Starting Tuesday, the Land Transport Department will begin enforcing new laws for drivers and operators of public transport vans — including the much-discussed regulation that limits the number of passengers in a van to just 13.
Department Head Sanit Promwong said that, in the initial phase of enforcement, drivers violating the new regulation will be fined just THB500 but that, by June, those found flouting the law will be fined as much as THB5,000 and could have their licenses suspended for up to six months.
To be in compliance with the new law, not only must the driver or operator not take more than 13 passengers at any one time, they must also have the extra seats removed from their vehicle. Many standard passenger vans are currently outfitted to seat 18 passengers.
Sanit said that van owners can remove any extra seats themselves or they can have them removed professionally. After this change, all vans should have a aisle down the middle of the van that is 20 centimeters wide so that passengers can more easily access their seats as well as enter and leave the vehicle.
According to Thai PBS, there are approximately 42,000 registered with the department.
