Hefty fines for vans older than 10 years running passenger services

[ChrisY1]

51 minutes ago, watcharacters said:

 

Singapore has pretty good control over older vehicles they want off the road.

 

No reason Thailand couldn't manage the same program.

 

 

 

The Singapore government is smart.....

[jlwilliamsjr18]

Well, lets add this to the list.

Following speed limits.

Functioning seat belts.

No Drivers texting or on phone calls.

Properly trained and licensed drivers.

I'll stop here. 

[Assurancetourix]

And nothing about almost all line buses that are mostly between 40 and 50 years old;
Gearbox has 4 sometimes 5 ratios;
never seen an electric relay or overdrive;
none of these vehicles is equipped with an electromagnetic retarder like a Telma, a French company that manufactures speed bumps functionat on the principle of currents Foucauld
https://www.telma.com/produits/fonctionnement;
When I drove my coach in 1971, almost 50 years ago, it was a 110 HP Chausson !! I had already a Telma on it ...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Société_des_usines_Chausson

 

We can also see a lot of coaches with a Padane body, it's or was an Italian coachbuilder;
the problem of these bodies is that at the joints between scrap metal and windows, it is not waterproof and passengers are wet and even sometimes dipping down the bus after a violent storm.

[30la]

This is really a great joke, I saw in Thailand a lot of big buses for more than thirty people, songtaew, really old school buses, rusty with tires without profile and probably without any inspections that run undisturbed and full of passengers! A law valid for all means used for transporting people would be an improvement (provided that it is then enforced)!

[Pedrogaz]

3 hours ago, Dumbastheycome said:

If that regulation extends  to school transport then my neighbor could have a problem. He uses an old Isuzu that has to be at  20 years old!!

Every vehicle (and I use the term loosely) ferrying school kids to school each day is older than 20 years in my town.

[farang63]

we would have to impose by law these limitations for pick-up trucks Bus motorcycle tractors and other vehicles, which are too old and smoke and pollute very much,

[connda]

3 hours ago, Nowisee said:

Amazing how they focus on the age of the van, as if that has played in any of the magnificent accidents that have occurred with the infamous "vans of death".

Deflecting blame has won out again over reality. 

 

 

Don't you know?  The brakes go out all the time on vans older than 10 years!  

[ebean001]

Simple question...what do you consider safer 1. a well maintained van that is 10 years old, 2. a not so well maintained (maybe even 0 maintenance) van 5 years old

[connda]

I wonder who in the government made the decision to just target vans and not other commercial vehicles that carry passengers...and why?  Follow the logic to these decisions and there is usually a pile of money at the end for someone in the decision chain imho.

 

Then there is the question as to why smoke belching buses and trucks are not being forced off of the roads.  

 

The is all very peculiar.  ????
Vans - but not these?  Why?

[Vacuum]

7 minutes ago, connda said:

Follow the logic to these decisions and there is usually a pile of money at the end for someone in the decision chain

[Dario]

Now: what is a van and what is a minibus? I have (probably wrongly) always considered vans and minibuses to be the same. Is a Toyota Commuter a van or a minibus?

[carabaothai]

I don't understand this new rule.

If they have real drivers who don't drive 16h a day.

If maintenance is good, and if the van is really checked every year by the authorities, the age is not a problem.

The fare will be more expensive for people who need these vans 

[Vacuum]

2 minutes ago, Dario said:

Now: what is a van and what is a minibus? I have (probably wrongly) always considered vans and minibuses to be the same. Is a Toyota Commuter a van or a minibus?

Same same.

[biggles45]

Or the operator can just pay 10% of the possible fine to the cops who stopped him ! Much more likely outcome

[CGW]

2 hours ago, ChrisY1 said:

The Singapore government is smart.....

Smart or "controlling"? the social divide in Singapore is huge, it is also very small! less area than great Bangkok.

[CGW]

47 minutes ago, connda said:

Then there is the question as to why smoke belching buses and trucks are not being forced off of the roads.  

I have long wondered why also, appears that the "unions" that are responsible for "trucking" are very well connected and paying the right people, if anyone knows better please correct me?

[hotchilli]

4 hours ago, essox essox said:

how does a person entering a van KNOW the age of it??

Battle scars are a give-away !!!!

????

[Bundooman]

4 hours ago, GBW said:

Now all they have to do is enforce the regulations. Hmmmmmmmmmm........

Exactly! More specifically:

• What is the detailed, step by step planning behind the enforcement of this regulation?
• Where are these plans kept and how are they to be distributed nationwide?
• How is it to be implemented, carried out and enforced?
• Is the plan to be implemented daily, on all roads, at all times, day and night and for how long?
• Who are the enforcers of this plan going to be?
• Do these enforcers know it is their job and responsibility to enforce these rules?
• How are these enforced rules to be checked for compatibility nationwide?
• Who is going to ensure that brown envelopes are not handed to the enforcers?
• Who is going to check that this isn't the case?
• Who, exactly, will be monitoring the enforcement?
• What will happen to the vehicles found to be 'over' the age limit?
• Have arrangements been made to ensure that these vans cannot be used again and again after enforcement?
• What charges will be brought against those who continue to drive overage vans?
• What punishment...…...
• ………….

And so the planning stage, presumably already completed, is now to be launched against the public.

Hahahahahahahahahaha

Can't wait to see how many old vans pass me every morning and every evening of every day - over the next few days/weeks/months/years......

[johng50]

ban all vans AND drivers. full stop. get trained competent drivers and government registered buses and strictly enforce the laws would be a start, Woops sorry just woke up, must stop having pro-active dreams.

[PhoSai]

Change the word "fines" to bribes and that will be more accurate. 

[sandrabbit]

These minibuses need 2 doors for the rear passengers because if the van rolls on to it's left side then the exit is face down in the road etc.

[sandrabbit]

1 hour ago, Dario said:

Now: what is a van and what is a minibus? I have (probably wrongly) always considered vans and minibuses to be the same. Is a Toyota Commuter a van or a minibus?

By UK definition a minibus has passenger seats and windows, a van only has seats & windows at front and steel panels instead of windows on the sides with the interior empty for the carriage of goods. 

 

 

[Chongalulu]

4 hours ago, watcharacters said:

 

Singapore has pretty good control over older vehicles they want off the road.

 

No reason Thailand couldn't manage the same program.

 

 

 

Plenty or reason why not. Singapore has highly educated,intelligent civil servants,government officials and a rule of law - Thailand has nothing even resembling that.

[kcpattaya]

Haha... yet another Mickey Mouse idea...

They never learn?!

[Naamblar2014]

4 hours ago, Dumbastheycome said:

Yes. A very old  people  mover . He packs in about 15  small children.

The moral test of government is how that government treats those who are in the dawn of life, the children; those who are in the twilight of life, the elderly; those who are in the shadows of life, the sick, the needy and the handicapped.”

Shame on the drivers for this selfish act and the government for not seriously enforcing this long time implemented policy.  These vans should be off the road already.

[geoffrobbo]

Even a brand new van can suffer from the inevitable "my brakes failed" when the driver is driving too fast, not paying attention, texting on his mobile phone or falling asleep from driving too many hours. Yes, I am sure this regulation is going to reduce road deaths !!

[Srikcir]

7 hours ago, rooster59 said:

any violation by operators will result in 50,000 to 200,000 baht fines.

Why is the fine variable when the criteria 'older than 10 years' is fixed?

Maybe there's an operational reason

7 hours ago, rooster59 said:

limiting the maximum age of vans serving passengers on regular routes

• If the van spends 50% miles serving regular routes and 50% miles serving irregular routes that the fine will be prorated to half the maximum fine accordingly?
• Is the fine variable based on the operator's "connections" and/or ability to make some personal 'contribution' to the authorities?

Consistent law enforcement requires predictable punishments for violations. A fine spread in this case of up to 400% does not encourage consistent adherence to the law. If a fine is 'negotiable," the law is negotiable.

[ignis]

3 hours ago, connda said:

I wonder who in the government made the decision to just target vans and not other commercial vehicles that carry passengers...and why?  Follow the logic to these decisions and there is usually a pile of money at the end for someone in the decision chain imho.

 

Then there is the question as to why smoke belching buses and trucks are not being forced off of the roads.  

 

The is all very peculiar.  ????
Vans - but not these?  Why?

Read the other day  EGAT  [Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand] are converting old Buses and Mini Buses to Electric power...   and opening 23 charging stations...    ??

[JAG]

1 hour ago, sandrabbit said:

By UK definition a minibus has passenger seats and windows, a van only has seats & windows at front and steel panels instead of windows on the sides with the interior empty for the carriage of goods. 

 

 

Hmh, but here in Thailand the term "van" refers to what in the UK would be called a "minibus" - here the "minibus" they propose to use are actually small buses as opposed to vans...

 

I hope that makes it clear!????

[Destiny1990]

What is the difference for a passenger crashing into a thick tree with 130 km an hour with a 5 year old or a 11 year old Van?