Removal of vans to proceed, despite strike threat

By KORNRAWEE PANYASUPPAKUN 
THE NATION

 

File photo

 

ABOUT 1,000 public-transport vans will be removed from Bangkok’s streets on October 1, as authorities stand firm by their 10-year age limit on the vehicles. They also insist passengers will not be affected.
 

The Land Transport Department (LTD) has already decided not to extend the licences of 954 vans which expire this year, despite the operators’ threat to go on strike. 

 

Operators petitioned Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha yesterday, asking him to consider extending the working life of vans from 10 to 15 years if the vehicles were still in good condition. 

 

They also threatened to withdraw some vans from October 1 if their proposal falls on deaf ears. 

 

 

“I don’t want to see passengers suffer from this. I want the government and the Transport Ministry to consider the request,” Srisuwan Janya, secretary-general of the Association for the Protection of the Thai Constitution, said. 

 

However, the LTD and relevant authorities insist old vans must be taken out of service to ensure public safety. 

 

Colonel Sombat Thanyawan, deputy commander of King’s Guard’s Second Cavalry Division, told a press conference at the Department of Land Transport yesterday that vans more than 10 years old must not be allowed to run on Bangkok streets because they are unsafe, pollute the air and are not insured, which leaves passengers at risk.

 

 

The fine for violating the ban is Bt200,000.

 

The LTD also says it would ensure that passengers are not affected by the operators’ threatened withdrawal of vans because it would provide buses from the Transport Company and Bangkok Mass Transit Authority (BMTA) if necessary. 

 

BMTA has already agreed to prepare buses for routes that 260 to-be-expired vans from the Victory Monument area are now operating. 

 

“We would make sure that there are enough buses, especially in the morning and evening rush-hours,” said LTD deputy director-general Cherdchai Sanunsrisakorn. 

 

 

There are currently about 5,000 vans operating on 170 routes within Bangkok and many connect the capital with nearby provinces such as Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani and Samut Prakan. 

 

Many people will be affected by the removal of vans, especially those travelling from/to Min Buri district, Rangsit and Victory Monument, said Cherdchai. 

 

He said that of the 954 vans expiring this year, 260 operated 11 different routes from Victory Monument, 191 vans (11 routes) from Min Buri, 28 vans from Rangsit and one from Chatuchak.

 

Cherdchai also said the Land Transport Department planned to stop more vans from registering as public vehicles and encouraged van operators to change to minibuses, which were safer for passengers. The van operators would be offered low-interest loans as an incentive to make the switch. The department expected that there would be no passenger vans left on the street by 2028, he said.

 

Operators explained that they were reluctant to buy new vans to replace old vehicles because several MRT/Skytrain lines were now being developed in Bangkok and adjacent provinces. The expanding train networks made the outlook uncertain for van services, they said.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30355146

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-09-25

1 hour ago, webfact said:

 

The Land Transport Department (LTD) has already decided not to extend the licences of 954 vans which expire this year, despite the operators’ threat to go on strike. 

 

Operators petitioned Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha yesterday, asking him to consider extending the working life of vans from 10 to 15 years if the vehicles were still in good condition. 

 

They also threatened to withdraw some vans from October 1 if their proposal falls on deaf ears. 

 

Let me get this right.

LTD wants to ban vans over 10 years old (974 this year, 4000 next year needing replacement).

Owners want to make it 15 years if vans OK.

LTD deadline is 1 October.

If LTD does not bend to owners demands they will go on strike.

 

Isn't that what the LTD wants? Did anyone think this through.

Imagine if you can the number of klms these vans have notched up in ten years, all with minimum maintenance. Scary.

Don't blame the drivers, blame the vans. Most pics I've sen here of fatals involving vans show vans that appear to be less than 10 yrs old.????

5 minutes ago, dinsdale said:

Don't blame the drivers, blame the vans. Most pics I've sen here of fatals involving vans show vans that appear to be less than 10 yrs old.????

Don't get confused with the mental age of the van drivers

24 minutes ago, DoctorG said:

Imagine if you can the number of klms these vans have notched up in ten years, all with minimum maintenance. Scary.

maintenance, what maintenance ?

So the age of vans is the cause of accidents rather than the poor driving ? I mean .. jeez


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2 minutes ago, markaoffy said:

So the age of vans is the cause of accidents rather than the poor driving ? I mean .. jeez


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No but the vans are too old to meet safety requirements. Next they need to put a limit on vans transporting students to and from schools! I've seen vans as old as 40 years used for that purpose and with no goddamn seat belts! 

6 minutes ago, markaoffy said:

So the age of vans is the cause of accidents rather than the poor driving ? I mean .. jeez


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Of course, remember the Thai Male ego, they are all plopleshanal dwivers.....

1 hour ago, dinsdale said:

Don't blame the drivers, blame the vans. Most pics I've sen here of fatals involving vans show vans that appear to be less than 10 yrs old.????

 

Your comment has no point. 

Of course the vans appeared to be less than 10 years of age because most them are.  Less than 20% are older than 10 years. 

The vans are finished after 10 years. It's called metal fatigue, obsolescence and end of  mechanical life. It is unrealistic to expected these low quality  vehicles to last more than 10 years. They start having issues after only a few years of heavy use. These are not the trams of Hong Kong which have been lovingly maintained by dedicated craftsman. 

Land Transport Control Board?

There is neither control over the coffins on wheels nor the emotionally disturbed 'drivers' high on yaba, and armed to the teeth.

Edited September 25, 20187 yr by Lupatria

1 hour ago, fullcave said:

I've seen vans as old as 40 years used for that purpose and with no goddamn seat belts!

Do you seriously belive that the kids would have used them, if there was seat belts installed?

1 hour ago, dinsdale said:

Don't blame the drivers, blame the vans. Most pics I've sen here of fatals involving vans show vans that appear to be less than 10 yrs old.????

What?  Its the drivers, many drunk most cant drive to save their lives.  good riddance. 

No matter what the age of the vans, just get rid of all the ones that emit that foul black smoke. After all, motor vehicle exhaust emissions are a significant source of pollution, including carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides and hydrocarbons. These pollutants can be harmful to human health and the environment and lead to the formation of ground level ozone (smog).

 

And while we are at it do the same to all other types of vehicles breaking the emissions law (and Thailand does have one), e.g.lorries, buses,  cars,  motorbikes and scooters.

 

But then this is Thailand and who gives a damn about the law.

16 minutes ago, Vacuum said:

Do you seriously belive that the kids would have used them, if there was seat belts installed?

To answer your question:

Edited September 25, 20187 yr by Lupatria

Hope the LTD sticks to its guns and doesn't back down.  But, instead of all these 1000s of vans clogging the streets, why not upgrade the absolutely horrible bus system with some modern air-conditioned buses.  All the buses I see are ancient; most look way older than 10 years.

What about other vehical. such as tut tuts,they are a smelly  noisy black smoke polluting vehicle and lot's look more then 10 year old. I do not use them .and there expensive . There small why not battery powered.

I always use the train for transport outside the city.I live in Hua Hin .0920 train from HP 44B. Arr HHin 13:30 hrs, no rush. Van from city 200B. 3-3.5 hrs. Train interesting journey. Many new refurbished stations. Food at

H /Pong station superb.

Good move by the LTD.

However, the fundamental problem of monkey-brained Somchai's driving the majority of public vans does not go away.

Only a miracle of human evolution can solve that.

 

Once a monkey-brained Somchai, always a monkey-brained Somchai..

 

 

There is a reason these minivans have a slang name of flying coffins - many of these drivers have no care for safety, its all about money above anything else.   On the Bangkok - Sattahiip - Rayong route, I regularly see the drivers at super high speed and jumping red lights constantly.

' Brakes failed ' is an issue quite common with minibuses , would all these buses with failed brakes be the ones over 10 yo ?  Or do 9yo minibuses on occasion suffer from 'Brakes failed ' syndrom ?  As I said when this first came up , I would rather leave myself in the hands of a driver who has had his minibus for 10 years and alway had it maintained with pride than a 20 yo who has borowed a new one for the day.

2 hours ago, geriatrickid said:

 

Your comment has no point. 

Of course the vans appeared to be less than 10 years of age because most them are.  Less than 20% are older than 10 years. 

The vans are finished after 10 years. It's called metal fatigue, obsolescence and end of  mechanical life. It is unrealistic to expected these low quality  vehicles to last more than 10 years. They start having issues after only a few years of heavy use. These are not the trams of Hong Kong which have been lovingly maintained by dedicated craftsman. 

I disagree.

Toyota commuters are very well built vans.

They are 'toyota tough'.

They run turbo diesels that can do a million kilometres.

Any I have observed have been their owners pride and joy and well maintained .

They are not cheap to buy.

 

The comment you reject  has a point.

And that is that it doesnt matter how well crafted any vehicle is if it is placed in the hands of a moron.

remove them all from everywhere.

 

execute the drivers.

 

next case.

 

1 hour ago, newnative said:

Hope the LTD sticks to its guns and doesn't back down.  But, instead of all these 1000s of vans clogging the streets, why not upgrade the absolutely horrible bus system with some modern air-conditioned buses.  All the buses I see are ancient; most look way older than 10 years.

View the LTD as an opening gambit; almost certainly there will be a compromise, taking a thousand vans off the road at one go would play havoc with commuting, even allowing for partial substitution by the BMTA, and after all, whatever happened to the ban on riding on pickup beds?

5 hours ago, Chang_paarp said:

Let me get this right.

LTD wants to ban vans over 10 years old (974 this year, 4000 next year needing replacement).

Owners want to make it 15 years if vans OK.

LTD deadline is 1 October.

If LTD does not bend to owners demands they will go on strike.

 

Isn't that what the LTD wants? Did anyone think this through.

The van drivers have had 10 years to save up for a new van....  they are just beefing about putting their hand in their pockets to update old models instead they want to flog them to death for another 5 years... then maybe another extension.!!!!

Get the old rubbish off the roads !!!

Just bulldozer them and also the Phuket TukTuks other cleaner solutions might pop up.

4 hours ago, fullcave said:

No but the vans are too old to meet safety requirements. Next they need to put a limit on vans transporting students to and from schools! I've seen vans as old as 40 years used for that purpose and with no goddamn seat belts! 

 

Doubt many vans actually make it to 10 years. 

its the idiot drivers that need to taken off the road

1 hour ago, Bangkok Barry said:

 

Seeing these photos proves to me that its endemic in Thailand not just in the more remote moo bans. It shows that thousands of Thais do not value there children and without thought or fear or love, expose them to danger and possible death daily. When its too late they cry foul.

7 minutes ago, michael walker said:

its the idiot drivers that need to taken off the road

They are not drivers they are money grabbing idiots