Protest over vans causes traffic chaos
Privately owned buses are parked on the road around Wongwian Yai during a demonstration against unlicensed vans that operate along the same routes as them. The protest paralysed traffic in the area.
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Traffic around Wongwian Yai was in chaos all day yesterday when 200 private buses blocked most lanes - as their owners demanded police action against unlicensed small vans that have poached passengers on their allotted routes for more than 10 years.
The buses were parked on Tak Sin, Prachadhipok, Ladya and Intrarapitak roads from 2am yesterday. Only one lane on each road was left open for traffic, causing severe congestion once the morning rush hour began. The buses, licensed by the Bangkok Mass Transit Authority (BMTA), were draped with banners complaining about the police failing to act against operators of small vans, commonly called "Subaru" buses. Surasak Klongkanyon, 45, manager of a company operating some of the buses, said his group had been asking the Transport Ministry, police, corruption com?mission and related agencies for action against the Subaru buses for 10 years but with no success. "The situation is worse today as the number of Subaru vans has increased to about 5,000 now," Surasak said, adding that it was affecting their business especially now fuel prices have gone up. The protesters refused to negotiate with local police and demanded to meet with commanders. The Department of Land Transport said there were not enough police personnel to control van operators. BMTA official Tawatchai Tassanateng, director of bus zone 5, said the bus operators would continue to block the roads until the owners of Subaru buses came forward for talks. A police officer said each of three stations with jurisdiction over the area sent 15 officers to help move traffic. Somdej Chao Phraya Road was the most congested yesterday morning. At 10am, a metropolitan police chief ordered officers to move the buses, prompting angry shouting from the protesters. Police later cancelled the order to avoid violence. Maj-General Chalee Vejrat-pimon, commander of Metro-politan Police Bureau Division 8, said he ordered traffic police to take photos of the bus owners as evidence for legal action against them for inconveniencing other road users. The blockade was still in place at the time of going to press.
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