'Returning roads' campaign has improved traffic: police
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The campaign to "return roads to the people" by towing away or locking the wheels of illegally parked cars, as well as arresting offenders "in a polite manner" has helped improve traffic over the past four days.

Pol Lt-General Wuthi Liptapallop, an adviser to the Royal Thai Police in charge of traffic affairs, reported that after four days of the campaign, a total of 79 cars had been towed away, 1,658 had their wheels locked and 142 drunk drivers had been arrested, plus 10,907 tickets were given out.

"The 'Return roads to the people' campaign has received tremendous results and we will be pursuing this campaign in four other tourist spots including Patong Beach in Phuket, Koh Samui, the Chiang Mai Night Bazaar and Pattaya," he said.

Traffic police have been given 15 days to fix the problems and inform tourists. Police will also work with Bangkok residents to push through the "twin miracle project" in order to end the problem of pavements and streets being blocked by vendors.

"Police will also enforce 13 strict regulations upon drivers," Traffic Police Division chief Pol Maj-General Jirasan Kaewsaengake added.

These include illegal parking, double parking, parking or driving on sidewalks, dangerous overtaking of cars, driving against the flow of traffic, jumping red lights, not wearing seatbelts, using the phone while driving, driving without a licence and speeding.

Police say the violation of these 13 regulations often caused road accidents, so they would strictly enforce these traffic rules to cut down incidents. Police say they have not been able to continuously crackdown on traffic violators due to ongoing political protests.

Metropolitan Police Bureau deputy chief Maj-General Adul Narongsak further insisted that all police adhere to the campaign and take action in a "polite manner".

-- The Nation 2014-06-14

"driving against the flow of traffic..."

Now, that is one I'd really like to see the police get their heads stuck around.

Somehow, I just don't see a single iota being done against this one - it is Thainess to drive on the wrong side, contra-flow.

Couldn't be doing away with Thainess now, could we?

Police say they have not been able to continuously crackdown on traffic violators due to ongoing political protests

What about the lack of enforcement before the protests?

Lets just hope this last, just imagine a cop trying to explain that you can'tr drive on the wrong side of the road !!!

I guess the fact that there are no protestors in BKK may have something to do with eased traffic conditions, too.

be positive, you never know it could work

I haven't seen much improvement. > 1 hour to drive from Sathorn to Asok last night. And a further 45 minutes from Asok to Pra Kanong.

Would be helpful if they targeted the junction blockers who sneak through on amber with no clear road and end up blocking opposing traffic and also those who decide queuing is not for them and decide to turn right from the middle lane turning Sukhumvit into a one lane road.

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It is no use running a campaign, you need to maintain the rage 24/7 for ever ,now that will be hard to achieve.

Driving on the sidewalk, does that include the motorcycle taxis, I hope so.

How about reclaiming the sidewalks so people don't have to walk in the street

Any improvement is very much appreciated.

As for the time it will take to implement change. I'm 63 years old. It took around 33,134,772.30 minutes to arrive at that age. I can wait a "few" more.

I note driving with eyes shut or the application of makeup whilst driving or actually looking before pulling out onto a road .are not amongst the 13 things that cause accidents........ thats such a relief

& what exactly were the police doing about this problem pre the coup ???? ( rhetorical question !)

Well it's a start folks..but what about every other city in Thailand..?

EVERY weekend Hua Hin is gridlocked..no thanks to the BKK Hi-So's that simply park where the hell they wish to..Police action?..don't be silly, the

spoilt brat from BKK simply tells the MiB his father will have him punished if he dares to administer any form of fine etc.

Plus what about the SUVs & sports hatches with blacked-out windows..they're crawling along at 10kph, you can see their phone screen lit-up

in front of the driver's face..traffic is backed up behind them while they are texting !!

(I saw this as a Thai lady drove thru' a police checkpoint this week in Hua Hin.)

Another good move by the Junta would be to be publicly seen ordering say 200+ new tow-trucks to be issued throughout the kingdom's cities..(& make some new 'compounds' for all these vehicles).

But alas in our minds are we to hell-bent on Westernising the Asian ways...driving included..?

be positive, you never know it could work

+1...so far, so good.

Basically the Junta is teaching the police how to..... police the law.

These are all existing laws, that the police have thus far been happy to ignore and keep as an 'ad-hoc' way of making a little tea money as and when they desire it.

They need to start heavily fining all the offenders, and have a 3 strikes system or like in the UK a 'points' system where you license acquires penalty points and your insurance goes up with the amount of points on your license.... so many points and you get a mandatory ban.

The system works very well.

They need to start heavily fining all the offenders, and have a 3 strikes system or like in the UK a 'points' system where you license acquires penalty points and your insurance goes up with the amount of points on your license.... so many points and you get a mandatory ban.

The system works very well.

Here they will simply drive with no license or insurance

Well, idiots parking on those irritating little blocks of black and white stripes seems, so far, to be escaping their attention.

"driving against the flow of traffic..."

Now, that is one I'd really like to see the police get their heads stuck around.

Somehow, I just don't see a single iota being done against this one - it is Thainess to drive on the wrong side, contra-flow.

Couldn't be doing away with Thainess now, could we?

Saw a policeman do just that in central BKK yesterday. Not an emergency (no flashing lights or siren) either, just taking a shortcut.

I haven't seen much improvement. > 1 hour to drive from Sathorn to Asok last night. And a further 45 minutes from Asok to Pra Kanong.

Would be helpful if they targeted the junction blockers who sneak through on amber with no clear road and end up blocking opposing traffic and also those who decide queuing is not for them and decide to turn right from the middle lane turning Sukhumvit into a one lane road.

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Try using the BTS. Much quicker than driving. Drivers complain, but they are the problem.

Well, I haven't noticed.

seems a bit early to be declaring victory

They should also fine these idiots who use their hazard lights to indicate that they are going straight ahead!

In order to catch drivers running red lights the police has to be at the intersections! Here in Doi Saket the quantity of red light runners is downright dangerous!! Some run up to 20 seconds after their traffic light has turned red...

In order to catch drivers running red lights the police has to be at the intersections! Here in Doi Saket the quantity of red light runners is downright dangerous!! Some run up to 20 seconds after their traffic light has turned red...

Would I be correct in saying there is only one traffic light in Doi Saket? Must be something like 100 metres up from the police station so surly you don't expect the bib to patrol that far away do you.

Doi Saket is quite a bit larger than a single traffic light....…

Cute headline grabbing campaigns are one thing, they are two a penny here, long running policy and enforcement on an ongoing basis is quite another.

PS it was 2,500 clamped the other headline now its down to 1600 odd... and whats with the 142 drunk drivers but none without a licence ? seems awful low to me.

They really ought to be a bit more careful with their campaigns, as they are drawing some "unfortunate " parallels as one looks back in history.

Doi Saket is quite a bit larger than a single traffic light....…

If you are talking about the township known as Doi Saket I can think of only one junction with lights which are seldom working. I know of no other lights within several miles of the town centre. I have lived in Doi Saket for the past ten years but am happy to be corrected. I agree with your general principle about people jumping lights everywhere.