Bangkok Administration Calls On People To Stop Driving

[MaxYakov]

Try waiting to catch a bus with 100 others that just push in without thought or courtesy.

Try waiting for a bus when the sun is beating down and there is no cover or seats.

Try standing for 2 hours on the bus being pushed and squeezed so they can get more than the required amount of passengers allowed on the bus.

Try doing the weeks shopping and catching a bus with bags of shopping including frozen food.

Try waiting for an hour for the next bus to come along and it drives in the outside lane and doesn't bother to stop.

Try, oh bother, try it yourself, I have and no more thank you.

Tried most of them at least once (except for standing for 2 hours) and as I told my SO (a long-suffering bus rider):

Bangkok buses are for people who don't have any choice ...

If I take the bus, it's a trip planned to minimize the pain. Otherwise I'll launch the bicycle. Incidentally, I'm in many ways more comfortable using the bicycle even with a large load of groceries including frozen food. Mainly because I don't have to wait for traffic, it won't cost anything (until I have THAT accident) and I get some exercise.

Edited September 14, 2012 by MaxYakov

[Asiantravel]

The subway and the skytrain are superb.

The Skytrain is always too crowded. Outside rush hours they have less trains. No way I will use Skytrain where I can go by car.

maybe you would change your mind if there was a congestion charge like they have in London?

[masterbiker49]

Bicycles & walking don't have A/C!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[MaxYakov]

Bicycles & walking don't have A/C!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Last time I checked ... but I can check it again.

I can tell you one thing, though. Motor vehicles are the primary heat source on the road. When bicycling, this is very evident. So one tries to keep rolling as far as possible from vehicles (which is actually very impractical in traffic, but there are the sidewalks).

Edited September 14, 2012 by MaxYakov

[SIamYank]

10% tax rebate on new cars = many more cars

[Sayonarax]

The problem is gas is too cheap. I am amazed how many people on the road are there taking up space for no good reason at all. If filling your tank were to go up 10 to 1 then the things the government outlines it would like to happen will happen real quickly all on their own.

Case in point. In the village I am in the number of motorcycle trips each household makes each evening to pick up a few things is flabbergasting. Often the errands are run by the kids who are too young and drive dangerously. If gas cost more I think they would quickly figure out they could make one trip instead of 4 or 5. Or even get on a bicycle or take a walk. The way it is now with gas so cheap even the poorest people are needlessly all over the road. There are also pickup trucks with loudspeakers trolling through every neighborhood multiple times a day. Right now it is at a fever pitch for the elections. Such a waste of space and gas.

I guess you never understood economics.

[StefanBBK]

I live at the north east end of Bangok, (Klong Samwa, next to Minburi). There is absolutely no way of getting half way comfortable into town, using public transport.

If the public transport system would undergo major improvement, more people would use it.

Other than that I could only think of a toll system similar to Singapore to deter from driving into city center.

Better is certainly to create conditions that are enducive to promote public transport.

Sent from my GT-P7500 using Thaivisa Connect App

[seminomadic]

First thing, BMA, vote this idiot out of office, her and her dopey first-car discount hare-brained populist policy.

Second, make it MORE expensive to own a car and to drive it, higher taxes on cars and use those funds for more roads. The country's slowly but surely choking itself to death with the traffic thanks to the prevailing "Mai pen rai, gridlock is normal, time is of not so much value" attitude but moreso due to farcical urban planning.

[snarky66]

The BMA can actually deter many bangkok residents from buying cars. Present BMA regulations require all condo projects to have a minimum amount of car parking space. If these regulations are changed to not exceeding a maximum amount of car park space, and that such space has to be sold and bought, and not included into the common area, people will be hit in their pockets and think many times over if they want to buy a car.

Another vote for freedom & liberty.

Clearly a European attitude. Treat the people like cattle & tax them to death.

[dunkin2012]

i remember when i was in Jakarta. Once a month on Sunday, people should abandon their cars and use bikes instead. And the cars pool system is compulsory. if you are in the city, you will be surprised. Hiking and filling up to 4 people in a car are what day do in the morning and after work. 'Cos Jakarta has the worst traffic congestion in the world. Analysts predict if they don't build more roads, they will have no more room for cars. Similar to BKK people inhale the fume in the air. Totally polluted. Jakarta is the case study.

http://vallaura.wordpress.com/2011/07/24/jakarta-hitching-race-2011

Edited September 15, 2012 by dunkin2012

[trogers]

The BMA can actually deter many bangkok residents from buying cars. Present BMA regulations require all condo projects to have a minimum amount of car parking space. If these regulations are changed to not exceeding a maximum amount of car park space, and that such space has to be sold and bought, and not included into the common area, people will be hit in their pockets and think many times over if they want to buy a car.

Another vote for freedom & liberty.

Clearly a European attitude. Treat the people like cattle & tax them to death.

No. The point is that if you want to own and use a car, you should pay for the means to use it or to park it. Do not rely on taxpayers or condo owners who do not own a car to share the cost and maintainence of roadways and car parks. Perhaps car owners want to share my cost of taxis and public transport.

[bkk_mike]

Now that is a very sensible thing. I wonder if Thails have ever heard about the idea of Carpooling.. The public transportatin in my view is excellent. The bus system very good, and there no place you cannot travel to. The subway and the skytrain are superb. It would however be good if the skytrain would operate on a 24 hour basis

You must live downtown. Where I am, the nearest actual bus stop (as opposed to a songtaew) is over a mile away. - And I live in a Bangkok district.

And anyway, when there's a traffic jam, being on a bus is pointless.

They need to do what they've been talking about for at least a decade, probably longer.

Build more skytrain and subway lines.

[Semper]

I wonder if Thails have ever heard about the idea of Carpooling..

Don't know, but, I think they are happy to drive their own cars alone (maybe with family members). If they would have liked the idea of commuting with strangers in their car, they might as well be using a bus.

Edited September 19, 2012 by Semper

[Asiantravel]

Now that is a very sensible thing. I wonder if Thails have ever heard about the idea of Carpooling.. The public transportatin in my view is excellent. The bus system very good, and there no place you cannot travel to. The subway and the skytrain are superb. It would however be good if the skytrain would operate on a 24 hour basis

You must live downtown. Where I am, the nearest actual bus stop (as opposed to a songtaew) is over a mile away. - And I live in a Bangkok district.

And anyway, when there's a traffic jam, being on a bus is pointless.

They need to do what they've been talking about for at least a decade, probably longer.

Build more skytrain and subway lines.

not if they buses like this !

[osiboy]

Bit offended by the sweaty farang comment - There are plenty of sweaty people of other ethnicity (Asian, African, Indian) as well as Caucasian using public transport.

I think the problem is that apart from buses, public transport BTS / MRT as a % of income is actually quite expensive for a family if the journey is any distance - 55 baht from On nut to Mor chit (220 for four people each way). The bus is cheaper, but probably involves a change of bus and at least 1 hour slowly chugging through traffic. Hardly great alternatives for the average Bangkokian family.

Obviously if your single the BTS is perfect

I sure if the BTS was a flat 10 / 20 baht fare its popularity would soar. But then would the riff raff be welcomed by the middle classes, Hmmmm

Back in the car i guess

your right, 220b for four,........so why not use the taxi??, about 80b = only 20b each , if taxis were as cheap and good value for money back in the UK i would'nt have a car , same if i lived in bkk , ...if taxis are cheaper why stress yourself out by sitting in traffic

[Thai at Heart]

Stop driving. 2 hours for. 3km down. Sukhumvit tonight.

Policy well implemented.

[Baloo22]

Best ways to get people to use public transport is to do as the UK does. Make car parking fees very expensive in town/city centres.

Oh sorry I forgot, can do the following:

Park on corners of road, on double yellow lines, designated no parking areas, on the wrong side of the road, on pedestrian crossings, double park, in front of someones house so that they cannot use their car, etc etc without the police bothering you. So no problem will take car, not use car park!

You hit the nail right on the head. It will not mattter what laws they pass concerning parking or driving as long as they have a police force that does not have the slightest interest in enforcing laws.

[MaxLee]

By the way, when is that new first car policy coming into affect???

Then the car buying feat is gonna start. Lol