Bangkok Governor MR Sukhumbhand Paribatra has proposed an initiative to ban new car purchases for people who don't have a place to park their vehicles, as part of a raft of new measures to combat traffic congestion.
Speaking at a forum on city traffic management Wednesday, the governor said car buyers should have to bring proof to the dealership that they have parking spots or they would not be allowed to purchase a car.
Other suggestions to tackle traffic include the introduction of fines for parking along roads and causing congestion in business districts; and higher parking fees at lots in central Bangkok to encourage drivers to leave their vehicles at home.
Bus services must also be better developed to bring commuters from outside the city centre to the last kilometre of their commute, said the governor, adding that other forms of transportation -- such as public boats on rivers and canals and bicycle lanes -- should also be improved so people can rely on them more.
Bangkok's pavements need to be levelled out as well so the elderly and people with disabilities are not at risk, MR Sukhumbhand said.
One way to improve transport infrastructure is through technology and elevated walkways in central business areas, which would draw pedestrians, according to the governor.
But the high rate of urban migration from outlying provinces ultimately needs to be counteracted by developing "satellite cities" on the outskirts of Bangkok that are self-sufficient, so people do not need to enter the capital for work, he said.
The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration has no authority to implement this kind of large-scale development plan, but ultimately this is the cause of the traffic problems, said MR Sukhumband, urging the central government to address the issue.
"Questions must be raised as to whether the problems will be solved if authority over traffic management remains scattered among various agencies," he added.
MR Sukhumbhand warned that traffic congestion in Bangkok and its surrounding areas will only become more severe in the absence of a plan to deal with the problem.
Currently, some 17 million people travel around Bangkok every day and only 40% of them use public transport, he said. As of the end of August, there were 8.9 million cars, according to the Ministry of Land Transportation.
According to the BMA, the number of registered cars in Bangkok now outnumbers the 5.8 million registered population living in the city as of 2012.
By 2029, the BMA estimates the number of cars in the city will reach 10 million, and commuters will make 22 million trips per day, he said. "It will have increasingly negative consequences on people's daily commutes, their livelihoods, the economy and the environment.
"Mass public transport must be developed to serve people in their daily lives, while the public must be urged to use the public transport system more," he said.
From January to May this year, 350,000 vehicles were registered -- an average of 3,500 vehicles a day.
The main traffic cure is the mass transport system, MR Sukhumbhand said, adding that in 2029 commuter rail services in the city are expected to increase five-fold, covering almost 300km.