Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has given his assurances the government will not terminate inter-provincial passenger van services.
He said the plan for inter-provincial passenger van operators to replace their vehicles with mini-buses will be voluntary, not compulsory.
The government is ready to support operators who wish to change to mini-buses, though passenger vans that fail to meet safety standards and operators who fail to comply with the law will be banned, the prime minister said.
He also said the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) has issued an order under Section 44 of the interim constitution to ensure better safety on public transport vehicles. "The public should have a safe alternative. If they want to get on a passenger van, it must be safe. If they prefer a mini-bus, it's their choice," Gen Prayut said.
He also said he wanted all public transport vehicles to have emergency hammers on board in case a window needs to be broken in an emergency.
The push to strictly regulate van transport follows a fatal van collision that killed 25 passengers on Jan 2.
NCPO spokesman Winthai Suvaree yesterday said the NCPO has issued four orders under Section 44 of the interim charter to support the national administration. Gen Prayut, in his capacity as NCPO chief, chaired the meeting yesterday. He said one order aims to boost safety on public transport vehicles with technology to ensure better safety.