Transport growth in Bangkok: Energy, environment, and traffic congestion. Workshop proceedings
- Asia Regional Office, Bangkok (Thailand)
Bangkok, the capital of Thailand, is a physically and economically complexcity with a complicated transport system. With daily traffic congestion averaging 16 hours, the air quality is such that to breathe street level pollution for 8 eight hours is roughly equivalent to smoking nine cigarettes per day. Estimates suggest idling traffic costs up to $1.6 billion annually. Energy use within the transport sector is on a steady rise with an estimated increase in 11 years of two and one half times. Severe health impacts have begun to effect many residents - young children and the elderly being particularly vulnerable. Bangkok`s air quality and congestion problems are far from hopeless. Great potential exists for Bangkok to remedy its transport-related problems. The city has many necessary characteristics that allow an efficient, economical system of transport. For example, its high density level makes the city a prime candidate for an efficient system of mass transit and the multitude and close proximity of shops, street vendors, restaurants, and residential areas is highly conducive to walking and cycling. Technical knowledge and capacity to devise and implement innovative policies and projects to address air quality and congestion problems is plentiful. There is also consensus among Bangkokians that something needs to be done immediately to clear the air and the roads. However, little has been done. This report proposes a new approach to transport planning for Bangkok that integrates consideration of ecological, social, and financial viability in the process of making decisions regarding managing existing infrastructure and investments in new infrastructure. Selected papers have been indexed separately for inclusion in the Energy Science and Technology Database.
- Research Organization:
- International Inst. for Energy Conservation, Washington, DC (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE, Washington, DC (United States); Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC (United States); United Nations, New York, NY (USA); Canadian International Development Agency (Canada)
- DOE Contract Number:
- FG02-93PO10085
- OSTI ID:
- 97351
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-9411246-; ON: DE95015467; TRN: 95:006243
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: Transport growth in Bangkok: energy, environment, and traffic congestion, Bangkok (Thailand), 1-2 Nov 1994; Other Information: PBD: [1995]
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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