What price safety? Thai government in dangerous U-turn on passenger safety

[webfact]

What price safety? Thai government in dangerous U-turn on passenger safety

 

Picture: Thai Rath

 

BANGKOK: -- In a move that is bound to anger the travelling public the communications ministry has done what amounts to a dangerous U-turn on safety.

 

Following a series of outrageous accidents involving minivans the authorities vowed to bring in larger microbuses and offer incentives for the minivan owners to change.

 

But they have now abandoned plans to offer a 200,000 baht payment as an incentive to switch to what was hailed as a safer option for the travelling public.

 

Without explanation as to why the plans were not happening the under secretary at the ministry told Thai Rath that minivan owners would need to form cooperatives to get favorable terms to buy new vehicles.

 

There was no other help available to make things safer for the public.

 

The cost of the microbuses is around 2 million baht. Somsak Hommuang said that minivan owners who changed would be able to get loan deals for three years.

 

Only after that, he said, they could expect to make a profit.

 

Some 100 inter city and inter-provincial vans that are more than ten years old are expected to be replaced by the first batch of the larger microbuses from October 1st.

 

Plans are in place to replace all minivans by October 2019.

 

Thai Rath did not give details of the size of microbuses but prototypes in the media earlier indicated they would have around 21 seats.

 

Source: Thai Rath

 

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2017-09-14

[canuckamuck]

It is probably because of the submarine sized hole in the budget.

[Samui Bodoh]

Poor people take the mini vans.

 

If they were "good" people, they would own cars.

[Moonmoon]

This government is all talk no walk. 

The only thing they are good at is adjusting attitudes thats all.

[Bob12345]

11 minutes ago, Moonmoon said:

This government is all talk no walk. 

The only thing they are good at is adjusting attitudes thats all.

Even that they are failing at seeing how they still need to clamp down on freedom of speech.

Even the most hardcore supporters start to see through them and attitudes are changing.

[Briggsy]

Unusually in Thai journalism, this is a) a follow-up story, with pertinent information and c) critical of the government's failures.

 

Well done, Thai Rath.

 

My personal view is that successive governments have done little to improve public minivan safety and it is best to minimise use of this form of public transport.

[wakeupplease]

Arms come first, is that why some are in London this week?

 

Na can't be too expensive, can get replicas from down the road. so out for a jolly then.

[nausea]

They might try starting with the little things, I occasional use the minivan and the seatbelts are tied up like Gordian knots.

 

" ... the Thai government has passed a new law–effective 11 May 2014–that requires passengers in public transport such as buses and vans to wear their seat belts."

 

Enforcing that one might save a few lives.

[masuk]

The compulsory annual vehicle check for all public vehicles will ensure the usual high standard of safety:  brakes, seat belts, exhaust pollution.

 

Duck!  here comes another pig!! 

[MichaelJohn]

It doesn't matter what size mini/micro/maxi buses they have it will still be;

- no safety maintenence

- no replacement tryres

- no control of driving hours

- no drug/alcohol tests

- etc etc

The bigger the bus the more people injured ....................

We'll be reading about this problem for many years.

[Bob12345]

It doesn't matter what size mini/micro/maxi buses they have it will still be;
- no safety maintenence
- no replacement tryres
- no control of driving hours
- no drug/alcohol tests
- etc etc
The bigger the bus the more people injured ....................
We'll be reading about this problem for many years.

The idea is that a bigger bus is slower and in case of an accident it will offer more protection. Although thats just bad for the car they hit as it will be crushed completely.

The slower part could also be done by speed-limiting software but that would require checks to make sure it will not be overwritten by the driver and police cant be bothered to do any work.

[alant]

2 hours ago, Samui Bodoh said:

Poor people take the mini vans.

 

If they were "good" people, they would own cars.

Poor people and unsuspecting tourists...

[bkkcanuck8]

2 minutes ago, alant said:

Poor people and unsuspecting tourists...

Just make it illegal for drivers to take tourists -- must take expensive taxi 

[alant]

1 minute ago, bkkcanuck8 said:

Just make it illegal for drivers to take tourists -- must take expensive taxi 

that will solve it with all the law abiding van drivers keen to comply 

[electric]

2,000,000 baht for a 21 seat mini bus seems pretty good value to me. It's not that much more than a fully equipped Toyota 15 seat van.

 

Not good news for Toyota though. They would be aghast at this new proposal. Their new van sales will go through the floor.

 

Would be really interesting to see what brand/layout/specs etc the Govt has in mind for these 21 seat new busses ? If they are proper half size tour coaches, then I think it's a beaut step in the right direction.

 

Unfortunately, 2,000,000 baht won't be enough for a quality mini coach.

[bkkcanuck8]

4 minutes ago, electric said:

2,000,000 baht for a 21 seat mini bus seems pretty good value to me. It's not that much more than a fully equipped Toyota 15 seat van.

 

Not good news for Toyota though. They would be aghast at this new proposal. Their new van sales will go through the floor.

 

Would be really interesting to see what brand/layout/specs etc the Govt has in mind for these 21 seat new busses ? If they are proper half size tour coaches, then I think it's a beaut step in the right direction.

 

Unfortunately, 2,000,000 baht won't be enough for a quality mini coach.

For a quality mini coach you would have to increase ticket prices many multiples of what it is now.

 

And then the question becomes -- if they do that then why have vans ... you would be back to taking an inter-city bus.

Edited September 14, 2017 by bkkcanuck8

[aussie11950]

1 hour ago, masuk said:

The compulsory annual vehicle check for all public vehicles will ensure the usual high standard of safety:  brakes, seat belts, exhaust pollution.

 

Duck!  here comes another pig!! 

They already do the annual inspection.

Thai style !

[trainman34014]

2 hours ago, Moonmoon said:

This government is all talk no walk. 

The only thing they are good at is adjusting attitudes thats all.

Oh; come on, they did get the price of Lottery tickets lowered !    Lol.

[LNKDES1]

4 hours ago, Samui Bodoh said:

Poor people take the mini vans.

 

If they were "good" people, they would own cars.

So what you're saying is, 'poor people' are not 'good people'? If that is the case, what an asinine thing to say, Mr Holier than thou.

 

[funandsuninbangkok]

 Vans don't kill people

Thai drivers do

[4MyEgo]

I say things are changing now, then tomorrow, I change my mind, same same

[thaibeachlovers]

3 hours ago, nausea said:

They might try starting with the little things, I occasional use the minivan and the seatbelts are tied up like Gordian knots.

 

" ... the Thai government has passed a new law–effective 11 May 2014–that requires passengers in public transport such as buses and vans to wear their seat belts."

 

Enforcing that one might save a few lives.

This article and the responses I have read ignore the one and only reason the vans are dangerous- the drivers are crazy, and drive like wannabe F1 drivers.

Easily solved by installing speed limiters on every van for hire.

[Bob12345]

Easily solved by installing speed limiters on every van for hire.

And just as easy to de-activate the speed limiter till your next van checkup.

Remember there is no working police force in Thailand.

[Bob12345]

So what you're saying is, 'poor people' are not 'good people'? If that is the case, what an asinine thing to say, Mr Holier than thou.
 

I dont want to be the one explaining jokes, but the "general consensus" in Thailand is that your wealth represents if you are a good person.

Rich people do no wrong and get a more lenient type of justice because the only way they can be rich is by being a good buddhist/person in their previous lives.

[Media1]

Very simply. This is not a real government and they are absolutely stupid and that's being kind. Whole Thai family's on bikes no helmets. No law enforcement enforced unless it's a farang. 

This story is simply they won't spend money on Thai people. No rubbish bins in streets. No council workers only on gardens with royalty. No electricity safety checks. In fact no nothing. Where's Thaksin bring him back.

[zydeco]

4 hours ago, bkkcanuck8 said:

Just make it illegal for drivers to take tourists -- must take expensive taxi 

I often take a minivan from Central World back out to around Central Pinklao.  It's easier to get a seat on one than find a taxi willing to go.  And it's only 30 baht.

[LNKDES1]

2 hours ago, Bob12345 said:

I dont want to be the one explaining jokes, but the "general consensus" in Thailand is that your wealth represents if you are a good person.

Rich people do no wrong and get a more lenient type of justice because the only way they can be rich is by being a good buddhist/person in their previous lives.

Quite the joke, but unfortunately not very funny.  And 'No', wealthy people get a more lenient type of justice because.......................... well, I think you know the answer to that one. 

[VBF]

Shouldn't the title of this thread be:

"What price safety human lives? Thai government in dangerous routine U-turn on passenger safety

[Ceruhe]

9 hours ago, webfact said:

has done what amounts to a dangerous U-turn on safety.

Had to stop reading there. Is this a double negatvie or something? Considering how safety-less this country is, making a U-turn on that, a dangerous one none the less, should mean Safety First might finally make it into the Top 5  Top 10 list?

 

Whatever they had planned was bound to fail from the get go anyhow, the basics aren't even covered yet to any acceptable degree.

[CantSpell]

5 hours ago, electric said:

Unfortunately, 2,000,000 baht won't be enough for a quality mini coach.

 

Maybe they are coming as freebies with the submarines... high quality