,000 vehicles being cited and fined, traffic police commander Pol Maj-General Jirasan Kaewsang-ek said on Wednesday.

 

Jirasan said diesel-engine vehicles were the main culprits, along with too-old engines, and they together made a large contribution to the 60 per cent of the polluting PM2.5 particulates that were attributed to vehicle engines.

 

Police are putting an emphasis on removing the exhaust-spewing vehicles from the most pollution-prone areas such as Bung Kum and Chatuchak districts. 

 

As there was insufficient manpower to staff the checkpoints, police would ask that some officials from the Pollution Control Department be assigned to aid them during this period, Jirasan said.

 

In future, police may impound the vehicles or suspend the vehicle’s use as a more severe punishment, he added.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30362371

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2019-1-16

[fullcave]

12 hours ago, webfact said:

orders were made forbidding use of those vehicles for a period of 30 days. 

 

Thanks! Back to the usual "belching black smoke" after that. They are really cracking down! 

[Redline]

Is blue smoke ok?  What about people burning trash and everything else day and night-oh yeah, that’s real work-forget it

[Redline]

One thousand baht ???? that will tech them.  Sad state

[mikebell]

14 hours ago, Classic Ray said:

Vehicle Defect Rectification Scheme

Wow!  This would take out 80% tuk-tuks; 70% heavy wagons; 60% taxis; 50% police vehicles; 40% private cars; 30% motorbikes without lights; 20% bicycles; - I give up on the rest.

[newnative]

How about that horrible red bus in the photo???  Have they all finally been scrapped?

[superal]

15 hours ago, 1337markus said:

Fifty one vehicles - mostly large ones - were found to be belching black smoke. 

 

Fines of 1,000 baht were handed out and orders were made forbidding use of those vehicles for a period of 30 days. 

 

How do they pass annual tax inspections?  Even my Honda PCX gets an exhaust check for the year for road tax certificate?

I posted here yesterday saying that I saw an old pickup pass the annual test despite the fact that the garage filled with smoke on the emissions test .  Also my motor had a front light full beam not working but still passed . Asked the G/F why and she said its no problem cos the other front light is good .

[VocalNeal]

27 minutes ago, newnative said:

How about that horrible red bus in the photo???  Have they all finally been scrapped?

 

The engines have. Years ago. Now mostly all NGV.

 

Do try and keep up.

[newnative]

1 hour ago, VocalNeal said:

 

The engines have. Years ago. Now mostly all NGV.

 

Do try and keep up.

What's all the black smoke coming out then?  The yellow car next to it in the photo is a late model Toyota Corolla.  Every time I see these buses in Bangkok they are bellowing black smoke just like the photo.

[madmen]

What is the follow up procedure? I can't see many cops bothering to check later if they have already had their 1000 baht sweetener without any effort at the beginning, even if the 5000 baht carrot is being dangled.
 
In the UK they have a Vehicle Defect Rectification Scheme where you have to get your car repaired and tested at an MOT garage as an alternative to prosecution, and provide the evidence to the police within a few days, or to court you go.

Wow thanks for the 1st world update which has zero relevance here

[MaxLee]

On 1/16/2019 at 9:11 AM, webfact said:

Pollution crisis: Bangkok police set up emissions roadblocks

and create more traffic jams and more smog 

[briansbiology]

number one of the offenders list is the public buses. They have NEVER been serviced and the smoke they bellow is as thick and dark as Thailand's political history. 

[MaxLee]

1 minute ago, briansbiology said:

number one of the offenders list is the public buses. They have NEVER been serviced and the smoke they bellow is as thick and dark as Thailand's political history. 

I mean that's what you get, when you skip maintenance standards for centuries like cheapa****es