Say goodbye to passenger vans in six months

Replacing the many vans that clog Bangkok streets with fewer & safer micro-buses now to take 6 months, not several years as previously planned.

TRANSPORTATION 

Say goodbye to passenger vans in six months 

Passenger vans providing transportation services between Bangkok and the provinces will be replaced by small 20-seat micro-buses within 6 months.

The new accelerated plan announced by the Land Transport Department on Thursday replaces the previous plan to phase out vans over a much longer period from 2019 to 2021.

POTENTIAL PROBLEMS WITH NEW POLICY 

There are, however, several potential problems with the new policy.

First, micro-buses are more expensive than vans which might mean fares might have to increase to offset the higher costs. This would have a negative impact on commuters.

Second, unlike vans micro-buses are not locally assembled in Thailand and would have to be imported, adding to costs and delays. The long-running imported Bangkok firetruck scandal and the recent scandal surrounding the importation of Bangkok buses shows the sort of difficulties that can arise (see here). 

Third, most commuter vans are run by small operators or even one person who owns their own van. All these people will lose their livelihood in six months under the new policy. Like taxi drivers in the past, this group of small business people could be a potent political force opposing the policy. 

BENEFITS OF NEW POLCIY 

First, small commuter vans are not designed for long-distance travel and have a higher accident rate than buses. Using buses rather than vans should  reduce the number of horrific accidents like the recent New Years tragedy in Chonburi in which 25 commuters died.

Second, since vans are mostly owned by small operators and drivers earn their money according to the number of trips and passengers, there is a tendency to overload vans with passengers and cram as many people as possible into vans beyond safe limits even if passengers have to stand during the trip (see here & here). 

There is also to tendency to travel at unsafe speeds over the speed limit so that the driver can make many trips and earn more money. Employing drivers as salaried employees driving buses and enforcing strict regulations on safe driving and work hour limits should overcome these problems (see here).    

Third, micro-buses instead of vans means there will be fewer vehicles on the road creating traffic jams and law enforcement difficulties. Getting Bangkok traffic to flow smoothly, reducing traffic congestion and ultimately reducing commute times was the reason why vans were moved from Victory Monument to Bangkok's bus stations (see here, here & here).

All told, the new transportation policy faces challenges but the military-backed government has shown in its previous policies that it can provide the enforcement that is usually lacking to make policies work.     

http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/transport-ministry-wants-phase-passenger-vans-six-months/

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/general/1174945/commuters-voice-fears-about-passenger-van-services

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