Parking fees rile activist

Parking fees rile activist

A political activist called on City Hall on Friday to scrap its policy of charging motorists fees to park on 66 roads in inner Bangkok, saying the roads are public spaces and no single party should hold the right to reap benefits from them.

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) must consider how members of the public suffer from these fees, said Srisuwan Janya, who leads the Thai Constitution Protection Association.

Public opinion should have been sought before the policy was implemented, said Mr Srisuwan.

The new law took effect on Thursday. The fees start from 5 baht for the first hour for motorcycles, and 10 baht per hour thereafter, even if only a few minutes of any subsequent hour is used. Drivers of four-wheeled vehicles pay 10 baht for the first hour and 20 baht per subsequent hour.

The new law should be axed because all public roads should offer free parking, Mr Srisuwan said.

The law also violates Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha's policy to accelerate ways of easing traffic congestion in the capital, he argued, accusing the BMA of violating the 1979 Land Transport Act.

Mr Srisuwan failed to elaborate on why the BMA's new law runs counter to Gen Prayut's policy on Bangkok traffic as well as the Land Transport Act.

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