Protesters defiant as older vans forced off roads

[snoop1130]

Protesters defiant as older vans forced off roads

By KORNKAMON AKSORNDECH 
THE NATION

 

 

A BAN ON COMMUTER vans more than 10 years old came into effect on Monday, with 1,000 such vehicles being taken out of service and with the Administrative Court rejecting a request by van operators and drivers for an emergency trial over the new law.

 

The judge on Monday dismissed their request for an emergency trial to force the Department of Land Transport to let them stay on the roads, said Association of Thai Constitution Protection Organisation secretary-general Srisuwan Janya, who led the group to hear the court’s verdict.

 

The court saw no need to urgently hold a trial. The lawsuit, filed on September 28 by 731 plaintiffs will now proceed at a normal pace, said Srisuwan, adding that the court could later order temporary measures to help alleviate the situation.

 

While waiting for the outcome of the lawsuit, the operators will proceed on other fronts to protect what they see as their rights, possibly by petitioning Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha and Transport Minister Arkhom Termpittayapaisith over the matter, he said. 

 

They would also sue the Department of Land Transport (DLT) director-general for a refund for the many drivers who had already paid to renew their public transport van registration and annual tax, along with their insurance and GPS fees worth tens of thousands of baht per driver, he added.

 

“The van ban is viewed as unfair and discriminatory because many other public transport vehicles that are over a decade old are still allowed on the roads,” Srisuwan said.

 

Rungreung Thongkham, the public relations official for the Upcountry Public Van Transportation Association, said the group would now seek remedial measures, including the cancellation of the authority’s requirement that operators shift from vans to minibuses.

 

She said a minibus costs Bt3 million and can take only 20 passengers while a van is Bt1.3 million and can carry 13. She also warned that, in the next two years, another 4,000 vans will be deemed “expired”, 2,000 vans in each of 2019 and 2020.

 

Meanwhile, the Victory Monument area in Bangkok, a major hub for people catching a van to go around the city or upcountry, was almost as busy as usual on the first day of the ban, as younger vehicles for the most part seamlessly filled the gaps left behind. 

 

Janya Sumsap, who runs the Tor 85 van service, said only eight of her 38 vehicles were more than 10 years old so the ban itself had little effect on her business. 

 

But many commuters mistakenly believed that all vans would be banned, she said, causing a noticeable drop in the number of passengers on Monday and meaning she only put 25 of her remaining 30 vans on the road. 

 

Apisamai Wimuktayan said she used the vans two or three times a week to get to and from her home in the Lat Krabang area – a 45-minute ride compared to the three hours it takes by bus. Apisamai agreed with the ban on older vans, but said the authorities should add more new vans to maintain the number available. 

 

During the transition period, the Bangkok Mass Transit Authority has air-conditioned buses plying six routes and charging the same fares as those charged by vans. 

 

There are currently 10 extra buses running between Min Buri and Chatuchak, Min Buri and Pakkred, Min Buri and Future Park Rangsit and Victory Monument and Thammasat University Rangsit, plus 20 between Victory Monument and Future Park Rangsit, and five between Victory Monument and Muang Thong Thani.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30355580

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-10-1

[z42]

As much as i sympathize the van owners, the years of shoddy and disgraceful driving alongside the outright horrendous catalogue of major crashes has put this spotlight on them.

Vans can run for much longer than 10 years if they are driven normally and well maintained, but there is too much evidence pointing to both of these things simply not being done.

I feel mostly for the commuters who are now going to feel the brunt of this policy that although is well intentioned, simply isn't appropriate while alternative modes are not readily available now

[mok199]

I'm sure in true thai lawlessness, they will find a way around this but, they could try .... ''Vintage van tour group''??..''Cocktail bars''?? '' Traveling fish spa's''??.....Right ...scrap metal is up I hear ..next..Lets get those beat up, worn out old tour buses off the road

[The Old Bull]

Problem is with the drivers not the vans.

[samsensam]

31 minutes ago, The Old Bull said:

Problem is with the drivers not the vans.

 

yes, and no; the drivers are undoubtedly a problem, but maintenance and servicing  of vehicles is often not effectively carried out.

 

also, same old story; no effective enforcement of laws and regulations.

 

 

 

 

[Tailwagsdog]

It seems a little unfair on some small biz people. Perhaps they could copy New Zealand where you need a warrant of fitness on your vehicle every 12 or 6 months that checks the brakes, tyres, lights & general road worthiness & emission control could be added. That allows everybody to win win. The testing is usually done in big government drive through centres takes 20 minutes and they get a pass sticker on their windscreen. Have to keep coming back until everything is right.

[impulse]

1 hour ago, Tailwagsdog said:

The testing is usually done in big government drive through centres takes 20 minutes and they get a pass sticker on their windscreen. Have to keep coming back until everything is right.

 

Though it sounds like a great idea, it probably won't work in a Kleptocracy.  Under the typical "silver or lead" incentive programs, the probability of corruption at such centers is just too high.

 

As arbitrary as it may sound, putting a definitive limit like 10 years is probably the fairest, and least likely to be gamed for backhanders.

 

[Cadbury]

9 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Protesters defiant as older vans forced off roads

Why can't they trade in their old van and buy a new one and get on with business and run that for ten years. That's what most people would do.

I understand this law only applies to Bangkok vans so I suspect there are plenty of cowboys out in the provincial areas who would buy the old van and run it into the ground without maintenance or destroy it by parking it hard up against a tree after falling asleep. I have some sympathy for the Bangkok van drivers given the law is selective based on location. But as it happens selective laws are commonplace in Thailand. 

[a977]

2 hours ago, Tailwagsdog said:

It seems a little unfair on some small biz people. Perhaps they could copy New Zealand where you need a warrant of fitness on your vehicle every 12 or 6 months that checks the brakes, tyres, lights & general road worthiness & emission control could be added. That allows everybody to win win. The testing is usually done in big government drive through centres takes 20 minutes and they get a pass sticker on their windscreen. Have to keep coming back until everything is right.

This is a good idea, the only problem is the people who run the show are susceptible to the old brown envelope. The other alternative is to use private garages but same same. You need a privately run show that uses qualified mechanics and who will uphold the regulations, that is if a tyre is below minimum tread depth you don't pass until you change tyre and so on.

[MaxLee]

Several Transportation Operators and its chief maintenance operators have messed up big time for decades and centuries, it appears....

[toofarnorth]

6 hours ago, Tailwagsdog said:

It seems a little unfair on some small biz people. Perhaps they could copy New Zealand where you need a warrant of fitness on your vehicle every 12 or 6 months that checks the brakes, tyres, lights & general road worthiness & emission control could be added. That allows everybody to win win. The testing is usually done in big government drive through centres takes 20 minutes and they get a pass sticker on their windscreen. Have to keep coming back until everything is right.

Too true , my Vios is more than 10 years old but it gets tested every year for lights , emmisions , wipers etc.  It should not be taken off of the road as it has been well maintained.  How many vehicles emmit smoke , how many have poor brakes  , thousands , I can only think they get their insurance /tax from back handers. As someone above said  , what about those 40yo Merc. green buses , millions of miles but still out there , ok they barely reach 50kph and more deaths every year in minibus/van events.  There , time to give the old banger a rub down  then on to the car.

[Tchooptip]

It is certainly not the age of a vehicle that determines its safety, some vehicles with brakes redone new suspensions and that all their lives have been well maintained with the oil changes on time are much safer than younger ones whose owners have never looked after anything.