It was lunchtime in December and Asok Road was clogged with traffic. As soon as the traffic light turned red, a woman — among the crowd waiting to cross the road — rushed to be the first to set foot on the pedestrian crossing, expecting all the drivers to respect the red light.
The HOV (high occupancy vehicle) sign will soon carry a logo of a bicycle in the centre, indicating the lane can only be used by buses and bicycles. Supoj Wancharoen
But in the next few seconds, the woman was hit by a mini-truck and her body was dragged for about five metres. Sadly, she died at the scene, just in front of her office building.
Crossing the road in Bangkok can be deadly, even if you cross at a pedestrian crossing.
Her death prompted the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration's (BMA) Traffic Engineering Department (TED) to try and find ways of lowering the chances of accidents, especially at accident black spots.
The department recently launched a public awareness campaign to focus on the safety of pedestrians and cyclists on the roads.
"We have become worried about pedestrians' safety when it comes to crossing the street," said Suthon Anakul, director of TED under the Department of Traffic and Transport.
The implementation of zig-zag lines is part of the campaign.
The lines aim to get motorists to slow down along sections of roads where pedestrian and bicycle traffic is heavy.
The white zig-zag lines, which have been painted along both edges of the traffic lanes, will hopefully keep the motorists' eyes on the road so they pay attention when nearing a pedestrian crossing, he said.
The idea of the lines comes from the UK and it has also been applied in many countries including Singapore, Switzerland and Sri Lanka.
According to Mr Suthon, the zig-zag lines are painted about 15-30 metres before a pedestrian crossing to warn drivers to reduce their speed before they reach a pedestrian zone.
The initiative was launched on Jan 9, and pilot projects have been set up on Asok Road, where the recent accident took place; and on Din So Road, just outside City Hall, so officials can observe whether the newly introduced road markings work.
The experiment will soon expand to Thanya Park shopping mall on Srinakarin Road where footbridges have not yet been built and traffic has always been heavy, said Mr Suthon.
This new, low-cost method only costs 8,000 baht per location, according to the director.
Next week, City Hall will assess the new road markings.
The evaluation will be based on footage from CCTV installed in the areas to check if motorists reduce their speed before reaching the pedestrian crossing.
"I don't think it [zig-zag lines] works. I found only a handful of drivers slowed down," Usa Sa-ardchom, 66, a rice porridge vendor who observed motorists passing by Din So Road.
In her view, it would be better to widen the pedestrian crosswalk, to give more space to pedestrians.
Amara Fueangseemai, 30, a resident living in a community on Din So Road, who also observed vehicles on the road, suggested the city administration needs to step up its efforts to promote the campaign.
"Zig-zag lines have been ignored by drivers. I think they don't understand the function of the new road markings," she said.
Tanniti Papatsureechote, 26, an employee working at an office on Asok Road who supports the idea, said the lines attract his attention, which makes him aware of crosswalks.
He added that the lights on Asok Road are not parallel with the drivers' vision.
"We have worked hard to find ways to make the city friendly not only for pedestrians but also cyclists," Mr Suthon said, adding that cycling is a form of transport that has increased in popularity among urban residents in recent years.
City Hall has worked with other agencies to extend cycle paths and trials.
Apart from the zig-zag lines, the BMA has also painted a green trapezoid on the road to indicate it as a high occupancy vehicle (HOV) lane on Din So Road.
A bicycle logo will be painted in the centre to show drivers that the lane can only be used by buses and bicycles.
The HOV lane currently in use in Bangkok, usually the far-left lane, is reserved for buses and other vehicles with more than three passengers to use during designated times of the day.
Mr Suthon said Din So Road has been chosen for the pilot HOV lane which will be shared between buses and bicycles.
So far, City Hall has implemented several key traffic control measures to improve the safety of pedestrians and all road users.
These measures include traffic lights, footbridges, crosswalks and flashing crosswalk lights that tell people to wait until it's safe to cross, button-operated crosswalks, crosswalks with overhead lighting, and illuminated overhead crosswalk signs.
Another measure that will improve road safety is enforcing the speed limit, according to the department's director.
Mr Suthon said City Hall is seeking cooperation from the Metropolitan Police Bureau to enforce the speed limit of 50kph on Din So Road.
If this is successful, the road will be the city's first to have a speed limit of 50kph.
This limit makes the road safer for pedestrians and still accommodates road users, he said.
"On top of all the regulations, being a responsible driver is also a solution to improving road safety," he concluded.
Initiated by the Traffic and Transport Department, zig-zag lines have been painted about 15-30 metres before a pedestrian crossing to warn drivers they are entering a pedestrian zone. THANARAK KHUNTON