Bangkok Enhances Pedestrian Safety: Installation of 2,850 Traffic Lights at Crosswalks and Ongoing Improvement Plans

[webfact]

 

Bangkok—On November 7th, 2023, Mr. Ekwaranyu Amrapan, the spokesman for Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, publicly stated that Bangkok has taken steps to improve and install traffic lights for pedestrian crossings with a total of 2,850 locations.

The installation of traffic lights for crosswalks has two modes including pelican crossings which will be installed in lesser pedestrian areas or a road with traffic congestion, and another mode puffin crossings which will be installed in crowded pedestrian areas such as schools or hospitals.

 

Meanwhile, there is a long-term plan that will improve pedestrian safety by increasing the number of traffic lights over the next 3 years.

 

By Kittisak Phalaharn

 

Full story: THE PATTAYA NEWS 2023-11-09

 

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[Emdog]

Odd... wonder why The Pattaya News has to be source of story about Bangkok... My experience in Pattaya crosswalks if 50-50 at best.

Puffin Crosswalks? Pelican crosswalks? I'm a geezer and have never heard of such things.

Nearest thing I know of is Chuck Berry's duck walk

 

Edited November 9, 2023 by metisdead
Trolling video removed.

[scorecard]

I wonder if there's any specific education campaign attached to this.

 

For example, serious education methods to make Thai people aware that they must stop at marked pedestrain crossings when pedestrians start to walk on the crossing and wait until the pedestrian(s) have stepped foot on the opposite gutter etc.

 

Son is well aware of this subject from when he went to high school in Sinagpore where zebra crossing and pedestrians are strongly respected.

 

In our extended family these been a number of discussions on this point.

 

My Thai son has told the rellies many times'you have to stop...' most refuse to accept what he says:

 

-'It's not a lie, not possile..'

-'When you walk you have to take care of yourself, it's not the responsibility of other people...'

-'It cannot be a law because it delays traffic...'

-and MANY folks 'I don't agree with this law so I ignore it...'

 

 

Edited November 9, 2023 by scorecard

[biggles45]

I remember the expensive lights installed at many Pattaya Ped crossings years ago. Of course drivers ignored them and they were eventually removed. I think that the reason given was that they caused 'traffic delays' which should be why they were there?

[hotchilli]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

Mr. Ekwaranyu Amrapan, the spokesman for Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, publicly stated that Bangkok has taken steps to improve and install traffic lights for pedestrian crossings with a total of 2,850 locations.

Traffic lights.. pedestrian crossings..

All ignored.

[khunjeff]

It's a nice idea, and better than nothing, but ultimately of little value unless drivers are actually punished for ignoring the lights.

 

I live close to a very busy zebra crossing with a pedestrian-operated light (not sure if it's penguin, puffin, kiwi, or emu), and some selfish idiot goes through the red light on virtually every change, even when people are actually crossing the street. (There's a countdown clock visible for at least 100m, so "I didn't see it" isn't an excuse.)

 

I have never seen even a single driver or rider pulled over and fined for this, even on the rare occasions that a policeman is standing nearby, so the message is pretty clear that they authorities just don't care.

[stoner]

I love playing Russian roulette...I mean cossing the road in thailand. 

 

Even scarier is being on my scooter. Do I stop at the cross walk and risk being killed from behind ? Or do I plow through and risk killing some poor soul trying to cross. 

 

Decisions. 

[mrfill]

8 hours ago, Emdog said:

Odd... wonder why The Pattaya News has to be source of story about Bangkok... My experience in Pattaya crosswalks if 50-50 at best.

Puffin Crosswalks? Pelican crosswalks? I'm a geezer and have never heard of such things.

Nearest thing I know of is Chuck Berry's duck walk

 

Pelican and Puffin crossings are British ideas.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puffin_crossing

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pelican_crossing

 

There is also Toucan crossings (where bicycles and pedestrians can use - Two-can use) and Pegasus crossings (shared between pedestrians and horses) where there is a button 2m high for mounted riders.

 

A veritable menagerie of crossings....

[impulse]

Sounds like a good idea.  There's a few zebra crossings in Bangkok with traffic lights and the cars generally do stop.  I'm thinking of a couple around Chinatown where there's no cross street, just a lit zebra crossing, and the cars do stop.  I don't recall whether they had red light cameras which would also make sense.

 

Problem with zebra crossings with no lights is that they're ambiguous, depending on where you're from.  Even in the USA, some states just allow you to walk across at a zebra crossing without risking a jaywalking ticket.  Others require cars to stop for pedestrians in the crosswalk.  No consistency.  Add in a hundred more countries' laws and it's confusing.  Until you add a red light. 

 

So I'm happy to see them added.  I just hope they're enforced, and that means red light cameras, because of lack of police chase vehicles.  A few 500 baht tickets in the mail may make people think twice, and it would be good to increment that to 5,000 baht a ticket for repeat offenders, impounding the vehicle for the real scofflaws.

 

Edited November 9, 2023 by impulse

[OneMoreFarang]

Now, imagine if the police would look who ignores those pedestrian crossings. And imagine the police would fine them.

Now that would be a real improvement. 

 

When I come with my bike near a pedestrian crossing, I always have to look in my mirrors first. If something big is behind me and he is not willing to stop then that is a considerable risk. Lots of riders and drivers just don't care. Sad. 

[josephbloggs]

Add automatic gates like at level crossings then maybe they'll work.

[billd766]

Like most traffic laws and rules in Thailand, if they are NOT enforced they will be ignored.

 

1st offence should be 1,000 thb and 3 points on your licence. No licence double fine and penalty plus car impounded.

 

2nd offence double the first.

 

3rd offence car confiscated and sold at auction.

 

If the police are there and don't stop you.

 

1st offence 5,000 baht fine

 

2nd offence double the fine and 3 months inactive post

 

3rd offence sacking and no appeal

 

Police station commanders

 

1st offence 3 month inactive post NO salary

 

2nd offence sacking and no appeal

 

Apply that across all traffic offences and the country will be safer or there will be NO police left.

 

Nobody will notice the difference.

[Purdey]

As JosephBlogs suggests, a wooden barrier that raises and lowers with flashing lights would stop cars but I can image they won't stop bikes. 

[fondue zoo]

 

So essentially someone made a lot of money buying and selling traffic lights that will do very little to change driving habits without enforcement.

Who got the contract?

[Chris Daley]

They will still mow you down.

[swm59nj]

That’s great.  Too bad many drivers won’t abide by them

[Emdog]

16 hours ago, mrfill said:

Pelican and Puffin crossings are British ideas.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puffin_crossing

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pelican_crossing

 

There is also Toucan crossings (where bicycles and pedestrians can use - Two-can use) and Pegasus crossings (shared between pedestrians and horses) where there is a button 2m high for mounted riders.

 

A veritable menagerie of crossings....

Thanks for the info... interesting

I suppose here in Thailand they might have unicorn crosswalks: they don't exist... nyuk nyuk