Metropolitan Police to fine jaywalkers in Bangkok

[webfact]

Metropolitan Police to fine jaywalkers in Bangkok


File photo

BANGKOK, 2 September 2014 (NNT) - Metropolitan police are set to take serious action against jaywalkers in Bangkok’s Asoke-Montri Road area in a bid to regulate foot traffic.

Deputy Metropolitan Police Chief Pol. Maj. Gen. Niphon Charoenphol has deployed a team of at least 30 officers to keep a close watch at five crosswalks and 13 traffic intersections along the Asoke-Montri Road and its vicinity.

Pedestrians that do not use the crosswalks on the road would be fined up to 200 baht. The law has been effective since August 28th, and only one person has been fined so far.

The police have also urged members of the public to abide by the rules in order to ensure road safety and would soon apply this rule of law on other roads with heavy traffic such as the New Petchaburi Road, Ratchawithi Road, and Rama 4 Road.


-- NNT 2014-09-02

[fritzzz25]

So, I guess the payment to the BiB will be now down to 100 baht?

[prospero]

Will they fine motorists who fail to stop at zebra crossings?

[laurentbkk]

if they install escalator that would be good and pretty sure there will be less jaywalkers , those pedestrian crossing are a night mare , very narrow and high steps not to mention many cannot use them ( like me with lungs issues).

[iReason]

How about installing more crosswalks?

How about inforcing a law for traffic that will not stop for you at one?

How about inforcing a law for traffic that will actually speed up when you try to use one?

How about inforcing a law for traffic that obstruct crosswalks?

What a joke...

[NongKhaiKid]

30 officers covering 5 crosswalks and 13 inter-sections. Would anyone like to guesstimate the volume of offenders ?

[CantSpell]

They should make an agenda with all this enforcements we have been seen lately:

- Monday: Clamping on illegal parkings

- Tuesday: Fining Jaywalkers

- Wednesday: Crackdown on drivers using mobile phones.

- Thursday: ......

......

Cos at this rate of crackdown's announcement, I am afraid the police will lose track of what they are supposed to do

[scorecard]

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Will they fine motorists who fail to stop at zebra crossings?

What's also needed is a hard hitting campaign to made drivers more aware of the law - when a pedestrian steps foot onto the zebra crossing all traffic must stop.

My understanding is that many drivers are not really aware of the law on this matter.

An example: I have both Thai and foreign students (at the moment mostly from Germany) in many MBA courses and last year one of the German students almost got killed, he assumed that zebra crossing laws were the same all over the world and he started to cross. He was sideswiped but not seriously injured and the car didn't stop.

Several of the Thai students spoke up and said that there is no requirement in Thai traffic law for cars / vehicles to stop at these crossings. They are there to make it look nice,

Other Thai students quickly disagreed and said vehicles must stop when pedestrians start to cross, and mentioned that the appropriate laws are the same as most countries in the world.

The group who had indicated 'no requirement to stop' continued to take that line.

Another student said she would call her uncle - a mid level policeman and ask him. She called immediately on speaker phone. He listened while she explained her question and then responded. 'Vehicles must stop when a pedestrian starts to cross and the vehicles must not move until all the pedestrians have stepped onto the opposite footpath'.

[HiSoLowSoNoSo]

Ahhh, a new crackdown! No week without a new crackdown in Thailand these day.

[AGareth2]

getting more like singapore by the month

[SoFarAndNear]

Ahhh, a new crackdown! No week without a new crackdown in Thailand these day.

Week..look smore like daily new crackdowns

[Bluespunk]

getting more like singapore by the month

You mean enforcing the law?

Good.

[bapoboy]

getting more like singapore by the month

Yeah it'`s a fine country, gives fine for everything, haha!!

[bapoboy]

Thailand will beame same as singapore in future, dont chew gum in public, dont walk there,dont smoke there, dont do this, dont do that. haha

[Asiantravel]

Will they fine motorists who fail to stop at zebra crossings?

Don't be silly

pedestrians are unimportant creatures . Those who can afford chauffeur driven door-to-door service in their Mercedes are important people and must not be disturbed

[Fab5BKK]

One day may be....

Will they fine motorists who fail to stop at zebra crossings?

[NongKhaiKid]

Thailand will beame same as singapore in future, dont chew gum in public, dont walk there,dont smoke there, dont do this, dont do that. haha

Of course the Thai public will be as easily ' persuaded ' by all sorts of means to comply , just as happened Singapore.

[NongKhaiKid]

Thailand will beame same as singapore in future, dont chew gum in public, dont walk there,dont smoke there, dont do this, dont do that. haha

Of course the Thai public will be as easily ' persuaded ' by all sorts of means to comply , just as happened Singapore.

[Fab5BKK]

Absolutely!

This new crackdown is about making the traffic easier... it's not about protecting pedestrians.

"Thai logic": a pedestrian doesn't have a car, so he's poor, so he has to give way to much more important people = people in cars. Bigger the car more important the person is BTW

Will they fine motorists who fail to stop at zebra crossings?

Don't be silly

pedestrians are unimportant creatures . Those who can afford chauffeur driven door-to-door service in their Mercedes are important people and must not be disturbed

[Fab5BKK]

A very long way to go, indeed!

at least you don't risk your life when walking in the city, using zebra crossings, etc.

just my 2 cents

Thailand will beame same as singapore in future, dont chew gum in public, dont walk there,dont smoke there, dont do this, dont do that. haha

[bapoboy]

alot off places they dont have zebra walk over, so the choice is the safer way walk up to bts and down on the other place

A very long way to go, indeed!

at least you don't risk your life when walking in the city, using zebra crossings, etc.

just my 2 cents

Thailand will beame same as singapore in future, dont chew gum in public, dont walk there,dont smoke there, dont do this, dont do that. haha

[h90]

Will they fine motorists who fail to stop at zebra crossings?

I never had a motorist who didn't stop in Thailand....There is a zebra crossing and I walk....no problem so far.

(But I must admit 1 ) that I am relative fit and always ready to jump. 2 ) That it is more either the car stops or they kill a Farang and I don't force it if I have the feeling I loose)

[h90]

Nice to see that Thailand is taking care of the real big problems.

Like people don't want to walk 500 meter to cross the street.

Even in overregulated Europe the police usually ignores such terrible offenses like crossing the street on the wrong place.

[bapoboy]

Bangkok and other major cities around the world are just chaotic, living out in the countryside/village in peace and quiet is the thing

[bapoboy]

Nice to see that Thailand is taking care of the real big problems.

Like people don't want to walk 500 meter to cross the street.

Even in overregulated Europe the police usually ignores such terrible offenses like crossing the street on the wrong place.

Here in Oslo it is very common to cross a road without a pedestrian crossing ... we have no rules about it here

[kriswillems]

The problem are the uncomfortable walkover bridges.

They are 8 meters high, very steep, and the stairs are very narrow.

On top of the bridges you'll have to pass sellers, beggars, homeless people, drunken people and on your way up or down you need to find a way around the electricity cables.

If they would build comfortable, aircondioned tunnels in steads of bridges less people would be tempted to risk their lives.

[Kasset Tak]

I wish that Thailand changed the traffic laws to be like in Finland and Switzerland where the fine is based on your salary/income. Highest fine (ever) for speeding in Finland € 120000 and in Switzerland 1 million CHF... you don't even have to pay that kind of money if you kill someone here in Thailand!

So I think that if the fines were higher then people just might start thinking about the others in traffic too and not just about "ME, MYSELF and I".

[Kasset Tak]

The problem are the uncomfortable walkover bridges.

They are 8 meters high, very steep, and the stairs are very narrow.

On top of the bridges you'll have to pass sellers, beggars, homeless people, drunken people and on your way up or down you need to find a way around the electricity cables.

If they would build comfortable, aircondioned tunnels in steads of bridges less people would be tempted to risk their lives.

They can't build tunnels... they would be flooded during the rainy season!

[webfact]

In A Historic Move, Police Start Enforcing Zebra Crossings
By Khaosod English


Pol.Maj.Gen. Nipon Charoenpol, deputy commander of Metropolitan Police Bureau, said police will begin monitoring drivers’ behavior around zebra crossings in the financial district of Asoke.

BANGKOK — Drivers in Bangkok are now legally required to stop for pedestrians at zebra crosswalks following a new campaign launched by police yesterday.
Police announced last week that from 1 September onward, motorists who failed to stop at zebra crossings in Bangkok will face a fine of 500 baht.

Although the current Traffic Act does require drivers to stop at the crosswalks, the law has not been strictly enforced and many pedestrians in the capital city prefer to use the "pedestrian bridges" over roads to avoid risking their lives with the oncoming traffic.

Pol.Maj.Gen. Nipon Charoenpol, deputy commander of Metropolitan Police Bureau, said police will begin monitoring drivers’ behavior around zebra crossings in the financial district of Asoke.

"Drivers who don't slow down their vehicles when they approach the crossing will be fined no more than 500 baht," Pol.Maj.Gen. Nipon said yesterday. "Pedestrians who don't use zebra crossing will also be guilty of violating Traffic Act ... which carries a fine of no more than 200 baht."

Two people were fined yesterday for not using zebra crossings, said Pol.Col. Pusit Witsetkamin, deputy Traffic Police chief.

Pol.Maj.Gen. Nipon, who has a reputation for personally directing traffic on Bangkok's busy roads, said the campaign will help improve traffic around the Asoke Intersection.

Police will also take additional measures to ease the notorious traffic in Asoke, such as banning vehicles from cutting the opposite lane and deploying more police officers to oversee the traffic, added Pol.Maj.Gen. Nipon.

Source: http://en.khaosod.co.th/detail.php?newsid=1409638672


-- Khaosod English 2014-09-02

[h90]

The problem are the uncomfortable walkover bridges.

They are 8 meters high, very steep, and the stairs are very narrow.

On top of the bridges you'll have to pass sellers, beggars, homeless people, drunken people and on your way up or down you need to find a way around the electricity cables.

If they would build comfortable, aircondioned tunnels in steads of bridges less people would be tempted to risk their lives.

airconditioned tunnels......

Yes and increase the VAT to 20 % to finance it.....