Crackdown on Bangkok shopping mall street parking announced

[webfact]

Crackdown On Shopping Mall Street Parking Announced
By Khaosod English


A police officer tows away a taxi in front of Central World shopping mall in downtown Bangkok, 24 March 2014

BANGKOK: -- Parking of vehicles on roads in front of shopping malls in busy financial district of Bangkok would no longer be tolerated, police warned.

Pol.Lt.Gen. Rueangsak Jarit-Ake, assistant to the chief of the Royal Thai Police, said in a ceremony to mark the beginning of the crackdown that the police have received numerous complaints about cab drivers and tuk-tuk drivers who caused traffic jam in front of thse shopping malls by parking their vehicles on the roadside as they hawked their service to tourists.

The problem appears to be particularly widespread in Pathum district, where famous shopping malls such as MBK and Central World Plaza are located, said Pol.Lt.Gen. Rueangsak said, but added that the police will also look out for any offending on other districts in Bangkok, including the road in front of Don Mueang Airport.

"We have arranged traffic police to swiftly regulate the parking of these buses, taxis, tuk-tuks, and other vehicles for the sake of public orderliness," Pol.Lt.Gen. Rueangsak told reporters, "We want to provide convenience to the people".

He added that any violation will be strictly punished, and said that the police will evaluate the success of their operation in the next 15 days.

Source: http://en.khaosod.co.th/detail.php?newsid=1395660447


-- Khaosod English 2014-03-25

[webfact]

Police launch parking ban trial at 10 busy spots

BANGKOK: -- Police have started getting tough with illegal street parking initially at ten busy spots in Bangkok.

The ten targeted spots are Inthra hotel on out-bound Rajprarop road, Major Ratchayothin Cineplex on out-bound Paholyothin road, Talad Mai Minburi on Sihaburanakit road, Seacon Square and Paradise shopping malls on Srinakharin road, Central World shopping mall on Rajdamri road, Siam Paragon shopping mall of Rama I road, Central Pinkhao shopping mall on BoromRatchonee road, Talad Thai Chuey Thai on out-bound Ratchadaphisek road, The Mall Bangkhai shopping mall on Petchkasem road and Don Meuang airport on Vibhavadi Rangsit highway.

Pol Lt-Gen Ruangsak Jarit-aek, the assistant police chief, said today that about 4,000 policemen would be mobilize at the targeted spots to manage traffic and to facilitate traffic flow especially for public transport such as taxies, passenger vans and buses.

Officials from the Land Transport Department, Bangkok Mass Transport Authority and city police will participate in the campaign aimed at preventing illegal parking and facilitating traffic flow.

The campaign will be assessed in 15 days and the spots where illegal parking is to be restricted will be expanded to cover 45 spots in three months.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/police-launch-parking-ban-trial-10-busy-spots/

-- Thai PBS 2014-03-25

[cigar7]

Nice to hear they are starting to enforce the law, like they are paid to do.

[Morakot]

Ahh... a trail!

[tomyummer]

Should also get rid of street vendors in those same areas. Whenever you get out of a car or even bus, you can't find the opening to the sidewalk because of the crowded vendor stalls.

[speedtripler]

Should also get rid of street vendors in those same areas. Whenever you get out of a car or even bus, you can't find the opening to the sidewalk because of the crowded vendor stalls.

aha ,yes

but those vendors pay "rent" for that place to grill pork or run a restaurant on the sidewalk

it wouldnt make sense financially to clear the sidewalks for their intended use,such as walking .......

[Johnnie99]

What a lovely idea.

Which is all it will remain.

Silom's streets are as clogged as ever they were. But then, Silom is not mentioned specifically ...

[laurentbkk]

Few months ago they announced crack down on illegal parking on rama 4 ....... there are still so many illegal parking there ...... people dont give a damn about this ..they stop to buy their soup on the way home and they dont give a damn about the traffic jam they caused .... that's called being a selfish prick ..

[Pib]

"We have arranged traffic police to swiftly regulate the parking of these buses, taxis, tuk-tuks, and other vehicles for the sake of public orderliness," Pol.Lt.Gen. Rueangsak told reporters, "We want to provide convenience to the people".

Funniest thing I've heard all day.

[mmushr00m]

How about Petchaburi in front of Platinum. Its reduced to one lane because of tuk tuks and taxis.

[Bluespunk]

"Pol.Lt.Gen. Rueangsak Jarit-Ake, assistant to the chief of the Royal Thai Police, said in a ceremony to mark the beginning of the crackdown that the police have received numerous complaints about cab drivers and tuk-tuk drivers who caused traffic jam in front of these shopping malls by parking their vehicles on the roadside as they hawked their service to tourists."

Ah those pesky foreigners are once more seen to be the root of the problem.

[Oreganobag]

4000 police for 10 sites? Ha!

[kingalfred]

Should also get rid of street vendors in those same areas. Whenever you get out of a car or even bus, you can't find the opening to the sidewalk because of the crowded vendor stalls.

aha ,yes

but those vendors pay "rent" for that place to grill pork or run a restaurant on the sidewalk

it wouldnt make sense financially to clear the sidewalks for their intended use,such as walking .......

hmmm,the attitude these vendors have if you push your way through the public sidewalk ,it's as if you are going on their private property

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[VocalNeal]

it wouldnt make sense financially to clear the sidewalks for their intended use,such as walking .......

A western notion that the paved area by the side of the road is for walking. Just like the notion that a paved area in a village is for cars when obviously it is for badminton and takraw.

[seajae]

Few months ago they announced crack down on illegal parking on rama 4 ....... there are still so many illegal parking there ...... people dont give a <deleted> about this ..they stop to buy their soup on the way home and they dont give a <deleted> about the traffic jam they caused .... that's called being a selfish prick ..

you mean called "thainess"

[jimbeam1]

4000 police for 10 sites? Ha!

Ah this is official, so there's paper work to be done also.

Jb1

[Bkungbank]

Mafia tuk-tuk will return after the policemen left in few second, to solved the problems a police box have to place there permanently.

[Travel Dude]

Good initiative and we all hope it is not a way to make some extra pocket money for individual policeman ( no corruption please)

And 4000 police to ensure no prohibited parking takes place at 10 shopping malls that is 400 police per shopping map. Is that correct?

[speedtripler]

Mafia tuk-tuk will return after the policemen left in few second, to solved the problems a police box have to place there permanently.

with police in it permanently ,and cable tv disconnected so they can watch the traffic cctv monitors insteaad of the football ,thai boxing or

the latest movie ............

anything less is just a distraction for a couplpe of weeks until it returns to chaos as normal

[BuddyPinkham]

Should also get rid of street vendors in those same areas. Whenever you get out of a car or even bus, you can't find the opening to the sidewalk because of the crowded vendor stalls.

And the stalls on Silom are either getting bigger or they are moving them in more on the sidewalks. There is barely enough room for one person to walk here now.

Edited March 25, 2014 by BuddyPinkham

[Benmart]

Tow, fine and arrest if necessary. Most cities of similar size I imagine, have a fleet of tow trucks that, work in concert with the traffic police to keep order. The illegal parking in Bangkok, as well as Pattaya, is out of control.

That, along with vendors encroaching on sidewalks and streets, needs policing too. The alternative is continued gridlock in Bangkok and frustration by locals and tourists alike.

[Griffo63]

How about putting some effort in Soi 11. Taxis loitering outside hotels, food vendors, mobile bars, massage girls and motor cycles taxis make it impossible to walk on the pavements. When walking on the road you take your life in your hands

[bkkbarbara]

Oh, if only it would include endlessly hovering taxis too. Tailbacks around Union Mall next to the Ladprao flyover can be horrendous.

[MMarlow]

"Pol.Lt.Gen. Rueangsak Jarit-Ake, assistant to the chief of the Royal Thai Police, said in a ceremony to mark the beginning of the crackdown that the police have received numerous complaints about cab drivers and tuk-tuk drivers who caused traffic jam in front of these shopping malls by parking their vehicles on the roadside as they hawked their service to tourists."

Ah those pesky foreigners are once more seen to be the root of the problem.

Only in your eyes; tourists don't park taxis and tuk-tuks anywhere. And he said "tourists" not "foreigners", tourists are not solely foreigners.

[LeoViotti]

Yes, let's all hope the government here transforms Bangkok and the whole of Thailand in the same paranoid crap we have in our great western cities, places we left because we couldn't stand anymore! Yey! 8-)

[samtam]

Should also get rid of street vendors in those same areas. Whenever you get out of a car or even bus, you can't find the opening to the sidewalk because of the crowded vendor stalls.

And the stalls on Silom are either getting bigger or they are moving them in more on the sidewalks. There is barely enough room for one person to walk here now.

And how about fixing the pavements. The last time it was done on Silom with expensive "tiles" they started disintegrating and disappearing because they weren't designed for trolleys and hawker stands. Silom is a s&17 hole. What's the point of a municiple organisation if it doesn't look after the municipality?

[ezzra]

Do you really need a ceremony to start enforcing the law? if so, this country will have several

of them every day.... anyway, ceremony or not, this is nothing but a show and tell trick,

it will never stand and things will revert back to what here were... seen it many times before...

[Fullstop]

a ceremony to mark the beginning of the crackdown

God they're laughable.

[arminbkk]

Yes, let's all hope the government here transforms Bangkok and the whole of Thailand in the same paranoid crap we have in our great western cities, places we left because we couldn't stand anymore! Yey! 8-)

Who says I left the West because I want to be obstructed on the sidewalk by all kinds of vendors, beggars, touts, ugly massage women, stray dogs etc etc?

I came here for the warm climate, the female population (better view), opening hours of shops, to name a few.

Mind you, Thais love a clear sidewalk also.

[ppmacready]

Nice to hear they are starting to enforce the law, like they are paid to do.

Thats a joke right?