The Transport Ministry has demanded that inter-provincial passenger van operators change their vehicles to mini-buses from July 1 to ensure better safety, following the fatal van collision that killed 25 passengers on Monday.
The removal of 6,431 vans running between Bangkok and adjacent provinces should be completed within this year, deputy Transport Minister Pichit Akarathit said yesterday, citing the state-owned Transport Co Ltd's promise to urge operators it oversees to change their type of vehicle.
The change may affect operating costs because mini-buses, which can carry up to 20 passengers, are more expensive but Mr Pichit insisted on the change for the safety of passengers. The existing vans have been used for the wrong purpose.
The vans have become a target because they have been involved in accidents.
The ministry also expects the 2,771 passenger vans running between other provinces to also be replaced by mini-buses, but they will be given more time to make the change. This group is currently under the supervision of the Land Transport Department.
The ministry may provide some incentives. The three-year concession period may be extended and operators can seek loans to buy mini-buses from state financial institutions, Mr Pichit said.
The ministry is considering terminating licences for private passenger vans.
Meanwhile, passenger van stops scattered in a specific area in a district will have to be consolidated into one location by Feb 2 for easier inspections, said deputy permanent secretary for transport Somsak Hommuang. Soldiers will then check whether they are following the new regulations from Feb 6 to 24.
Meanwhile, former transport minister Chatchart Sithipan called on the Transport Ministry yesterday to require all passenger van operators to install a GPS tracking device in their vehicles, believing the device could help curb road accidents.
Speaking at a forum entitled, "Direction for road safety after the tragic van crash" held at Chulalongkorn University (CU), Mr Chatchart said the device can provide real-time reporting on a driver's performance, generate an alarm when the driver exceeds the speed limit, and notify the driver of potentially dangerous curves ahead on the road.
"Technology to monitor drivers is the only solution," said Mr Chatchart, adding it can also keep track of drivers' performance and driving habits which can later be used to weed out those with poor driving records.
Mr Chatchart said the plan to replace the passenger vans with mini-buses will not work if the cause of the accident -- driver fatigue or speeding -- are not solved.
He said that most drivers do not follow the regulations which state that they should take an hour of rest for every four hours of driving and attend traffic courses every six months to ensure that they remember traffic rules and use good driving etiquette.
"If drivers don't improve their habits, accidents will continue to happen," he said.
Saksith Chalermpong, a CU engineering lecturer, said that any route longer than 100 kilometres should be served by a mini-bus, and not a passenger van which was not designed to transport anything over long distances.