[sustran] Fwd: Noise-polluted Bangkok plans to curb vehicles

Barter, Paul paulbarter at nus.edu.sg
Thu Jul 24 12:11:12 JST 2003


Can anyone in Bangkok or who knows Bangkok better than me comment on
this? It looks like just a proposal at the moment, but what are the
chances of any serious Transport Demand Management (TDM) in Bangkok?
Over the years I guess we have seen a lot of TDM proposals that have
come to nothing. Maybe now there is a chance (by some miracle)? Do the
new rail systems make it more likely? Or London's famous efforts?

Paul
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The Straits Times (Singapore)
JULY 24, 2003
Noise-polluted Bangkok plans to curb vehicles 

With noise levels at dangerous levels, the city is considering
controversial measures to ease its congested roads 

By Nirmal Ghosh 
INDIA CORRESPONDENT 

BANGKOK - Thai motorists may have to pay a fee to enter a designated
zone in the city, and drive in on alternate days based on their licence
plate numbers, under a plan being drafted to cut noise pollution.

The acceptable limit of 70 decibels is regularly exceeded in the
capital's busy streets.

The roar of one-tonne pickups and fashionable SUVs and the snarl of
motorbikes - underpinned by surging vehicle sales - have converted most
of Bangkok's streets into deafening avenues that are affecting the
health of citizens, the government says.

The problem has been building up for a long time.

Research in the late 1990s showed that all traffic police officers who
had held their job for more than 10 years had hearing problems.

The hearing of around 70 per cent of all traffic policemen was affected
due to almost continuous exposure to noise levels above 70 decibels.

And it is not only the streets that have this problem. People living
along Bangkok's navigable canals, or klongs, are often woken up at 5am
by the rumble of commuter boats which ply the waterways all day.

The Anti-Air Pollution and Environmental Protection Foundation said in a
recent report that boat noise was found to measure 80-90 decibels on
average at major piers.

The government was lax in cracking down on this because it was wary of a
backlash from commuters who use the water taxi system to avoid rush hour
traffic jams on the streets, the private foundation said. 

In May, Air Quality and Noise Management Bureau director Mingkuan
Wichayarangsaridh said some two dozen major Bangkok streets, where noise
measuring equipment had been installed, recorded levels above 70
decibels. 

Measurements taken this year in the Siam Square area, a shopping, hotel
and entertainment hub, recorded noise levels between 83 and 94 decibels.

On major streets such as Sukhumvit, Ploenchit and Silom, the overhead
rapid transit rail system creates a tunnel-like effect, trapping the
noise from vehicles below.

In such conditions, it is difficult to hear someone calling over a
mobile phone or have a normal conversation with a companion on the
roadside without having to shout.

The proposed measures are aimed at reducing traffic volume in a
113-sq-km zone to achieve the goal of cutting noise levels by three
decibels.

Officials say the area's traffic volume would have to be halved to
achieve that goal.

'I'm not confident that we can reach the target, but at least we should
be able to bring the level down,' said Mr Thalearngsak Petchsuwan, head
of the noise pollution and vibration section of the Pollution Control
Department, after a meeting last week. 

A consultancy firm has been hired to draft an action plan for cutting
street noise levels by up to three decibels within three years.

Proposals include controlling the number of vehicles and imposing a
speed limit on the congested Silom, Sathon, Yaowarat and Charoenkrung
roads.

Vehicles would be charged a fee to enter the restricted zone.

In addition, vehicles would only be allowed to enter on alternate days
based on licence plate numbers.

The speed limit would also be fixed at 30kmh to keep noise levels down.

Mr Thalearngsak conceded that some of the the proposed measures might be
impossible to implement because of strong public resistance.

The proposals are expected to be ready next month and will then be
considered for implementation by the city authorities.


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Copyright @ 2003 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved. 



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