Police want an amendment to the Traffic Act (1979) to reduce the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration's share of traffic fines from 50% to 30-40%, according to Royal Thai Police (RTP) spokesman Prawut Thawornsiri.
Currently, revenue from traffic fines collected within the city are split evenly between the RTP and the BMA.
The Metropolitan Police Bureau collects about 60 million baht in traffic fines annually in Bangkok, an average of 5 million baht per month.
Pol Lt Gen Prawut said the RTP wants a bigger share of the fines, to be spent on police welfare including daily allowances and life insurance for traffic police. A traffic fund would be set up to manage the money.
He said that in order to solve traffic problems, police also want to take back some traffic-related duties from the BMA, such as traffic signs. The BMA's work did not meet police specifications, he added.
Moreover, the RTP was preparing to install closed-circuit television cameras at 130 more spots, in addition to the existing 30, to catch red-light violators at intersections.
The additional CCTVs would be installed in five provinces - Bangkok, Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani, Samut Prakan and Nakhon Pathom - with emphasis on illegal parking. Pictures of violations captured by the cameras would be sent to car owners, along with an order to pay the fine.
This would help solve traffic problems and reduce confrontations between police and traffic violators, Pol Lt Gen Prawut said.
Taweesak Lertprasertpan, director of the BMA's Traffic and Transport Division, said it was correct the RTP is required to give 50% of the traffic fines to the BMA.
However, in practice, police asked the BMA to return about one half of the money every year, and City Hall had no objection.
Whether the Traffic Act would be amended would need an agreement between the BMA and RTP, Mr Taweesak said.