Motorists whose vehicles exhaust is contributing to the PM2.5 dust pollution that has Bangkok wheezing can expect to get leaned on more heavily by the Royal Thai Police.
Deputy Commissioner-General Pol General Suwat Chaengyotsuk on Wednesday (January 15) unveiled six measures the cops will direct against offenders behind the wheel, in factories and on construction sites, and in forests if they’re caught burning anything.
The six measures are:
• Checkpoints set up with the departments of Land Transport and Pollution Control around Bangkok and vicinity daily from 10 am to 2 pm and a rapid-deployment force to nab drivers of vehicles spewing excessive exhaust fumes.
• Strict and more frequent inspections of public transit stations, bus stations and companies where trucks are used.
• Asking construction site operators to keep adjacent road surfaces in good condition so that traffic flow isn’t affected.
• Strict enforcement of laws against polluters, such as factory operators and anyone burning garbage or cropland scrub.
• Better traffic control to ease congestion, including a ban on parking at the sides of main roads.
• Encouraging motorists to turn off their engines while parked and to regularly check their vehicle’s condition.
Suwat said citizens can report vehicles with foul exhaust emissions via the hotline 1599 or the Facebook page “Social Media Royal Thai Police” (ศูนย์โซเชียลมีเดีย ศปก.ตร).
In the Bangkok area, reports can also be made via hotline 1197 and Facebook page ศูนย์ควบคุมและสั่งการจราจร-บก.02.
Police were also due to open their own PM2.5-monitoring centre at Traffic Police Division headquarters on Wednesday evening.
