The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) is asking the police to impose a 50-kilometre-per-hour speed limit on 40 roads in inner Bangkok and around major residential areas.
The request will be lodged with the Metropolitan Police Bureau (MPB) to reduce traffic accidents and improve road safety, said Thaiphat Tanasombatkul, director-general of the BMA's Traffic and Transportation Department.
The BMA has devised policies and measures to maximise road safety by applying the necessary engineering know-how, introducing speed limits for the roads passing through communities and residential areas, prosecuting drunk drivers, driving a public relations campaign to educate people about the danger of road accidents and repairing unsafe roads.
The BMA has worked with Chulalongkorn University to assess the safety standards of roads throughout Bangkok using the International Road Assessment Programme (iRAP) appraisal criteria.
The assessment has found the standard maximum speed of 80km per hour in the city to be too fast and is, therefore, unsafe for motorists, cyclists, motorcyclists and pedestrians.
The department is proposing to the MPB to lower the speed limit on 40 roads -- including Yaowarat, Banthat Thong, Phra Arthit, Charoen Krung and Silom (see graphic), in the inner city precincts and residential zones -- to 50km per hour.
Mr Thaiphat said once the new limit is put in place the department will erect signs warning motorists of the new restriction. Speed cameras will also be installed to catch offenders.