BANGKOK, Thailand – The Pollution Control Department, in collaboration with the Traffic Police Division, has intensified measures against vehicles emitting excessive black smoke. Under the new regulation, vehicle owners must fix their non-compliant vehicles within 15 days, down from the previous 30-day period. The rule is now in effect.
Preeyaporn Suwannakes, Director-General of the Pollution Control Department, stated that stricter enforcement is being implemented under the Traffic Act and the Environmental Protection Act of 1992. Drivers operating vehicles exceeding the smoke emission standard will face the maximum legal penalty. Traffic officers now have the authority to order vehicle owners to rectify their vehicles within 15 days.
This measure follows worsening PM2.5 pollution levels, particularly in Bangkok and its surrounding provinces. The government has prioritized stricter enforcement against all pollution sources, including private cars, pickup trucks, public buses, and government service vehicles. Authorities have also noted cases where vehicles marked with a “Temporary Use Ban” sticker were still being driven illegally. The stricter enforcement applies to all vehicle types and is effective immediately.
