Bangkok to Rein in Illegal Billboards
By Sasiwan Mokkhasen
Staff Reporter


Photo: Matichon

BANGKOK — Large and small, they lean from every perch in the capital city, but now City Hall vows to enforce regulations on the innumerable advertisements found in public spaces.

Part of its ongoing “reorganization” of Bangkok that has cleared out street markets and phone booths, city officials vowed Thursday to get rid of all the illegal advertisements and reorganize 74,000 existing ads, from small signs to enormous LED screens.

Full story: http://www.khaosodenglish.com/detail.php?newsid=1460872489&typecate=06&section=


-- Khaosod English 2016-04-18

Great! But i only believe it when i see it.

No sign stays in place for long in Bangkok without payment to the local Tessakit. Either they are being bypassed, or this is just an excuse to wring some more money out of the sign owners. Like Khun Thian, I hope it happens but will believe it when I see it.

Unless of course the owners of said signs are willing to "rent" space from officials.

I firmly believe Thailand deserved the distinction of The Hub of "to" e.g. govt "to" police "to" .

Seems we heard this before on more than one occasion yet there never seems any difference.

Another ' vow ' that will go nowhere because there's other considerations in play

Do these officials never get tired of spouting nonsense??

As we all know it will never happen.

Too many people getting kickbacks.

Here we go again.

The major crack down on billboards in Bkk has happened (actually didn't happen) at least 5 times in the last 20 years.

Sack the governor.

I also think there's far too much advertisings in the bts...why not show even more ad's in the bts but make it free of charge?

That will serious help the BKK-traffic and lower the deathly roadaccident-numbers.

Are these the same billboards that were "reined in" 5 years ago? Or 10 years ago? or those of 15 years ago? Rubbish. It's just City Hall pretending they're doing something. Unfortunately many still believe what officials/politicians say.

Edited April 18, 201610 yr by Wiggy

Whats the issue with billboards after all everyone who is walking is looking for a way to negotiate their way along sidewalks cluttered with vendors, parked motorbikes, broken concrete or open drainage grates. Anyone looking up while driving will surely hit the idiot on the motorbike driving the wrong way against the traffic....

Another day, another crackdown. Nothing will change.

Are these the same billboards that were "reined in" 5 years ago? Or 10 years ago? or those of 15 years ago? Rubbish. It's just City Hall pretending they're doing something. Unfortunately many still believe what officials/politicians say.

Also in the picture many officials frightened to do their jobs, told to back off by powerful ruthless politicians (read mafia).

"The main problem for the city are owners who stealthily put up such billboards or signs at night and then ignore orders to remove them."

No, the main problem is not enforcing the law and jailing those who ignore orders to remove them.

Bangkok to Reign in Illegal Billboards

Perhaps if those who levy the exorbitant charges to display signage and the adverting companies who rent out the structures in and around BKK were a bit more reasonable in their charges this could be resolved?. Companies who do not have billion Baht adverting budgets would also be able to afford to rent space and the number of the trashy banners could be reduced. Thai street scapes are a morass of advertising and telecommunication wiring crap

It's the same driving to Kao Yai from Pakchong, on either the main road or back roads. lovely place but littered all the way along by billboards promoting some new resort or product. About time a truck just went along and ripped the whole damn lot down and burnt them, terrible eyesore in such a lovely place.

What they haven't done, have no plans to do..in fact will never do...is reclaim the pavements/sidewalks/footpaths from the illegal occupation by shops, bars, restaurants, massage joints...because these are owned by the establishment and that group will not tolerate any interference in their unrelenting pursuit of the next baht ( regardless of how inconvenient it is to those who wish to pass)

Edited April 18, 201610 yr by Prbkk

How many times have we heard this one??????

Bla bla bla, hollow words again. 555. When all the horrible signboards are gone, I will rejoice.

Until then Thailand is the hub of empty promises.

Third world, and always will be. No matter how many malls they build!

Its a bit of wishful thinking but i wish Pattaya city council would take some action on this . Some of the larger signs at low level often obstruct the walkway and are dangerous.There are rules concerning signage but as usual are rarely enforced lots of signs are clearly illegal.

Hopefully they start with the god awful bts stations.

That's because in the Land of Scams, the credit comes from the ooh's and aah's and the approval of the proles following the announcement, not necessarily from the actual doing of anything. Everyone will have forgotten in a week anyway.

It's a time-honoured tradition, at least as time-honoured as systemic corruption everywhere you choose to look under rocks.

Speaking of which, the accusations of corruption against people close to the governor have quiesced somewhat, No suspensions, no press releases no nothing. Has the fix gone in already? Perhaps the governor's surname is one of the 'special' ones?

Thailand is already a failed state by the common definitions. Has been for a long time. Still. Obama's recently passed a new law giving the option for wider sanctions on those regarded as sinners...

I wouldn't do it!

I believe the interconnected network of signs, poles and wires is the only thing holding up all the old buildings.

Some months ago they said the same thing about illegal advertisings.

The next day i saw huge billboards standing on a pickuptruck parked next to the main road. That will be the answer i guess.

FAIL! The term illegal in City Ordnance parlance applies to those not paying rent.

Watch soon for another announcement along the same lines following the collapse of a giant steel lattice advertising hoarding in high winds causing loss of life.

Next!

I'll believe it ... if I ever see it.

pls clear it. they place signboards all over the place its a road safety hazard. The way out of my house onto the main is blocked by signboards making it impossible to see oncoming traffic when i need to drive out. the best thing is last year christmas they decided the place some plants along the sidewalk as well. Don't thailand have traffic rules that its illegal to place signboards or plants 5 to 10metres from any junction or small roads coming out onto big roads?