Authorities join hands to solve Bangkok's traffic woes

[webfact]

Authorities join hands to solve Bangkok's traffic woes

  

BANGKOK, 6 September 2016 (NNT) – A study has confirmed that Bangkok has had a worse traffic jam than any other city in the world apart from Mexico City. 

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha recognized the intensity of Bangkok's traffic issue and was committed to solving it. 

The authorities came up with various long-term and short-term measures for solving the problem. 

The police announced three measures to reduce traffic jams on weekends when many people travel in and out of the capital. 

The measures call for more attention to the main roads in every part of the city, encouraging motorists to use Kanchanapisek Road and providing traffic services and communication channels around the clock such as Hotlines 197 and 1193. The police will look to help with solutions to the city's traffic woes. 

Moreover, the measures will be evaluated with three key indicators including the average traveling speed, total traveling time as well as conveniences and safety. 

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration will organize Bangkok Car-Free Day 2016 on September 18 to encourage motorists to refrain from using private automobiles.

 

-- nnt 2016-09-06

[ChrisY1]

Joining hands to solve BKK traffic.......probably about all they can do really with flowers....it's an unsolvable problem......unless many vehicle types are banned.....and that won't happen!

[ezzra]

To do that, you need to re-educate millions of drivers who think that road

rules and traffic singes are for decorations only,

Where one day you have a barriers and gone the next, according to the whims and

wishes of the local Pu Yie and bossiness in the aria,

where drivers think nothing to cause a long queue behind them just because

they want to turn right into a tiny soi or stop to buy food, and so on and so on,

This country WILL NEVER HAVE BETTER TRAFFIC as long as people continue to

behave on the roads as if they own them.....

 

[meatboy]

authorities to join handswhy not their BRAINS

[gmac]

Things would not be quite so bad if the roads weren't so inherently dangerous just from the way they are laid out.  Entrances from major roads always constructed just a few metres both prior to the exit from the same road so incoming traffic has to cross exiting traffic.  Flyovers and underpasses to avoid junctions similarly placed near entrances again causing traffic entering on the left to try to immediately cross 3 or 4 lanes to gain access to said flyover or underpass.  The need to spend an additional 3-4 kilometres on the road each time you need to turn right as the only way to achieve this in to drive 1-2 past the junction then make a u-turn to get back to it.  (As a matter of interest, I can walk to Central Bangna from my condo in about1.5 kilometres, driving to it is 2.5 kilometres, but coming back the journey is an incredible 6.5 kilometres all due to u-turns!).  These u-turns themselves are extremely dangerous as they cause traffic in the supposed fast lane to come to a standstill while a queue waiting to make the u-turn backs up as the turn has to be made into the opposite fast lane of oncoming traffic and frequently larger vehicles take up 2/3 lanes to effect the manoeuvre.

[Wiggy]

6 minutes ago, gmac said:

Things would not be quite so bad if the roads weren't so inherently dangerous just from the way they are laid out.  Entrances from major roads always constructed just a few metres both prior to the exit from the same road so incoming traffic has to cross exiting traffic.  Flyovers and underpasses to avoid junctions similarly placed near entrances again causing traffic entering on the left to try to immediately cross 3 or 4 lanes to gain access to said flyover or underpass.  The need to spend an additional 3-4 kilometres on the road each time you need to turn right as the only way to achieve this in to drive 1-2 past the junction then make a u-turn to get back to it.  (As a matter of interest, I can walk to Central Bangna from my condo in about1.5 kilometres, driving to it is 2.5 kilometres, but coming back the journey is an incredible 6.5 kilometres all due to u-turns!).  These u-turns themselves are extremely dangerous as they cause traffic in the supposed fast lane to come to a standstill while a queue waiting to make the u-turn backs up as the turn has to be made into the opposite fast lane of oncoming traffic and frequently larger vehicles take up 2/3 lanes to effect the manoeuvre.

Well said. I go back to the UK regularly and I NEVER have to make a U-turn the whole time I'm there whilst driving. It's a known fact that a U-turn is the most dangerous maneuver in driving for the reasons you state (apart from going through a green light in Thailand! ).

[williamgeorgeallen]

what happens if you call one of those traffic hotlines? do  they tell you which roads to use? can imaging they would need a lot of people manning the phones. perhaps some sort of online system showing where congestion is the worst would be a good idea. on the other hand people using their smart phones to monitor traffic while driving is probably not such a good idea.

 

[lopburi3]

Actually Google maps does quite a good job at providing what traffic information that is available in real time.  But understand driver would need help and that is unlikely when there is social media to review.  

[Thian]

Kanchanaphisek has real police who write fines and stop drivers, i bet they all avoid that road.

 

It's a real circus though, i see accidents there every day. On the frontroad it's a total mayhem where nobody follows any rule at all and the police do absolutely nothing even when it happens right infront of them.

[colinneil]

2 hours ago, meatboy said:

authorities to join handswhy not their BRAINS

Why not their brains? Easy answer !! they aint got none.

[sahibji]

3 hours ago, ChrisY1 said:

Joining hands to solve BKK traffic.......probably about all they can do really with flowers....it's an unsolvable problem......unless many vehicle types are banned.....and that won't happen!

i would not say it is unsolvable. multi pronged solutions to encourage people to minimise usage of their cars (by providing good alternative public transportation) making cars more expensive by additional taxation and improve the road infrastructure can go a long way in smoother flow of traffic.

[sahibji]

15 minutes ago, colinneil said:

Why not their brains? Easy answer !! they aint got none.

when hands join the thinking will .......

[MaiDong]

1 hour ago, sahibji said:

i would not say it is unsolvable. multi pronged solutions to encourage people to minimise usage of their cars (by providing good alternative public transportation) making cars more expensive by additional taxation and improve the road infrastructure can go a long way in smoother flow of traffic.

 

Public transport is only as good as the public you have to share it with, hence why people choose to use their own transport.

 

Cars are already very expensive here, people struggle to pay for them already, often using most of their monthly income to pay for them. Making them more expensive will just take more money out of the normal persons pocket.

 

Mandatory, professional & transparent driving classes & tests might help.

 

Business hours could change too, not just everybody starting work at 9 and finishing at 5. it's a worldwide problem, haven't some countries get to work on this issue already?

[MaiDong]

And then of course the national psyche & universal delusion of road entitlement could alter, Rome wasn't built in a day...

[CaptHaddock]

And the real reason for the traffic jams in BKK is:  none of the above!  The surface area of New York and Tokyo that is roadway is from 22% to 28%.  In BKK the road area is about 13% of the total city area.  There, BKK is physically designed to produce traffic jams.  The way to correct it is either to pave over whole neighborhoods like Baron Haussman did to Paris and Robert Moses did to New York or to expand mass transit.  Neither will happen, unfortunately.

[MaiDong]

1 minute ago, CaptHaddock said:

And the real reason for the traffic jams in BKK is:  none of the above!  The surface area of New York and Tokyo that is roadway is from 22% to 28%.  In BKK the road area is about 13% of the total city area.  There, BKK is physically designed to produce traffic jams.  The way to correct it is either to pave over whole neighborhoods like Baron Haussman did to Paris and Robert Moses did to New York or to expand mass transit.  Neither will happen, unfortunately.

 

Over here in the west of the city - Bangkok Noi - a new highway has been under construction for some years, it's a huge 8-10 lanes in some parts, the road it has been connected to at it's eastern intersection is Charan Sanitwong, Saam Yake Fai Chai junction, Charan 31, which at the moment is in a right old mess with BTS construction, but even when Charan Sanitwong BTS construction is finished the road still won't be large enough to cope with the large amounts of traffic coming in from Kanchanapisek Road, Putthamonthon Sai 1 Road & Ratchapruek Road.

 

More roads is not the answer, more intelligent driving has been used in other countries to positive effect. And yes, better mass transit, but who wants to sit next to someone picking their nose and randomly flicking it around for the entirety of their jouney? Or sitting next to someone who's just finished their cigarette as they get on the bus, or that person who thinks the whole bus wants to hear their phone conversation??

[klauskunkel]

they can do whatever they want, as long as they don't decide to give a tax credit for fist time car buyers...

[bark]

2 hours ago, sahibji said:

i would not say it is unsolvable. multi pronged solutions to encourage people to minimise usage of their cars (by providing good alternative public transportation) making cars more expensive by additional taxation and improve the road infrastructure can go a long way in smoother flow of traffic.

Dreamer, nothing but a Dreamer.

So cars will be too expensive to buy ? People will just keep the old ones longer times.

Then you will have the same number of cars, but with no brakes; bald tires( good in the rain). etc.

Not down homes and condos to build roads ?

Tell people to stay home two days per week to reduce the number of cars, each day.

Add more non air conditioned buses. Add more van doing 160 km/hr.

No third world country can fix this problem.

Also need to change the mind set of Thai people. They don't care if they drive 2 hours to work and 2 hrs returning.

 

 

[tomwct]

General, General, General, Colonel, General, General, Colonel, and Deputy Prime Minister. We have a problem here in Bangkok. We have 8.6 million cars on the road, but our roads and highways can only accommodate 4.2 million cars. What should we do? Well, it's 10:30AM, so lets go have lunch and resume the meeting at 3PM. That's a great idea General. Thanks General. Colonel where are we going to have

lunch? Lets go to the Grand Hyatt, they have a great selection of wines. Colonel that's a great idea. Thank you General. General can you get us a motorcade to clear the roads to the Grand Hyatt? Sure, General. Colonel call the RTP and have them setup some roadblocks, but General won't that cause chaos on the roads. Yes, General, but that's why were having lunch at the Grand Hyatt to discuss the terrible traffic.

Your right General. Colonel call the RTP. Okay General lets go!

Edited September 6, 2016 by tomwct
More Planning!

[DLang]

10m people living in area for 3m.

 

Perhaps imprisoning half the population of Bkk would help it.

[patyh]

They can improve the traffic condition in Thailand by:

 

1. Improving public transport in the CBD area. The CBD area have narrow roads, it makes no sense for people to drive to and fro to work every single day. 

 

2. Incentive for companies to expand outwards. Every development is still centered around central Bangkok. If the various government agencies can work together to persuade business to not just insist on staying in Bangkok, that could greatly reduce the number of people having to work in Bangkok.. The Greater Bangkok Area is still pretty undeveloped! 

 

3. Tax cars going into CBD area.. Force people to take public transport to get to the CBD. While it would mean only the 1% would drive into the CBD, it would mean the working population will be forced to take public transport to get to work every day that would help to clear up the damn roads!

 

But then again, TiT.... No money for them means nothing go ahead. 

[waldroj]

Which study are we referring to? Maybe the TomTom Traffic Index 2016 reported by CoConuts back in March -  http://bangkok.coconuts.co/2016/03/22/jammed-bangkok-second-most-congested-city-world-says-study

 

Seems that not everyone is joining hands on this http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/941432-dpm-thanasak-offers-an-apology-for-his-men’s-rudeness/

 

[Thingamabob]

just get the timing of traffic lights right to keep the traffic moving. A red light should never last for more than 2 minutes max.

[alien365]

If only they would use common sense and link the public transport systems properly. It would also get rid of thousands of taxis just circling BKK looking for someone to rip off.

Edited September 6, 2016 by alien365

[anotheruser]

Make streets like Suk and Silom pedestrian only. The only exception would be buses and taxis. Taxis would need an additional permit to work this area. Slowly phase in self driving cars that fly. These could also do cloud seeding and help with drought conditions. 

[tomwct]

And lunch at the Grand Hyatt was very successful! The Meeting has been rescheduled for 5 October 16!

[DrTuner]

Here's a suggestion: stop hogging all the tax cash in BKK and develop the provinces so people don't have to drive in the s**thole.

[natway09]

As long as the locals use the roads as they please, the BIB allowing them to break every rule in the book ignoring

signage just for their own end ,  there is no hope. It is called "inconsiderate"

[kingalfred]

Incapable and lacking the will to solve the traffic problems. Let it all grind to a halt,as it inevitably will!


Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Useless government news release describing useless plans.

 

Plans that will result in nothing meaningful/helpful actually being done.

 

Because those in charge, making the decisions, and [not] enforcing the rules are USELESS.