Governor wants AI traffic control
PHUKET GOVERNOR SOPHON SUWANnarat has announced that the provincial government is aiming to have AI traffic control systems rolled out to help alleviate the ongoing traffic congestion in key areas on the island.
The Phuket Provincial Government has a policy to solve road accidents and traffic congestion by using AI technology to control traffic lights, Governor Sophon told a meeting of the Phuket Provincial Road Safety Administration Center committee at Phuket Provincial Hall on Jan 24.
Present for the meeting were Phuket Vice Governor Sattha Thongkham as well as the heads of a range of government offices and agencies, including Udomphon Kan, Director of the Phuket Provincial office of the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM-Phuket).
No details of exactly what systems were to be rolled out at which key locations on the island were revealed in an official report of the meeting.
Instead, the official report noted that the meeting included a presentation of the results of the operations of the Road and Marine Accident Prevention and Reduction Operations Center during the New Year holidays ‒ the ‘Seven Days of Danger’ for New Year 2024 ‒ along with a summary of law enforcement during the period and an analysis of causes of road accidents.
However, none of those results were made public in the official report.
According to the official report, the meeting was briefed on the growing traffic situation on secondary roads, and the ongoing efforts in “controlling and organising rental car operators in the area”.
Also discussed at the meeting were the effectiveness of the ‘Wearing a helmet 100%’ campaign, efforts to prevent people riding motorbikes through underpasses, and managing traffic congestion and at U-turn points on Route 402, better known as Thepkrasattri Rd.
Again, no specifics of any of these issues were revealed in the official report.
Meanwhile, Patong Police are continuing their campaign to clear the streets of illegally parked vehicles, including cars, vans and motorbikes.
In Phuket Town, Phuket City Mayor Saroj Angkanapilas on Wednesday presided over a public meeting to gain feedback and suggestions from local residents about changing the parking situation at the old ‘Daeng Plaza’ on Phuket Rd, in the heart of Phuket Town’s commercial district.
The result of the meeting, which saw 124 local residents turn out, was that a preliminary design is to be drawn up to allow parking for 161 cars, four taxis, 45 motorbikes, three passenger vans and eight passenger buses. The area is also to include two disabled parking spaces.
“More information will need to be studied to solve the problem of parking spots, especially in Phuket Old Town ‒ there aren’t enough of them, which nowadays is a big problem affecting the daily life of local residents and our tourism image, is very important,” Mayor Saroj said. The Phuket News