Thai university gets first 'mobile phone lane' for smartphone junkies

[webfact]

KASETSART UNIVERSITY
Varsity gets Thailand's first 'mobile phone lane' for smartphone junkies
VISARUT SANKHAM
THE NATION



BANGKOK: -- THAILAND'S first footpath "mobile phone lane" for pedestrians has been implemented at Bangkok's Kasetsart University (KU) to accommodate tardy students who are sick of bumping into smartphone users on their way to class.

The 500-metre footpath was divided into two lanes to separate phone users from non-users. The initiative, proposed by KU students and sponsored by Toyota Thailand, was implemented on a trial basis until November 15 in front of Central |Building No 1, which has a lot of foot traffic during rush hour. The results of the initiative will be assessed by the Performance Management Strategies team to compare the numbers from before and after the dual-lane footpath was implemented.

During the morning rush-hour period, many students are in a hur-ry to attend classes and their path |is blocked by others who text and talk on their cellphones, said Natdanai Adisornpunkul, a third-year marketing major at KU's Business Administration Faculty. Rushing students resort to walking on the road to get to where they |are going, which is dangerous, he said.

After brainstorming and researching for solutions on the Internet, his group came up with the "mobile phone lane" and they called the project "Anyone can change", Natdanai said. The project comprises the "mobile phone lane" and four warning signs with three mascots to warn students of oncoming traffic while crossing the road.

It was submitted to the Toyota Challenge 2015, which invited university students to come up with marketing ideas to solve on-campus problems.

Natdanai said the team has so far spent Bt6,000 out of the Bt20,000 project fund.

The other team members are Piyawan Kovitrojanapong, Namfon Chalongsukwat and Wannaporn Wuthapanich.

"We need to promote this scheme, which was only set up on Sunday, because many people are still unaware of it," he said, adding that they would spend a week to observe people's feedback.

"As people nowadays spend so much time looking at their mobile phone screens, they could get hurt if they are unaware of their surroundings. This project will help to boost public safety, while encouraging people to adhere to traffic regulations," he added.

Nutpapat Jarupan, a fourth-year tourism major, said she thought the scheme, which she heard about from peers, was so interesting that she tried using it. She said more public relations should be done to achieve the plan's goals.

Wimonrut Cheeramok, another fourth-year tourism major, said she tried walking on the lane yesterday and noticed that many students were unaware of it.

"I think KU should promote it and inform to students more to boost the scheme's effectiveness," she added.

Pasorn Saowaratthitada, Toyota Thailand's PR officer, said that if the project wins the contest, it would be recommended to Kasetsart University, which would then decide if the scheme can be permanently implemented.

Last September, China's Chongqing City made headlines with a light-hearted plan to set up a "mobile phone lane" for pedestrians on the footpath of a short section of the downtown road for people with smartphones. The initiative was apparently inspired by a US model in which a similar dual-lane arrangement was created in Washington, DC, in last July as part of a televised behavioural experiment.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Varsity-gets-Thailands-first-mobile-phone-lane-for-30271375.html


-- The Nation 2015-10-22

[Thian]

I'm also sick of hitting my head against the roof at the sidewalks of Kasetsart campus.

Why they can't fix that?

[cmiuc]

Geez... the university is feeding a bad habit... only will cause them to do it constantly "outside of the mobile lane" mayhem... then if people on the sidewalks get a lane, then cars will want their own mobile phone lane... can you imagine all the traffic and foot traffic that is going to happen... probably this will make Thailand the first congested foot traffic lane in the world too..

[Thian]

Geez... the university is feeding a bad habit... only will cause them to do it constantly "outside of the mobile lane" mayhem... then if people on the sidewalks get a lane, then cars will want their own mobile phone lane... can you imagine all the traffic and foot traffic that is going to happen... probably this will make Thailand the first congested foot traffic lane in the world too..

Thailand is that allready. In every mall you have to wait for people standing in the walkways busy with their phones. They won't go stand at the side because they are too important for that.

Kasetsart uni has nice sidewalks with a roof above them but they raised the pavement lately and now the roof is too low.....Soo Thai

[ratcatcher]

The sign, "Please notice the lane" is obviously in English. We can assume all, or most, students comprehend this message?

[Trentham]

The "no use phone" lane will probably be empty.

[Expat1]

"Thailand is that allready. In every mall you have to wait for people standing in the walkways busy with their phones. They won't go stand at the side because they are too important for that."

You have to wait? Who waits. Just yell at them, raise your voice or push em outta the way. We're a lot bigger and rude begets rude. They are not that dumb that they don't understand the concept of consequences of ones actions. Anyway they move for me with no problem.

[jlwilliamsjr18]

Twisting the reality, once again...inventing the absurd. Thailand just might be the Capital of Funk.

[dotpoom]

Why not put the lane a mile away from all footpaths as it is specifically designed for those wishing to play their mobile phones while walking. That way the rest of us could get to our destinations without having to get through the obstacle course they create....sort of like the smoking area in airports?

[whatproblem]

Who's going to get a Thai to follow a rule ,they just won't

[jacko45k]

Education in Thailand must be getting better.

My experience of 'lanes' outside University walls is that they are a waste of paint and get completely ignored.

[NongKhaiKid]

Now all they need to do is get students not to use their phones in class and actually pay attention.

Mission Impossible !

[Krataiboy]

The sign, "Please notice the lane" is obviously in English. We can assume all, or most, students comprehend this message?

It's called PR.

[Krataiboy]

Ever been down a Thai escalator? Right.

[Thian]

"Thailand is that allready. In every mall you have to wait for people standing in the walkways busy with their phones. They won't go stand at the side because they are too important for that." You have to wait? Who waits. Just yell at them, raise your voice or push em outta the way. We're a lot bigger and rude begets rude. They are not that dumb that they don't understand the concept of consequences of ones actions. Anyway they move for me with no problem.

When they are standing in walkways i go standing 1 cm aside them and since my posture is much larger then a Thai they suddenly understand the message.

My latest "invention" is when i walk in a mall or so i never look infront of me, just turn my head 90 degree's like i 'm looking at the shops. That works well because they fear me to walk into them and move away at the very last moment.

But i agree, rude begets rude and on the roads it's the same that big vehicles can do as they like. I even don't care for children running in malls anymore, run into me please, i don't care, you'll get the lesson.

[Pib]

Nothing like getting behind a bunch of students in a mall....most of them texting or talking on the phone to other students a few meters away.

[steveyinasia]

The sign, "Please notice the lane" is obviously in English. We can assume all, or most, students comprehend this message?

No chance they will even notice the sign, it is not at phone level.

[AlQaholic]

What surprises me about this is that some, presumably Thai people, are actually in a hurry to reach an appointed time? In all my years working here I have never seen any Thai actually arrive to a meeting at or before the appointed time? Or if they did that was not because the hurried to be in time but because some other thing they where doing got cancelled.

This thing about ignoring appointed times seems even to become worse over the years.

Ask a Thai when the meeting is, answer will be "tomorrow", ask again "when tomorrow?", answer will be "in the morning", ask then "what time in the morning" and there will just be a confused look back as a reply.

The sign in the picture is obviously in English, so the problem with people standing in the way with phones are only for English students, Thai student will not understand the sign.

Edited October 22, 2015 by AlQaholic

[steveyinasia]

How utterly ridiculous and a total waste of money. Teach these morons to get their head out of their hones and look where they are going. Why am I expected to get out of your way when you are the one so addicted to your boring cellphone based life that you cannot interact with people in the real world by getting out of the way. Common courtesy in going down the drain rapidly.

[impulse]

You have to wait? Who waits. Just yell at them, raise your voice or push em outta the way. We're a lot bigger and rude begets rude. They are not that dumb that they don't understand the concept of consequences of ones actions. Anyway they move for me with no problem.

Rude may beget rude, but being rude to the wrong Thai can beget a beating from the 10 Thais around them.

And that's aside from the fact that your behavior reflects badly on a lot more folks than you.

Enjoy your stay...

[razorramone]

The sign, "Please notice the lane" is obviously in English. We can assume all, or most, students comprehend this message?

Kasetsart students speak pretty decent English. I've met plenty around the Ladprao area and they can say more than most Thais.

The most popular courses: tourism, marketing, business, all have heavy english elements to them.

Add to this that English phrases are seen as 'cool' to young people, and yeah I think it makes sense.

Edited October 22, 2015 by razorramone

[DrTuner]

And the at the end of the walkway you step out into the real world, to be plowed down by a motocy, followed by a taxi and a bus. Darwinism in action.

Edited October 22, 2015 by DrTuner

[Thian]

The sign, "Please notice the lane" is obviously in English. We can assume all, or most, students comprehend this message?

Kasetsart students speak pretty decent English. I've met plenty around the Ladprao area and they can say more than most Thais.

The most popular courses: tourism, marketing, business, all have heavy english elements to them.

Add to this that English phrases are seen as 'cool' to young people, and yeah I think it makes sense.

Maybe 1 out of 20 Kasetsart students can speak english, most of them run away when they see me coming.

Also i don't understand why they need this lane, they are university students and even them can't behave in public?

[impulse]

And the at the end of the walkway you step out into the real world, to be plowed down by a motocy, followed by a taxi and a bus. Darwinism in action.

End of the walkway? The motosai taxi guys may plow you down in the non-phone lane. No patch of pavement goes to waste here...

[freebyrd]

Just one more sad sign of the times.

"I fear the day that technology will surpass our human interaction. The world will have a generation of idiots."

- Alber Einstein

[teacherpaul]

I think a better idea would be to issue all university teachers with large plastic boxes. Students would have to put their phones in these boxes at the start of the lesson and then get them back at the end. This way students would actually concentrate on their classes.

[scorecard]

I think a better idea would be to issue all university teachers with large plastic boxes. Students would have to put their phones in these boxes at the start of the lesson and then get them back at the end. This way students would actually concentrate on their classes.

Some professors already do things like this.

Some of the older tough Thai professors (mostly female) confiscate any phone that rings and hold it until the end of semester and the students cannot ask for their SIM card or an opportunity to copy their contacts list.

[klauskunkel]

Thai university gets first 'mobile phone lane' for smartphone junkies

...junkies..., so instead of trying to find a cure for the addiction, they choose to cater to it. Well, whatever.

[kiwikeith]

Geez... the university is feeding a bad habit... only will cause them to do it constantly "outside of the mobile lane" mayhem... then if people on the sidewalks get a lane, then cars will want their own mobile phone lane... can you imagine all the traffic and foot traffic that is going to happen... probably this will make Thailand the first congested foot traffic lane in the world too..

They had to Brainstorm -- to come up with this idea, girls have to wear long pants at hua hin Uni hair dressing school, shorts are banned.

Mobiles should be banned on school walkways.

If mobiles are allowed when driving then another stupid hazard to worry about, they have been banned from use in most countries unless you have hands free fitted and Texting while driving carries a big fine.

[Minnehaha]

although that sidewalk looks relatively flat ... level...

f*#k the phone problem. some people just want to walk on something level. the street is almost always more level than the sidewalk in Bkk. this is not specific to KU, which has some sidewalks that appear more level than most. still there is that concrete block in the pic. good thing it is on the no phone side.