Thai DLT to crack down on speeding vans and driver misbehavior

[lmaxv]

Well, that's nice: however, it's all about enforcement, isn't it... I don't ride in vans because of the recklessness I witness daily by drivers in such a big rush through busy areas with pedestrians, passing on hills and around blind curves. I often see these same vans 5 minutes later when i pull up to the next stop light...there they are, no further ahead than me!

[thaitakeaway]

You've all missed the point - it's the system, stupid. The faster a van goes the more money they make by end of day.

A week ago I came close to taking the cheapest ride to a morgue imaginable, a bargain at only 130 baht. The maniac driver had the gall to make a paper aeroplane with both hands while driving with complete abandon to vehicles around him, I kid you not.

[AlphMichaels]

The beauty of social media, like it or not, is that things gone bad for a citizen (just about anywhere) CAN be documented and then go viral. We live in exponential times; social media plays a significant role in our day-to-day lives now. Situations like this one on topic that was documented can effect change. Keep those mobile phones charged and running!

[wabothai]

Other than the srupid checkpoints i never see any police other than hanginy out in their offices. They need to be on the road and weed out the ........

[ALLSEEINGEYE]

1584 needs a crackdown of it's own. It is only in Thai and if you do not speak Thai then they will not help you. They will usually try and refer you over to the tourist police that will just refer you back to 1584. Very frustrating and a waste of time the way it is.

[Tiffer]

More people should put video clips of these Kamikaze van drivers on Youtube as its the only way to get things done here as its all about saving face by the authorities. I still see these mini bus drivers Not getting stopped at check points. They are the most offensive drivers on the roads in Thailand. They have no respect for fair paying passengers safety.

fair fare paying passengers maybe?

[ironbark]

I caught a minivan to Pai once. The driver was so bad, cutting corners and speeding I almost became a Christian.

[Jimbo2014]

There are so many crackdowns that I think Im going to crackup $_$

[quandow]

I sprinkled this article on my garden. My flowers grew better.

[freedom4life]

No gov't anywhere has no business RFIDing my plate on my car and it will be made to be dysfunctional regardless of their threats...they use legitimate reasons for more control and big-brother implementation...not on my watch you criminals.

[anon022]

About time - let's hope, that they keep the system up to par.

But it will take a lot of reader stations, the RFID chips are only readable within a couple of meters, with LF and up to MAX 100m with active LR devices. To be honest i think a GPS/GLONASS based solution is cheaper?

*Edit* Btw - its quite easy to clone the RFID chips, so if they put the chip in the number-plates, I think I have a "Thainess" based business idea

It says passengers are encouraged to report cases themselves, any time of the day or night, so it's up to all of us to monitor this abhorrent behavior and report it in the first place, and don't sit idle by.

[maidee]

oh no, soon we will also pay per kilometer? oh i forgot, you already do when you take the express way ... but during business hours, that is more like a very very slow way to go

sadly, taking a taxi, to the airport link, another taxi or skytrain, plus another taxi you end up spending & paying the same or more

[elgordo38]

if the police actually did what they were paid for and enforced the road laws this wouldnt be necessary. Police are never on the roads, the reason the western world has better road enforcement is due entirely to the police patrolling the roads and issuing fines etc on drivers that break the law. Here we never see them out of their offices, they could make an absolute motza for the govt if they started issuing fines to all those breaking the laws but that would entail having to do some work which seems to be something thai police have an aversion to.

Do not understand the word motza but if they started patrolling it sure would be more self enriching

[tgeezer]

I think it's clear that a raft of crackdowns under the current regime is like a new particularly strict headmaster enforcing rules in a school.

As soon as he leaves the room, usual behaviours will return.

What is needed is a mechanism to drive perpetual change.

The UK did it in the 70's with 'clunk click' and 'keep Britain tidy' seat belt wearing and rubbish awareness.

Australia did it in the 90's with drink driving public awareness campaigns.

The problem is that on taking power it was stated the task of the new govt was to set up a constitution and elections within a year.

Not only have they admitted this is not possible but they are also getting enmeshed in the day-to-day minutiae of running the country. One can only assume this is some kind of populist propaganda campaign to give the impression that they are actually doing something?

The mil. Government have done a lot for the average working Thai in Bangkok, they have removed the mobs and allowed people to go about their business. No yellow or red shirts and the assumption is that the army is yellow but it is possible that they are not and just want to see some order in all aspects of life. Edited December 12, 2014 by tgeezer

[Sydebolle]

In other countries speeding public vehicles are impounded and the driver as well as the operator financially "nicely reprimanded". Result is = zero speeding.
But here you get creamed by the BiB for 11 kms too fast with B3000 to avoid getting off the elevated highway to the police box in Bang Plee.
Just wait for a really nice accident to happen ..........

[kiwikeith]

More people should put video clips of these Kamikaze van drivers on Youtube as its the only way to get things done here as its all about saving face by the authorities. I still see these mini bus drivers Not getting stopped at check points. They are the most offensive drivers on the roads in Thailand. They have no respect for fair paying passengers safety.

Ive said it before on thai visa and I have been in one of them that smashed into another vehicle and kept going only to be chased by the vehicle he hit, then after a brief disscussion he jumped back in the van and continued lunatic driving.

After another hour of this and several more near misses ,nearly being killed as he was a complete lunitic did i give him a mouthfull and he slowed down the thai people in the back thanked me with big smiles my wife told me thai people will say nothing as the driver will loose face and drive even faster to piss them off even more.

Several of these lunatics have killed themselves and passengers all over thailand I have even written to the editor of the nation and the BK post who did not even reply.

I have also been in several where the drivers have been bolicked by other passengers its time these stupid lunatics were stopped but how ? is the question.

[Badrabbit]

More people should put video clips of these Kamikaze van drivers on Youtube as its the only way to get things done here as its all about saving face by the authorities. I still see these mini bus drivers Not getting stopped at check points. They are the most offensive drivers on the roads in Thailand. They have no respect for fair paying passengers safety.

Ive said it before on thai visa and I have been in one of them that smashed into another vehicle and kept going only to be chased by the vehicle he hit, then after a brief disscussion he jumped back in the van and continued lunatic driving.

After another hour of this and several more near misses ,nearly being killed as he was a complete lunitic did i give him a mouthfull and he slowed down the thai people in the back thanked me with big smiles my wife told me thai people will say nothing as the driver will loose face and drive even faster to piss them off even more.

Several of these lunatics have killed themselves and passengers all over thailand I have even written to the editor of the nation and the BK post who did not even reply.

I have also been in several where the drivers have been bolicked by other passengers its time these stupid lunatics were stopped but how ? is the question.

It will never be stopped just like everything else will never be stopped, their has to be an effective police force to bring about change, so no change is ever going to happen, very sad!

[climbertrev1]

More people should put video clips of these Kamikaze van drivers on Youtube as its the only way to get things done here as its all about saving face by the authorities. I still see these mini bus drivers Not getting stopped at check points. They are the most offensive drivers on the roads in Thailand. They have no respect for fair paying passengers safety.

I avoid them like the plague. I would rather travel by bus and take twice as long as by mini van.

The penalities need to be much harsher than those proposed. Drivers who flee the scene of an accident should automatically face a jail sentence. More than 3 speeding convictions in a 3 year period and they should face the prospect of having no license for a few months. Dangerous driving large fines, disqualification from driving, repeat offenders should face long jail terms.

[Kalbo]

Vulgar behaviour? Well I hope that is just a crap translation.

Yet again another bumbling attempt by those who apparently haven't a clue about road safety.

Ineffectively targeting one issue at a time especially as a knee jerk reaction to social media will never be an effective approach to raod safety.

It is of course a matter for concern that those in charge appear to be so out of touch that they consider this at all.

What is needed is a holistic approach that addresses ALL aspects of road safety.

This requires both finance and intelligence....... I see little of either so far.

Completely agree with you, a holistic approach is what is needed.

To be honest I think the Thai's should probably not try to reinvent the wheel. They should do some research and see how road safety is tackled by other countries with good safety records then simply bring back the parts that are enforceable.

They could start with the basics, driving tests, personal insurance, graphic road safety campaign for teenagers etc,,, in the UK if you are caught driving without insurance they now impound your vehicle by the roadside. You then have to go to the police pound and prove you have valid insurance and pay the fine before you can drive it away. I would do the same here, no license, no insurance, take the vehicle..

I'm being serious here when I say there would not be the room to store all the cars that would be impounded

[SPB65]

Not before time. Get the morons to remove the sound systems from their vans as well.

[cup-O-coffee]

Rather than reporting the minivan drivers (and they should be reported), there should be more emphasis on the lack of police presence on the freeways, as well as the ones who are infrequently seen driving erratically, too fast, too slow in the fast lane, changing lanes without signaling, tailgating, etc.

Sometimes I think minivan drivers are ex-coppers. Both drive the same way on a whim, without any care for others... and I don't even want to get into discussion about just about all the other idiots out there who beggar the mind when one must use the roads.

I've given up hoping and just drive defensively and with great care.

[Jim walker]

Mr. Weera has received appropriate disciplinary action by doing double shifts and ordered to do them in half the time, as these drivers are the finest in the world with no country coming near the quality regarding training customer care and with the knowledge to know if someone is not dead yet and able to cover every situation that may arise on the road from accident avoidance to first aid, they are just the best.

[Wilsonandson]

White vans that are used to ferry people about from one destination to the next are the bane of my life. They always overtake you then immediately slow down causing you to break hard to avoid smashing into the back of them. Cutting you off is a daily habit of these white van public buses. I hate them because one day when I'm not so vigilant driving I'm gunner end up in an accident with one.

[trainman34014]

No over excitement please; crackdowns normally last all of 48 hours !

[dcsw53]

I will bet that Mr Weera's employer is furious that he got caught. The buck stops with the company, impose realistic penalties like loss of licence ( Thai's will not understand this concept ) and significant fines and attitudes will slowly change.

It can be done. In the 1980's if you lost your licence for dring driving in the UK everyone felt sorry for you. In the 1990's you were regarded as a total dick for driving. Maybe things can change here if the deterrent is appropriate.

[Wilsonandson]

ban them for a year for wreckless driving and endangering the lives of pedestrians and otyer motorists. Make them take another driving test before they can drive again. White van bus man you are a deathtrap!!!!

[Alwyn]

Same statement every year after somebody complains hard enough. Nothing changes. Yje only company I know who is attacking the problem is a visa run company in Phuket. Their drivers are not allowed to be back in Phuket (from the Ranong run) before 7p.m. I did my one and only run with this company and the driver was professional, very professional. I mentioned about the maniacs over-taking us on blind bends and he was not very complimentary about them. On the other hand there were passengers urging him to drive faster as they "needed" to get back. He didn't.

[Usual Suspect]

Crackdown..Penalties..driver bans..words, just words..there's no law in this land to back-up/enforce any of this..the Xmas / N.yr holiday is coming up, this in itself sees a big increase in passenger numbers wishing to get home (& back)..so every van company will be going all-out to urge their 'drivers' to make haste..time IS money to them over this period more than ever.

We KNOW we're gonna read on here about 'tragic loss of life' etc over the festive/holiday period..& come January we all know there will be yet another 'crackdown' announcement..TiT.

[elektrified]

The last time my family and I took a minivan was from Victory Monument to Trad in March of this year. The driver drove at speeds up to 140 km/h, averaging 110 the whole time. (We were sitting directly behind him and watching the speedometer.) He often came up behind other cars, motorcycles, vans, buses, etc. within 2 inches of them forcing them over to the other lane, each time looking over at them and uttering "kwai!". If a motorcycle was crossing the highway up ahead he would slam the palm of his hand on the horn with no intention of slowing down. He would often take telephone calls on his mobile telephone, at times arguing with someone and drive with one hand on the steering wheel while he held his mobile with the other. A group of students in the back pleaded with him to slow down and told him they were afraid. He chuckled and kept on driving recklessly at 110+. My partner asked him 3 times if we could stop and take a bathroom break to which he refused. My seat belt was broken and there was not one available in the center for our child. When we got to Trad my palms were sweaty, my shirt was soaked and I had a stiff neck and I was a nervous wreck. I honestly thought we were going to die that day. My partner told him when we got out that he was a very dangerous driver to which he just laughed at her.

We will never take another minivan again in Thailand.

[gemguy]

I read that as flows:

The police force needs some extra money so they will enforce the laws ( why not many years before ) and look like they are doing what they should be doing but meantime there is a hidden agenda......Do you thinks so??

Cheers