Bangkok’s traffic management authorities have rolled out a new measure aimed at curbing congestion and enhancing safety on the city’s roads. Effective immediately, a regulation prohibiting parking in the indented areas of central road islands beneath BTS Skytrain stations has been put into effect.
This directive, announced in the Royal Gazette, addresses concerns stemming from the misuse of these spaces, originally designated for the maintenance vehicles of the BTS system. Such misuse has not only disrupted BTS operations but has also exacerbated traffic issues within the city.
Under the new regulation, issued by the head of the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration’s traffic police, all vehicles are barred from parking in these specific areas, unless they are BTS maintenance vehicles. This move comes as a response to the hindrances faced by maintenance vehicles and the resulting obstruction to traffic flow, which could potentially lead to congestion and accidents.
The regulation finds its legal footing in Section 139 (2) of the Land Traffic Act of 1979, aligned with Sections 26 and 38 of the Constitution of the Kingdom of Thailand of 2017. These provisions allow for certain limitations on personal freedoms in the interest of state security and public order.
Authorized by the National Police Office’s Order No. 62/2566 dated January 25, 2023, the enforcement of this traffic regulation falls under the purview of the police commissioner of Bangkok or an appointed deputy.
Outlined in detail, the regulation specifies the title, scope, and exceptions. It applies to a range of BTS Skytrain stations across the city and supersedes any conflicting regulations or orders previously in place.
The announcement, dated February 29, was signed by Deputy Police Commissioner Thawatchai Wongsanga, acting on behalf of the Bangkok Police Commissioner and head of the city’s traffic police.