Short-Sighted Car Policy Adds To Bangkok Traffic Woes: Opinion

[belg]

as bangkok is sinking, not only in corruption but also in height, better start the mega development of a new city with some much needed public transport planning

[Unkomoncents]

This will inevitably begin hurting Thailand's GDP. Thailand still has enviable infrastructure relative to some of its neighbors but that is old news, and many, many people with business interests in Southeast Asia are flocking to Thailand to set up shop. It's obvious that within a decade, unless major, immediate action is taken (which seems nigh impossible considering how long it took for the BTS to open a couple of extensions [~ six years???]) that Bangkok's infrastructure limitations will ultimately stifle growth in the country. There are simply too many (Europeans, Chinese, Thai, Pakistani, Indian, etc) vying for limited space and resources in the Kingdom's capital. The city is so crowded. This is especially true if other countries, such as Malaysia, can expand their own infrastructure (there are billion-dollar extensions planned for KL's subway/light-rail lines) and offer a comparable business experience.

[soomak]

Sorry but not everyone lives in Bangkok, this policy was brought in for the whole of Thailand and a lot of families are very happy with the rebates and new cars recieved!!.

Bangkok has been a caar infested city for way to long, the answer is not less cars but better roads and infrastructure thats should have been address a long time before now.

Maybe they should implement a odd and even days on the number plates last number, that would have the traffic

As someone who studied a little about the economics of transportation, I can say with 100% certainty that road infrastructure is not the answer for solving traffic congestion.

In all studies that where ever done on this issue, it was always concluded that new roads get congested within a few short years, and you get back to square one, after spending billions on roads.

The way to improve the transportation issues of a large city are the likes of the BTS and MRT, as well as cycling paths and special lanes for buses.

Many cities in Europe have done so already, and even in the private car capital of the world (aka USA), many cities are spending a lot on cycling paths, including New York, Chicago, Cincinnati and more.

Most Thais do lack foresight, and unfortunately they don't want to listen or learn from others who have dealt with the same situations successful.

And if you want to see how it can be done, have a look here:

[Sydebolle]

Yesterday afternoon I drove through Nakon Sawan/Phitsanulok Road at 3 pm; it took me 80 minutes for 7.8 kms and at least 20% of the cars were red-plated. There is a message somewhere. The trip home passed the airport; from which it took me another 80 minutes to Pattaya. There is definitely a message somewhere; good luck I do not live in Bangkok anymore!

[MaxLee]

The government just want to compensate the Japanese automobile investors who lost everything due to floods…

Edited December 19, 2012 by MaxLee

[KKvampire]

Never has a country had so little care or planning for its capital city

Sent from my LG-P350 using Thaivisa Connect App

Edited December 19, 2012 by KKvampire

[rixalex]

If anyone imagines that the scheme has not achieved its primary aim of boosting sales of new vehicles to assist the Thai car factories savaged by the November 2011 floods

The primary aim was to assist the Thai car factories savaged by the November 2011 floods?

Considering the scheme was dreamt up long before the floods came, that took impressive foresight.

The actual primary aim was to win votes, and if the policy had of allowed, as it advertised it would, lower income people who previously couldn't afford a car, to be able buy one, i would have agreed with it, even with the increased traffic jam implications. But it didn't. By making it a rebate that the customer had to wait a year to get back, it meant that the buying price remained exactly the same. The people who therefore benefited were the people who could already afford to buy a car, the people who most probably would have bought one anyway.. oh and of course the car manufacturers benefited... and that was a good thing, because g*d knows, the likes of Honda and Toyota really struggle selling cars in Thailand don't they...