Parking scarce at Flora Expo
Several traffic rules have been implemented by traffic police to tackle congestion near the site of the Royal Flora Ratchaphruek exposition beginning on November 1.
"One weak point of this exposition is the lack of car parking. The exposition's committee expects to see up to 30,000 people visiting the site but its current car parks have a capacity for only around 2,000 vehicles," Somboon Chaisiriniran, head of the provincial rural roads office, said yesterday. He said his office had suggested to the previous cabinet that an alternative parking lot be built but it was rejected on financial grounds. Somboon said the only way to prevent massive traffic congestion around the site was to provide a transport system that would encourage visitors to park their vehicles elsewhere. "New rules have been launched to promote a smooth flow of traffic around the site. Personal vehicles with no stickers indicating they're VIP guests or staff won't be allowed to go into the site and its parking areas. Only tour buses, mass transit buses and songtaew are allowed," Pol Lt-Colonel Wongpat Jamroonpan said. Car parking is also forbidden along Ratchaphruek Road, the road to Doi Kham Temple, canal road starting from the front of the Emperor houses to the entrance of Nong Kwai Temple and the road to the Night Safari. "Thousands of residents in Tambon Mae Hia who live close to the site will be asked to put stickers on their vehicles. Then they will be allowed to use the Royal Flora park's entrance road to get to their destinations. But they won't be able to park their vehicles at the site," Somboon said. Chiang Mai Municipality, the Land Transport Office as well as the Lanna Transport Cooperative have decided to provide transport to the site. The Land Transportation Office will provide free chartered buses from the 700 Year Stadium, City Hall and the train station. Chiang Mai Municipality earlier launched two new routes linking the train station and the Arcade bus station to the site and will charge adults Bt15 and children Bt10. Lanna Transport Cooperative, which administers 2,500 red songtaew in Chiang Mai, will have 400 of the vehicles operating from all department stores, hypermarts, Mee Chok plaza, Global House, Choeng Doi market, Kad Farang and North University, charging Bt20 to Bt25.
Atsadaporn Kamthai Citylife Chiang Mai
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