YALA -- Old World War 2 vintage jeeps are still so popular in the daily lives of the people of Ban Tachi that community leaders are considering setting up a group for the conservation of the ubiquitous workhorse, which has become a symbol of the town.
Anantapong Kositpokinan, the kamnan of tambon Tachi, said there were now about 200 working vintage jeeps in the village. Nearly every household used one. They had become the symbol of Ban Tachi.
Mr Anantapong said new visitors to the area were astonished by the number of old jeeps on the roads.
The first of these jeeps were brought to this village 60-70 years ago, immediately after World War 2, when Ban Tachi, which is surrounded by mountains with rubber plantations and orchards, was still very difficult to reach. Four-wheel-drive jeeps became much sought after by the villagers and their most important asset - for general travel and farm use.
Ban Tachi resident Wichit Karaket said he could not remember a time when there were no jeeps in the village. The number had steadily swollen, from a few at first to around 200 today - mostly left-hand drive former military vehicles.
Pasit Srisuk, chairman of the Tachi tambon administration organisation (TAO), said community leaders are now thinking about setting up a group for the conservation of these ageing jeeps, to keep them as a symbol of tambon Tachi and for people of new generations to see.
The old jeep is still favoured by the people of Ban Tachi for moving their farm produce around.