BMA battles truck smog

Bangkok governor Chadchart Sittipunt deserves praise for launching the Bangkok Low Emission Scheme (BLMS) — a pilot programme to prevent large trucks from entering certain parts of the inner city during the air pollution season.
His predecessors have repeatedly tried and failed to restrict large trucks from entering inner-city areas during the winter season, a period when ultra-fine pollutant PM2.5 surges.
The most recent attempt was in 2020, when former Bangkok governor Pol Gen Aswin Kwanmuang implemented a municipal code banning lorries of six wheels and larger from entering the city centre at specified times from December to February. This policy was poorly designed and lacked public consultation, as it was introduced during the Covid-19 pandemic when all sectors faced economic hardship.
The ban faced opposition from commercial operators and did not yield positive results. The Land Transportation Federation and the Imports-Export Transport Association threatened to sue the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) in the Administrative Court, claiming the order was discriminatory, as it excluded other polluters such as old, poorly maintained buses and cars.
This time, Mr Chadchart succeeded in securing the support of the typically cautious Land Transportation Federation and the Import-Export Transport Association for the project.
Under the scheme, commercial lorries are encouraged to join the “Green List” to enter restricted areas. Trucks on the Green List must demonstrate that their engines are well-maintained and emissions fall within acceptable limits.
The BLMS will begin on Jan 1. Trucks with six wheels and larger vehicles will be banned from entering nine inner-city districts and major roads in 13 districts when PM2.5 dust pollution reaches excessive levels. The BMA will issue a two-day advance notice, and the ban will last for three days. The BMA will use 257 CCTV cameras with licence plate recognition (LPR) technology to help identify polluting trucks.
Of course, the BLMS is far from perfect. Critics question how the BMA will monitor whether trucks in the Green List programme remain environmentally friendly or how it will tackle trucks that pay kickbacks to avoid enforcement. Needless to say, the BMA must monitor the BLMS’s outcomes and address any loopholes. City Hall also needs to tackle other sources of air pollution, including small factories, and illegal open burning.
The BLMS marks a shift from the “band aid” solutions that the BMA and government have typically used to address PM2.5 pollution. In the past, local and national governments have relied on end-of-pipe solutions, such as artificial rain, water sprays, or temporarily closing schools and workplaces.
To address rising PM2.5 levels, the BMA has introduced extra measures, such as a campaign encouraging businesses and offices to allow work-from-home arrangements during the high-pollution season, a voluntary campaign for temples to reduce joss stick use to cut down on smoke, and other pollution controls.
While these efforts are beneficial, the BMA needs to do more, such as working with the Royal Thai Police to curb illegal parking — a contributor to traffic congestion –and improving public transport infrastructure, including developing bicycle lanes in communities.
If successful, these creative solutions could set an example for other local governments to follow.