With noise and exhaust smoke levels at dangerous levels in Bangkok, Thailand is considering controversial measures to ease its congested roads from the traffic.

Thai motorists may have to pay a fee to enter a certain zone in the capital of Bangkok, and drive on alternate days based on the last numbers of their licence plate, under a plan being drafted to cut noise pollution in Bangkok.

The acceptable noise limit of 70 decibels is regularly exceeded in Thailand's capital busy arteries and main streets.

The roar of one-tonne pickup trucks and the snarl of motorbikes and tuk tuk's - underpinned by the surging vehicle sales in Thailand, have converted most of Bangkok's streets into deafening avenues that are affecting the health of the Thai citizens.

Research in the late 1990s showed that all Bangkok traffic police who had held their job for more than 10 years had very serious hearing problems. The hearing of 70 per cent of those policemen was affected due to continuous exposure to high noise levels above 70 decibels.

And it is not only the streets that battle with this problem. Thai citizens living along Bangkok's klongs (canals), are often awake before 5am by the rumble noise of commuter boats which navigate Bangkok's waterways the whole day.

The Anti-Air Pollution and Environmental Protection Foundation of Thailand said in a recent report that the noise produced by those canal boats was found to measure over 80-90 decibels at the major river piers.

The Thai government, in the past had been lax in cracking down on this, because it was wary of a backlash from commuters who use the water taxi system to avoid rush hour traffic jams on the streets.

Thailand's Air Quality and Noise Management Bureau director Mingkuan Wichayarangsaridh said that in more than 24 major Bangkok streets, where noise measuring equipment was installed, recorded average noise levels of more than 70 decibels.

Measurements taken in Siam Square area, a mayor shopping, hotel and entertainment area, showed average noise levels of 83 to 94 decibels during the day.

On Bangkok's major streets such as Sukhumvit road, Ploenchit road and Silom road, the BTS or Rapid Transit Rail System creates a tunnel-like effect, trapping the noise from vehicles on the streets below.

In those areas, conditions are so bad that it's difficult to hear someone calling on the mobile phone or even having a normal conversation on the roadside without having to shout.

Thailand's proposed measurements are aimed at reducing the traffic volume in a 113-sq-km zone tand by cutting Bankok's noise levels by three decibels. Thailand's officials say the traffic volume would have to be halved to achieve that goal.

A consultancy firm has been hired to set up an action plan to cut the street noise with more than 3 decibels within the next three years. Proposals include controlling the number of vehicles and imposing a speed limit on the congested Silom, Sathon, Yaowarat and Charoenkrung roads.

All vehicles would have to pay a fee to enter restricted noise zones, in addition, vehicles would only be allowed to enter on alternate days based on their licence plate numbers and a speed limit would be set at 30km to help keep Bangkok's noise levels down.

The Thai government conceded that some of the the proposed measures might be impossible to implement due to strong public resistance.

The new proposals are expected to be ready by next month and will then be considered for implementation by Thailand's authorities.