Car Free Day let-down
The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration’s (BMA) decision to bypass Car Free Day today attests to the agency’s compromise on a goal to make the Big Mango a greener and more sustainable city. It is a pity the BMA is missing the chance to make use of the once-a-year event, which is being recognised worldwide, to raise public awareness about the need for a city with fewer cars.
Car Free Day, celebrated widely in the West, became known, albeit among a small group of environmentally conscious people, in Thailand around the year 2000.
The BMA reluctantly joined the effort much later after the event became more popular but always trailed behind civic groups which have a strong desire to turn Bangkok into a more livable city.
In past years, the city opted for the Sunday before the real event, which reflected a compromise on the part of city administrators who may have wanted to avoid upsetting motorists and causing chaos if it was held on a working day.
We do not know the real reason behind the decision to skip the event. But if the agency thought a parade of bike riders on a traditional route around the Grand Palace was not appropriate, it is wrong.
To begin with, Car Free Day is more than a bike event. In fact, it is a day when the public is encouraged to opt for the public transport system or even walk to avoid the use of private cars for the sake of the city they live in.
Without joining the event, the BMA seems to be sending the wrong message that it endorses the use of private cars — a mode of transport that makes city traffic worse.
We do not need further proof to realise that Bangkok has too many cars, and that exhaust fumes are a threat to people’s health. The economic loss from traffic gridlock is enormous.
When it comes to plans to solving city traffic, the BMA has always missed the mark.
Look at the ill-treatment it meted out to Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), a transport system that it operates.
Earlier this year, the agency wanted to scrap the project, claiming it was making a loss and blaming the system for traffic congestion on Rama III Road.
Only when the government said the system had to stay did the agency comply and made a U-turn — and then only reluctantly.
Even if it keeps the BRT system, the BMA is showing no interest in improving the service to make it more attractive to commuters.
On the contrary, it allows private cars to share the exclusive lanes during rush hours. Letting private cars enter the lanes insults users of the public transport system who are supposed to spend less time in traffic.
The BMA also seems stuck in the misconception that cycling is a recreational or health activity, rather than a mode of transportation that allows users to depend less on ailing city buses, or a costly electric rail system.
Given that misconception, the agency is showing little interest in making bike lanes safer and more practical for everyday use. It has effectively abandoned a commitment to extend the bike lane network.
As a result, we are left with superficial, unpractical bike lanes for tourism which are mostly underused. Worse, they are invaded by car users who regard the green strips as street-side parking lots.
To sum up, city administrators have done a less than impressive job in convincing us that it is committed to making the city a greener, more livable place. Bypassing Car Free Day simply echoes that fact.
When it comes to plans to solving city traffic, the BMA has always missed the mark.