CELLPHONE USE BAN
A traffic policeman uses a camera to take pictures of motorists using their mobile phones while driving at the Lak Si intersection yesterday. |
Metropolitan Police yesterday stopped 115 motorists in Bangkok for violating the ban on using mobile phones while driving, in the first nine hours after it took effect. Traffic police spotted most violators waiting in their vehicles at red lights.
All admitted they were guilty, said Pol Maj-Gen Panu Kerdlarbpol, deputy Metropolitan Police chief in charge of traffic affairs.
Pol Maj-Gen Panu said traffic police from 88 police stations around Bangkok monitored motorists between 5am and 3pm yesterday, and found 115 people who violated the ban.
Pol Maj-Gen Panu said the number of offenders was highest in the jurisdiction of Metropolitan Police Division 1, which supervises Government House, parliament, Ratchadamnoen avenue, Sam Sen, Phaya Thai, and Huai Khwang.
Traffic police from the division stopped 44 violators, followed by 23 in Division 5 (Lumpini, Thong Lor and Bang Na), and 17 in Division 4 (Hua Mak, Lat Phrao and Chokechai). The officers did not issue tickets to offenders but only warned them about the ban.
Traffic police at the Klong Toey intersection also spotted the driver of a six-wheeled truck talking on his mobile phone without using a hands-free device, on footage from a closed-circuit camera. He will get a warning letter, and a copy of his picture from the footage.
Metropolitan Police will begin fining motorists violating the mobile phone ban from May 20 onwards.
Meanwhile, city traffic police yesterday admitted that despite being equipped with digital still and video cameras, they were unable to get pictures of many drivers who had violated the ban.
Pol Lt-Col Sarayut Junnawat, deputy traffic superintendent of Tha Rua police station, said his station used video cameras but was still trying to find the best spots for capturing clear footage of drivers found breaching the ban.
Pol Lt-Col Pitipong Butpiam, deputy traffic superintendent of Chokchai police station, said that even with 50 cameras his staff could not take any clear still photos of drivers violating the ban because most vehicles were running at high speeds while the drivers were chatting on the phone.
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