Impose heavy fines for traffic violations
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I'm all for the police towing away illegally parked vehicles to clear Bangkok's clogged streets, but, as it stands, the programme is destined to be a flash in the pan because, with every car towed, the police agree, the tow-truck owner loses money. Thus,
The solution is simple: boost the mandatory fine of Bt500, set 20 years ago, to reflect the near-doubling of the Consumer Price Index since then, making it Bt1,000. And double the associated fees as well. Other ideas for unclogging Bangkok:
- Follow Singapore’s example by requiring no-fault insurance for all vehicles, and requiring vehicles involved in accidents to pull over to the side of the road immediately, rather than block traffic while waiting for insurance firms;
- Automatic licence suspension and a Bt2,000 fine for running a traffic light, with automatic arrest if the fine isn’t paid within 15 days;
- Automatic Bt500 fine for stopping in a cross-hatched intersection, with automatic licence suspension or arrest if the fine isn’t paid within 15 days.
We’ve got the CCTV in place for implementing the latter two proposals, so let’s use them to earn their keep, and benefit all Bangkokians.
Profits from fines would go into expanding the traffic control programme and improving compensation for traffic police so they have no excuse for soliciting and accepting bribes.
Burin Kantabutra
Bangkok
