Women show off a mobile app developed by King Mongkut's Institute of Technology Ladkrabang to reduce road accidents. It pinpoints accident-prone areas and can be used to report accidents, locate public transport stations and file traffic complaints. The app was unveiled ahead of next month's Songkran festival. (Photo by Somchai Poomlard)

The Office of Transport and Traffic Policy and Planning (OTP) plans to invest nearly 300 billion baht to tackle traffic congestion in Bangkok and neighbouring provinces over the next 12 years.

A total of 289 billion baht would be spent to finance 204 projects in the pipeline. These schemes are to be executed in three phases -- 2019-2021, 2022-2023, and 2024-2029 -- according to Chayatan Phromsorn, deputy OTP director.

He said the 12-year plan is designed with a focus on urban development to increase the metropolitan area's capacity to handle traffic.

The plan would focus on improving coordination between urban development and the construction of traffic and transport infrastructure.

"The plan will not only cover the investments of infrastructure projects. The money will be well spent to strengthen legal enforcement and to upgrade related technology," he said.

"We trust the investment will make all development policy, infrastructure and measures on road traffic work in a comprehensive manner."

The OTP has been assigned by Transport Minister Arkhom Termpittayapaisith to conduct a comprehensive study to solve traffic problems in Bangkok and neighbouring areas.

The study proposes the development of road networks and upgrade of mass-transit systems and connecting points to encourage commuters to use public transport more often.

In the initial phase, the study calls for the immediate construction of secondary roads, tunnels at intersections and bridges across canals in order to provide more routes for traffic flow.

"If the immediate plan is realised, it can improve the average speed to 23.10kph from 21.58kph," Mr Arkhom said.

Meanwhile, the national committee on prevention of road accidents chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwon Friday approved a three-year master plan to boost road safety, Defence Ministry spokesman Kongcheep Tantravanich told the media Friday.

Set for 2019-2022, the plan calls for strict enforcement of traffic and related laws and more active participation from communities to increase awareness.

The Department of Land Transport will be required to work with related authorities to regulate safety rules for public buses and individual passenger buses.

The opening of road safety centres at district level would act as a focal point to implement and promote road safety measures, Lt Gen Kongcheep said, adding that local bodies should also be encouraged to participate in setting up the road safety centres.

Interior Minister Gen Anupong Paojinda said the idea of opening road safety centres has attracted interest and support from related agencies and parties.

However, the interior minister cautioned the idea would be hard to put into practice because road safety issues in Thailand concerned multiple agencies.

In the end, many stakeholders would make the road safety centres into large bureaucratic style bodies, he said.