15 vehicles towed as traffic, parking crackdown kicks off in Bangkok

[webfact]

TRAFFIC VIOLATIONS
15 vehicles towed as traffic, parking crackdown kicks off
The Nation



BANGKOK: -- AS MANY as 15 vehicles were towed away yesterday as part of a crackdown on illegal parking and traffic violations, announced Metropolitan Police deputy chief Pol Maj-General Adul Narongsak.

AS MANY as 15 vehicles were towed away yesterday as part of a crackdown on illegal parking and traffic violations, announced Metropolitan Police deputy chief Pol Maj-General Adul Narongsak.

The measure, which was implemented yesterday, covers 10 Bangkok routes during rush hour - 6am to 9am and 3pm to 6pm - and replaces the previous wheel-lock practice. The measure will expand to all Bangkok roads from November 1 onwards, he said.

City officials will place clear "no parking" signs and paint prohibited areas in red and white to prevent arguments between motorists and police officers, he added.

"There will be no reason for policemen to bully you or rush to make an arrest to boost their rates if you don't break any laws. It's a good thing that police can enforce the law strictly." He added that usually arresting officers got 40 per cent of the fine.

Adul said this measure's procedure would be transparent.

Of the 15 cars towed yesterday morning, two were on Phetchaburi Road, two in the Bang Sue area, three in the Phaholyothin area, one on Sathorn Road, six in the Talad Phlu area and one in Thon Buri.

Later yesterday, Adul also presided over the launch of the campaign and unveiled 200 tow trucks at the Royal Plaza. At the launch, he said traffic in Bangkok would soon be like it is in Singapore, Hong Kong and London, where people don't dare break traffic laws.


-- The Nation 2013-10-22

[BOOKEMDANO]

May we see the birth of "the traffic warden"?

[NongKhaiKid]

" As many as 15 vehicles towed away in a crackdown " ! 15 only 15 in a city the size of Bangkok and on main thoroughfares too.

Hardly justifies all the top BIB that turned out.

[tominbkk]

So the officers get part of the fine? Hmmm, a little extra incentive. That's why they aren't after real crooks, can't make chickenshit money off of them!

[yooper2001]

This obviously does not include the number of car owners who gave the police 100 bhat for their annual retirement fee and vacation fund to let then forget they accidently parked in the wrong spot.

[trogers]

The measure, which was implemented yesterday, covers 10 Bangkok routes during rush hour - 6am to 9am and 3pm to 6pm - and replaces the previous wheel-lock practice. The measure will expand to all Bangkok roads from November 1 onwards, he said.

City officials will place clear "no parking" signs and paint prohibited areas in red and white to prevent arguments between motorists and police officers, he added.

At the launch, he said traffic in Bangkok would soon be like it is in Singapore, Hong Kong and London, where people don't dare break traffic laws.

No Parking and prohibited areas in red and white in the said cities are for 24/7, and not during rush hours only. How then can traffic in Bangkok be like in said cities?

We can see how small an achievement can swell the heads of BIB here...

[Thai at Heart]

They are towing a taxi.

Was the driver asleep inside?

[meatboy]

6am-9am and 3pm-6pm.how many thais can tell the time?

then start moveing vendors off the pavements 6am-10pm.every day.

[Tatsujin]

15 in one day? That's a joke and a half . . . I assume it doesn't include the 500+ that simply paid to be left alone . . . ? Even when they're "serious" about doing something, they still do it in such a half ass Thai way. Another joke.

[Jim walker]

Only 15 out of almost 7 million registered cars in Bangkok must be a lot of law abiding well-disciplined admirable drivers in Bangkok .

[Andre0720]

Notice the use of absolute numbers here....

A conversion into % of offenders might look embarrassing....

[ratcatcher]

Perhaps one day, we may see this sort of sight in Bangkok.

[abq2020]

" As many as 15 vehicles towed away in a crackdown " ! 15 only 15 in a city the size of Bangkok and on main thoroughfares too.

Hardly justifies all the top BIB that turned out.

Just wait until these private tow companies are turned loose autonomously....as they will get paid for each tow-job. I predict hundreds or more daily, plus many complaints of cars being towed which were not illegally parked. It won't be long before the towers will be trolling for tows in apartment and condo complexes, mall, etc., etc.

[newermonkey]

So the officers get part of the fine? Hmmm, a little extra incentive. That's why they aren't after real crooks, can't make chickenshit money off of them!

Ah there you are wrong, the crooks do get arrested the money shared the drugs shared and then crooks get released, they make lots of "bonus" or "extra incentive" out of that.

[barryofthailand]

Wow, I could find at least 500 vehicles that are illegally parked here in Korat, with much less cars than in Bangkok. This is done as a photo op the same when they have a raid on pirated DVD's and games which I can find to purchase in the Big C shopping center also here in Korat.

[Neilly]

Later yesterday, Adul also presided over the launch of the campaign and unveiled 200 tow trucks at the Royal Plaza.

I wonder if these were fire trucks in a previous life and have been converted into tow trucks

[smedly]

May we see the birth of "the traffic warden"?

well if you compare the activities of the police here and traffic wardens back home - there are some similarities

[drdoom6996]

May we see the birth of "the traffic warden"?

No, for the PTP it will have to be a Minister with a Hub.

[outsider]

15!?!?!?!??? And it made the news? Sheesh...

[rametindallas]

Let's see, at fifteen a day times seven days a week... at this rate they will have all the illegally parked cars cleared.... NEVER

[Johnnie99]

"He added that usually arresting officers got 40 per cent of the fine."

It's finally official.

[Johnnie99]

15 may be a low number but it is a start!

Even I recognise they are at least making an effort this time. It may not last long but it's a beginning.

[bangon04]

" As many as 15 vehicles towed away in a crackdown " ! 15 only 15 in a city the size of Bangkok and on main thoroughfares too.

Hardly justifies all the top BIB that turned out.

Now be fair..... there are not SO many police generals available that they can be everywhere at once. They do have paperwork to do as well as appear in other photo ops for other crimes.. The generals are working as hard as they can. Early days yet.

As the system gets going, they will delegate the car towing duties to the police colonels, and in the busy times, even the Lt Colonels will have to lend a hand to make up the numbers. You can't just let anyone in a uniform stand there with a walkie-talkie and watch the towaway truck, can you..After all this is quality policing we are talking about, so it has to be done right, and be SEEN to be done right.

[anon210]

Last Saturday, I actually saw police putting the wheel locks on cars illegally parked on Sukhumvit, just after soi 55. That was a refreshing sight, as there are always cars clogging that area to go and eat at the restaurants there. Sunday, for the first time, I saw my soi free of all the cars parked illegally there at the entrance of the soi! I could for once get in without having to contort my car between the cars parked and the oncoming traffic.

I would wish this policy to be enforced radically and across the board. Then maybe Thais will learn a bit of discipline in their anarchic parking habits.

[toybits]

I am very interested in seeing what types of vehicles were towed. Wonder if there were luxury class cars (Benz, Porche, Audi, Jags, etc.) in that list? Or would it show cars driven by persons who are struggling to make a living? But towing illegally parked taxis is a good thing - I have to admit.

[anon210]

I am very interested in seeing what types of vehicles were towed. Wonder if there were luxury class cars (Benz, Porche, Audi, Jags, etc.) in that list? Or would it show cars driven by persons who are struggling to make a living? But towing illegally parked taxis is a good thing - I have to admit.

Well, one of the cars fined was a Lexus...And the owner was vainly trying to plead with the policeman writing the ticket.

[thaicbr]

"He added that usually arresting officers got 40 per cent of the fine."

 

It's finally official.

I got told it was 60%. I suppose 20% goes upstairs.....

[thaidel48]

MMM... lets see 200 tow trucks and 15! cars towed...i wonder what the 185 remaining trucks where doing ??

[Traveling Sailor]

"Later yesterday, Adul also presided over the launch of the campaign and unveiled 200 tow trucks at the Royal Plaza. At the launch, he said traffic in Bangkok would soon be like it is in Singapore, Hong Kong and London, where people don't dare break traffic laws."

What a load of BS! It will take at least a generation of strict enforcement and large fines to bring Thailand even close to Singapore, Hong Kong and London. Thai people have been flouting laws for 100 years. They are not going to change "soon".

[steveyinasia]

"At the launch, he said traffic in Bangkok would soon be like it is in Singapore, Hong Kong and London, where people don't dare break traffic laws"

Another statement full of hot wind, until the BIB start doing their job in full, any law is just another thing to ignore.