PUBLISHED : 27 Dec 2023 at 05:41
The Bangkok Metropolitan Administrative (BMA) has set up a centre to boost safety measures for New Year revellers and is asking the public to comply with safety rules during celebrations.
This comes as Bangkok governor Chadchart Sittipunt on Tuesday gave details about a safety regulation issued for the approaching New Year’s celebration.
Mr Chadchart said the regulation, based on the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Act 2017, has been issued due to the large numbers of people travelling during the holiday.
Such waves of people, he said, can lead to factors that affect people’s safety, such as accidents, increased crimes, and the spread of disease among large crowds.
Mr Chadchart said the regulation also covers arson protection, as some venues use fireworks as a part of their celebrations.
The regulation covers four main items, mainly arson protection and risk location investigation.
The first item in the regulation is establishing the Bangkok Situation Tracking Centre, focusing mainly on safety investigations affecting at-risk communities or locations, especially those prone to accidents or crimes.
The centre’s working scope also covers entertainment venues, focusing on traffic plans, users’ entrance and safety measures, and crowd control through CCTV inspections.
Officials working with the centre are also looking into fireworks warehouses and authorised sellers who must follow regulations on fireworks safety, protection, sales, and ownership as per the regulation.
The second item of the regulation targets area management for entertainment venues and event locations.
The regulations require venue and event operators to physically check safety equipment, such as arson protection systems, entrances, alarm signals, emergency generators, and fire escape areas.
These locations must also take measures to ensure no overcrowding.
The regulation further includes safety matters, such as electric appliances and flammable object storage.
It also covers drunk driving protections aimed at reducing car accidents.
The regulation prohibits the use of individual fireworks during this holiday. Hot-air balloons or smoke balloons are also banned over the peroid.
Individuals who violate the regulation could face at least three years in jail, 60,000 baht in fines, or both, while unauthorised sellers could face at least a month of detention, 1,000 baht in fines or both.