Bangkok Metro Police Commissioner instructs traffic police to solve road congestion

[webfact]

Metropolitan Police chief gives earnest warning to traffic police

BANGKOK, 8th October 2013 (NNT) – The Metropolitan Police Commissioner has instructed traffic police to concentrate on solving road congestions and double-row parking of passenger vans.

Police Lieutenant General Kamronvit Toopkrajang called a meeting of metropolitan traffic police during which he handed down his policy and told them to earnestly work to establish order in road traffic.

The Metropolitan Police Commissioner made his point clear that he did not want the traffic police to set up check-points which often aggravated traffic congestion. He told them to refrain from stopping motorists violating traffic rules or speed limits for the purpose of gaining official rewards. He reiterated that vans are to be parked in an orderly fashion, and unruly parking will be dealt with strictly.

Pol Lt.Gen. Kamronvit, on this occasion, denied a rumor that he would resign for a deputy prime minister portfolio. He said he had never been approached for the purpose. He reiterated that his work is based on solving the traffic, drug problems and crime, and that after retirement, he hoped to use his skill in folk medicine to treat as many patients as he could and to set up a charity foundation for his parents.


-- NNT 2013-10-08

[theblether]

Mad Hatters Tea Party comes to mind.

Government policy is to sell more new cars and increase the amount on Bangkok streets by an unsustainable amount. Now the Metropolitan Police Chief orders the service to sort it out but eh, don't annoy the drivers while your doing it.

Try these solutions instead......

Stop introducing vehicle sale policies that are guaranteed to backfire.......

Start building more commuter train lines........

Oh, and invest in a far more effective bus service.

Silly ideas I know but hey,

[tingtong]

"he did not want the traffic police to set up check-points which often aggravated traffic congestion. He told them to refrain from stopping motorists violating traffic rules or speed limits for the purpose of gaining official rewards."

so, technically anything goes as long as you park nicely?? interesting proposal.

last week had the chance to see thai ppl's driving exam...7/10 failed to park their car, 9/10 failure still got the licence...makes one wonder...

either way the traffic police will find their way to line their pocket, fines, roadblocks, or parking enforcing.

[Mampara]

Yea, the vans and taxi's the real problem, because after 6 pm you wont find a traffic cop anywhere, for example in chanwattana central the vans and taxi's sometimes take up 2 lanes which forces the bus to stop in the 3rd lane to pick up its passengers.

[monkeycountry]

"Pol Lt.Gen. Kamronvit, on this occasion, denied a rumor that he would resign for a deputy prime minister portfolio."

Good for him, and for us. There should be a law against police officers turning politicians. Odds that a police officer is corrupt is much higher than the odds for the general population, and few if any police officers have a relevant education - The Police Academy does not really qualify you for anything but being a police officer - or maybe a soldier/security guard!

[soi41]

This guy is a pure genius!!

At least compared to ombudsman Sriracha, who according to the other newspaper today, suggests police fine carowners 100 baht each minute their cars have caused a trafficjam either by breaking down or being involved in an accident!!

So you are on the road, suffering from your injuries, the "rescue"staff are busy checking if there are any valuables in the wreck and Mr BIB is timing, how long time, you are blocking the road!!

You have to give the officials of this country credit for their entertainment value!

[BangkokGastronaut]

Should never have got rid of the trams. Bring them back. Ban all non-essential traffic and use congestion charging.

[gemini81]

have to start by getting rid of PTP in office first; they've made it much, much worse with stupid policies.

[monty1412]

Its official Thailand will rename itself TingTongsville...... in respect to the judicial system, government system, police system and just about any other system or scheme that they come up with.

Prime example of how the police like to conduct themselves was to be seen near intersection of Rama IV and Sukhumvit where 6-10 of our committed traffic problem solving BIB's were gathered in a side soi handing out tickets to errant scooters who happened to transgress the footpath....meanwhile the traffic was backed up about 600metres....

But full marks to this guy.. dont stop speeding or dangerous drivers. for official rewards.... when did this become not unofficial by the way....

Instead work earnestly on parked vans.... yes the root cause of all traffic evil.

And in the meantime he will continue work solving crime/ drugs and all other manner of ills. Give this guy a cape and some red undies....

Are you sure you haven't been trying some of that folk medicine on the side.. perhaps smoking it ????

[tragickingdom]

Good job being commissioner. On a monday morning you wake up and get an Eureka idea. The day after you tell your subordinates to solve the problem and than you go on having high tea with your ugly wife whose nose and boob job hasn't been finished yet.

Thaksin said the same in the mid 90's. He even ordered the banks to open an hour later and close an hour earlier. In a matter of fact he had part of the key in his hands as Thailand has just like the US a medieval banking system that relies on cheques and thus you have tens of thousands of people on the road who could easily have been able to make payment and clear cheques by modern means.

Unfortunately, farmers are sponsored for producing too much and not helped with state of the art high speed internet links, so no money for the commissioner.

[khunken]

He's right to tell the police to tackle traffic congestion but is pointing at the wrong target. It's the police in their snug kiosks who cause more congestion than any road user.

An automatic traffic system was offered to Bangkok a number of years ago and turned down because the BIB much prefer a cushy number rather than actually being out on the streets enforcing the law.

Whatever they do, it's just the tip of the iceberg as there are just too many cars on the roads in Bangkok. When the various light rail lines are completed it will be time to start one of the methods internationally available to get many of the cars off the road, especially at peak times.

[carib102]

Its official Thailand will rename itself TingTongsville...... in respect to the judicial system, government system, police system and just about any other system or scheme that they come up with.

Prime example of how the police like to conduct themselves was to be seen near intersection of Rama IV and Sukhumvit where 6-10 of our committed traffic problem solving BIB's were gathered in a side soi handing out tickets to errant scooters who happened to transgress the footpath....meanwhile the traffic was backed up about 600metres....

But full marks to this guy.. dont stop speeding or dangerous drivers. for official rewards.... when did this become not unofficial by the way....

Instead work earnestly on parked vans.... yes the root cause of all traffic evil.

And in the meantime he will continue work solving crime/ drugs and all other manner of ills. Give this guy a cape and some red undies....

Are you sure you haven't been trying some of that folk medicine on the side.. perhaps smoking it ????

At least they were out of their box and handing out tickets for something. Last Friday we were held up at the intersection of Rama IV and Chua Ploeng for nearly 30 minutes. As we finally approached the intersection I rhetorically asked "Where are the cops for directing traffic and taking bribes now?" My wife replied instantly "Friday night, time for drinking". I glanced to the backseat at her friend who shook her head in agreement. Sure enough as we finally made it to the intersection (after it cleared of all the cars running the red light and blocking oncoming traffic) I looked into the box and there sat four very happy looking gentlemen dressed in brown.

[razer]

No one respects the law. No one respects the police. Cars use traffic lanes for all day parking by some airport link stations (free park and ride), and why? Because they can. Cars and numerous motorbikes use the sidewalk for free parking on Petchaburi next to the Ratchatewi BTS within sight of the police booth and why? Because they can. The police are lazy and don't care ... so how does Police Lieutenant General Kamronvit Toopkrajang expect results of any kind? There is no plan and there is no way he can make the police do their jobs. No way.

[carib102]

Good job being commissioner. On a monday morning you wake up and get an Eureka idea. The day after you tell your subordinates to solve the problem and than you go on having high tea with your ugly wife whose nose and boob job hasn't been finished yet.

Thaksin said the same in the mid 90's. He even ordered the banks to open an hour later and close an hour earlier. In a matter of fact he had part of the key in his hands as Thailand has just like the US a medieval banking system that relies on cheques and thus you have tens of thousands of people on the road who could easily have been able to make payment and clear cheques by modern means.

Unfortunately, farmers are sponsored for producing too much and not helped with state of the art high speed internet links, so no money for the commissioner.

What are you on about? I've never seen a physical check in Thailand, though it would be nice if internet banking was more comprehensive rather than having to use ATM's for everything. As to the U.S., I have been able to pay all of my bills in the U.S. over the past three years without writing a single check. So much for a medieval banking system that relies on checks. Maybe you should visit the U.S. sometime and you will see that even there progress rolls on.

[mrfill]

"He reiterated that his work is based on solving the traffic, drug problems and crime, and that after retirement, he hoped to use his skill in folk medicine to treat as many patients as he could and to set up a charity foundation for his parents."

Can't think why but this just reminds me of Miss World.

[LuckyLew]

"He told them to refrain from stopping motorists violating traffic rules or speed limits for the purpose of gaining official rewards"

Well this is enough said about the people running this place

[givenall]

Put all light on auto and then resign

[chinostar]

Chiang Mai drivers are the best in the world! It's those stupid foreigners who cannot adapt to their style.Red light means accelerating,getting in lane is for nerds, using indicators requires making a choice left or right, pedestrians are targets to aim at, giving way? No way!

[MaxYakov]

"Pol Lt.Gen. Kamronvit, on this occasion, denied a rumor that he would resign for a deputy prime minister portfolio."

Good for him, and for us. There should be a law against police officers turning politicians. Odds that a police officer is corrupt is much higher than the odds for the general population, and few if any police officers have a relevant education - The Police Academy does not really qualify you for anything but being a police officer - or maybe a soldier/security guard!

Give him a break! There are his hobbies: folk medicine and setting up charitable foundations. Sounds like good political material to me - especially his interest charitable foundations (depending on the definition of charitable foundation, of course).

Edited October 8, 2013 by MaxYakov

[Noistar]

Chiang Mai drivers are the best in the world! It's those stupid foreigners who cannot adapt to their style.Red light means accelerating,getting in lane is for nerds, using indicators requires making a choice left or right, pedestrians are targets to aim at, giving way? No way!

Trouble is, some people will think you're joking

[siampolee]

An automatic traffic system was offered to Bangkok a number of years ago and turned down because the BIB much prefer a cushy number rather than actually being out on the streets enforcing the law.

This is so. A friends partner was involved in the installation of an automatic traffic control system some 13-15 ears ago in Bangkok. The system installation and equipment supply was contracted out to Peak Traffic Control of the U.K.who installed and maintained the U.K. traffic control system at that time and indeed had done so for many years.

The whole programme of installation was plagued with problems, missing cable, junction control boxes being damaged the ripping out of newly installed cabling etc etc. However when at last the valiant contractors actually completed the system and it was proved to work on the trial runs it was handed over to the police.

Within hours the system was destroyed , control panels in police boxes suffered mysterious fires and short circuits all because the so called police were aware that this system was going to kill their income from bribery and outright corruption hence the wanton vandalism and complete destruction of that system.

Does this current character Police Lieutenant General Kamronvit Toopkrajang actually think that the system is going to change? Of course not his income will be affected in the event of changes, however

However note the proposed fines for unfortunates involved in accidents a fine example of kicking a man when he is down, so in reality one form of corruption is going to replaced by another proposed form of corruption.

Corruption is inbred and condoned by the Thai's so do we really expect anything other than lip service?

Indeed talk is cheap and the same old rhetoric is being presented in a different fashion yet again.

The B.S.. factor is indeed amazing

Edited October 8, 2013 by siampolee

[shaurene]

Mad Hatters Tea Party comes to mind.

Government policy is to sell more new cars and increase the amount on Bangkok streets by an unsustainable amount. Now the Metropolitan Police Chief orders the service to sort it out but eh, don't annoy the drivers while your doing it.

Try these solutions instead......

Stop introducing vehicle sale policies that are guaranteed to backfire.......

Start building more commuter train lines........

Oh, and invest in a far more effective bus service.

Silly ideas I know but hey,

Is his family that poor

[nonsequitur]

The answer could be the introduction of congestion charges like in London for example?

Maybe introduce bus and bike lanes, and how about red lines to keep trafic flowing?

Gorgeous hastle free traffice from 0700 - 1800, and then of course chaos all night!

I wonder how people would like that? I imagine they would be very accepting,

and would congratulate the government on a job well done.

Opps! sorry, just daydreaming.

[Johnnie99]

Anything which actually affects Thai people adversely just isn't going to happen. They are all happy sitting in their cars, parking their cars outside police boxes (eg at MBK), all paying no attention to the detrimental effects of their actions on others.

Just near my residence there is a 'van' stop (totally unofficial) which seriously disrupts the main link between Silom and Surawongse Roads every weekday; and then utterly blocks the little Soi (mentioning no actual locations but it is Narathiwat Soi 2) to the side; all just across and in full view of the local police box and also utterly ignored by the occupants thereof.

I love the phrase 'Amazing Thailand' because it is so true.

[siampolee]

. Just near my residence there is a 'van' stop (totally unofficial) which seriously disrupts the main link between Silom and Surawongse Roads every weekday; and then utterly blocks the little Soi (mentioning no actual locations but it is Narathiwat Soi 2) to the side; all just across and in full view of the local police box and also utterly ignored by the occupants thereof. I love the phrase 'Amazing Thailand' because it is so true

In truth it is not ignored, there will be an ongoing van count and if you sit and watch for a time you'll see either a B.I.B. going towards the van queue regulator and receive a package or it might be the other way round and the van queue regulator goes to the police box with a package.

Said package will be much like the lunch boxes left in the court some time back but the contents won't be as large as the courts lunch boxes of course. Still a tasty nibble though

[Benmart]

"Pol Lt.Gen. Kamronvit, on this occasion, denied a rumor that he would resign for a deputy prime minister portfolio."

Good for him, and for us. There should be a law against police officers turning politicians. Odds that a police officer is corrupt is much higher than the odds for the general population, and few if any police officers have a relevant education - The Police Academy does not really qualify you for anything but being a police officer - or maybe a soldier/security guard!

Can you please share the curriculum of the RTP Academy? Thanks.

[PMZ]

Well its good news that the traffic problem will now be solved, I was beginning to think that the 1 million new cars that have hit the road after the latest Government scheme was going to cause a continual issue! But now that the police are involved, I am sure all will be well.

For instance, imagine any intersection which when left to the lights system, has some congestion. Now from experience we all know that when the traffic police get manually involved, the congestion multiplies exponentially!

Looking forward to this all being solved by the weekend BIB!

[worgeordie]

I thought it was done 30 days ago ?,

regards Worgeordie

[osiboy]

"Pol Lt.Gen. Kamronvit, on this occasion, denied a rumor that he would resign for a deputy prime minister portfolio."

Good for him, and for us. There should be a law against police officers turning politicians. Odds that a police officer is corrupt is much higher than the odds for the general population, and few if any police officers have a relevant education - The Police Academy does not really qualify you for anything but being a police officer - or maybe a soldier/security guard!

Agree with what you say , but,...............TIT , money buys you position in the police force , nothing to do with intelegence ,........or rather the lack of !

[chainarong]

A bad education system lends to a bad decision making process, the end result of all of Thailand's problems.