At least 15,000 vans could be taken off the roads
AS MANY as 15,163 inter-provincial passenger vans on fixed routes could be taken off Thailand’s roads by 2019 because they are not appropriate for public transportation, Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krue-Ngam said yesterday.
Wisanu said that the Transport Ministry’s proposal to use Article 44 of the interim charter to immediately tackle the problem with passenger vans did not solely stem from the horrific crash in Chon Buri on Monday which killed 25 people and injured two others.
He said the Royal Thai Police had earlier this week proposed an amendment to the Land Traffic Act for the Cabinet’s approval, while another road safety committee chaired by Deputy Prime Minister General Prawit Wongsuwan presented road safety measures to the Cabinet last October.
The delay in approval was due to the normal |legislative process. However, after the Chon Buri crash Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha ordered that some safety measures could be implemented immediately under Article 44.
Wissanu held talks with related agencies on Thursday and problems regarding vehicle condition, speed and |driver quality were highlighted. He told each agency to formulate urgent measures to be approved under Article 44.
Meanwhile, in Si Sa Ket’s Prang Ku district, Sub Lieutenant Suwit Chaiwong from Suranaree Task Force, offered condolences to the Hansamer and Singkhorn families who lost four relatives in Monday’s crash.
Wat Ban Wa has prepared a traditional pyre to cremate Nong Hansamer, 41, Noi hansamer, 40, Jeerasak Hansamer, 13, and Suthida Hansamer, 18 months, this afternoon.
Office of Insurance Commission’s Si Sa Ket branch head Ladapa Neelamon also presented four cheques totalling Bt1.015 million to the two families at the temple yesterday.