Thailand: Intercity bus operators oppose third-party insurance requirement
Source: Asia Insurance Review | Jul 2017
Thailand Motor
A group of inter-city bus operators is protesting against a new Land Transport Department rule requiring them to buy motor third-party insurance in case of accidents.
The bus operators, based in Udon Thani in northern Thailand, provide short-distance services to surrounding provinces. They have submitted a petition demanding exemption from the new rule or for it to be scrapped.
There are 17 operators affected by the new rule which collectively run 1,700 buses, reported The Bangkok Post.
Mr Chirawit Bunchaiyathanin, the president of a bus service operators’ association, said that it is unfair to include these bus operators in the same group as those providing long-haul inter-city bus services because short-distance routes (of up to 300 km) tend to carry a lower risk of road accidents than longer ones, and should not be treated the same way.
Short-range bus service operators have fully complied with other regulations rolled out recently such as installing GPS and seat belts for all passengers, he said.
This latest regulation requiring them to pay between THB30,000 (US$887) and THB40,000 a year for third-party insurance to cover passengers and other victims involved in accidents other than the driver, will affect operators financially, especially those which are already struggling, he said. A