The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) is prepared to organise
activities under the Bangkok Car Free Day campaign on September 22 to
promote commuting via public transport.
The Car
Free Day events will be held under the theme “Share the Road” in a bid
to encourage the use of public transport or bicycles instead of
motorcycles. The overall goal is to reduce air pollution and traffic
congestion. The planned activities include a cycling parade, historical
tours through Rattanakosin Island , exhibitions and stage
performances.
The BMA has also produced commemorative pins for
the Day which will be sold to the public at a price of 50 THB each.
Anyone wearing the pin will be able to board the skytrain, the
underground train, public buses and river ferries or rent public bikes
for no additional costs on the day, from 6 am till midnight.
The
commemorative pins will be available for purchase at all 50 district
offices across Bangkok . All proceeds will go to the Chaipattana
Foundation.
The campaign was spurred on by the
growing traffic congestion in Bangkok . According to the Department
of Land Transport, the number of registered vehicles in the capital in
the first half of the year was estimated at 8 million and the average
speed at which vehicles can travel on the road has been decreasing since
2011.-VNA