The Office of the Ombudsman on Monday suggested various ways of revamping Bangkok’s traffic system, including heavy fines for causing road accidents and leaving broken-down cars on the streets.
Ombudsman Sriracha Charoenpanich said motorists could be fined 100 baht for each minute it takes them to move broken-down vehicles off the road.
The punishment would improve traffic and also prompt drivers to regularly perform maintenance on their cars, he said.
Tree branches that block street signs should also be cut down, while more roads should be made one-way, and expressways and highways should carry more speed limit signs, he said.
The Ombudsman also addressed the issue of parked vehicles on busy roads.
He recommended that prospective car owners be required to show evidence that they have somewhere to park their new car before being allowed to purchase a vehicle, to prevent them parkiing on the roadside.
The agency is also urging the Departments of Public Works and Town and Country Planning to improve the Building Control Act, he said, suggesting the department should check the sufficiency of proposed parking areas before buildings are permitted to be constructed.
He added that public trains, buses, and boat services need to be better connected, to increase their popularity among commuters.