Police are again enforcing parking restrictions on South Road, more than two years after regulations were enacted and quickly forgotten.
Part of a 90-day crackdown on traffic scofflaws, the enforcement of alternate-side parking on the crowded street has noticeably – and predictably – improved traffic congestion, as well as netted traffic police extra revenue from the approximately 40 tickets written a day.
Police are now locking the wheels of motorcycles, the owners of which have violated the alternate-side parking rules.
Under the rules, first enacted in 2011 to combat South Road’s quicksand-like traffic, parking is allowed on alternate sides of the street on odd and even days. Violators have their wheels locked until they pay 700 baht to the police station. Furthermore, police only allow the left-turn traffic off Soi Buakaow which also helped improve evening traffic flow considerably.
Traffic cops in Oct. received 50 wheel locks plus 300 traffic cones and 150 metal fences to regulate traffic from Pattaya City Hall.
Sub-Lt. Chanchai Sa-nguansaksee said many people, particularly foreigners who can’t read the signs, still violate the parking laws. Police are trying to better educate drivers, he said.
While some are happy with the reduced congestion and others upset over the stepped-up enforcement, no one should get too worked up either way: Police said the extra enforcement only runs through the end of January. If history holds, people will be able to park wherever they want on South Road again come February.
Ed’s note: Maybe they could also start fining the motorcyclists who park on the footpath (seen behind the officer in the photo), as it is now getting more difficult for pedestrians to walk in the area.
