A group of about 20 cyclists rolled up on the Royal Thai Police Office Friday to object to a proposal to require bicyclists to have licences and demand that authorities instead target bad drivers.
The group, led by Santi Opaspakornkit, vice president of the Thai Cycling for Health Association, met assistant police chief Pol Lt Gen Prawut Thavornsiri. He said that cyclists surveyed earlier this week disagreed with the licence-requirement idea.
"The requirement for cycling licences would block people from using bicycles. Countries worldwide are encouraging people to ride. It's a policy of the government and local administration organisations to promote cycling for health, energy-saving, better air quality and traffic relief among other merits," Mr Santi said.
If authorities did not want children to ride bicycles on streets for safety reasons, they could issue a ministerial regulation to set the minimum age for street bikers instead of requiring cyclist licences , he said.
His group urged police to take serious legal action against drink-drivers, pubs that operated longer hours than legally allowed, and motorists who drive on the shoulder, which affects cyclists.
The group also called on police to convince motorists to better share roads with cyclists.
In response, Pol Lt Gen Prawut who is also the police spokesman, said police already were making serious moves against drink-drivers and rogue pub operators. He promised police would clear blockages from bicycle lanes and work out long-term solutions for cyclists.