Bangkok desperately needs more mass transit

The police have come up with a proposal that is unlikely to be popular – cars more than 10 years old should be banned from Bangkok’s streets. The Metropolitan Police Bureau (MPB) has made the suggestion to the government and the Transport Ministry as part of a plan to improve traffic flow. Older cars would only be allowed if the owners pay the same tax rate as for new vehicles, advises Police Major General Adul Narongsak, deputy commissioner of the MPB in charge of traffic.

Between 30 and 40 per cent of the registered vehicles in Bangkok are more than 10 years old, according to Adul. He said such vehicles break down more often and cause long tailbacks, with the latest incident happening a few days ago. 

The proposal has met opposition and criticism, with car owners saying it would not be effective in easing traffic congestion, but instead would negatively affect many motorists. 

Adul appeared to soften his stance in the face of the negative reaction. He stressed it was just an idea intended to improve traffic flow in the capital, but the police would need to discuss it with relevant government agencies and the private sector before making any proposal to the government. Meanwhile, he said, the MPB would soon get strict about the no-parking areas on Bangkok’s 10 most-congested roads. 

Strictly enforcing traffic laws and no-parking regulations should be the first priority for Bangkok’s police in attempting to improve traffic flow. Those who drive carelessly and fail to obey the rules often cause accidents and unnecessary congestion. Bans should be imposed on motorists who have committed multiple violations, and their driving licences should be suspended or revoked.

Double-parking and parking in prohibited areas during rush hour worsens congestion. Traffic police appear to turn a blind eye to offenders, and there are allegations of bribes being paid. Traffic policemen themselves are often seen violating the traffic laws, such as riding their motorcycles against the traffic flow.

Certainly there are cases of old cars breaking down and causing congestion on busy roads. But these incidents are far less frequent than violations that worsen congestion. 

We should not be concerned about the age of a vehicle, but rather its working condition. This requires strict enforcement of the law by the Land Transport Department, with tough examination of vehicles during the annual renewal of licences. Vehicles unfit to run safely should be taken off the road. 

Another obvious reason for traffic congestion is that there are too many cars on the roads. About 7 million cars and motorcycles are registered in Bangkok, while the city’s road space is estimated to be sufficient for less than 3 million. Due to the inadequate mass transit, many people choose to travel by private vehicle.

Governments in the past made mistakes by building expressways rather than a mass-transit network. They focused on facilitating the movement of cars rather than commuters. As a result, Bangkok has a vast network of expressways covering all corners, but only a few short mass-transit routes. This is why we suffer severe traffic congestion on a daily basis.