CityNews – Traffic police focus on relieving jams around schools in the city by cracking down on illegal parking and other congestion causing offences.
The Chiang Mai Regional Police Traffic Centre, led by Police Colonel Piyapan Pattarapongsin, plans to place more officials around educational institutions in downtown Chiang Mai.
Traffic has been steadily increasing in the city, and both morning and evening rush hours are causing serious congestion in the city, affecting the economy, environment and other sectors of the city.
Many downtown schools have no parking for parents collecting their children, resulting in parents parking illegally on the side of the road or double parking, causing serious congestion.
Kaew Nawarat road and Charoenprathet road are the worst affected.
However, officials have already reported little cooperation by parents, who refuse to move their illegally parked cars, despite the risk of fines or arrest.
Traffic police have focused on roads with educational institutes since the beginning of the school term.
This year, Police Colonel Piyapan has set up traffic police and student volunteers from the reserve officer training corps, to encourage parents from stopping on the main roads and causing gridlock.
Piyapan added that to solve the problem, public relations between the police and the parents is key.
Police Tuktuks with loudspeakers have been placed outside schools, telling students to be ready to leave the car immediately when arriving at school, and that teachers will escort them into the school grounds so parents don’t need to park and get out of the car.
Road safety has also been promoted heavily.
The police hope that students will learn the importance of not causing traffic jams and will pass this knowledge onto their parents.