The “clear zone crackdown” will begin on Wednesday (Sept 16), after Phuket Provincial Police Commander Maj Gen Pachara Boonyasit signed the order last week.
“Offending vehicles will be locked on site and a ticket placed on the car,” explained Phuket City Traffic Police Chief Lt Col Teerawat Liemsuwan.
“Any vehicles, cars or motorbikes, parked and left unattended will be towed to Phuket City Police Station, where the owner can reclaim them.”
The fine for parking in any of the 28 new zones, not including eight new sites where right turns are forbidden, is B500.
But the cost of reclaiming the vehicle will be much more.
“Vehicles will be towed away by private tow-truck operators. That will cost offenders an extra B1,200-1,500. If the handbrake is not on or the car is not gear, then it will be a little bit cheaper,” said Col Teerawat.
Police will also not waste time with people who fail to pay fines, Gen Pachara told The Phuket News.
“People will have one month to present themselves to Phuket City Police Station to pay their fines,” he said.
“After that, we will summons the registered owner of the vehicle to pay. If they refuse to pay, we will ask the Phuket Land Transportation Office [PLTO] to cancel the registration of the vehicle.
“The owner of the vehicle can re-register the vehicle only after the fine has been paid,” he said.
“Of course, for cars and motorbikes that have been towed away, the fine must be paid before we will release the vehicle,” he added.
The rules will apply regardless if the offender is a tourist, Gen Pachara said.
“If the offender is a tourist, then it will be up to the owner of the vehicle to sort out claiming the costs from whoever they loaned or rented their vehicle to,” he said.
However, punishments for repeat offenders have yet to be confirmed, Col Teerawat said.
Emergency service vehicles and any official vehicles on duty will be exempt from the clear zone restrictions, he added.
“Signs will be posted in time for the Sept 16 launch,” he said. “After then, there will be no more excuses for breaking the law and blocking traffic.”
The Clear Zones
No Stopping Zones
No stopping anytime
- Chao Fa Rd, within 100m of Bangkok Rd
- Patiphat Rd, within 50m of Bangkok Rd
Thepkrasattri Rd:
- east side, from Chumporn Rd to Damrong Rd
- within 30m of Komaraphat Rd
- from Thalang Rd to Dibuk Rd
- within 25m of Dibuk Rd
- within 25m of Thalang Rd
Yaowarat Rd:
- east side, from Soi Mongkol to Dibuk Rd.
- west side, from Soi Soon Utis to Dibuk Rd.
No stopping – 7am-9am except Saturdays and Sundays
- Chao Fa Rd, within 100m of Sakdidet Rd
Thepkrasattri Rd:
- within 100m of Satree Phuket School Intersection
- within 100m of Dibuk Rd
No Parking Zones
No Parking Anytime
- Soi Samkong (from Yaowarat Rd to Phuket Rajabhat University), from Yaowarat Rd to the city limit with Rassada
- Soi Vachira (next to Vachira Hospital), north side, from Yaowarat Rd to the end of the hospital grounds.
Restricted Hours (No Parking 7am-9am and 4pm-7pm except Saturdays and Sundays)
- Chao Fa Rd, from Tha Kraeng Rd to Bangkok Rd
- Pattiphat Rd, east side, from Mae Luan Rd to Bangkok Rd
Thepkrasattri Rd:
- both sides, from city limit to Chumporn Rd
- west side, from Thungka Rd to Chumporn Rd
- within 100m of Satree Phuket School Intersection
- from Dibuk Rd to Thalang Rd
- from Thalang Rd to Rassada Rd
Yaowarat Rd:
- from Samkong Rd to Soi Panieng
- west side, from Yaowarat Bridge (near Bangkok Hospital Phuket) to Soi Samkong
- east side, from Chumporn Rd to Thungka Rd
- west side, from Mae Luan Rd to Chumporn Rd
- west side, within 30m of Dibuk Rd
- west side, within 30m of Mae Luan Rd
- ** east side, within 25m of Soi Dechanarong (from 7am-7pm every day)
No right turns (7am-9am and 4pm-7pm except Saturdays and Sundays)
- Chao Fa Rd into Suang Luang Park
- Suang Luang Park onto Chao Fa Rd
- Chao Fa Rd onto Pattana Rd
- Pattana Rd onto Chao Fa Rd
- Chao Fa Rd onto Soi Imjit
- Soi Imjit onto Chao Fa Rd
- Chao Fa Rd into the Esso petrol station
- Esso petrol station onto Chao Fah Rd