Thailand Doubles Down on Dirty Diesel: Trucks, Buses Inspected

[snoop1130]

Picture courtesy of KhaoSod

 

In a determined push to reduce air pollution, Thailand's Department of Land Transport (DLT) has intensified inspections of truck and bus emissions. As of February 24, nearly 1,000 vehicles have been temporarily banned for failing to meet emission standards.

 

DLT Director General Jirut Wisalchit announced that the current efforts are part of a broader strategy by the Ministry of Transport to combat harmful PM2.5 pollution. In just one day, 515 vehicles were tested, and four exceeded the emissions threshold.

 

 

Since October 1, a total of 68,694 vehicles have been inspected nationwide, leading to 909 being banned for excessive emissions. Owners must repair and re-inspect their vehicles to return to the roads legally. Failing to comply could result in legal action, reported The Thaiger.

 

Residents play a crucial role in this initiative by reporting smoke-belching vehicles. They can report violators by calling the 24-hour hotline 1584, messaging via Line at @1584DLT, visiting the Facebook page "1584 Public Transport Complaints," or through the website http://ins.dlt.go.th/cmpweb/. Your participation helps keep Thailand’s air clean!

 

-- 2025-02-25

 

 

[Sir Dude]

Just cube the worst offender's vehicles instantly on the side of the road at inspection stops.

[richard_smith237]

2 minutes ago, Sir Dude said:

Just cube the worst offender's vehicles instantly on the side of the road at inspection stops.

 

Indeed....   Park them out of the way... 

 

BUT... the issue is so many public busses too... 

 

Lorrys, delivery trucks, public busses - so many of them belching out horrific fumes and they have been doing so for decades.... 

 

Firstly, public vehicles (busses) are never stopped, because they are simply public vehicles...  so who's to blame there ?...    public officials of course, but there's no money to get cleaner busses... so the same old fume bleching non-AC busses are kept running.... 

 

.... So, how did the beaten up old lorries get away with this over the past decades throughout all the 'other crack-downs' ???

 

Simple....  'Stickers' !!....   And if that seems odd to you, then the explanation will highlight the depth of the systemic graft involved ingrained in every facet of Thai society... 

 

Policemen (at checkpoints) are paid off and in return they issue a 'start-sticker' to be displayed on the truck windscreen which identifies that they have 'paid up'....

 

 

https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2681949/sticker-on-truck-to-be-probed

 

https://aseannow.com/topic/1311702-police-chief-says-won’t-tolerate-truck-sticker-bribery/

 

[ikke1959]

Waaw a crackdown again for 2 days and than business as usual... Drive around and see how many black smoke cars drive around and nobody cares... Just a simple new filter and problem solved, but if there is no enforcement no awareness  and no need to change why do it??

Checking if tax is paid is more important

[hotchilli]

12 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Since October 1, a total of 68,694 vehicles have been inspected nationwide, leading to 909 being banned for excessive emissions. Owners must repair and re-inspect their vehicles to return to the roads legally. Failing to comply could result in legal action,

And there's the problem

[jcmj]

Well they certainly haven’t been to Pattaya yet. Doesn’t help the fact that they “may be fined”. They should be taken off the roads, fined and not released until they get it fixed and signed off on, but hey TIT

[rwill]

I've always wondered how all those pickup trucks that bellow black smoke when they accelerate pass the annual smog check.

 

[Ralf001]

2 minutes ago, rwill said:

I've always wondered how all those pickup trucks that bellow black smoke when they accelerate pass the annual smog check.

 

 

I roll coal in my daily pickup... it is only 4 yrs old, no annual inspections until it is 7.

[rwill]

1 minute ago, Ralf001 said:

3 minutes ago, rwill said:

I've always wondered how all those pickup trucks that bellow black smoke when they accelerate pass the annual smog check.

 

 

I roll coal in my daily pickup... it is only 4 yrs old, no annual inspections until it is 7.

I am aware of that exemption but most of these vehicles are already past the 7 year mark.

[Ralf001]

5 minutes ago, rwill said:

I am aware of that exemption but most of these vehicles are already past the 7 year mark.

 

Iam aware some are older than 7 years... but many are not.

[Presnock]

7 minutes ago, Ralf001 said:

 

I roll coal in my daily pickup... it is only 4 yrs old, no annual inspections until it is 7.

I'm not sure if you are telling the truth as you believe it or just ignoring the laws.  Unless it is a very special pickup, then yearly inspection is required to renew the sticker.

[Ralf001]

Just now, Presnock said:

I'm not sure if you are telling the truth as you believe it or just ignoring the laws.  Unless it is a very special pickup, then yearly inspection is required to renew the sticker.

 

There is no yearly inspection required until the vehicle (pickup/car) is 7 years old.

[Presnock]

Just now, Ralf001 said:

 

There is no yearly inspection required until the vehicle (pickup/car) is 7 years old.

well being the owner of vehicles from early 2000 until recently, I had to have my vehicle inspected every year in order to get a new sticker and googled the inspection of vehicles in Thailand and it states yearly too for pickups and cars.  

[johng]

New vehicle's don't need a yearly inspection...The reason they spew black smoke is that the owner has had them modified  to produce more horse power ,noise,smoke and "street-cred"

[JimHuaHin]

The annual 1 day or 1 week crackdown.   Status quo will return shortly.

[Ralf001]

28 minutes ago, Presnock said:

well being the owner of vehicles from early 2000 until recently, I had to have my vehicle inspected every year in order to get a new sticker and googled the inspection of vehicles in Thailand and it states yearly too for pickups and cars.  

 

And how many of them were under 7 years old ?

[ChaiyaTH]

I can remember reading that 13 years ago, around the coup as well, many other times... Meanwhile in Vietnam they changed like almost all public busses to VinFast electric busses with AC, USB chargers and free wi-fi... (during covid). Is actually the only place I use the bus regular in SE asia, hanoi.

[Presnock]

14 minutes ago, Ralf001 said:

 

And how many of them were under 7 years old ?

all.

[Ralf001]

Just now, Presnock said:

all.

 

well... you was getting stooged then... are you are telling porky pies.

 

It has always been 7yr for cars (5yr for bikes).

 

I bought my first (new) car when I moved to Thailand in 2005.

 

current have 3 vehicles over 7 and 2 under 7.

 

3 over require yearly inspection.

[WHansen]

2 hours ago, Presnock said:

well being the owner of vehicles from early 2000 until recently, I had to have my vehicle inspected every year in order to get a new sticker and googled the inspection of vehicles in Thailand and it states yearly too for pickups and cars.  

You are having your pants pulled down mate. As has already been said, pickups and cars are due an inspection after it reaches 7 years old, bikes and scooters is 5 years.

[worgeordie]

17 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

In just one day, 515 vehicles were tested, and four exceeded the emissions threshold.

4 out of 515 , unbelievable , last time I was getting my truck tested in MOT testing station

there was this old, very old truck , very bad condition ,maybe carrying fish or ice , it was

rusted to bits , then they did the smoke test part , the whole place was filled up with thick

black smoke ,  I am thinking no way is he getting a pass,...I was wrong ,

 

regards worgeordie

[watchcat]

12 hours ago, ikke1959 said:

Just a simple new filter and problem solved, but if there is no enforcement no awareness  and no need to change why do it??

 

What "filter" would that be?

[ExpatOilWorker]

[metisdead]

An off topic post and a reply has been removed.

[Moonlover]

13 hours ago, ikke1959 said:

Just a simple new filter and problem solved,

Unfortunately it is rarely that simple. The real offenders are old clapped oil burners that have never seen the inside of a workshop since the day they took to the roads.

 

Yes, there are annual inspections, but as we saw with the burnt out bus incident, the 'inspection consists of an exchange of the readies.

[Moonlover]

32 minutes ago, ExpatOilWorker said:

Quite obviously this is NOT an exhaust emissions issue. That's the result of a coolant problem.

[Purdey]

I once read the diesel engines are clean if well maintained. I like diesel powered vehicles as they are cheap and easy to maintain. 

Royal Enfield Taurus Diesel Motorbike