The issue of reserved parking for drivers with special needs is finally getting the attention it deserves. All too often owners of Supercars are finding their special, fancy parking spaces occupied by unworthy vehicles.
A popular mall responded to the pressing issue of protecting our scarce parking assets for the convenience of the super-rich after outrage(!) spread over a lowly Nissan eco car allowed to use such a spot.
The mall was Siam Paragon, which seems to benefit from some special media policy, as its name was again withheld from reports for no apparent reason.
Paragon officials explained that despite the appearance of a commoner gaining access to its “SuperClub” parking spaces – which are restricted to fancy super cars only for security reasons – the driver was in fact a certified member of the elite.
As some had speculated online, the Nissan Almera belonged to none other than Thanapat Tantisaewaekul, the 19-year-old businessman who puzzled the public last month when he blew THB25 million on a vanity license plate for the car.
Yet the internet was not about to let an issue as pointless and absurd such as which car can and cannot park in a fancy parking space rest without torturing the issue with empty debate.
Some commentators suggested the incident ran against the spirit of Supercar parking.
“So if he can park there, rich people should just put a bank book on the windshield of their truck to park in the spot,” a Pantip user commented.
The mall representative told Daily News yesterday Thanapat was a special guest at an event that day and insisted he wouldn’t be allowed to park in the fancy spot on other days.
The person said the SuperClub parking spaces are restricted for super cars that cost more THB8 million, VIPs and special guests of the mall.
In Thanapat’s case, where some saw stupidity in putting such an expensive license plate on an eco car, others saw marketing genius.
Thanapat said he’s already turned down an offer to sell the plate for THB33 million, but let it be known he’d entertain an offer in the THB50-million range.
I guess we can only say: Well played, sir.
Photo: Pantip
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