Motorcycle-taxi drivers who repeatedly ride on sidewalks could have their queue jackets confiscated for up to three years, under a proposal being considered by the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration.
BMA spokesman Pongsakorn Kwanmuang discussed the idea on Friday after leading a team to conduct a survey at the Asok intersection, gathering opinions of both drivers and pedestrians.
“Every opinion will be taken into consideration. We want to know whether the people agree with the policy or not, and what their suggestions on the matter are. This is for the orderliness of Bangkok,” he said.
Pol Capt Pongsakorn and his team also invited motorcycle-taxi drivers in the Thong Lor area to voice their opinions.
A total of 10,000 flyers have been distributed to all 50 districts in Bangkok to gather opinions from motorcycle-taxi drivers and other people, according to the spokesman.
The results will be considered in the drafting of a proposal to be presented to a subcommittee on the management of motorcycle taxis on Oct 31.
It will then be forwarded to the main committee co-chaired by the BMA and the Department of Land Transport.
Pol Capt Pongsakorn said the three-year ban was just an idea and still had to be thought through to ensure fairness, adding that the main committee may not agree with something so drastic.
Since July 9 last year, BMA officials have arrested 24,337 motorcyclists for pavement riding and collected about 17 million baht in fines.
