Illegal Racing: Proposal To Block Streets Blasted

[george]

ILLEGAL RACING: Proposal to block off streets blasted

BANGKOK: -- Police, residents: plan encourages teens to break law. Police, lawmakers and local residents have joined a tide of opposition to a plan to close some outer roads of Bangkok every Friday night so that youngsters can indulge in road racing.

Social Development and Human Security Minister Watana Muangsook earlier this week agreed to consider a proposal from a group of teenage road racing enthusiasts that some straight roads with little traffic – such as Rama V Road – be blocked off from 10pm to midnight every Friday for road racing.

The teenagers also asked that ambulances and rescue cars be provided in case of emergencies.

The road racing groups said they would prepare a formal proposal and hand it to Watana on Friday.

Maj-General Montri Jamroon, the Metropolitan Police deputy commissioner in charge of traffic, said the idea had yet to be approved by a public hearing.

Although agreeing with the idea of providing the youngsters with a place to race properly, he said he was completely opposed to the use of public roads as it would disturb other motorists and local residents.

“It’s not appropriate for these youths to race on public roads. It’s illegal and risky to their lives as well as to innocent members of the public,” Montri said.

He dismissed the bikers’ claim that accidents occurred only because of police attempts to arrest them, saying that accidents happened when bikers lost control of their machines and slammed into power poles or other bikes.

“When there’s a police presence, accidents occur because they are trying to evade arrest,” he added.

Bangkok Senator Wallop Tangkananurak said the minister’s problem-solving approach of discussing road racing with the teenage groups was correct. But he warned that the teens may not tell the whole truth or may not properly represent other road racers.

The chairman of the Senate committee on women, children and the elderly said youngsters should be taught that society had laws and lawbreakers had to be punished. He cited Samut Prakan as an example, where police and the courts had adopted a tough approach, leading to a decrease in road racing there.

Wallop suggested that the government should offer proper racing venues with internal garages where bikes could be modified before racing and returned to standard legality afterwards.

The Senate committee’s deputy chairman, Samut Songkhram Senator Montri Sinthawichai, said racing on public roads was illegal and, if the government was lax about it, it would be like legalising wrongdoing.

Road racing by teenagers also violated the Children’s Act, under which children found acting illegally are required to be protected.

“The thinking is not logical if they’re supporting illegal activities in such a scheme. Children outside the circle will be drawn into a current [of behaviour] which is seemingly approved by the government,” Montri said.

“Instead, we must pull them [wrongdoers] back within the regulations, and not support them in violating other people’s rights.”

Montri also urged the government to support the traffic police and other agencies who were trying to solve the road-racing problem.

Youth Observation and Protection Department director-general Wanchai Roujanavong said that if implemented, the scheme would have to have clear regulations, including bikers wearing helmets and protective gear, and the government would have to be responsible for accidents.

However, Wanchai said he personally thought the proposal would not solve the problem.

He said the government should tackle shops providing motorbike modifying services because road racing arose from teenagers wanting to show off their illegally modified bikes on the roads.

A Bangkok police officer who suffered leg injuries in a road-racing arrest said on condition of anonymity that the idea sounded like “it was born out of sarcasm” because of the desperation to tackle the unsolved road-racing problem.

He said he was sure the young bikers would not be drawn to the provided site because many raced through traffic on the roads out of high spirits and peer pressure, for fun and thrills.

A resident near Rama V road and mother of two teenage boys, Urai Anurakjaturong, 37, said the idea was inappropriate because it could cause more road accidents, encourage youngsters to engage in life-risking activities and result in more kids wanting to join road races.

She said Rama V road – a main road leading to the Royal Palace and with a constant traffic flow – was also a bad choice. The government should, instead, offer a proper racing venue with safety measures for the teenage racers, she said.

--The Nation 2005-08-24

[terdsak_12]

Leave them to kill themselves, great idea in my book.

[Scott]

So, let me get this right--when I and all the soi dogs see a break in traffic and make the mad dash across the street now we face being hit by people allowed to race?

Maybe some enterprising entrepreneur can set up a race course (but not in my neighborhood).

[Jai Dee]

THE SOCIAL MINISTER ASKED FOR MORE COOPERATION INSTEAD OF CRITICIZE ON THE STREET RACING ISSUE

The Social Development and Human Security Minister has requested concerned parties not to criticize but to help solve the problems on the racing youngsters issue.

Social Development and Human Security Minister Watana Muangsook (วัฒนา เมืองสุข) presented an idea earlier this week to close some roads, so that youngsters can indulge in road racing.

Mr Watana hopes that his problem-solving approach would help turn back young bikers to live and do good for the society.

The Minister has also asked all concerned parties to be more enthusiastic in helping the government solve the problem, and not to always critically assess the issue.

Source: thaisnews.com

[opothai]

great idea

ater this proposal is passed maybe we can ask they close a bar and only keep it open for my mates so we can get completely barking and after that because the roads are quite we can all race home

oh and ask them to provide police and medical services just in case an innocent person might get hurt disturbing our fun

[johng]

They regularly close off roads so that the "bigwigs" can race around in their Mercedes... don't they ??

Why not do it for a few common folk ?

[opothai]

They regularly close off roads so that the "bigwigs" can race around in their Mercedes... don't they ??

yes have seen that, and they do go at speed,

what makes me laugh is the amount of police and the 10 mercs 5 4x4's, the cost of the operation must be fantastic, normally for just one dignitary. crazy

toxin has a plane why not get a copter

[p_brownstone]

THE SOCIAL MINISTER ASKED FOR MORE COOPERATION INSTEAD OF CRITICIZE ON THE STREET RACING ISSUE

The Social Development and Human Security Minister has requested concerned parties not to criticize but to help solve the problems on the racing youngsters issue.

Social Development and Human Security Minister Watana Muangsook (วัฒนา เมืองสุข) presented an idea earlier this week to close some roads, so that youngsters can indulge in road racing.

Mr Watana hopes that his problem-solving approach would help turn back young bikers to live and do good for the society.

The Minister has also asked all concerned parties to be more enthusiastic in helping the government solve the problem, and not to always critically assess the issue.

Source: thaisnews.com

I just wonder if this Ministerial clown understands there is a difference between "criticise" and "critically assess"?

What next - designate an hour every Monday afternoon to allow those so inclined to hold up the local Gold Shop with a promise not to involve the police?

Patrick

Edited August 25, 2005 by p_brownstone

[Greer]

I am absolutely opposed to converting a public road to this use even though it will only be during the limited hours suggested.

If there is a real demand for a race track, why not set up a proper track in an isolated and controlled area, away from residences (if that's possible). Such a track could be operated by making a very minimal charge to offset the running costs, and could be properly controlled, including making sure that users are of legal age to ride and are not operating illegally modified machines.

The cost of providing a venue like this should be considered against the very real cost to the community of providing police and emergency services etc to control or clean up those racing on public roads.

In places like Australia and the UK, it is possible to pay a fee to use existing race tracks on certain weekends or during down-time for the tracks concerned.

Petrol-heads can then race on a real track, under properly controlled conditions, and this helps reduce the number of nutters on the normal roads - no - it will not stop it, but if it can reduce it, then it is a step in the right direction.

Edited August 25, 2005 by Greer

[johng]

If there is a real demand for a race track, why not set up a proper track in an isolated and controlled area, away from residences

Yes fully agreed...it would be the ideal solution.

including making sure that users are of legal age to ride and are not operating illegally modified machines

Errm well uhhmm, that kinda doesn't make it very attractive to the sorts of poeple that you want to keep from racing on the roads in the first place...

I'm guessing ( because I'm not a road racer ) but I think it would be a very hard task to lure these sort of poeple to a race track...it's just not the same.

There needs to be some very good incentives for them to switch

[Pattaya_Fox]

Will the Minister be inviting all the Foreign Heads of state to view this next great development in Thailand`s progression?

Or do they get only one invite.....to the belated opening of the airport?

[joe beets]

Hang on a minute.

I thought we were all being asked as good patriotic citizens (or W/everTF we are) to reduce our fuel consumption.

Is this the old "some animals are more equal than others"?

Hey, it's all in the name of sanuk.

Crisis? What crisis?

Pass the popcorn.

jb

[kidtongue]

I am absolutely opposed to converting a public road to this use even though it will only be during the limited hours suggested.

If there is a real demand for a race track, why not set up a proper track in an isolated and controlled area, away from residences (if that's possible). Such a track could be operated by making a very minimal charge to offset the running costs, and could be properly controlled, including making sure that users are of legal age to ride and are not operating illegally modified machines.

The cost of providing a venue like this should be considered against the very real cost to the community of providing police and emergency services etc to control or clean up those racing on public roads.

In places like Australia and the UK, it is possible to pay a fee to use existing race tracks on certain weekends or during down-time for the tracks concerned.

Petrol-heads can then race on a real track, under properly controlled conditions, and this helps reduce the number of nutters on the normal roads - no - it will not stop it, but if it can reduce it, then it is a step in the right direction.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hmmm...ahem...there is a 400 Metre track within 2 clicks of the DM airport that runs drag races Thursday,Friday and Saturday. lights and all. So why is this being ignored?

[kat]

THE SOCIAL MINISTER ASKED FOR MORE COOPERATION INSTEAD OF CRITICIZE ON THE STREET RACING ISSUE

The Social Development and Human Security Minister has requested concerned parties not to criticize but to help solve the problems on the racing youngsters issue.

Social Development and Human Security Minister Watana Muangsook (วัฒนา เมืองสุข) presented an idea earlier this week to close some roads, so that youngsters can indulge in road racing.

Mr Watana hopes that his problem-solving approach would help turn back young bikers to live and do good for the society.

The Minister has also asked all concerned parties to be more enthusiastic in helping the government solve the problem, and not to always critically assess the issue.

Source: thaisnews.com

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

How about enforcing the law? Now there's a novel approach.

Edited August 27, 2005 by kat