A draft modification to the Land Transport Act has obtained approval by the House Committee on Transport, based on an MP from the Chartthaipattana Party. Nikorn Chamnong, who chaired the panel, says the modification seeks to increase fines for site visitors offences and could possibly be enacted by July. Frugal goes before the Senate, which is anticipated to approve it by January 31. Once that occurs, it goes to be returned to the House and might need to wait one hundred twenty days before being printed within the Royal Gazette.
The Bangkok Post reports that the amendment seeks to extend penalties for offences corresponding to failure to look at site visitors signs, together with pedestrian crossings, from 1,000 baht to 4,000 baht. It’s understood the committee is engaged on extra safety rules, in particular concerning speeding, and desires to see tougher legal guidelines around the use of big bikes.
Road safety, and specifically the protection of pedestrians, hit the headlines after a Bangkok physician was killed by a big bike as she used a zebra crossing final Friday. Dr Waraluck Supavatjariyakul died when she was struck by a Ducati bike being ridden by off-duty police officer Norawich Buadok.
The Bangkok Post reports that forensic exams will decide the speed at which Norawich was travelling at the time of the incident. Jirasant Kaewsaeng-ek from the Metropolitan Police Bureau says he expects the outcome at present.
Meanwhile, lower than a week after Dr Waraluck’s death, another pedestrian on a zebra crossing has been killed by a speeding motorist. The incident happened on Wednesday evening, within the central province of Samut Prakan. 33-year-old Burmese nationwide, Win Mar Soe, was crossing the road within the Bang Phli district when a pick-up truck ploughed into her. The driver, Montree Poolslip, has been charged with reckless driving, with police saying he is also charged with failure to cease for others.
According to the Bangkok Post, Montree says he was driving within the far right-hand lane when the girl stepped out from the central reservation. He admits he was driving too fast however says the pedestrian crossing was not very seen and that’s why he didn’t decelerate..