Bangkok: Wheel-clamping D-Day to start Monday

[webfact]

Wheel-clamping D-Day to start Monday



BANGKOK: -- Metropolitan will start wheel-clamping illegally parked cars in a major campaign to enforce traffic law.

Pol Maj-Gen Jirasan Kaewsaeng-aek, commander of traffic police, said Sunday that traffic police would gather at the traffic police head office between 8.45- 9 am for a briefing before they are to spread out across Bangkok to look for illegally-parked cars and having them wheel-clamped.

Traffic police are ready to enforce the law against illegal parking as the force has at its disposal 250 wheel clamps in addition to 30 at each police precinct.

It was reported that that many motorists who used to park their cars on the main roads have switched to sois and lanes to park their cars to avoid wheel-clamping and this has caused a lot of conveniences to people living in the sois.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/wheel-clamping-d-day-start-monday/


-- Thai PBS 2014-08-18

[ezzra]

Wheel clamping will not effective as a tow away solution where by the motorist will be hit

harder costlier paying for the tow and storage charges, that might send the right message...

[NongKhaiKid]

Instead of D-Day maybe it should be called T-Day to reflect the extra money to be made by not clamping certain vehicles.

I presume the last sentence should read ' inconvenience ' to people living in sois.

[daveAustin]

Good idea, clear the sidewalks of market vendors selling tat and MSG-laden crud too while you're at it.

[EricBerg]

Next times perhaps not announce it but just do it. A few thousand clamps will have more effect when the drivers are hit by surprise and when they know it can happen anytime.

[bkkjames]

so what happens when you get clamped?

your car sits there for hours blocking traffic then when you awaken from your slumber what do you do? Call the mobile number on the clamp or paper on your windshield and handover a few baht to have it removed?

[indothai]

stupid is as stupid does.

[bkkjames]

tow them. Slap a 10,000 baht fine on it + charges for towing.

a couple of times of this, that sticky bun you couldn't live with out on the way to work just got less tasty.

[Suzy]

We've heard all this before from the Junta and Bangkok Police a few weeks ago. The 'clamp down' lasted a couple of weeks and then illegal parking in front of the 'no-parking' signs resumed as normal. Bangkapi, Bung Khum and Bang Chan police stations have lost interest.

[apiwan]

It's working in ladprow.

There clamping everything

[thurien]

Wheel clamping will not effective as a tow away solution where by the motorist will be hit

harder costlier paying for the tow and storage charges, that might send the right message...

and - on top of that - pick up his car in a car park in the middle of nowhere!

[Zeegator]

so what happens when you get clamped?

your car sits there for hours blocking traffic then when you awaken from your slumber what do you do? Call the mobile number on the clamp or paper on your windshield and handover a few baht to have it removed?

Yes, that's exactly what happens to vehicles that have been parked inconsiderably and illegally (if the vehicle is actually blocking traffic it will be moved, obviously). There is a clamp removal charge and a parking fine. After the inconvenience of waiting around for a couple of hours for the police to arrive the vehicle has to be moved, it can't remain there.

That person (and all the others who suffered the same penalty) probably won't park there again.

Logistically, it's probably impossible for every vehicle parked illegally to be towed and stored so clamping is a good deterrent against future illegal parking.

Seems like a good idea.

Edited August 18, 2014 by Zeegator

[bkkjames]

so what happens when you get clamped?

your car sits there for hours blocking traffic then when you awaken from your slumber what do you do? Call the mobile number on the clamp or paper on your windshield and handover a few baht to have it removed?

Yes, that's exactly what happens after the inconvenience of waiting around for a couple of hours for the police to arrive, plus the parking fine they get, then the vehicle has to be moved, it can't remain there.

That person (and all the others who suffered the same penalty) probably won't park there again.

Seems like a good idea.

lol a couple of hours. once the call is made, the urge to collect the fee will naturally expidite it.

[Zeegator]

Instead of D-Day maybe it should be called T-Day to reflect the extra money to be made by not clamping certain vehicles.

I presume the last sentence should read ' inconvenience ' to people living in sois.

How does that work? If the vehicle is parked, by definition, it's probably going to be unoccupied so who is going to provide the "extra money".

Although some cars are technically very advanced these days, I don't think any of them have the facility to be able to dispense cash on demand.

[bkkjames]

It's working in ladprow.

There clamping everything

great, now maybe tomorrow they can start to do it during rush hour...

[BillyBobThai]

Some bright Somchai will come up with the idea to bring his cutting torch and make a few baht.

[Cuchulainn]

This should have been done years ago if the incompetent, bumbling, lazy sods in brown (very apt colour, by the way!) had done their jobs properly.

Takes a right military kick up the arse to get these wobble-bottoms and dullards moving.

[Bernard Flint]

Overall, a very good idea, the message to drivers is, stupidity will cost you dearly

[Baerboxer]

Instead of D-Day maybe it should be called T-Day to reflect the extra money to be made by not clamping certain vehicles.

I presume the last sentence should read ' inconvenience ' to people living in sois.

How does that work? If the vehicle is parked, by definition, it's probably going to be unoccupied so who is going to provide the "extra money".

Although some cars are technically very advanced these days, I don't think any of them have the facility to be able to dispense cash on demand.

I think he may be referring to the idea that some vehicles owners may make suitable donations to the right people, or be connected to the right people so that their vehicles never get towed away, clamped, or receive any kind of fine no matter where and when they park.

Last clampdown I was on my way into BKK driving down Soi Ekkamai mid morning. Some person had "parked" their nice Fortuna on the main road whilst enjoying the delights at a cafe. Totally blocked the inside lane and created a massive tail back with buses, lorries, side car vendors, taxis and the ubiquitous motorbikes all vying to push into the outside lane. The police were nowhere to be seen. I was delayed about 25 mins before I got by.

Let's see how many Benz, Porsche and Bentley's get clamped.

[webfact]

Illegally parked cars to have wheels clamped by metropolitan police

BANGKOK, 18 August 2014 (NNT) - Metropolitan Police have begun locking the wheels of all cars illegally parked throughout Bangkok, especially on the capital’s 90 main intersections with major traffic problems.

According to Police General Wut Liptapallop, a team of traffic police nu,bering up to 230 officers has been dispatched to search for illegally parked cars in all areas of Bangkok. The team has been instructed to lock the wheels of any and all cars found in violation of the parking laws.

Meanwhile, police would also be monitoring illegally parked cars in other provinces, especially in tourism areas and roads leading uphill. Areas such as Pakchong District in Nakhon Ratchasima and the Night Bazaar in Chiang Mai would also be closely monitored.

Ninety percent of the people surveyed in an undisclosed poll have also leaned in favor of the move, saying it would effectively solve traffic problems and that wheel clamping a vehicle is much more practical and convenient than having it towed way.


-- NNT 2014-08-18

[WhizBang]

This should have been done years ago if the incompetent, bumbling, lazy sods in brown (very apt colour, by the way!) had done their jobs properly.

Takes a right military kick up the arse to get these wobble-bottoms and dullards moving.

True, but one has to wonder what will happen when the military return to their barricks. Will it be back to business as usual, same ol', same ol'.

Time for the good general to start implementing some good and meaningful police reforms, unless he wants a return to same ol', same ol'.

Still far to many bad coppers out there.

[balo]

They might as well call it P-Day for pay day. Easy money .

Edited August 18, 2014 by balo

[Zeegator]

so what happens when you get clamped?

your car sits there for hours blocking traffic then when you awaken from your slumber what do you do? Call the mobile number on the clamp or paper on your windshield and handover a few baht to have it removed?

Yes, that's exactly what happens after the inconvenience of waiting around for a couple of hours for the police to arrive, plus the parking fine they get, then the vehicle has to be moved, it can't remain there.

That person (and all the others who suffered the same penalty) probably won't park there again.

Seems like a good idea.

lol a couple of hours. once the call is made, the urge to collect the fee will naturally expidite it.

That's what you think

[gemini81]

Clamping down on bad driving in a nation with the second most roads side deaths and injuries- isn't that of importance, or will clamping wheels help divert attention?

[Benmart]

Next times perhaps not announce it but just do it. A few thousand clamps will have more effect when the drivers are hit by surprise and when they know it can happen anytime.

From experience, advertising crackdowns on traffic/parking violators is worth many more times the clamps on inventory.

It lets the public know and warns potential violators that the police are doing their job. Merchants, neighborhoods and others appreciate that something is being done.

Traffic/parking enforcement is a mixed blessing. Too little, equals complaints. Too much, equals complaints. Advertise in advance, equals complaints. Don't advertise in advance, equals complaints. Ticket, equal complaints. Tow, equals complaints. Smiles, equals complaints. Frowns, equals complaints.

It's a wonderful world where I don't have to drive or worry about where to park. I empathize with those that do, but then it's their choice.

[Benmart]

Clamping down on bad driving in a nation with the second most roads side deaths and injuries- isn't that of importance, or will clamping wheels help divert attention?

Seems to be two different issues. The cars that are parked are not driving. Those being driven are not parked illegally.

Much like noting that gasoline prices are higher than an equal measure of milk.

Yes, it's a jungle driving sometimes. When I do, I try to blend in with the creatures in the trees and on the jungle floor.

Just my Two-Satangs worth.

[bkkjames]

so what happens when you get clamped?

your car sits there for hours blocking traffic then when you awaken from your slumber what do you do? Call the mobile number on the clamp or paper on your windshield and handover a few baht to have it removed?

Yes, that's exactly what happens after the inconvenience of waiting around for a couple of hours for the police to arrive, plus the parking fine they get, then the vehicle has to be moved, it can't remain there.

That person (and all the others who suffered the same penalty) probably won't park there again.

Seems like a good idea.

lol a couple of hours. once the call is made, the urge to collect the fee will naturally expidite it.

That's what you think

you are a very astute person. Yes that is what I think.

[HiSoLowSoNoSo]

D-Day!

Will they send out the marines to do the wheel-clamping?

[boomerangutang]

so what happens when you get clamped?

your car sits there for hours blocking traffic then when you awaken from your slumber what do you do? Call the mobile number on the clamp or paper on your windshield and handover a few baht to have it removed?

Right, and the phone number on the ticket:

>>>> doesn't answer

>>>> tel answers, but there's a series of never ending recorded messages

>>>> tel answers, but there's a series of messages, resulting in unanswered wait

>>>> tel answers, no one speaks English

>>>> caller can't properly describe where car is booted.

>>>> motorist doesn't have a phone, or its out of battery juice or minutes.

Some bright Somchai will come up with the idea to bring his cutting torch and make a few baht.

Be careful with that cutting torch, it could fry a tire. How about over-sized bolt cutter?

[bkkjames]

so what happens when you get clamped?

your car sits there for hours blocking traffic then when you awaken from your slumber what do you do? Call the mobile number on the clamp or paper on your windshield and handover a few baht to have it removed?

Right, and the phone number on the ticket:

>>>> doesn't answer

>>>> tel answers, but there's a series of never ending recorded messages

>>>> tel answers, but there's a series of messages, resulting in unanswered wait

>>>> tel answers, no one speaks English

>>>> caller can't properly describe where car is booted.

>>>> motorist doesn't have a phone, or its out of battery juice or minutes.

I would guess that 99% of the people being clamped today are Thai speakers.

As I mentioned mobile number, unlikely to get recorded messages unless busy.

Caller can't describe where he is located? lol

Motorist doesn't have a phone? Out of juice? Start the car and charge it.