Transport office exonerates Phuket visa-run service in fatal crash

[rooster59]

Transport office exonerates Phuket visa-run service in fatal crash 

 

An AoT van with yellow license plates waits at Phuket Airport. Photo: Yutthawat Lekmak
 

PHUKET: A legal loophole in vehicle registration allows visa-run companies in Phuket to freely continue their business unimpeded and excludes them from the ongoing transport-safety crackdown ordered by Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha, the chief of the Phuket Land Transport Office (PLTO) has revealed.

 

Key to the concerns is that PLTO Chief Sommai Sudkaow claims that his office is powerless to take action against visa-run companies for offering passenger transport to visa-run destinations as he claims his office has no evidence that foreigners using the service individually pay “fares” to be transported.

 

The news comes as the Phang Nga Land Transport Office reports they are investigating whether the KBV Visa Run van that crashed on Dec 21 – killing three foreigners and seriously injuring eight others – was carrying the correct registration for its purpose. (See story here.)

 

The van in the accident was registered as a private passenger van, not a commercial passenger vehicle.

 

To distinguish the two, private passenger vans are issued licence plates with blue writing on a white background, while commercial passenger vehicles, such as taxis, buses and many of the vans operating at Phuket International Airport, are fitted with yellow licence plates with black writing.

 

“After the accident, we went to investigate. The sign in front of the (KBV) office didn’t say that they have a transportation service for visa runs, it says ‘visa renewing service’, which perhaps means arranging documents,” PLTO Chief Sommai told The Phuket News.

 

“It doesn’t say obviously that the service is for ‘transporting people to go for visa run business’, so we cannot accuse them of that,” he said.

 

Full story: http://www.thephuketnews.com/transport-office-exonerates-phuket-visa-run-service-in-fatal-crash-60714.php#GvTCouw47aPo4FPm.97

 

 

 

-- © Copyright Phuket News 2017-01-22

 

 

[stevenl]

So if my diving service takes the guests to the boat in a van with white and blue plate that is allowed? After all we offer a diving service, not transportation service.

Sent from my ROBBY using Thaivisa Connect mobile app

[GiantFan]

Rubbish

[Somtamnication]

What a joke!

[Thaiwrath]

Irrespective of what licence they had, it is manslaughter.

[Jimi007]

 

Quote

The sign in front of the (KBV) office didn’t say that they have a transportation service for visa runs, it says ‘visa renewing service’, which perhaps means arranging documents,” PLTO Chief Sommai told The Phuket News.

 

Then why do you have to get in a van and transported if it "perhaps means arranging documents?" What a joke. Just put up a sign saying you're a service, not a visa run company and you're legal? 

[bokningar]

So the people that died was not really people. He can't prove that????? 

 

But I guess they have been arranging documents or at least TICK brown envelopes 

[edwinchester]

OP roughly translates to 'to be honest we don't give a shit'.

[Soupdragon]

My friend was one of the survivors from that crash. She left Thailand 2 days ago after a month in the hospital. If the police had interviewed her they could have established that she specifically paid the company to transport her to the border so 'she' could renew her visa. Voila proof.

 

I wonder why the police never thought of that.

[asiaexpat]

Just another way to save face and ignore their responsibility. 

[smedly]

all these vehicles whether transporting people who pay or don't pay is immaterial, they should all be classed the same and come under the appropriate regulations - they are vehicles that are very obviously  constructed to carry passengers in excess of 6 people and are owned and being operated by a business 

[Reigntax]

2 hours ago, edwinchester said:

OP roughly translates to 'to be honest we don't give a shit'.

 

And you can add.. because payment by brown envelope is all up to date and until otherwise we see no purpose in doing our job properly.

[Enoon]

 

They advertise a "Visa Renewing Service".

 

I would suggest that it is implicit in the offer to renew a visa (in fact the re-application in the case of single tourist visas) or commence a new METV entry that the client must to be transported as they themselves are required to leave the country and re-enter with their passport.

 

I thought the law demanded that.

 

It does not advertise a "Document Arranging Service" does it?

 

 

Edited January 22, 2017 by Enoon

[ChrisY1]

Obviously, there's some "influential" van owners......more of the same crap with these people acting as though Phuket is not part of Thailand....and I guess it almost is.....the cops are managed, jet skis are managed...!

[jimstar1]

What a Croc of shit I do not believe this Same in Chiang mai there are tons of them running around with Blue Plates like Crazy Bastards none have the correct Reg they are all carrying Passengers for Money

But as long as they keep handing over the Brown envelopes nothing will be done Come on P M open your Bloody eyes

[zyphodb]

BS semantics to cover  Hi So s running these dodgy rip off services...  nothing new... TIT

[AlQaholic]

How much did the company pay for that statement again?

[Headgame]

In law i.e. In most of the world, it is irrelevant what you call something, it only matters what it actually is.

 

The imagination could run wild with the possibilities of interpreting the Thai "rule". Easy one - a prostitute is not a prostitute if she / he is only providing sexual counseling services.

 

Feel fee to join in.

[Tchooptip]

Some plates are blue some plates are yellow but every envelopes are brown 

[cnx355]

7 hours ago, Thaiwrath said:

Irrespective of what licence they had, it is manslaughter.

 

The Land Transport Office established  that they have the propoer registration according to the law.

 

It t has nothing to do about the accident that is under investigation the police.

 

This is  2 different cases .

 

Even if you have the wrong plate or driver license, it does not means your have caused the accident.

 

 

 

[Lupatria]

3 hours ago, Soupdragon said:

My friend was one of the survivors from that crash. She left Thailand 2 days ago after a month in the hospital. If the police had interviewed her they could have established that she specifically paid the company to transport her to the border so 'she' could renew her visa. Voila proof.

 

I wonder why the police never thought of that.

I wonder how many family members in the "Service Provider's" family are cops.

[TheFishman1]

Understand payment has already been paid next TIT

[docspinoff]

so private or  commercial  !!!!! what ever use the van  should still have its own insurance to cover all passengers 

[SaintLouisBlues]

12 minutes ago, docspinoff said:

so private or  commercial  !!!!! what ever use the van  should still have its own insurance to cover all passengers 

There's a Thailand in a parallel universe somewhere that enforces those very things

[docspinoff]

A O T stanse for Air Ports Of Thailand  see link http://aot.listedcompany.com/

 

 

 states company so must be  Commercial    but seems more like comical !!!!

[jobwolf]

When I read this I am convinced if my instinct to leave is right. Just a few more unfinished things to do!!

[Phuketboy]

It shouldn't matter what license or registration the company had.  The driver killed and injured people.  Therefore, someone has to be made accountable.  

[evadgib]

4 hours ago, Soupdragon said:

My friend was one of the survivors from that crash. She left Thailand 2 days ago after a month in the hospital. If the police had interviewed her they could have established that she specifically paid the company to transport her to the border so 'she' could renew her visa. Voila proof.

 

I wonder why the police never thought of that.

 

Did the company help re med costs?

[Soupdragon]

Just now, evadgib said:

 

Did the company help re med costs?

 

Yes. I understand that pressure was brought to bear and an initial offer of 80K was upped to cover all costs which ran in to several 100K baht.

[Thaiwrath]

1 hour ago, cnx355 said:

 

The Land Transport Office established  that they have the propoer registration according to the law.

 

It t has nothing to do about the accident that is under investigation the police.

 

This is  2 different cases .

 

Even if you have the wrong plate or driver license, it does not means your have caused the accident.

 

 

 

 

I didn't say anything to the contrary.