The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration will double its "cleanliness" fine for riding motorbikes on pavements to 1,000 baht and step up enforcement after a student was injured by a motorcycle on a pavement along Lat Phrao Road.
Deputy Bangkok governor Sakoltee Phattiyakul said on Wednesday that the fine would be raised from the current 500 baht next month to discourage violators as the BMA lacked enough officials to stop motorcyclists from riding on all pavements.
He said the BMA would also increase the number of fine enforcement locations from 115 to 233 and order its officials to tackle the problem of motorcyclists using pavements meant for pedestrians more seriously. The strict enforcement of the pavements "cleanliness" law would focus on pavements in crowded areas, including schools, Mr Sakoltee said.
Photo: Twitter/@DanTruat
It came after a schoolgirl was hit and injured by a motorcycle driven on a pavement on Lat Phrao Road in Wang Thong Lang district on Monday.
Mr Sakoltee said Wang Thong Lang was the district with the highest abuse of pavements by motorcyclists, followed by Suan Luang, Lat Krabang and Watthana districts.
Motorcyclists often used pavements on heavily congested roads and main streets where U-turns were far apart, he said.
The BMA began taking serious against motorcyclists using pavements in May. It has also shared half the collected fines with people who posted video clips of violators that led to arrests and fine collection.
The deputy governor said since May the BMA had received about 10,000 complaints on motorbikes driving on pavements and collected about 4 million baht in fines. It had shared collected fines with about 2,000 informants.
