[sustran] Fw: [cai-asia] New policy on tuk tuks in Bangkok

[Puttanna S. Honaganahalli]

Here is a policy that wants to create more individual operators unlike Bina's plans for Mumbai's taxis. Ain't this an iteresting world?

----- Original Message ----- 
From: gbathan at adb.org 
To: Clean Air Initiative -- Asia 
Sent: Tuesday, June 08, 2004 7:46 AM
Subject: [cai-asia] New policy on tuk tuks in Bangkok



Tuk-tuk drivers get help to buy vehicles

Govt scheme to cover 2,500 three-wheelers

Amornrat Mahithirook

The Land Transport Department will launch a low-cost scheme aimed at tuk-tuk
drivers who want to buy their own vehicles, said deputy transport minister
Nikorn Chamnong.

The scheme is a follow-up on last month's meeting between Prime Minister
Thaksin Shinawatra and taxi and tuk-tuk drivers at Government House.

A total of 2,500 new tuk-tuks will be introduced under the low-cost scheme.

There are 7,500 tuk-tuks nationwide, run by tuk-tuk cooperatives.

Mr Nikorn rejected rumours that the cooperatives would be in control of the
low-cost scheme.

The scheme circumvents the cooperatives and businessmen, he said.

To protect the environment the new tuk-tuks will have four-stroke engines or
be electrically-powered, he said.

Tuk-tuk drivers will not be allowed to transfer or sell the vehicles in the
first five years.

Mr Nikorn said the department will also meet with the Pollution Control
Department to discuss how to make existing tuk-tuks environmentally
friendly. The department also wants to replace taxis which are more than 12
years old. ``If the cabs are too old, no one wants to use them,'' he said.



Glynda E. Bathan
Clean Air Initiative for Asian Cities Secretariat
4531 N, Asian Development Bank
+632 632 5151
+632 636 2198 (fax)
gbathan at adb.org

www.cleanairnet.org/caiasia
adb.org/vehicle-emissions



Thanks

Puttanna S. Honaganahalli Ph.D. 
Ecological Economics Unit
Institute for Social and Economics Change (ISEC)
Nagarabhavi, Bangalore 560 072
India

Phone: 91-80-2321-5468 x120
Fax: 91-80-2321-7008


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