Crackdown on Bangkok traffic violators

[Craig351]

They are trying to stop traffic jams but it looks like they are causing one !!

I think the crackdown is done finished all over already !!

I hope not !!

[spermwhale]

Interesting, but it will do nothing to curb the biggest problem on the roads, the poor, aggressive and dangerous driving habits of the majority of Thais on the road. It's nice that they're going after illegal parkers, but that's low-hanging fruit, just like everybody they catch at their check points.

But police here never patrol the streets looking for the real law-breakers... the once excessively speeding on the roadways, making illegal u-turns and (my favorite) driving on the shoulder to pass. They never catch these serious law-breakers because they are either too lazy to drive the streets and ticket people for these behaviors or they don't understand what they need to do catch these people.

Start cracking down in this manner, and Thailand will quickly become a safer and more pleasant place (well pleasant might be a stretch, but you get what I mean) to drive.

[Strangebrew]

You sure these photo ops legit? didn't see any finger pointing.

[schultzlivgthai]

This country is a <deleted> joke if were talking about the drivers!!!

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[overherebc]

I still don't think the fines are high enough,if one thing

that will learn Thais to respect the law is hit them in the pocket,

Its going to cost a lot more than a 1000 bht to tow a 10 wheel truck

away thats for sure,but at least its a start,as long as it taken seriously

and and will be in force day in day out for the future,and not just a

monthly photo opportunity.

regards Worgeordie

Just heard on BBC news that speeding fines on the motorway "may' be increased to a max' of 10,000 sterling. That's 540,000 baht.

Can't see fines like that ever appearing here.

I know speeding is different from parking before anyone points it out to me.

[schultzlivgthai]

Believe me, people need to start swearing!! These people may never wake up!! It's crazy to think of how many people die on these roads! Maybe guys like you that watch everything others write, are part of the problem!! Mr. Sugarcoat

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[Paulzed]

Crackdown... now that a word I haven't heard for a long time now....

Crack up would be a better word to describe it.

[lomatopo]

It seems like "crackdown" is now the key buzzword replacing "becoming the hub of ________".

Oh, right, "Thailand to become the hub of crackdowns".

[makkam]

They finally start doing their job and they have to make a song and dance of it, lads you were meant to be doing this stuff every day for the last 50 odd years it's called DOING YOUR JOB

Imagine this country with a competent police force?

You mean like the London Met?

A force that wrongly identifies innocent people as terrorists and fills them with bullets on a commuter train in broad daylight then whitewashes it.

Or maybe the bright sparks who were involved in assisting the gangsters who brutally murdered Stephen Lawrence.?

Every police force has its incompetents. You're in lalaland to believe otherwise.

The new regime is pointing out to Thai citizens what it's doing ( going to do ) and at the same time showing what should have been done for years.

Thaksin was the embodiment of police corruption and incompetence at it's very worst, and he encouraged its continuance when he moved into politics as a way of keeping control.

The police lost all track of what it meant to be 'DOING YOUR JOB', being too busy filling their coffers with their ill gotten gains.

I've never known a country whose citizens regard their police with a mixture of fear, disdain and disrespect. The closest was maybe the Northern Irish catholics and the RUC.

Good on the NCPO.They have got the broom out and are making proper use of it at last

[ALLSEEINGEYE]

The irony here is that the police have been the ones selling those parking spaces to the taxis for decades now. Profiting while to rest of society suffers from their greed. These taxi's that pay a premium for these spaces then extort more from their fares. Try and get one of these parked taxi's and you will likely be asked to pay 500 baht for a trip that would be less than 100 by meter. Just look at the pylons that are used when the taxi is not in that spot, they all have the RTP logo on them.

Next step is to bring back the taxi complaint line in English so tourists and farangs can actually lodge a complaint and hopefully have it followed through on like 10 years ago. That got the taxi's all using their meters then and it will work again. Sorry, slightly off topic but once the rant begins....you know.

[lucjoker]

towing away a car results in even more traffic jam, but it's a relieve if you pass the spot and

see the towing away !

[julemanden]

great to know they are starting this, but stop pety fines, if your vehicle is towed for illegal parking it will be crushed. Simple. The roads would be alot better and far more safer for everyone else who has to use them..

Time for you to wake up.... In the real world.... OK?

[MaxYakov]

Parking Wars: Bangkok Season 1, Episode 1! Grab your VidCams and hit the bricks!

Edited June 10, 2014 by MaxYakov

[lostmebike]

Bring it on and follow through!

I remember following through a couple of times as a toddler, terribly messy thing to do.

[332]

Unfortunately it would take decades of Western colonization to help the Thais in this regard.

They just don't consider others enough to park.

So instead they just stop driving and get out.

Edited June 10, 2014 by 332

[Halion]

Even if I thought this was achievable it is not sustainable owing to the fact that, as normal, no one has thought this through. The fines are not a significant deterrent and the recovery charges are less than the operational cost of removing and storing the vehicles. Another shining example of Thai acumen.

[jaycor]

I just saw several cars on Sukhumvut Soi 16 with wheel clamps on. Guess they are serious!!

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[wvavin]

I think they have missed out something. Offenders should pay the fine + towing fee.

[aspenninja]

Well Bangkok seems to have a severe lack of parking available, they have a first car incentive,but no where to put these cars. How about a crack down on motorbike taxis that drive on the limited sidewalk space? Or the blatant traffic offenders that drive opposite traffic?

Parking fines are all well and good, but as someone else already said, it's low hanging fruit. It's a symptom, not the real issue. Building some parking areas and while your at it, a few more garbage bins on the streets would be nice too haha.

[sirchai]

They should award those who don't violate the traffic rules and laws with a minister seat in the parliament. At least, there wouldn't be ministers anymore.

Would anybody find that out? I doubt it. Seems the country is already remote controlled by a Chinese tablet PC.

[kingstonkid]

I still don't think the fines are high enough,if one thing

that will learn Thais to respect the law is hit them in the pocket,

Its going to cost a lot more than a 1000 bht to tow a 10 wheel truck

away thats for sure,but at least its a start,as long as it taken seriously

and and will be in force day in day out for the future,and not just a

monthly photo opportunity.

regards Worgeordie

Hey 1000 baht is the fine. If it is like North America that is the cheap part. Then you add to tow fee and the storage not to forget the time you waste trying to find your car.

As to jail i think the idea is the same again as N.A. if you keep breaking the law or do not pay your fine enjoy our hospitality for a few days.

So far i have to admit that the Coup or Junta your choice has had nothing but positive affects on the country.

Let's hope they keep going in this direction.

[dangerousdan99]

'POLICE HAVE STARTED a campaign to "return roads to the people" by cracking down on traffic violators.'

Will this crackdown continue when the cameras and news media are gone, or is this just a typical dog and pony act? We have seen crack downs on other illegal activities. Yet prostitution, gambling, public intoxication, child exploitation, domestic violence, etc. still run rampant throughout the country.

Geez; @Jaltsc: - give the General a break; cut the man some slack: he's been on "the job" barely 3 weeks and certainly doesn't need an impatient & unreasonable winger to criticize his many positive actions to-date !

I guess some people are just never satisfied, hey ? ! - I'd hate to be your neighbor, mate !

Meanwhile, as far as I'm concerned, this General Prayut strongly reminds me of one of the heroes in a Louis L'Amour novel: he's just like a real Sackett ! ! ! - and I, for one, salute this man.

[sz1a]

I hope this is just a publicity stunt. I didn't move here to live in a police state. I don't think Thai people will accept police harassment, most are just trying to make a living. There's nowhere to park at night for the khlong toei merchants for example.

[dangerousdan99]

Hero is the word that has been coming to my mind lately also. Finally a leader in Thailand who cares about this country and is making improvements. He gets my salute also

[chainarong]

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great to know they are starting this, but stop pety fines, if your vehicle is towed for illegal parking it will be crushed. Simple. The roads would be alot better and far more safer for everyone else who has to use them..

Thailand is a much poorer emerging country and those penalties for parking don't happen to my knowledge anywhere else , so why BKK , to crush their car is not a great idea, you might disappear one day doing things like that.

[Jim walker]

Another vote winner short time campaign it will all be back to the Bangkok normal mess next week park where ever you can squeeze the car in or just stop as you are driving along always plenty places to stop on the road.

[Pib]

Another vote winner short time campaign it will all be back to the Bangkok normal mess next week park where ever you can squeeze the car in or just stop as you are driving along always plenty places to stop on the road.

What election is near or medium term?

[RedRoadRunner]

Pattaya next....PLEASE !!!!

[In Search of Space]

BANGKOK: -- Pol Lt-Geneneral Wuthi Liptapallop said police would tow away or lock the wheels of illegally parked vehicles, arrest and jail offenders, and do this in a polite |manner.

Arrest & Jail for parking a car now ??? ... ok they have definitely lost it

But they are going to be jailed politely

[Celtica]

great to know they are starting this, but stop pety fines, if your vehicle is towed for illegal parking it will be crushed. Simple. The roads would be alot better and far more safer for everyone else who has to use them..