Please enable JavaScript.
Coggle requires JavaScript to display documents.
Controversial public van ban takes effect (on the first day of the…
Controversial public van ban takes effect
on the first day of the government's ban
on Monday
on all public vans older than 10 years.
Commuters expressed
mixed feelings
At the
such as
capital’s main public van stations
Muang Thong Thani
Victory Monument
queues of commuters
waiting for vans were reported to be longer.
JS100 radio station
on Monday
warned
commuters living around Muang Thong Thani
at around 6.30am
that they could be late for work
due to the longer lines.
A passenger
travelling on a Min Buri-Victory Monument route
told the Bangkok Post
that she was not going to change her commute just yet.
"I've been planning to use the bus instead, but that means I'll have to wake up much earlier if I want to get to work on time. So I decided to wait for vans as usual,
added
"I agree with the measures, however, because several vans I've been on are too old to run safely"
Another passenger
at Victory Monument
also agreed with the ban.
However
she said
the government needed to provide better alternative solutions.
"I'm not sure what type of vehicle I will have to use now"
added
that the Ministry of Transport should work harder to provide information to commuters.
As a temporary remedial measure
the Department of Land Transport
Peraphon Thawornsupacharoen
told media
"We have also established a centre to take in emergency calls in case more buses are needed"
"In addition to the buses, we have instructed van operators to increase their rounds, something which they have gladly agreed to do"
after inspecting public van stations.
acting director of the DLT
Last Monday
the DLT announced
it would go ahead with the ban on public vans older than 10 years to boost safety.
also said
it will only be registering new minibuses to replace vans.
According to the DLT
there are over 12,000 registered vans now in operation. Some 248 vans countrywide have been decommissioned so far, and over 1,500 are set to be retired by year end.
or DLT
has deployed 65 buses
to provide services to commuters at van stations
such as
Chatuchak
Future Park Rangsit
Muang Thong Thani
Min Buri
Victory Monument
among others.
The department says
the last of the public vans will be decommissioned by 2028.
Van operators
have voiced anger
at the policy
complained that they cannot afford to buy minibuses.
asked for a compromise whereby renewals are granted on a case-by-case basis for vans that are well maintained.
Last Friday
public van operators
accompanied
by political activist Srisuwan Janya
said
the judicial fight is not over.
"If the government is going to continue with this, then there should be a common standard for all public transport vehicles if safety is the main concern
the secretary-general of the Association to Protect the Thai Constitution.
told the media
"Many old public buses are still allowed to run on roads despite being over 20 years old, so how is that considered safer?"
in April
had previously lodged
on behalf of 731 van operators for "unfairly" retiring vans older than 10 years and not introducing a remedial plan for passengers.
failed in an attempt to get the administrative court to order the DLT to halt the plan.