'Slow City' Chiang Mai cuts speed limit to 40km/h

[Lite Beer]

'Slow City' Chiang Mai cuts speed limit to 40km/h
NISANART KANGWANWONG
THE SUNDAY NATION

CHIANG MAI has introduced the so-called "slow city" concept in a bid to reduce the number of road fatalities - with the inner-city speed limit now 40 kilometres per hour.

Chiang Mai Governor Suriya Prasatbandit said the recent accident in which three cyclists were killed and two others were injured in the province's Doi Saket district after being struck by an alledged drunk driver prompted the provincial authority to take the extra step on top of the usual road safety campaigns and drunk-driving checkpoints.

Chiang Mai is one of the provinces that promotes bicycle riding and bike lanes to encourage an alternative means of transport, exercise and energy saving, Suriya said.

The province and the Nakhon Chiang Mai Municipality are working together to improve inner-city roads so people can bicycle safely, he said, adding that pedestrian and bicycle-only roads will be established.

Sawing Tan-ud, coordinator for a network promoting Chiang Mai self-management, said his group had discussed combating pollution by lowering the number of vehicles in the city area and reducing the speed limit to make it safer for pedestrians and cyclists. He urged the authorities to seriously reinforce the 40km/h speed limit.Sawing said to promote Chiang Mai's status as a green city in tandem with the slow city concept, his group would encourage inner-city residents to grow edible plants in fenced gardens.

Chiang Mai Mayor Tassanai Buranupakorn said his office was responding to the slow city policy and was also accommodating pedestrians by building bridges across the city moat, while it planned to launch 21 spots where people could borrow bicycles. Many footpaths had been adjusted to now include ramps and various temples in the inner city had bicycle parking lots, he said.The municipality had 20-seat buses with bike racks operating in the inner city, he added.

Tassanai said to enhance the green and health and safety concept the municipality had asked for cooperation in keeping new inner-city structures under 12 metres in height.

He said people wanting to construct a building in the inner city were also required to incorporate Lanna architecture and paint it in earth tone.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Slow-City-Chiang-Mai-cuts-speed-limit-to-40kmh-30260803.html

-- The Nation 2015-05-24

[daoyai]

I wonder if and when they will ban parking on pavements - sidewalks so pedestrians will not need to walk in the roadway....first things first boys.

[canuckamuck]

I consider myself quite fortunate if I can get my car up to 40k in the inner city.

I hardly think they need to enforce anything to keep the city slow.

[clockman]

Alledged drunk driver! If you are Thai, never accept blame!

[MESmith]

Teaching people to drive properly & pay attention to what's going on around them, will go a long way to reducing road "accidents".

Just more laws that will not be "reinforced".

[MESmith]

Chiang Mai's new 20 million bht cycle lane near HTT

[NancyL]

Those new pedestrian bridges over the moat are nice, but what's really needed are flyovers to walk out of the Old City into the adjoining parts of town. Have you ever tried to cross the road between the Old City and CM Ram Hospital on foot? How about the north side? There is a zebra crossing, but it's totally ignored by motorists. And the only reason pedestrians can go from Thapae Rd into the Old City at Thapae Gate is because the traffic is often at a standstill there. There are a few flyovers, but not nearly enough.

[MESmith]

Chiang Mai's new 20 million bht cycle lane near HTT

[canuckamuck]

Chiang Mai's new 20 million bht cycle lane near HTT

They'll get their cars in there too I'll bet.

And why did they feel the need to paint lane markers on a 1 meter wide strip of one way road, when there are already white curbs and no shoulder? Tax dollars at work.

Edited May 24, 2015 by canuckamuck

[alfieconn]

But the accident where the 3 cyclist's died wasn't in the inner city

[Bung]

I lovd bow they come up with a "plan" while conveniently ignoring the real issues. At least all the traffic can now keep up with the mobile advertising trucks, tuk tuk convoys, pedestrians forced to walk on the roads and sorng taews stopping in the middle of the road every ten metres to argue their fares.

[jimmym40]

It "amazes" me at all these ideas they come up with to decrease road accidents. Like tougher license examinations, special license for motorbikes over 400cc and now lower speed limits. The "powers to be", don't they get it? The one solution to reduce fatalities country wide is to get the police to go out and patrol on motorbikes and vehicles and issue citations to all violators. Cops need to be SEEN on the roadways and enforce the law. When VIPs are in town and you see hundreds of cops on the side of the road, question arises, what/where do all these cops go after the parade. Why not utilize the manpower efficiently?

Again, wonder if the powers to be ever thought of this.

[CMFarang]

I was writing a RANT, but thought to myself, why ? If the police continue to do little to nothing to stop bad driving, parking, habits in Chiang Mai, nothing is going to change.

Political and financial solutions to counter poor behavior on the roads, and avoiding the basic issue is just smoke and mirrors.

Just another lame attempt that is sure to result in new driving techniques to counter the counter measure and more carnage on the roads here .

Address the basics, train police to drive properly, so they can spot the mistakes they witness, and then get them to do something about it.

Or just spend $$$$$$$$$$$$$ to avoid the situation, and get what we have achieved here in Chiang Mai, a mess that the people who can address it , don't want to do or are just oblivious to think logically. Which I have learned is normally the case here .

Watch yourself out there , no one else is looking out for you.

Still Ranting here I see.. Which I know is useless.

[masuk]

I wonder if and when they will ban parking on pavements - sidewalks so pedestrians will not need to walk in the roadway....first things first boys.

It's more hazardous, but often less of a bother using Chiang Mai sidewalks/footpaths, than to use the road.

Roads are not full of potholes, parked motor bikes, shop signs, muddy puddles of water or broken pavement.

In the three years I've been living on Huay Keow Road, I have not seen one repair job made to the footpaths.

A few weeks ago, I was walking back from the mall, at night, when I miss-judged the extent of one broken part of the footpath. I ended up base over apex on the path, knocking my head on the kerbing. Luckily I had only a bruised hip and ego for a few days.

I can't help wondering if the city can also be sued for negligence and failure to do their job, as is happening in the courts in the south.

[NancyL]

I wonder if and when they will ban parking on pavements - sidewalks so pedestrians will not need to walk in the roadway....first things first boys.

It's more hazardous, but often less of a bother using Chiang Mai sidewalks/footpaths, than to use the road.

Roads are not full of potholes, parked motor bikes, shop signs, muddy puddles of water or broken pavement.

In the three years I've been living on Huay Keow Road, I have not seen one repair job made to the footpaths.

A few weeks ago, I was walking back from the mall, at night, when I miss-judged the extent of one broken part of the footpath. I ended up base over apex on the path, knocking my head on the kerbing. Luckily I had only a bruised hip and ego for a few days.

I can't help wondering if the city can also be sued for negligence and failure to do their job, as is happening in the courts in the south.

Sorry to learn of your accident, masuk. Hope you have personal accident insurance. As our bodies age, they become less forgiving to these sort of tumbles and a broken hip can sometimes be the result. Fortunately, it's possible to get personal accident insurance up to age 100 and very cheaply. It's been discussed in previous threads. Something to consider -- I've seen expats here have more problems with this sort of personal accidents than with heart attacks and strokes.

News flash about repair work to the footpaths along Huay Kaew: a month or so ago someone did some work to the area in front of the big silk shop across from Kad Suan Kaew. Apparently, they didn't mark the fresh concrete because now there is clearly the imprint of some poor person who stepped into the fresh concrete, up to their ankle. Oops! So now, instead of a repaired area, there is a new tripping hazard in the footpath.

[crosthwaite]

It would be nice if the city Officials would clear off the traffic cones, chairs, tires and all the other crap on the street the merchants use to deny normal parking. I believe the streets are for public use, right?

[lee b]

Good idea, but don't think it will help, as many drivers don't know what a speed limit is as they have not been trained.

[Chicog]

Slow down the drunk drivers, a master stroke of urban traffic planning!

[Thailand]

"Mayor Tassanai Buranupakorn said his office was responding to the slow city policy and was also accommodating pedestrians by building bridges across the city moat, while it planned to launch 21 spots where people could borrow bicycles"

Putting a few hundred more bikes on the road should fix the problem!

[Thakkar]

"He urged the authorities to seriously reinforce the 40km/h speed limit."

Oh, it'll be reinforced alright--by allowing an additional 30km/h for those who have a need for speed.

T

[scottiejohn]

Chiang Mai's new 20 million bht cycle lane near HTT

But he IS wearing a proper helmet!

[MESmith]

Chiang Mai's new 20 million bht cycle lane near HTT

But he IS wearing a proper helmet!

That's for protection from angry cyclists!

[Johnny S]

Dosent matter sheit how low they set the speed limit when the Police are useless and dosent care about doing their job ....

[masquerade]

Now we can have murder in slow motion.

[New beginnings]

Chiang Mai's new 20 million bht cycle lane near HTT

But he IS wearing a proper helmet!

That's for protection from angry cyclists!

[New beginnings]

Forget the helmet. Isn't he going the wrong way?

[tomyumchai]

Forget the helmet. Isn't he going the wrong way?

nope. hes going the way HE wants to go......and in his mind hes doing nothing wrong.

[stoli]

Alledged drunk driver! If you are Thai, never accept blame!

I believe in most countries of the world drunk drivers claim their innocence. Why make this a Thai thing?

[scottiejohn]

Forget the helmet. Isn't he going the wrong way?

You obviously missed the ‘subtlety’ of my ‘helmet’ comment! He is in the cycle lane with a MC and (by the way) going the wrong way! But at least he was wearing a helmet!

I will spell it out next time!

[Benmart]

Chiang Mai's new 20 million bht cycle lane near HTT

Under-educated and complacent drivers, coupled with under-educated, ineffective and complacent enforcement, often results in roadway chaos and a free-for-all mentality.