Bangkok's public transport reorganisation to bear fruit end of July: First Army

[webfact]

First Army says public transport reorganisation to bear fruit end of July



BANGKOK: -- First Army Region commander insisted that the National Council for Peace and Order’s (NCPO) efforts to regulate public transport and wipe out mafias extorting money from drivers will bear fruit by the end of the month.

Lieutenant General Thirachai Nakwanich, the commander of the First Army Region, declared his determination to reorganise public transport services at the second meeting yesterday to address the long standing problem of public transport in the country.

The three main issues to be tackled are motorcycle taxis, taxis and passenger vans.

Lt Gen Thirachai stressed that all measures must be in place by no later than July 31.

With regards to the passenger vans which are not commercially registered, such as those with black or blue colour registration plates, the general stated that they will be given a leniency period of one month but must then be registered correctly as commercial vehicles and must bear yellow colour registration plates only.

By law, such vehicles are allowed to carry no more than 15 passengers and all seats must be equipped with safety belts.

The problem of very expensive motorcycle queue vests will also need to be tackled as soon as possible, he said.

These vests are illegally issued by influential people or mafias to motorcycle taxi queues and are sold on to new owners at exorbitant prices.

This in turn results in expensive fares being charged on passengers in order to recoup the expense.

Accordingly Lt Gen Thirachai stated that motorcycles queues currently operating will be allowed to transport passengers as usual but must register their vehicles as commercial vehicles in accordance with the law by the end of the month.

Similarly, taxis not registered as commercial vehicles must do so as soon as possible. In the foreseeable future, all public transport vehicles will be identified by yellow colour registration plates.

Source: MCOT

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/first-army-says-public-transport-reorganisation-bear-fruit-end-july/


-- Thai PBS 2014-07-02

[chainarong]

We now are coming up to speed in this area, however once again this needs to be on-going 24/7 365 , this I see as the stumbling block, maintaining the rage is not a virtue of Thai's , especially when there is nothing in it for them, I will be pleasantly surprised if this is still in operation in September.

[taony]

Good job, end of July is long enough for everyone to forget and there won't be any questions asked on how its going.

[jackinthebox]

What do you think - would it be (technically) possible to rig a motorcycle with an official (i.e. calibrated and plumbed) meter?

BTW this is what german police uses for test if you have (illegaly) engine-tuned your scooter - should work on the front-wheel for speedometer too...