Keeping pavements aside exclusively for pedestrians is an uphill task due to a shortage of officials to police the streets, a senior city inspector says.
Kumpha Sappasorn, head of a city inspector unit attached to Klong Toey district, said Tuesday city inspectors, or tessakij, are busy with a range of duties, and enforcing the rules on pavements is just one of the tasks.
His unit has 65 city inspectors.
Last month, Bangkok governor Aswin Kwanmuang ordered city inspectors and police to work together to crack down on motorcyclists who encroach on public areas designed for pedestrians.
Under the Maintaining Cleanliness and Tidiness of the City Act 1992, motorcyclists are not allowed to use the pavements, which are reserved for pedestrians.
On Monday, deputy Bangkok governor Amnuay Nimmano, overseeing the City Law Enforcement Department, also urged city inspectors to strictly enforce the law, threatening to relocate the unit head if any district receives complaints more than twice.
Mr Kumpha said his unit has followed the governor's directives to make motorists aware of the consequences of using the pavements.
He added officials have erected signs on Sukhumvit and Rama 4 roads informing people about the punishment for pavement violations. Violators could face a fine of up to 5,000 baht.
It is not easy to catch motorcyclists who break the rule, Mr Kumpha said. A city inspector can't issue a ticket, like traffic police, but is required to take the violator to the district office to pay a fine.
He said a team of city inspectors were sent to closely monitor motorcyclists to ensure they do not ride on pavements.
Many offences were recorded and violators fined, he added.
"The best we can do is to warn people not to repeat the violation and ask them to cooperate," Mr Kumpha said.
He urged the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration to give city inspectors the authority to put a wheel clamp on motorcycles or cars illegally parked on pavements.