Van Transport Business

[STEVE G]

There seems to be a growing demand for these services even out in the countryside as I was surprised to see that on my last trip to Issan, someone has started a daily minibus link from our village and a few surrounding it down to Bangkok.

[PeteC]

If you read the Bangkok Post article I linked on Sunday in the "glue that holds farang-Thai..." thread, you'll see that the foreign population in Isaan is growing rapidly it appears. If they've relocated there to economize compared to living in a seaside resort town, they probably have some spare money. I would think a foreigner such as that and his family would opt for a van every time over the blue bus or train. Pete

[STEVE G]

Yes, the Farangs seem thin on the ground up there as they're spread through the many small villages but as a total there is a good number of them. The other issue is that many people from the villages have moved to Bangkok to work but still stay connected to the village so they go back and forwards a lot for family events and that sort of thing, or they go the other way to work for or visit family members in the city.
Actually, I wouldn't be surprised if the new service wasn't started with a Farang involved as they had put some rather professional looking advertising up everywhere.

[mat]

I don't really understand the issue about the insurances. I use the minivan to Bangkok often, and allthough i allways hope to arrive safe and sound, i never worry about the insurance. Since i'm not the driver/owner of the minivan, i'm not responsable for property damage, the only thing i have to care about is medical costs. And a healthcare insurance will allways cover for this.
For people that don't have a healtcare insurance and get injured: the compulsory will pay for medical costs but for a low amount. If the minivan does have a first class insurance, big change the coverage for medical expenses for the passengers is maximum 100,000 baht a person.

[Big Boy]

I don't know the right answer, but I would think you're probably better reading the small print to see if you are in fact covered by your own healthcare insurance to make sure that it's not your responsibility to ensure that your chosen mode of transport is adequately insured.

[poosmate]

I would also be wary of any company that was willing to forgo first class insurance. I would bet that proper vehicle maintenance and driver training would also be low on their list.