- Published: 17/10/2012 at 04:24 PM
- Writer: Online Reporters
Pol Gen Adul was speaking to reporters during the demonstration of the device, a 4.5 metre mechanical arm that releases sharpened spikes designed to puncture and flatten motorcycle tyres.
Air in the tyres would slowly leak out to avoid accidents caused by a sudden tyre burst, he said.
Testing showed a motorcycle would be able to go on for 30 to 50 metres after its tyres were punctured.
The price is 13,500 baht per unit, compared with the 18,000 baht cost of similar spikes used to stop cars.
"I'm satisfied with the device's performance, but I'll check whether using it is against the law before placing any order.
"Police already have other devices to stop cars, but those are used for crowd control," Pol Gen Adul said after the demonstration.
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The video clip above, uploaded to Youtube by Jummania, shows teenage motorcycle gangsters racing on the Bangkok street.
He said a campaign has been launched to reduce motorcycle racing on the streets. It will include posters with aggressive messages to discourage illegal street racing.
Uniform and undercover officers will be deployed in areas where street racers like to gather and at auto shops and garages that provide services to teenage motorcyclists.
Commanding officers in each district will be in charge of shutting down races. The officers must not be armed and there must be enough illumination to ensure no mistreatment of the youngsters, he added.
Police would regularly visit known offenders' homes to check on them and parents would be informed that their children would be charged if caught street racing again.
Police have 1599 hotline for people to place complaints and reports on street racing.
Thai netizens, meanwhile, were calling for harsher punishments for teenagers involved in street racing.
Forums on pantip.com have been flooded with messages from posters who witnessed illegal racing in their neighbourhood.
Some have also been victims of accidents, assaults, looting and rape by teenage motorcycle gangs carrying weapons.
They asked police to seriously take action against illegal racing.
However, many also doubted the new campaign would be effective, despairingly predicting it would be short lived.
Deputy Transport Minister Chadchart Sittipunt said on Wednesday he is preparing a proposal for measures to help solve traffic problems in Bangkok and will send it to the Office of the Commission for the Management of Land Traffic.
The proposed measures include: Staggering working hours in schools, private companies and public agencies; more stringent traffic regulation; and training more traffic volunteers and officers to oversee traffic safety in the city and vicinity.
"An inspection at more than 200 locations across Bangkok and vicinity found all of them have traffic problems. The paved shoulders will have to be made bigger to allow for an extra traffic lane," he said.
Share your thoughts
- Discussion 1 : 18/10/2012 at 04:26 AM
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Maybe if the police would start to enforce traffic laws on a daily basis people, including motorcycle drivers, would get used to the idea that there is something like law enforcement in this country. And I don’t think about the regular checks on the regular places when bikers have to pay cash because they don’t drive on the left lane. Regular drivers know these places and drivers with fast bikes just ignore them – the police never even try to follow them.
Maybe a start for the law enforcement would be that the police would stop all vehicles (most of the times bikes but also cars) that run red lights. Just looking at the Asoke/Sukhumvit junction there are probably not 10 minutes within 24 hours without anyone ignoring red – and I never saw the police even trying to stop anyone. And then we are surprised that illegal street racers ignore the laws…
- Discussion 2 : 18/10/2012 at 04:16 AM
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It is very easy to identify “racing bikes”, just look at the tires and exhausts and all the missing parts (see video). These bikes are prepared for racing and nothing else and are not used like other bikes. If the police would be serious then they could just confiscate all these bikes and their owners.
But obviously the police care little and I guess there is an easy reason for that because where is the money for the police in that? Or does anybody think our boys in brown would do anything without getting paid for it – and I don’t think about their monthly salary?
- Discussion 3 : 17/10/2012 at 11:30 PM
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phiyastar #8 makes sense. Give those kids a venue, insist on helmets and accident insurance (probably does not cover illegal racing unless its not illegal anymore). Manage it, fighting it will bring adverse results, remember thy youth. Those spikes in the picture are for cars and were used against butter and cigarette smugglers in the 50's in a certain part of Europe:-). They will cause death when racing motorbikes are involved. A much shorter spike will do the job as well.
- Discussion 4 : 17/10/2012 at 10:00 PM
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Much of the street racing in socal has been broken up by tough laws and enforcement. Not makeshift gadgets such as spikes. What if someone dies as a result of the spike?
Confiscate vehicles/bikes of all those that are involved in racing activity, and ticke those that are watching and you'll see much dispersing of these events.
Also, it would help to offer a safe and sanctioned environment for these activity to occur. As with my illegal activities, where there's a will to break the law, there is a way.
- Discussion 5 : 17/10/2012 at 08:59 PM
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They might get stollen, private citizens might like to use them along their fence, their driveway to prevent people from parking or dumping the garbage at the site.
- Discussion 6 : 17/10/2012 at 08:56 PM
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Why officers must not be armed? Street gangs are armed. You ever hear of being swarmed by a mob (of kids). They beat the crap out of you if not kill you. They have weapons.
- Discussion 7 : 17/10/2012 at 08:22 PM
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"Deputy Transport Minister Chadchart Sittipunt said on Wednesday he is preparing a proposal for measures to help solve traffic problems in Bangkok" - How about starting to remove vendors occupying the street and people parking their cars in the left lane blocking traffic and causing people to move between lanes? Why not enforce buses to use the left lane and fine those who drop off passengers in the middle and right lane? Why not use automated traffic flow systems instead of whistles and walkie talkies?
- Discussion 8 : 17/10/2012 at 08:03 PM
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"police have other devices to stop cars, but those are used for crowd control,
Oh yeah I remember, they are the ones that were so effective in stopping the red shirt convoy invading Bangkok 2 years ago.
- Discussion 9 : 17/10/2012 at 07:46 PM
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What is the name of the politician or senior police officer who is supplying the spikes?
A better solution would be to have a more visible police presence on the roads. There are hundreds of thousands of police doing very little. Actually working for a change would be a nice idea.
- Discussion 10 : 17/10/2012 at 07:44 PM
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"I'm satisfied with the device's performance, but I'll check whether using it is against the law before placing any order. But surely street racing is illegal or are you going to check on that as well. Only in Thailand!
- Discussion 11 : 17/10/2012 at 06:18 PM
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what are the coppers going to use them on there own under aged kids
Bangkok Post
