Govt presses ahead with plan to raise speed limit

[Taa_Saparot]

https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/1732263/govt-presses-ahead-with-plan-to-raise-speed-limit

Govt presses ahead with plan to raise speed limit
PUBLISHED : 18 AUG 2019  - WRITER: THODSAPOL HONGTONG

The Transport Ministry is pressing ahead with its plan to raise the speed limit on four-lane roads to 120 kilometres per hour, despite objections over the possibility of an increase in road accidents.

Transport Minister Saksayam Chidchob said after chairing a recent meeting of the ministry's committee deliberating the proposal that three bodies concerned have been assigned to study the pros and cons of the proposal.

The Department of Land Transport, Expressway Authority of Thailand and Department of Highways will have one month to complete their analysis which will then be forwarded to the government's committee on land transport system regulation, chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Gen Prawit Wongsuwon, for consideration.

"The new speed limit will likely be implemented on certain main roads at first such as on Phetkasem, Sukhumvit and Mittraphap roads," he said.

The current regulations are outdated and raising the speed limit will help improve traffic flow and maximise the roads' capacity, according to Mr Saksayam.

"The enforcement of the current regulations involves several departments whose work is overlapping, conflicting and unreasonable, which has only confused road users and led to compromised safety," the minister said.

A transport and logistics policy researcher, however, has raised objections to the proposal.

When coupled with Thailand's poor road conditions and the common bad driving habits of many motorists, raising the speed limit would likely lead to a surge in road accidents, said Sumet Ongkittikul, the Thailand Development Research Institute's director for transport and logistics policy research.

"Most roads, particularly ones in the areas surrounding Bangkok contain a lot of intersections and U-turns, which make them unsuitable for driving at high speeds," he said.

Many Thai drivers tend to have "very bad" driving habits and manners, according to Mr Sumet.

"They already drive at more than 100 kilometres per hour and refuse to follow traffic regulations.

[Taa_Saparot]

https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/1812064/highway-speed-limit-to-rise-to-120km-h

Highway speed limit to rise to 120km/h
PUBLISHED : 9 DEC 2019

WRITER: THODSAPOL HONGTONG

Transport Minister Saksayam Chidchob says he will increase speed limit to 120 kilometres per hour on sections of selected highways as surveys show most people support it.

The minister said on Monday his ministry conducted opinion surveys which showed 71% of the respondents agreed with the increase in the highway speed limit from 90 to 120 km/h.

Ministry officials are drafting a ministerial regulation for the new speed limit, to be submitted to the government's land traffic management committee chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwon this month, Mr Saksayam said.

The new regulation sets different speed limits for different traffic lanes on selected highways. According to the transport minister, on a selected section of highways, there will be separate lanes for 80-120 km/h, 80-100 km/h and speeds slower than 80 km/h. On fast lanes, officials will enforce both minimum and maximum speed limits.

"The 120 km/h limit will apply on some sections of some routes. Traffic must be slow at curves and near communities and schools," Mr Saksayam said.

He planned to initially introduce the new speed measure on a 150km section of Highway 32 (Asian Highway) between Bang Pa-in district of Ayutthaya province and Nakhon Sawan province and sections of Mitrapharp Highway in the Northeast and Vibhavadi Rangsit Road in Bangkok.

The minister said that 29% of the respondents who disagreed with the speed limit increase said it could increase road accidents; highway conditions were not good enough for faster speeds; motorists lacked discipline and might again violate the new speed limit; and law enforcement could be lax.

Mr Saksayam said that highways would be improved and better traffic barriers would be installed to suit the faster speed limit.