Despite The Danger, Reconciliation On The Roads Not Likely For Now

[Lite Beer]

Phuket Opinion:

Despite the danger, reconciliation on the roads not likely for now

PHUKET: The Phuket Gazette wishes Phuket's Land Transport Chief Teerayout Prasertphol the best of luck in his efforts to end the illegal practice of using salaeng (motorcycles with sidecars) to transport passengers

But we think we'll be seeing no reduction in the number if these cartoons on the roads – at least not during the current decade.

It is difficult to know exactly just how many salaeng there are on the streets of Phuket since the vast majority are unregistered and illegal, but as any Phuket motorist knows, the number is certainly high – and rising rapidly.

Another certainty is that despite taking up more than twice as much space as a normal motorbike, the few salaeng that are registered don’t pay one baht in extra road tax because there is no administrative mechanism to collect it under existing law.

Nor is it possible to collect any tax at all on the great majority of these 3-wheeled death traps because of their unregistered status.

Despite being unregistered, uninsured and almost universally unsafe, salaeng continue to be popular because they are the cheapest way to get people and cargo from point A to point B. A whole industry exists for manufacturing salaeng to customers’ individual specifications, and at least one well-known retail outlet in Phuket even has special parking spaces for them, as though they and their owner/drivers were privileged additions to our roads.

And maybe the run-of-the-mill three-wheelers are privileged indeed, in safety terms, when compared to the hundreds of “mobile restaurants” grafted onto motorbikes. We've all seen them wobbling their way down the road with vats of boiling oil bubbling away over gas bottles as red-hot charcoal cinders waft aloft. The potential dangers are far too numerous and well known to warrant listing here.

Police are quick to set up checkpoints and fine people for a variety of far less egregious traffic law violations, yet salaeng drivers are afforded a virtual carte blanche that somehow puts them in the same strata as high-ranking police officers or army generals when it comes to law.

How this strange situation developed runs part and parcel with Thailand’s political development, or lack thereof, in recent years. There is no question that a double standard exists for the upper echelons of Thai society and the poor. For the latter, the salaeng serves as a potent symbol, a fact not lost on the rich and politically powerful who use them without shame for campaign purposes to appeal to the masses.

Police have a clear understanding of the power of the salaeng as well, which is why existing laws regarding passenger transport are rarely enforced: the boys in brown do not want to be perceived as oppressing the poor.

Much has been said over the past week about national reconciliation. The real path to achieve this is to create a civil society where the same rules apply to all and no one is allowed to endanger others just because he or she has the misfortune to be poor.

-- Phuket Gazette 2011-07-17

[katabeachbum]

Dear Phuket Gazette

While you state it is illegal to sit in a sidecar, according to Section 121, passengers in a samlor (2-3 depending on model) MUST sit in sidecar or on bikes seat. Fine for not doing so, like sitting on the handlebar, is max 500 baht

Legally registered samlors pay an annual tax of 150 baht. The same bike without sidecar pays 100 baht. In comparison a Toyota Vios 4 door saloon pays 6-700 baht

Despite you considering these vehicles death-traps, they are manufactored, approved, legally registered, taxed as samlors and legally used on public roads.

If you desire to purchase a brand new legally registered one, have a look at Tiger Motors model Retro

I really would like to know the source of your story, as it is amazing

[LivinginKata]

when compared to the hundreds of “mobile restaurants” grafted onto motorbikes. We've all seen them wobbling their way down the road with vats of boiling oil bubbling away over gas bottles as red-hot charcoal cinders waft aloft. The potential dangers are far too numerous and well known to warrant listing here.

Could not have said it any better.

[stevenl]

Dear Phuket Gazette

While you state it is illegal to sit in a sidecar, according to Section 121, passengers in a samlor (2-3 depending on model) MUST sit in sidecar or on bikes seat. Fine for not doing so, like sitting on the handlebar, is max 500 baht

Legally registered samlors pay an annual tax of 150 baht. The same bike without sidecar pays 100 baht. In comparison a Toyota Vios 4 door saloon pays 6-700 baht

Despite you considering these vehicles death-traps, they are manufactored, approved, legally registered, taxed as samlors and legally used on public roads.

If you desire to purchase a brand new legally registered one, have a look at Tiger Motors model Retro

I really would like to know the source of your story, as it is amazing

All fine in theory, but in real life none, well maybe 3 on the whole island, of the samlor's are registered and legal.

[Mrjlh]

Here's the answer to the question on "legality" from the big boys.

http://www.phuketgazette.net/issuesanswers/details.asp?id=1214

[katabeachbum]

Here's the answer to the question on "legality" from the big boys.

http://www.phuketgaz...ils.asp?id=1214

you mean the small boys in Phuket

Tiger Retro is homoleg as a samlor, Phuket Department of Land Transportation can not choose to not register one, it is already centrally approved to be registered by any local DLT

just like registering a Toyota Vios, it automaticly comes up as a 4 wheeler to seat 5 in total

[katabeachbum]

Dear Phuket Gazette

While you state it is illegal to sit in a sidecar, according to Section 121, passengers in a samlor (2-3 depending on model) MUST sit in sidecar or on bikes seat. Fine for not doing so, like sitting on the handlebar, is max 500 baht

Legally registered samlors pay an annual tax of 150 baht. The same bike without sidecar pays 100 baht. In comparison a Toyota Vios 4 door saloon pays 6-700 baht

Despite you considering these vehicles death-traps, they are manufactored, approved, legally registered, taxed as samlors and legally used on public roads.

If you desire to purchase a brand new legally registered one, have a look at Tiger Motors model Retro

I really would like to know the source of your story, as it is amazing

All fine in theory, but in real life none, well maybe 3 on the whole island, of the samlor's are registered and legal.

we still need to separate between an illegal vehicle, which this crack down is not about

and the use of it, regulated by Section 121

according to PG it is illegal to sit in any sidecar. Not correct

While it is legal to sit in a sidecar, it is illegal to sit in the rearseat of 2+2 doors pickup and in the bed of pickups and in the back of lorries.

So whats it gonna be, ignore due to needed transportation or crack down on all in breach of vehicle/traffic codes?

[bubblegum]

Don't mind the side cars that much, as long as they have ample lights so you can see it is a side car. Such a shame most do not have these.

Sure poor people need this kind of tranportation but...... how much would it cost to put a light on?

[bunta71]

we still need to separate between an illegal vehicle, which this crack down is not about

and the use of it, regulated by Section 121

according to PG it is illegal to sit in any sidecar. Not correct

While it is legal to sit in a sidecar, it is illegal to sit in the rearseat of 2+2 doors pickup and in the bed of pickups and in the back of lorries.

So whats it gonna be, ignore due to needed transportation or crack down on all in breach of vehicle/traffic codes?

Rear seat of a 2+2 doors pickup??? Is this your way of saying a 4 door pickup? An extra cab pickup? Please clarify as different countries call things different names. One thing about the extra cab pickups here...no seatbelts in the back seat. Stupid is as stupid does mama always says...

[katabeachbum]

we still need to separate between an illegal vehicle, which this crack down is not about

and the use of it, regulated by Section 121

according to PG it is illegal to sit in any sidecar. Not correct

While it is legal to sit in a sidecar, it is illegal to sit in the rearseat of 2+2 doors pickup and in the bed of pickups and in the back of lorries.

So whats it gonna be, ignore due to needed transportation or crack down on all in breach of vehicle/traffic codes?

Rear seat of a 2+2 doors pickup??? Is this your way of saying a 4 door pickup? An extra cab pickup? Please clarify as different countries call things different names. One thing about the extra cab pickups here...no seatbelts in the back seat. Stupid is as stupid does mama always says...

4 door pickups are registered and insured for two seatrows usually seating 5 people

2 door, and open cab and smart cab and whatever names for the small suicide doors, general autoindustry desciption is 2+2 doors, are all registered and Insured with one seatrow seating 2-3. Thus no factory cushions in the back, thus no seatbelts, thus illegal to sit in the "rearseat"

Installing rearseats and seatbelts, Paying another 10% excicetax and 5-8 times the annual tax, a 2+2 door possibly can be approved by DLT to seat 5 in two rows

[evanson]

when compared to the hundreds of “mobile restaurants” grafted onto motorbikes. We've all seen them wobbling their way down the road with vats of boiling oil bubbling away over gas bottles as red-hot charcoal cinders waft aloft. The potential dangers are far too numerous and well known to warrant listing here.

Could not have said it any better.

These 'mobile restaurants' as you call them are the only way for many Thais to make a living above the lousy 140-180 baht pay they receive from being employed by someone else every day.

They can't afford to eat at Chez <deleted> and the like.

[Felt 35]

no one is allowed to endanger others just because he or she has the misfortune to be poor.

So great we are Phuketgazette, blame the poor....eh

A motorbike with a side wagon doing 40km/h can hardly do the same damage as Benz coming down Thepkasatri in 150km/h.

Even an uneducated idiot can get a car from Sarasin – Sapaanhin if he/she is careful and have a bit respect for others.

[seriouseats]

Can't we just make a deal with them?

take off the stevenl and his farang friend's saladaeng from the road and we can forget about the poor thai's trying to kill us with those demonic carts :jap:

Edited July 21, 2011 by seriouseats