Expert slams govt for abandoning move requiring van operators to switch to microbus

The government has come under fire for the about-turn on its policy requiring public van transport operators to switch to buses.
Sonthi Kotchawat, a lecturer on environment and public health at many universities, criticised Transport Minister Saksayam Chidchob for compromising public safety by changing the policy on mandatory change of vehicle.
Sonthi posted a message on his personal facebook page www.facebook.com/sonthi.kotchawat, criticising Saksayam’s decision as "unprofessional and made by an inexperienced leader who prioritises business entrepreneurs over the safety of public transport users".
“Vans are dangerous and cause five times more accidents than buses,” he said. “Accident statistics compiled by Road Safety Group Thailand show that in 2018 there were 75 van accidents, causing 314 injuries and 41 deaths. In the first half of 2019, vans caused 28 accidents, resulting in 27 deaths and 126 injuries. That’s roughly four deaths and 26 injuries per month.”
Sonthi also said that public transport vans were being misused from their original purpose. “These vans are designed for product transport. They have a weaker body structure than passenger vehicles, which are designed to withstand crash impact and prevent overturning to protect the passengers.”
The expert believes that microbuses are a more suitable choice for public transport and they should replace the current vans immediately. “Many foreign countries advocate the idea of using microbuses as a safer means of transport and were glad when Thailand planned to use them, but the transport minister’s decision clearly downgraded our public transport system from high-class to low-class,” he said.