Bangkok bikers, angered by a "temporary" police order to keep off the city's 36 flyovers and six traffic tunnels, have urged fellow riders to tie a black ribbon on their rear view mirrors or handlebars to protest.
The two-wheeled resistance to the 90-day ban that went into effect on March 31 was initiated by the Help Crime Victims Club and launched on its Facebook page on Monday.
The group plans to gather signatures from motorcyclists affected by the ban to petition the Administrative Court to issue an injunction against the Metropolitan Police Bureau’s order.
In a statement posted on its Facebook account, the group invited all like-minded people to sign the petition and provide copies of their ID cards in person at the court on April 25, from 8.30am to 1.30pm. The group will file a petition with signatures with the court later on that day.
The group’s online protest has attracted thousands of supporters. Many bikers complained that the order was unfair to them and caused travel inconvenience.
The Help Crime Victims Club claimed that the order did not correspond to the actual current traffic conditions of Bangkok. It was also not backed by official studies that showed motorcyclists were to blame for road accidents on flyovers and underpasses in the capital.
The protest leaders, however, appealed to bikers to exercise restraint and not defy the order, adding the Administrative Court is the last resort for them.
Earlier, the group urged motorcycle users to show up at the Royal Thai Police headquarters on Tuesday to show support for a protest letter to national police chief Chakthip Chaijinda.
But it cancelled that protest, and opted to send the complaint via post instead, after police spokesman Pol Gen Dejnarong Suthicharnbancha said the regulation had been well thought out. He warned the protesters not to cause traffic problems in the area or violate the public assembly law, which dictates procedures organisers must follow before staging a demonstration.
On Monday, police set up three checkpoints at Samut Prakan to regulate motorcyclists who defied the ban by using the Bhumibol Bridge I and II to cross the Chao Phraya River to Rama III Road.
The crackdown forced hundreds of bikers to use motorcycle ferry service at Khlong Lat Pho pier under the Bhumibol Bridge I. But the sharp increase in demand resulted in a long queue as there was only one otorcycle ferry for service, able to accommodate 30 motorcycles per trip.
Authorities said three more motorcycle ferries will be available at the pier during morning and evening rush hours and the opening hours of the pier will be changed to 5am-9pm.
Photo by Sutthiwit Chayutworakan