Bangkok's New Plan: Beat Traffic with a Congestion Charge

[snoop1130]

Traffic in Bangkok | Photo via ThaiResidents.com

 

In an effort to tackle chronic traffic jams and pollution in Bangkok, Thailand plans to introduce a congestion charge in six high-traffic areas of the city. Following successful implementations in cities like London and Milan, the charge aims to relieve gridlock, encourage public transport, and cut down greenhouse gas emissions.

 

Motorists will have to pay a fee during peak hours, starting at 40 to 50 baht per vehicle, expected to increase every five years to reach 80 baht per vehicle. The initiative is projected to generate around 10 billion baht annually, with funds helping to maintain a 20-baht fare cap on certain train services.

 

Transport Minister Suriya Juangroongruangkit backs the move, hoping it will lead to less congestion and cleaner air. According to a 2023 survey by the German Corporation for International Cooperation (GIZ) and the Office of Transport and Traffic Policy and Planning (OTP), the congestion charge will target the following areas due to their high traffic volumes:

 

 

1. Phetchaburi-Thonglor intersection: 60,112 vehicles daily
2. Silom-Naradhiwas intersection: 62,453 vehicles daily
3. Sathorn-Naradhiwas intersection: 83,368 vehicles daily
4. Pathumwan intersection: 62,453 vehicles daily
5. Ratchaprasong intersection: 56,235 vehicles daily
6. Pratunam intersection: 68,473 vehicles daily

 

For context, after London introduced a congestion charge in 2003, traffic reduced by 15%, bringing in 1.2 billion pounds (about 50.33 billion baht) and cutting carbon emissions by 16%. Milan saw similar benefits in 2012, with a 12% drop in traffic, a 48% increase in public transport use, and a 15% reduction in emissions.

 

Bangkok officials hope to see these positive results in the near future, creating a more sustainable and less congested city.

 

-- 2025-02-10

 

 

[KhunLA]

More taxes will solve everything ...

 

... and the band played on 

[hotchilli]

10 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

In an effort to tackle chronic traffic jams and pollution in Bangkok, Thailand plans to introduce a congestion charge in six high-traffic areas of the city. Following successful implementations in cities like London and Milan, the charge aims to relieve gridlock, encourage public transport, and cut down greenhouse gas emissions.

A city that has more than 3 times it's capacity in residents and workers...

Infrastructure and transportation are the solution, not congestion charges.

[rwill]

Quite a burden for those making 300-500 baht/day.

 

How are they collecting the fee?  Setting up booths which would congest traffic even more.   Taking photos and mailing bills which would cost quite a bit and lots of unpaid bills?

[Caldera]

I wouldn't bother with singling out the listed hot spots and rush hours. I think they should apply the congestion charge throughout the inner city and throughout the day.

 

If you're nuts enough to commute to work by car in Bangkok (and I know people who actually do this, takes them an hour instead of 20 minutes using public transport), you deserve to be milked.

[fondue zoo]

 

[fondue zoo]

 

[Briggsy]

It will not happen.

 

This has been raised a number of times but too many decision makers are based in Bangkok even if their constituencies are hundreds of miles away. All important civil servants are based there.

 

Also Bangkok is far too important in a centralised Thailand to upset. The golden rule of politics here is focus on the provinces at election time and Bangkok in between.

 

Finally there is no way they could put this together in Bangkok's chaotic sois and traffic governed by multiple agencies.

 

Trust me, this will not happen.

[CallumWK]

4 hours ago, rwill said:

Quite a burden for those making 300-500 baht/day.

 

Those don't drive a car

[CallumWK]

2 hours ago, Caldera said:

If you're nuts enough to commute to work by car in Bangkok (and I know people who actually do this, takes them an hour instead of 20 minutes using public transport), you deserve to be milked.

 

I agree with you on that, but then again, have you ever taken a look at BTS during commuting hours? Those cars are now already filled to the rim during those hours

[thesetat]

4 hours ago, rwill said:

Quite a burden for those making 300-500 baht/day.

 

How are they collecting the fee?  Setting up booths which would congest traffic even more.   Taking photos and mailing bills which would cost quite a bit and lots of unpaid bills?

I am curious the same thing. How to collect the fees on charges only made during peak congestion hours? Any kind of collection point would just make the traffic problem worse. What about those people who are not in the traffic congestion for reasons other than commuting?

[bendejo]

BiB will need new uniforms, with bigger pockets.

 

[Zaphod Priest]

3 hours ago, Caldera said:

If you're nuts enough to commute to work by car in Bangkok (and I know people who actually do this, takes them an hour instead of 20 minutes using public transport), you deserve to be milked.

 

You underestimate the challenge of using public transport.  Where I live the only way to get to a BTS/MRT station is by driving.  (No local motorcycle groups.)  And when I get to the nearest stations, there's nowhere to park.  There is a bus stop within walking distance, but the buses are only once an hour, and don't go anywhere useful to me.  In short, public transport in large parts of Bangkok is not a practical option.

[Patong2021]

4 hours ago, hotchilli said:

A city that has more than 3 times it's capacity in residents and workers...

Infrastructure and transportation are the solution, not congestion charges.

 

What infrastructure and where will you put the infrastructure? The city is  packed solid.

How is transportation the solution? The BTS is running at near capacity. They can't put more trains safely into circulation. There are  many buses, but they are slowed down because of the large numbers of private vehicles.

[newnative]

On 2/11/2025 at 9:19 AM, CallumWK said:

 

I agree with you on that, but then again, have you ever taken a look at BTS during commuting hours? Those cars are now already filled to the rim during those hours

      MRT is awful, too.  And ARL.  They are all getting to be filled to the rim during non-rush hours, as well, making for a miserable experience.  If they want to get more people out of their cars, they need 6-car trains and faster frequency between trains.  

[kingstonkid]

On 2/11/2025 at 9:19 AM, CallumWK said:

 

I agree with you on that, but then again, have you ever taken a look at BTS during commuting hours? Those cars are now already filled to the rim during those hours

There are a few challenges.

 

1. how doyou collect the fees  people are already ignoring speeding tickets and still able to get their licence renewed.

2. Where are all these people going topark their cars.  BTS parking is already full.

3 congection on the BTS is huge we saw it withthe free week.  They need to add more trains to the routes which will also cause congestion.

4. If you just make it interesections people will take alternate routes.

[Robin]

Motorists will just remove their number plates, and become untraceable.  Otherwise it will b just as successful as the m/c helmet regulations.