Despite the good intentions of ensuring public safety, the move to put an end to the 25-year history of passenger vans is unlikely to cut the number of road accidents.
What is more likely is street chaos caused by the upcoming disappearance on Monday of 248 passenger vans, which will have hit their 10-year age limit under the new rules, and be taken off the roads.
Even though the Department of Land Transport (DLT) has given assurances that public buses and micro-buses will be provided to serve the former passengers of those vans, it remains to be seen how that solution will work in reality.
The new DLT rule show that it is directing blame for the road carnage, mainly at passenger vans when in fact they play a minor part in Thailand's highway slaughter.
It was mainly a horrific van-pickup collision in Chon Buri in January last year that drove the authorities to come up with the new measure. That incident killed 25 people.
It is more likely that the driver -- who undertook too many trips -- fell asleep, making the cause of the accident the driver, not the vehicle.
It is true that passenger vans need better regulation. But it's their roadworthiness which is more relevant rather than how old they are.
Modification made to passenger vans is a key factor that makes them less safe. This type of vehicle is designed to accommodate 10 people, including the driver. But many operators have modified their vehicles to raise the capacity to 15 people, which is sadly allowed by law. The extra seats block the rear door which is meant to be used as an emergency exit.
Experts also point out that vans are not meant to be used on regular long-distance routes.
If the DLT wants to ensure all vans are in good condition, it should ban such modifications and conduct thorough inspections of vehicles. It is a known fact that even five-year-old vehicles may not be roadworthy if they have not had regular and proper maintenance. On the other hand, vans more than 10 years old which have been well maintained can still be in good condition.
If the authorities are so concerned about unsafe vans, why don't they impose the same 10-year age limit on other public transport vehicles, especially Bangkok's buses? The majority of the 2,600 public buses in this city are 26-30 years of age.
As part of the DLT's plan, more than 1,500 vans will be taken off the streets by the end of the year. More will suffer the same fate when they reach the age limit and no new public transport registration will be given to vans.
While the authorities point the finger at vans, the real culprits behind road accidents are the drivers. Many of them work around the clock, driving long hours without much-needed breaks. Many are unqualified to drive public transport vehicles and accidents are often caused by their reckless driving.
The DLT has encouraged van operators to opt for a recommended type of vehicle -- mini-buses. But as long as they keep allowing the same type of drivers to ply roads, passenger safety will still be at risk.
The DLT should rather get tough on screening the drivers of not only vans but other types of public transport vehicle.
It is a good thing that the DLT is trying to ensure road safety. But it cannot remain obsessed that vans are the key villain. More importantly, it should also be reminded that many fatal road accidents involve cars and motorcycles in good condition.
Thailand's road carnage is mainly caused by bad driving, disobeying traffic laws, weak law enforcement, road conditions, speeding and drink driving. Singling out vans as the main culprit will not help ensure safety. The DLT should adopt a holistic solution to make our roads safer.