BANGKOK, Jan 11 (TNA) – As air quality in Bangkok and surrounding provinces have become worsened for several days, the Transport Department has imposed hefty fines on trucks and buses with exhaust emissions that exceed safe limits.
The department’s Director-General Jirut Visarnchit said inspectors from his department had regularly screened black smoke emitted by trucks and buses on daily basis, compared to only on working days previously, on major and minor roads in Bangkok and surrounding provinces where PM2.5 levels are high.
The department has also cooperated with several government agencies including Bangkok Mass Transit Authority (BMTA) in checking exhaust emissions from the city buses.
A fine of 5,000 baht will be imposed on violators and vehicles with exhaust emissions that exceed safe limits will be banned from the roads.
The inspections between October 1, 2018 – December 30, 2019 found that out of 37,873 vehicles, checked by officials, a total of 743 vehicles, emitting exhaust fume over required standards or over 45 per cent and legal actions were taken against the vehicles’ owners.
Vehicles with exhaust emissions between 30 – 45 per cent received notification that owners must check them regularly, he said. (TNA)
