Bangkok traffic woes require more than one hero

[webfact]

Traffic woes require more than one hero
The Nation

The Bangkok governor's call for proof of a parking space as a criterion for car ownership is interesting - and doomed to fail

BANGKOK: -- Propose a solution to Bangkok's traffic woes and you get people's attentions. Start executing a plan and you earn praise. Fail to eliminate the problem and you'll be cast into history's dustbin amid jeers. We've seen it happen countless times, despite the clear and evident fact that there are genuine solutions to the chaos on the streets of the capital.

But, even if this mission is somehow accomplished, it will be thanks to no individual hero, because it will take more than one hero - and more than one idea.

Plainly there is no quick-fix solution to the traffic jams, but we who endure the hours ensnared are all ears when Governor MR Sukhumbhand Paribatra suggests a way of reducing the number of vehicles on the streets.

His plan, announced last week, seems disarmingly simple: everyone seeking to buy a car must prove they have a parking space for it. The governor also revived the idea of charging a toll fee for all vehicles entering the city's downtown business districts.

If the goal is to make citizens think twice about buying cars and to discourage commuters from making non-essential forays, all we need now is their wholehearted support. And that's asking an awful lot.

Bangkok's mass transit system is pathetic in comparison to other metropolises of the same size, leaving commuters scant choice but to have vehicles of their own. Not only is there still a mere handful of subway and Skytrain lines downtown, but there are none extending to the periphery. The public buses and motorcycle taxis are scattershot services that belong to a bygone era. We have ample modern taxicabs, but they're only helping to clog the roads, and their drivers continue to pick and choose passengers despite a new law forbidding the practice.

The Skytrain and subway have marginally reduced the number of private vehicles in the city, but much more must be done before they have any real effective impact on traffic gridlock. There is, for example, no "park-and-ride" system, a commonplace in many countries that allows motorists from the suburbs to leave their cars outside the congested areas and hop on the mass transit for the balance of their journey. And, as for those hoping to prove they have a parking space downtown, fresh construction proceeds apace without any legal requirement for parking to be provided. Nor do the existing transit stations have areas to park.

We are reminded of the "Bike to Work" concept touted by Governor Sukhumbhand (who is a keen cyclist) and backed by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha (who is not). This notion has prompted quite a few promotional events, yet the fact remains that Bangkok streets lack any truly dedicated bicycle-only lanes, leaving efforts to cycle around the city hazardous at best.

So, while we applaud the governor for conceiving another possible way to reduce the number of vehicles in a city with an "official" population of five million residents who "officially" own six million cars, we cannot be optimistic about him succeeding. Those millions will continue to swell.

No matter how determined Sukhumbhand is to ease the traffic problem, he has no authority to put more (or better) buses on the streets, to curb car sales or to ensure that police enforce the laws. The reason the traffic isn't moving is because no one with the proper authority is moving.

Who has the authority? The owners of the public-transit systems, the policymakers in government and the police could be our heroes. Drivers could help. Motorists, cyclists and even pedestrians could do their parts too, if only by cheering (or jeering) from the sidelines.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/opinion/Traffic-woes-require-more-than-one-hero-30270339.html


-- The Nation 2015-10-07

[rkidlad]

There are so many ways you can help with relieving the traffic but it seems no one is doing anything. Literally no one.

It will get better. It has to, right?

[kingalfred]

The Nation article highlights the dysfunctional place called "thailand" Bangkok roads and traffic is one almighty mess! Ok its pointing out the obvious. It will get much worse (yes its possible) The only way is "improved public transport"' The mass transport BTS MRT takes far too much time to extend but more buses,with designated bus lanes needs to implemented over a period alongside Park and Ride schemes,including a charge for entering the city centre everyday, It could be done over time. Bangkok Car drivers have got to be forced to get out of their personal space, "tin cans on wheels". If Thai inaction prevents any of this happening, Bangkok will ,over the next few years, be unable to function .

Edited October 7, 2015 by kingalfred

[kingalfred]

There are so many ways you can help with relieving the traffic but it seems no one is doing anything. Literally no one.

It will get better. It has to, right?

I assume you are saying that "tongue in cheek" Nothing is certain to "get better". Least of all if nothing serious is done to make it "get better"

[pogal]

https://images.washingtonpost.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fimg.washingtonpost.com%2Fblogs%2Fwonkblog%2Ffiles%2F2015%2F08%2F7hAJ4qG1.gif&op=noop

Love this representation of "traffic"

[fred Kubasa]

Cities, even larger than BKK, have had entrance/exit tolls for commuters for 30 YEARS, ( New York for one ), and Japan had and may still have a

" No space, no new car". It can be implimented but probably not in " Mulling it over Thailand " !

[whatproblem]

Bangkok is horrible to drive to and in ,but the buses to bkk are so dangerous .the trains are few and far between and also dangerous

[Srikcir]

The Governor might reconsider the wisdom for planned new bridges to cross the Chao Phraya river into Bangkok over the next 10 years. But a competing llightrail system would have to be massive.

The key to controlling Bangkok traffic is not to increase flow of traffic but to DIVERT the flow of traffic through decentralization of employment and telecommute options. It's almost as if there is a fear of Bangkok losing its economic importance that justifies it as the center of government to other provinces that might overtake Bangkok and challenge it as the center for national power.

[tigermoth]

In all major cities there is a planning authority which is a department of the town planning authority which controls vehicle policy in the city. These policies cover compulsary parking buildings on the cities fringes and most of these facilities have free bus or van services to the nearest mass transit station if they are not within walking distance. They control parking numbers required for new developments and these differ depending on the location of the development, in many cases bonuses of floor area being given to the developer for supplying certain numbers. Generally parking numbers in the inner city required in new developments are low, enabling only company executives to park. There is meter controlled parking in almost all parking facilities running from cheap, a dollar a day on the city fringes to up to $50 a day in the central district. Often the time controls the parking, i.e. $1 per half hour up to $10 per half hour and heavy fines if these are exceeded. So it goes on. Most of the parking facilities in mass parking areas are privately owned. Some cities such as singapore have entry to the central business district restricted between certain hours, say 6.00am until 8.00pm and those that are admitted are admitted based on certain criteria like number plates, odd and even numbers etc. There are almost none of these policies at work here, why? Those in control just can't be bothered. It's all to hard so better to sit back, do nothing and take the money for the job. As someone stated earlier the cities mass transit facilities have to be much better than they are now. Not only in numbers of lines but also in the control of the systems like frequency and number of carriages.

[ttthailand]

Park and ride is a great way to go and should be done but it would only remove perhaps a few thousand cars. So in addition they should use odd and even license plate days to help. Every even license plate can only drive in inter city on even numbered days and odd on odd days. Give warnings for first month and 500 baht fines after.

[ttthailand]

I think it's time to also add another car on the BTS trains. They are packed each morning from 6:30 until 9:30 am. The evenings are same.

[Gunna]

Park and ride is a great way to go and should be done but it would only remove perhaps a few thousand cars. So in addition they should use odd and even license plate days to help. Every even license plate can only drive in inter city on even numbered days and odd on odd days. Give warnings for first month and 500 baht fines after.

This just favours the rich who already have more than one car so will make sure they have an odd and an even number plate and use on alternate days. Or number plate forgers will start and so every car will have 2 number plates depending on whether it is an odd or even day.

Maybe making all buses and ferries free and then more people would use them and then more buses could be bought and so more people would use them.

OH, but now the conductors will complain that have lost their jobs and can't be retrained to drive buses and ferries as al,l they no is being a ticket collector.

[taony]

There are not enough roads, that is the biggest problem. And most that exist have become disfunctional because of things like one ways, limiting turns at intersections and police changing the lights. When compared to other modern cities, Bangkok has something like just under half of the land area devoted to roads, something like 12% vs 25%. The problem is not too many cars. Bangkok covers a huge amount of land mass and car ownership is not as high as in other places per capita.

Edited October 7, 2015 by taony

[Jonmarleesco]

'Fail to eliminate the problem and you'll be cast into history's dustbin amid jeers.' Not necessarily. One transport minister in recent memory promised to solve Bangkok's traffic problems in six months - a default timeline for him. He did damn all, but did become PM.

[Thian]

I get tired of all those plans for Thailand or BKK. First start with a good policecorps who DO THEIR JOB, then we can start thinking of other plans.

It's all a waste of time if nobody maintains the rules or gets punishment if they don't.

[thrilled]

There are to many cars and to little road.Can only build more road,more lanes.Bts like the other post said needs more cars on it.Sometmes people stand there over an hour waiting to get home.