Chadchart orders safety checks at piers ahead of Loy Krathong night
Bangkok governor Chadchart Sittipunt orders safety checks at all piers and urges residents to use eco-friendly floats for Loy Krathong on November 5.
Safety inspections across Bangkok piers
Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt said he has instructed all district offices to conduct safety inspections at piers and floating landings across the capital to prevent any accidents during Loy Krathong night early next month.
Chadchart said all relevant agencies and district offices under the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) must ensure the facilities comply with safety standards for festivalgoers.
“For example, there must be railings to prevent people from falling into the water, and clear signs indicating the maximum capacity of each pier or pontoon,” Chadchart said.
The Loy Krathong festival will be celebrated nationwide on November 5.
Accident prevention and festival safety
The governor said each district office has been told to report locations where Loy Krathong celebrations will take place and to anticipate potential accidents that may occur there.
He noted that risks could arise from floating lanterns, firecrackers, fireworks, and river cruises on the Chao Phraya River.
Chadchart added that the BMA will enforce special safety measures for celebrations under the Rama VIII Bridge, one of Bangkok’s most popular Loy Krathong venues.
Promoting eco-friendly floats
The governor urged residents to use environmentally friendly floats, avoiding those made from bread or fish food, which can pollute waterways.
He also encouraged Bangkokians to consider online krathong activities as a sustainable alternative that helps protect the environment.
Expanding low-emission zones
On air quality management, Chadchart said he has expanded low-emission zones (LEZ) from the inner city to all 50 districts to curb PM2.5 dust pollution during the winter season.
Only vehicles registered as meeting the green standard will be allowed to enter the zones.
Chadchart said the BMA will also coordinate with Nakhon Nayok province to reduce crop-burning activities, a major source of fine dust particles that often drift towards Bangkok.
He added that the Department of Industrial Works has tightened its factory emission standards, reducing the permissible smoke opacity from 30% to 20%, which will also contribute to improving air quality in the capital.
