Land Transport Dept kicks off pre-Songkran inspections of public buses and their drivers

By The Nation

 

 

File photo

 

The Land Transport Department has started inspecting the drivers and condition of public transport vehicles at bus stations ahead of the long Songkran Festival holiday period in mid-April.

 

The period is notorious for a marked increase in road accidents due to much higher traffic levels as holidaymakers head upcountry. 

 

On the first two days of a “vehicle inspection for preparedness” initiative on March 15-16, a total of 25,636 buses, and their drivers’ sobriety and rest periods, were checked, but no flaws that could affect road safety had yet been found, deputy director-general Kamon Buranapong said on Sunday. 

 

 

A total of 11,612 buses were checked on March 15 along with their drivers, comprising 5,145 buses from Bangkok to other provinces and 6,467 inter-province vehicles.

 

A further 14,024 buses were checked on March 16 along with their drivers, comprising 6,751 buses from Bangkok to other provinces and 7,273 inter-province vehicles, he said.

 

The vehicle inspections – a Land Transport Department collaboration with the Office of Vocational Education Commission and related agencies, to be conducted at 195 transportation hubs and locations – form part of a Songkran 2019 road-safety campaign, which kicked off on March 15 with the main theme to get motorists “to drive slowly, turn on headlights and wear seat belts” and motorcyclists “to turn on headlights and wear safety helmets”, Kamon explained. 

 

Vehicle inspection is being carried out in three phases: the preparation period from March 15-21, the pre-Songkran period from April 4-10, and the Songkran period itself from April 11-17.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30366027

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2019-03-18

tell it to the parents of the 14 year old girl who was just killed on a bus today.

 

another victim of the do nothing Thai government and police.

Edited March 18, 20197 yr by NCC1701A

I hope the drivers are drug tested every time their vehicle is checked, doing one without the other is pointless imo  

46 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

On the first two days of a “vehicle inspection for preparedness” initiative on March 15-16, a total of 25,636 buses, and their drivers’ sobriety and rest periods, were checked, but no flaws that could affect road safety had yet been found,

Must just have been a quick look, to inspect 25,636 buses,in 2 days and no flaws found ????,best check the drivers just before

they leave on their journey ,if they are really serious about curbing deaths on the roads.

regards worgeordie

The usual nonsense with stationary vehicles so officials can pretend their job is done. As we are all aware collisions (not accidents) happen when vehicles are on the move, when they are overtaking on corners, speeding through built up districts, driving close enough to look like they are being towed. Enough years have passed for us all to realise they just wont do their job properly.

1 hour ago, snoop1130 said:

The vehicle inspections – a Land Transport Department collaboration with the Office of Vocational Education Commission and related agencies,

Inspected for what .? Up to date luckee no crash amulets ..

Office of Vocational Education Commission and related agencies .!

Why they just get a Dept of Transport with enforcement division .. 

Never been in a van yet where the seat belt were working

10 hours ago, Justgrazing said:

Inspected for what .? Up to date luckee no crash amulets ..

Office of Vocational Education Commission and related agencies .!

Why they just get a Dept of Transport with enforcement division .. 

Brakes?

To thoroughly check a vehicle for road worthiness, would, in my opinion, require a pit inspection, at an authorised testing station, and a road test, taking a total time of about 3 - 4 hours per vehicle! Clearly all that the "inspectors" did was look at the outside of the bus, and ask the driver, "Is everything ok?" It's the same at police road checks, they never give the vehicle even a cursory check for bald tyres, corroded bodywork etc., only tax disk and licence!


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A total of 11612 buses inspected in one day? Absolute BS.

So it was a case of just walking past a bus, yes that looks ok.

12 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

marked increase in road accidents

I believe the accident total may be slightly less than every other day during Songkran due to extra policing.

12 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

their drivers’ sobriety

Sobriety can change abruptly - a couple ya ba pills or a few shots of Lao Khao just before getting behind the wheel renders this inspection, one month in advance, useless.

 

12 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

condition of public transport vehicles

500 baht to the inspector should give a clean bill of health!

20 minutes ago, graemeaylward said:

To thoroughly check a vehicle for road worthiness, would, in my opinion, require a pit inspection, at an authorised testing station, and a road test, taking a total time of about 3 - 4 hours per vehicle! Clearly all that the "inspectors" did was look at the outside of the bus, and ask the driver, "Is everything ok?" It's the same at police road checks, they never give the vehicle even a cursory check for bald tyres, corroded bodywork etc., only tax disk and licence!


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25,636 vehicles safety inspected in 48 hours - very efficient. Hmm, 25,636 x 500 baht is a considerable windfall for the inspectors - the luxury car dealers will be delighted.

12 hours ago, Lungstib said:

The usual nonsense with stationary vehicles so officials can pretend their job is done. As we are all aware collisions (not accidents) happen when vehicles are on the move, when they are overtaking on corners, speeding through built up districts, driving close enough to look like they are being towed. Enough years have passed for us all to realise they just wont do their job properly.

Some jurisdictions in other countries have quit using the term accident and have adopted the term incident.

Amazed at there are any upright ones left to inspect ????

13 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

A total of 11,612 buses were checked on March 15

I think the inspection would have amounted to "kicking the tyres".

regards Worgeordie

Just now, worgeordie said:

I think the inspection would have amounted to "kicking the tyres".

regards Worgeordie

Nah, That requires effort.

So,  just a quick tick in the correct box of the paper work,   and on your way. 

Carry on Thailand. 

 

no brake failures then

25thousand Buses Safety checked and found them all ok. first of all it takes  more than 2 days to do a proper safety check on all of them.I don't believe that there was Absolutely nothing wrong with the 25 thousand buses, not even an indicator or Brake light fail/ or a bold tyre or needed Brake adjustment 

????

9 hours ago, graemeaylward said:

To thoroughly check a vehicle for road worthiness, would, in my opinion, require a pit inspection, at an authorised testing station, and a road test, taking a total time of about 3 - 4 hours per vehicle! Clearly all that the "inspectors" did was look at the outside of the bus, and ask the driver, "Is everything ok?" It's the same at police road checks, they never give the vehicle even a cursory check for bald tyres, corroded bodywork etc., only tax disk and licence!


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Seemingly, stationary checkpoints are employment for the unqualified, doing the unnecessary and do nothing to reduce roadway fatalities.

I don't know about any other readers but I can not believe this statement from DLT.

"A total of 25,636 buses, and their drivers’ sobriety and rest periods, were checked, but no flaws that could affect road safety had yet been found"