Bangkok Jaywalkers Beware
Jaywalkers subject of police blitz
BANGKOK: — People who fail use crosswalks or footbridges will start receiving on-the-spot Bt200 (about $US5.88) fines from traffic police commencing August 1.
People who drop litter, including cigarette butts in a city almost bereft of public ashtrays or rubbish bins are already subject to fines of up Bt2,000 (about $US58.76) and now police have decided to target jaywalkers in a city where crossing the road is often a mad dash followed by furtive creeping steps to avoid cars and motorcycles that pay little regard for pedestrians.
For their part, impatient Bangkokians are known to attempt to dash between cars, or walk out from in front of buses directly into the path of traffic, often without looking.
Traffic police chief Police Major Weerapat Tansrisakul said traffic police in Bangkok will begin to arrest people who crossed the street without using crosswalks, footbridges, and other crossways.
He said the area around Victory Monument, Silom Road and Ratchaprasong Junction will receive the initial focus and urged people to comply with the traffic laws for their own safety.
