Thailand bans standing up on songthaews, drivers aren’t happy
Thailand introduced a law on Friday which requires passengers to sit down when travelling on a songthaew, a popular form of public transport. However, songthaew drivers say the law is detrimental to their livelihoods and are worried it could lead to extortion.
I suppose the drivers will charge more because there is less available room in the back (each journey is now less profitable for them). The customer always loses!
Or it could mean that the "police" will be out looking to extort fines out of the standers and the drivers.
Expect a u-turn within a week.
Who is the happier man, he who has braved the storm of life and lived or he who has stayed securely on shore and merely existed? - Hunter S Thompson
These songthaews provide a transport service that none of the official transport options provide. They make a pittance per passenger and people will stand because they don't have any other option. I sometimes take the songthaew from the market in Bangkok to the hospital (goes through some obscure mubahns and doesn't go anywhere near a major road) for a measly 8 baht per trip, 10 baht after 7 pm. It will cost me around 100 baht per trip if I decide to drive so I'd rather wait.
The service is already spotty as CoVid took it's toll; I've seen the driver pull into the service station to fill up, and he counts his coins.
At least I have other transport options, but the people who use it do not and cannot afford alternative transport.
Stupid, stupid, stupid.
I expect a turnaround too, and if there isn't, there will be repercussions.
Yes, it is natural if your vehicle that could carry 30 people, can now only carry 12, then prices should go up. I wouldn't have a problem with that, but I wouldn't call it extortion.
Of course, police will catch on to a new money making scheme, so yes, they may install checkpoints under a shady tree en-route.
However, I have to agree, it will become yet another law that will either be ignored, or there will be a u-turn next week.
It wasn't so long ago that people were hanging onto the open bus doors and the bus driving at a crazy angle.. oh, wait. That was when the non-airconditioned buses were 2 baht a to trip circa 30 years ago. Been here too long.
It doesn't say you have to sit on a seat.
So sitting on the floor, on the roof (I've seen them on the roof in the north), hanging off the back but sitting!
Sat here in MV watching the green songtaews stopping outside and obviously no application of said law at present. Usually the end of the month brings out a few bib roadblocks so give it a few days and we shall see.
