Editor;
An Open Letter to Highway Police Chonburi: I have always been under the impression that only police, fire, certain military, and emergency vehicles are allowed to use sirens. This obviously is not the case, at least in this part of Thailand. The latest addition seems to be tour busses. Yesterday at the traffic light in the center of Ban Amphur on Sukhumvit Rd. I was approaching and about 100 meters away the light changed to red. As I was slowing down to stop a tour bus turned on his sirens and flew through the red light in excess of 80kph.
Today, again at the same intersection, 7 tour busses all with their sirens on drove through the red light again on their way to Wat Yansangwararam. Needless to say all were in excess of the speed limit in the center of town. Directly across the street from the police box I might add.
It is only by extreme good luck that no one was killed or injured in both situations. Normally the motorcycles “jump” the light on their side but someone was watching over them.
The police would have to be deaf, blind, and sleeping in an AC office to not be aware of this current use of sirens. Should a fatality or serious injury occur would not the police be negligent in their duties now that they are aware of this situation? I spoke to a policeman at the checkpoint in front of the Ambassador Hotel about this and he just shrugged his shoulders, smiled and walked away.
It is very obvious why drivers in Thailand do not yield the right of way to sirens as they seldom are truly emergencies. Police cars leading tour groups with lights flashing and sirens used, won’t be needed any longer, just give the tour busses one more excuse to create mayhem on the roads. Care to know who they are? Go to Wat Yan or Silverlake and follow the busses down Sukhumvit but I would suggest using plain cars or pickups.
I will keep my name and address to myself for obvious reasons.
Boston Burglar
Chonburi
