THAILAND
The Bangkok city administration revived its anti-exhaust campaign by launching 20 motorcycle patrol teams to nab smoke-belching vehicles that may have eluded stationary checkpoints. The teams, each with one city police officer and one traffic police officer, will prowl city streets twice a day. Their initial focus will be Sukhumvit and Rama iv roads covering seven districts. The mobile teams will supplement the 50 stationary checkpoints to test vehicular emissions throughout the city. Originally, there were 30 checkpoints but since March 1, 1999, the city has added another 20. Deputy city clerk Sutin Sungmongkol said that having motorcycle teams was better than setting up checkpoints because they would be able to stop offending motorists who may have escaped the checkpoints.
Bangkok's governor Bhichit Rattakul said about 10,000 vehicles had undergone emission tests at checkpoints since the expanded campaign began. Of these, 4,000 vehicles were found violating emission standards and the drivers were fined or had their licences confiscated. The campaign also imposes limited access to three roads by prohibiting cars without passengers from entering. Bhichit claimed that 80 per cent of the driving public had cooperated with the controversial initiative. However, he denied local press reports that the city planned to impose similar limited access on another 16 roads.
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