Vientiane strongly confirm to ban Tuk-tuks, Jumbos

samakomlao · Guru

Vientiane strongly confirm to ban Tuk-tuks, Jumbos

AoSeNThA · Senior Member

Oh no :(

But, why can they just allow good driver ? whith a legal paper to drive and legal paper to drive Tuk Tuk ? I read that it is because Tuk Tuk is too dangerous, it a symbol either :(

Date: Mar 16, 2008

vientiane will be lost a 500 jobs and add more crime.

Date: Mar 16, 2008

The tourists will not have any mode of transportation to go around town and have to take the taxi which will cost more. This is a bad idea. People will walk more and cause traffic jam ebcause of no more tuk tuk or jumbos. Bad taste.

Date: Mar 16, 2008

hmmmm... i see the good and bad with this jobs will be lost but those thigns are dangerous.. and other things. but maybe it can be modifed to be safer??? i donno i mean what are they gonna do with all the people who lost their jobs taxis??? im just guessing

samakomlao · Guru

".......Around 1.3 percent of these accidents involved tuk-tuks or jumbos...."
If this is a real statistic, I don't think jumbo or tuk-tuk is a dangerous vehicle at all.

Date: Mar 16, 2008

Laos is upgrading.

Date: Mar 16, 2008

I think is the best that we dont copy thai by having tuk tuk all over the place. And plus let make Laos unique and not copying other country. And espicially Laos doing what thai is doing is just making Laos the same as thai. I think that Laos need to show her self not copying others.

Date: Mar 16, 2008

น่าเสียดายคราวหน้าไปเวียงจันทร์ก็อาจจะไม่ได้นั่งนะสิ อันที่จริงไม่เกี่ยวหรอกว่ารถอะไร เป็นสาเหตุของอุบัติเหตุ เพราะอยู่ที่สำนึกของคนขับมากกว่า ว่ารักษากฎจราจรแค่ไหน แต่ไม่ใช่ให้คนอื่นระวังนะครับ ตัวเองต้องระวังด้วย แต่เท่าที่ได้ยินมา ลาวเองมีปัญหาเรื่องระเบียบวินัยการใชถนนมากทีเดียว
เท่าที่เคยไปก็ถือว่า เป็นอย่างที่พูดไปเหมือนกัน ไม่ค่อยมีวินัย ไม่ใช่ว่าไทยดีกว่านะครับเดี๋ยวจะเข้าใจผิดฝั่งไทยมีคุณพี่ตำรวจจราจร ผิดหน่อยไม่ได้พี่แกไถดะ ก็พยายามไม่ค่อยผิดเท่าไหร่เพราะเปลืองเงิน อิอิอิ

Date: Mar 16, 2008

I think letting them ride is not a bad idea, but the gtovernment must set more strict rules and standard. Allo only the ones that are guaranteed the safety and goodness. As we know there are not many modes of transportation in Laos-- bus, taxi, Tuk Tuk and Jumbo. Importantly, if Tuk Tuk and Jambo are banned, what job the drivers can do. Well I didn't mean that driving Tuk Tuk is the sedentary and well-paid job, but many of them rely on it for income. Therefore, before taking any action, please analyse critically and sensitively.
idea

Date: Mar 16, 2008

Yes, it was the 1.3 number that jumped out at me. Let's see, if you have 1000 accidents 13 are from tuk tuks. That means the other 987 are from what? Perhaps motorcyles? Imagine trying to ban them, perhaps Lexus and Mercedes make up a higher number? I'm sure more Toyota pickups are in serious accidents.

Conclusions... Rich capitalist roaders don't like other people clogging the streets and getting in their way.

AoSeNThA · Senior Member

UnimatrixzeroOne wrote:

I think is the best that we dont copy thai by having tuk tuk all over the place. And plus let make Laos unique and not copying other country. And espicially Laos doing what thai is doing is just making Laos the same as thai. I think that Laos need to show her self not copying others.

Tuk Tuk and Jumbos is from Thailand ?

Zak · Senior Member

Anonymous wrote:

Yes, it was the 1.3 number that jumped out at me. Let's see, if you have 1000 accidents 13 are from tuk tuks. That means the other 987 are from what? Perhaps motorcyles? Imagine trying to ban them, perhaps Lexus and Mercedes make up a higher number? I'm sure more Toyota pickups are in serious accidents.

Conclusions... Rich capitalist roaders don't like other people clogging the streets and getting in their way.

Horrible conclusion. It seems the government wants the ban so that the public could use something else, probably the Chinese owned bus companies.

In my opinion, if the government could stardized Jumbos and Tuk-Tuks, require licenses, and etc, it would make them a lot better.

Date: Mar 17, 2008

The only thing i will say is that the Lao government doesn't want Vientiane to be another bangkok...

Do you read my mind...? ;)

chiip · Guru

i don`t thin that it would be easy to provide apropriate jobs for 3000 people, government have to decide what is more important : opting for jobs for people or road safety...
regards.

paris_vientiane · Guru

If goverment want to improve road safety, they should rather fight against illegal driver licences and dangerous behaviours: many lao just pay to get their licence, and many many drivers drive like crazy and don't respect the rules.

Tuktuk is a very convenient, cheap, useful (and funny/typical for tourists) way to move in Vientiane and around.

The development of bus services is a very good thing, but it cannot totaly replace tuktuks : even with good bus service, tuktuk will still be usefull when you carry many things, or to go to place where there is no bus service (bus service can be implemented only where there is enough people/trafic to get a ROI).

Moreover, compared with cars or pick-up, open vehicle like tuktuks are light, so they need less energy, and don't need air control to feel thermaly comfortable... Today, they are not comfortable because of dust, but the continuous improvement of le road in Laos will for sure solve this issue in a near future.

Ok, tuktuk is old technology, but in a few years (5/10 years) we will for sur be able to build electric tuktuks: silent, ecological, and more economical (gaz become too expensive), solar or hydropowered electricity is cheap. So in sincerely think this transportation system should be preserved. And what about the jobs of the many many tuktuk drivers?

-- Edited by paris_vientiane at 11:19, 2008-03-17

SeeHarHed · Guru

all and all... i think it is bad idea to ban touk touk or jumbo.. touk touk and jumbo has been part of culture and a mean of transportation for alot of people.. getting from point A to point B. is the government going to run more buses around the city??? i understand that Laos is trying to clean up its image but by banning touk touk or jumbo is not the way to do it..

just my two cents!!!

Date: Mar 18, 2008

I see that every one is for tuk tuk and not to ban them from the capital city but i think the lao goverment make a good choice, why ? Because of a near future very near, Vientiane will be one of the most polluted city !

Too much cars, motobike, everykind of thing with two wheels just run like crazy !

Tuk tuk is very noisy ! When come the night, the tuk tuk men are almost drank and they eat dog ! Eating dog is forbidden in Vientiane... But we are in Laos... Who respect the law anyway...

But that's true, ban all the tuk tuk, Vientiane will not be anymore Vientiane...

AoSeNThA · Senior Member

lol eating dogs, why not ! :)

Yep, It will be good if the Capitale of Laos is not too polluted like Paris or others ... beurk beurk :(

But it's not wrong to say that Tuk Tuk is a symbol, even if we can see the same in Thailande.

Date: Mar 19, 2008

1.3 percent would probably make tuk tuks one of the safest modes of transportation on the street, maybe busses are safer. I put my wife and children in a tuk tuk to keep them safe. They are also underpowered so they dont' go very fast and use little gas. Paris has a good point about when they become electrified. Which polutes more, a one cylinder tuk tuk carrying 3 middle income people or an 8 cylinder Toyota Land Cruiser with air con turned all the way up carrying one corrupt fat cat.

SeeHarHed · Guru

i've been thinking about this particular topic..... i don't understand how the department of transportation in laos can just come out and ban touk touk!! i've wonder if there's a study done?? to show that touk touk is dangerous to the lives of public.

streets in vientaine aren't going to get any wider anytime soon.. with recently booming in develpement around the cities.. more and more people are buying cars... SUV.. and now all these cars got to share the roads with touk touk, bicycles and motorcycles.. and i'm sure most of the guys with big cars have some political pulls.... so the bottom guys is touk touk drivers.. they have no saying..

just my two cents biggrin

Date: Mar 19, 2008

I'm a tourist from Europe I like ride in tuk tuk. I get to see everything and it convinient and also get to provide income to tuk tuk. Hell with the goverment. they don't care about little people.

Zak · Senior Member

SeeHarHed wrote:

i've been thinking about this particular topic..... i don't understand how the department of transportation in laos can just come out and ban touk touk!! i've wonder if there's a study done?? to show that touk touk is dangerous to the lives of public.

streets in vientaine aren't going to get any wider anytime soon.. with recently booming in develpement around the cities.. more and more people are buying cars... SUV.. and now all these cars got to share the roads with touk touk, bicycles and motorcycles.. and i'm sure most of the guys with big cars have some political pulls.... so the bottom guys is touk touk drivers.. they have no saying..

just my two cents

That is why I believe that there is a connection between the banning of Tuk-Tuks and the Chinese bus company.

Date: Mar 19, 2008

lol, what a topic, lao government maybe want to ban all tuk tuk in Vientiane, but all tuk tuk drivers will be taxi drivers... lol
No more tuk tuk in capital city but more taxi drivers...

Anyway like i say, it's LAOS, no one care about law...

Do you see my point..? ;)

chiip · Guru

Yeah ! one tuktuk with 0.3 liter engine using only 2 liter of gasoline per day carry 4 people + 1 driver and one toyota land cruiser with 4.8 liter engine using about 10 liter per day and carry only one or two corrupt fat cats, hehe !...now , see the difference what is more useful, what is more economic. But, of course, the tuktuk drivers have to change their way of driving : always ride on the right hand side, some care for other people arround you when you want to turn left or right , try not to obtructing others when you are riding slowly and every thing will be fine but actually it is obvious that almost all tuktuk drivers care very little about what i mentioned above...
regards.

paris_vientiane · Guru

Zak wrote:

That is why I believe that there is a connection between the banning of Tuk-Tuks and the Chinese bus company.

That's probably true. Chinese bus companies probably asked lao goverment to ban tuktuk before accepting investing in Laos. We can understand them. building bus service cost a lot of money, and they need return on investment waranties. So maybe this is the reason why lao gov announced the ban of tuktuks, even if this make many people angry or sad.

Usualy, i think that' it's a pity that many of lao government decisions never become facts (because lack of money, lack of control possibility, lack of experience, corruption, etc...), but this time, i sincerely hope this decision will just stay on the paper and never become facts.

If some high quality bus services are open in Laos, i think it's reasonnable to ban tuktuks, but only over the bus line! as i wrote before , bus cannot go everywhere. How people who live little bit far from bus line will do without tuktuks? What people carrying lot of goods will do?

-- Edited by paris_vientiane at 08:53, 2008-03-20

Date: Mar 20, 2008

paris_vientiane wrote:

Zak wrote:

That is why I believe that there is a connection between the banning of Tuk-Tuks and the Chinese bus company.

That's probably true. Chinese bus companies probably asked lao goverment to ban tuktuk before accepting investing in Laos. We can understand them. building bus service cost a lot of money, and they need return on investment waranties. So gov announced the ban of tuktuks.

There is surely no connection of Tuktuk ban and Chinese companies. There is purely good intention to improve environment in our capital, I believe.

Actually, the chinese companies last time ran their businesses on the projects called "Bus for everywhere in Vientiane". But now, they have stopped because there were no people travelling on their busses. Lao people still prefer to use their own cars, adding that in Vientiane there are only about 200 000 people.

So, please don't excuse Chinese companies which have nothing to do with this decission. Probably, Lao authorities concerned know well this situation, say by 2010 no Tuk tuk would be qualified in terms of technique mexanism, meaning the Tuktuk too old. They have used them more than 20 years. That could be the case.

But I agree that these Tuktuk drivers should be retrained. So that they can do other jobs, say let them work for taxi companied or the like jobs.

Date: Mar 20, 2008

Anonymous wrote:

paris_vientiane wrote:

Zak wrote:

That is why I believe that there is a connection between the banning of Tuk-Tuks and the Chinese bus company.

That's probably true. Chinese bus companies probably asked lao goverment to ban tuktuk before accepting investing in Laos. We can understand them. building bus service cost a lot of money, and they need return on investment waranties. So gov announced the ban of tuktuks.

There is surely no connection of Tuktuk ban and Chinese companies. There is purely good intention to improve environment in our capital, I believe.

Actually, the chinese companies last time ran their businesses on the projects called "Bus for everywhere in Vientiane". But now, they have stopped because there were no people travelling on their busses. Lao people still prefer to use their own cars, adding that in Vientiane there are only about 200 000 people.

So, please don't excuse Chinese companies which have nothing to do with this decission. Probably, Lao authorities concerned know well this situation, say by 2010 no Tuk tuk would be qualified in terms of technique mexanism, meaning the Tuktuk too old. They have used them more than 20 years. That could be the case.

But I agree that these Tuktuk drivers should be retrained. So that they can do other jobs, say let them work for taxi companied or the like jobs.

You're right, i don't understand why people think it's always a bad thing when lao government do something or make a new law, not against his people but maybe for their health or for somethng more good in the near future...
Why always that's the fault of corruption or the fault of chinese or other...

Don' be jealous when you see lao people in Toyota Vigo or Mercedes Benz...
They are also rich lao not only poor lao... That's not mean they are all corrupted or they are son or girl of a corrupted family lol..
Be open mind and think that Lao is growing and they make business too...

In this case if you are all rich in USA or France or other country in the world and you drive a Mercedes Benz, you are corrupted... lol

OMG...

Date: Mar 20, 2008

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

paris_vientiane wrote:

Zak wrote:

That is why I believe that there is a connection between the banning of Tuk-Tuks and the Chinese bus company.

That's probably true. Chinese bus companies probably asked lao goverment to ban tuktuk before accepting investing in Laos. We can understand them. building bus service cost a lot of money, and they need return on investment waranties. So gov announced the ban of tuktuks.

There is surely no connection of Tuktuk ban and Chinese companies. There is purely good intention to improve environment in our capital, I believe.

Actually, the chinese companies last time ran their businesses on the projects called "Bus for everywhere in Vientiane". But now, they have stopped because there were no people travelling on their busses. Lao people still prefer to use their own cars, adding that in Vientiane there are only about 200 000 people.

So, please don't excuse Chinese companies which have nothing to do with this decission. Probably, Lao authorities concerned know well this situation, say by 2010 no Tuk tuk would be qualified in terms of technique mexanism, meaning the Tuktuk too old. They have used them more than 20 years. That could be the case.

But I agree that these Tuktuk drivers should be retrained. So that they can do other jobs, say let them work for taxi companied or the like jobs.

You're right, i don't understand why people think it's always a bad thing when lao government do something or make a new law, not against his people but maybe for their health or for somethng more good in the near future...
Why always that's the fault of corruption or the fault of chinese or other...

Don' be jealous when you see lao people in Toyota Vigo or Mercedes Benz...
They are also rich lao not only poor lao... That's not mean they are all corrupted or they are son or girl of a corrupted family lol..
Be open mind and think that Lao is growing and they make business too...

In this case if you are all rich in USA or France or other country in the world and you drive a Mercedes Benz, you are corrupted... lol

OMG...

Oh! thanks OMG for your comment. I also feel like what you said why our Lao people are really trying to suspect Lao government. I also feel as if Lao government does something good for Lao people, they would not be happy either. They would try to guess or excuse that Lao government without grounds.

But to some extend, it is not surprised. You know? They are our enimies.
Usually, our enemies would never be happy when we are in good position or when we are getting better. Some of them still hope or dream about their death king who had done nothing good for Laos. No one Lao people would care about the stupid king. They still hope that one day Laos would return back to the past which would never happen. Let them wait until their next life.

Imagine! Even when the King was on the throne, he and his dogs could not do anything, so, to say nothing now about the coming back to have power in Laos again.

Actually, let them talk rubbish. When I have time I will hit back, no doubt.

paris_vientiane · Guru

Anonymous wrote:

You're right, i don't understand why people think it's always a bad thing when lao government do something or make a new law, not against his people but maybe for their health or for somethng more good in the near future...
Why always that's the fault of corruption or the fault of chinese or other...

Don' be jealous when you see lao people in Toyota Vigo or Mercedes Benz...
They are also rich lao not only poor lao... That's not mean they are all corrupted or they are son or girl of a corrupted family lol..
Be open mind and think that Lao is growing and they make business too...

In this case if you are all rich in USA or France or other country in the world and you drive a Mercedes Benz, you are corrupted... lol

OMG...

Please stop your stupid paranoia! I support lao government in many many of their decisions and declarations!
But about this subject, ban of tuktuk, i definitly not agree with autorities' decision and don't understand why they do that... so i just try to find some explainations. Maybe i'm wrong with the "chinese bus company" hypothesis, but don't angry people who try to understand what happen, please.
Moreover, I believe that someone who always agree with everything that other do or think just have no brain. agree and disagree, with your friend, with what do authorities, whith what happen around you, is part of life, it's something normal and we are here to debate about different subject concerning Laos. Why are we there, on this board, if it's not to exchange ideas? When you use your brain, you develop your own ideas, your own opinion, so of course, you cannot agree with everything/everyone, and by your ideas, you'll be able to enrich the other's understanding...... disagree with someone or some fact is not talking rubbish or looking down to other... certainly not. Trying to convince someone when you disagree is a mark of respect, because this mean you consider the other person in able to understand you... you consider the other equal. People who just consider other as rubbish don't loose time to talk with or write to them.

Second point
I'm NOT jeallous when i see someone, especialy lao people driving BIG VIGO or Mercedes... not at all....

On the contrary, i think it's stupid.... I would never be jealous of stupidity.
Why stupid? because i think that there are many more important things to do in Laos with money that spend it in luxury cars.... luxury and definitly obsolete.

Why obsolete? Because those cars need a lot of energy, lot of gas. This cost a lot and pollute a lot! Those cars are cars of the 20th century, when no one did care about ecology and energy cost was law... But now we are in 21st century: we MUST have strong ecological consciousness, because we have now more knowledge about the consequences of pollution, and gas become more rare, so more and more expensive.

So i think buying and driving a big big car when you don't really need it is really stupid.

Use big PickUp when you have to carry many people or goods, especialy on old roads, that's good.... this is a convenient tool. Driving a big pickUp alone in the streets of Vientiane (what so many "new" rich lao people do) is definily not an appropriate behaviour.... Moreover, those cars need lot of place, for driving or parking, so they create trafic jam, make everyone loose time, make the city less friendly and more polluted for people who use other transportation systems (bus, walking, motorbike, tuktuk)...

Do you know that in France we drive mainly small cars, appropriate to city life, easier to park, using less gas? and in Paris, the city administration just implemented last year a new BICYCLE service : for a very very low price, you can use one of the 14000 bicycles available in Paris, this in order to reduce pollution and trafic jams... help people to forget their car... definitly not any more appropriated to big cities.

The growing of the number of big cars in the streets of Vientiane is a trap!
It look like development, but in fact it's anti-development! Personaly, i want REAL development for LAOS. A development really respectfull of people quality of life, of future generations, of environment. A development that preserve Laos energical independency. Not a development with more drawbacks than improvements. This way of development is more difficult to reach, but now, it's possible. Lets work this way rather than choose ways that belong now to the past!

If i lived in Laos and had enough money, in stead of buying a luxury car, i would definily work on new generation of "city" vehicles, engineered specialy for countries like Laos... and the basis of such vehicules would probably be a tuktuk, but modernised (electric engine, or other if it's too "early"), or a Wave100, adapted to be more comfortable (maybe a wave 100 with a top, to protect from the rain....), or many othe rideas....but certainly not Mercedes or VIGO! Certainly not!

Ok, a tuktuk is old looking, old technology and need to be improved... for sure.
But do you realise that tuktuks where engineered ESPECIALY for a few countries (laos, thailand...)? This mean that this vehicle is very well adapted to your country needs and constrainsts... that's why i strongly beleive that putting this concept in the rubbish bin is a big big mistake.

I know that many lao people don't like tuktuk. Because it don't look "rich" or "modern". Moreover, it's not really comfortable (that's true). Many lao people imagine that tuktuks give a bad image of their country because they are, according to them, "poor looking". But you have to know that most of foreigners appreciate a lot tultuks, because it's cheap, adequate for small travels in the city (we don't care about comfort for a few minutes), "open air" (good because in Laos it's warm, and aircon sucks). I see nothing "poor" in tuktuk... just something "clever". Lao people should be proud of their tuktuks... those vehicles are not a shame, they are a chance! The one who created them is a genius and should be respected!

read again those 6 last lines...And some people consider this is "talking rubbish"?????

-- Edited by paris_vientiane at 17:40, 2008-03-20

Lan_Xang · Guru

Mon Ami Paris_Vientiane,

You can not talk logic or sense with people that think like that.

Laos have many poor people and never ever experience richness and materialism.
When they have money, that is what they will spend on.

People like us, maybe not rich but very well off, knows richness and materialism are not everything. We look for a simple life. They do not see that. Let them be.

Date: Mar 21, 2008

paris_vientiane wrote:

Ok, tuktuk is old technology, but in a few years (5/10 years) we will for sure be able to build electric tuktuks: silent, ecological, and more economical (gaz become too expensive), solar or hydropowered electricity is cheap.

-- Edited by paris_vientiane at 11:19, 2008-03-17

Oy! It is kind of waiting for the bright future. I remember one story that names "growing goat". One farmer had not started growing any goats, but he dreamed that he would sell his goats ..... and became rich. He kept waiting. At the end of the day, he got nothing because he did not do anything.

I fear the electric tuktuks would be like the aboved mentioned story. On the one hand, now in Laos there are no even electric train, trolley-car or tramcar, which were used in Europe from the beginning of last century. These kinds of transportation seem to be similar to electric tuktuk, which someone suggested. Perhaps, I might be wrong.

On the other hand, Laos is far from the countries that can afford to use the latest technology. Once the new technology appears, I am afraid that Laos propably need to wait at least not less 50 years. Even the one that used in other countries long time ago, Laos still cannot afford to use. Yes, as Mr. Autralian has said in other topic when you are poor you have no room much to act.

Talking about transportation system planning in Vientiane, as far as I know, our Lao authority has planned till 2025 with Japanese experts help. So, in this regard, I do believe that everything would be taken into account. Although Laos seemed to be stupid for the past time, from now on please do believe Laos would not be too far from other countries regarding good management, I meant Lao authority also hires foreign experts.

paris_vientiane · Guru

There are good reasons to be optimistic.
Electric vehicles have a long story... it's an old dream.

But what is the problem with this technology? Why don't we have many electric vehicles in our streets?

The main problem is batteries. Battery technology is not efficient enough for vehicles... each battery stock too few energy, so we have to put many batteries in a car:
- this raise the cost tremendously
- this make the car more heavy, so the car need more energy again, need place, etc...

Moreover, the life of the batteries is too short: battery are expensive to buy.... but more expensive again if you consider you have to change your batteries every 3 years.

But recently, significant improvement of battery technologies emerged: some American companies begin to sell new generations of batteries, based on Nanotechnologies, cleary more efficient than former generations.
But the strongest hope is in the laboratories of a few science universities in USA: they discovered new possiblities, still based on nanotechnologies, that allow to improve battery performance by a factor 10!

They expect to be able to produce those bateries in 5 or 10 years... and it will clearly be a revolution. Even if those batteries are 2 or 3 times more expensive than current batteries , it can be a great deal: reduce the cost, reduce the weight... This day, we will be able to build really efficient electric vehicles.

But some people will tell me what about energy? battery just stock electricity... but you still have to produce it. i would answer this is clearly not a problem for Laos.
Laos have lot of water, and lot of sun.
By lot of water, i mean hydropower potential. Even if i think it's important not to abuse of this technology and important to be very carrefull while driving such projects, because of the environmental issues, i think this is a great chance for Laos to get electricity for low price and limited ecological impact (if everything is done with care)

With "Lot of sun", i think about solar panels. Until last year, solar panels were little developped, not realy because of performance issue (solar energy is free, so the fact that each panel can use only 10% or 20% of solar energy is not really a problem as long as you have enough place - on the top of the house for exemple-), but because a COST issue.
Solar panels were (and are) definitly too expensive to be interesting.
But this is forgetting about the last possibilities offered by nanotechnologies (again)
A few Companies in the world are working on a new generation of solar pannels, using nanotechnologies. And this is not a dream or a plan for future (as batteries), but it's a reality yet.

The Nanosolar Company just opened the biggest solar panel factory in the world at the end of last year. Their new generation of solar panels are not really more efficient than previous generation.... quite the same.... BUT their production cost is 10 TIMES LOWER. For the moment, they sell their panels about only 3 times less than previous generations (we can understand, they have to pay back their R&D investment and they have no competition for the moment). It's so interesting that their factory is booked yet for all 2008. if you want to buy some, you'll have to wait 2009.

So there is no doubt this technology works, and we can reasonably expect those panel to be very common in a few years. They will be available for everyone thanks to their low price. It will be perfect for Laos, because Laos have so much sun!!!!

Nanothechnolies are the reason why i strongly believe that electric vehicles are our future, especialy for a "warm" country like Laos (in a country like france it will be much more difficult)
- you will be able to produce yourself the energy you need for your car, for very low price
- to save energy, you need light vehicles. The best way to make a vehicle light is to "open" it, like tuktuk... this is impossible in France because the weather is too cold, but perfect for laos... moreover, open a vehicle make aircon useless, so you save more energy
- in cold country, the heat of gas engine is usefull, to warm the air inside the car. The problem with electric vehicles in such country is that you need extra energy to heat inside the car. In Laos, the heat of the gas engine is totaly useless.. sometimes it's a problem. Electric engine don't warm. perfect

So you see, a convenient electric vehicle is not just a dream. there are serious reasons to think we can get it in a few years.

-- Edited by paris_vientiane at 14:39, 2008-03-21

Date: Mar 22, 2008

Oh! Great. Let's wait and see.

chiip · Guru

bravo ! PV, I must say that I like your idea and I already bought an electric bike ( a chinese technology ) it is very economic and very good for a short distance trip, an autonomy of 50 km, with 30-35 mh/h...it is not very good when you are in a hurry and the time of charging its batteries is too long : 5-8 h and when your batteries fall plat during your trip, you have to push it or charge its batteries( it has 4 small batteries connecting altogether: 48 volts), you have to wait 5-8 hours before continuing your trip... I think that the solar system is better but you have to carry the long and large solar panel above your head and can we use the vehicle if we have two or three days running rain ? does it have a battery lasting two days running ?

paris_vientiane · Guru

sorry, but an embedded solar panel will probably never give enough energy for a car.

You'll always need good batteries in your car/bike/vehicle... and you can use solar panels at home (on the top of the house) to get the energy to recharge your battery when you don't use the vehicle

Current solar panels can give about 100W/m2... in the best situations (it's usualy much less)
their solar efficiency is about 20%... this mean, in a dream where one day we can build perfect solar panels, this mean you would be able to get 500w/m2 (not in a near future, that's just a dream).

I think an electric bicycle's engine is about a few hundred of kw (200-400)... but 1m2 of solar panels cannot fit on a simple bicycle

I don't know exactly, but for a vehicle like a tuktuk, I think you'll need at least 4kW.... but you can have onely about 1,5m2 on the top.... so there is no way for embeded solar panels

we clearly have to wait for better batteries (not 'just' a dream ... just have to be patient), and put 10m2 of solar panels on the top of your house.

a solar panel on the vehicle can just help to enhance autonomy a little bit.

Date: Mar 27, 2008

No banning Tuk Tuk or Skylab. Lao peoples are too poor to afford a Taxi ride.

chiip · Guru

the authority forgot that before reaching the bus people have to carry its goods : rice, vegetable, fruits, agricultural equipment, construction material.... which are not appropriated for our existing bus, so if tuktuk and jumbo are banned it is not only banning drivers jobs but it is like banning common people income in VT city. it will have a bad impact to their living condition ....as we have experienced in the past, the authority care very little for poor people living in the outskirt of VT.

Date: Mar 27, 2008

Chiip! You are probably right.

However, I do think that our authority still cares of our people, but does not enough.

It's like when we are poor we cannot help each other much. I am also poor how would I be able to help you, though we are relative.

Probably, this case could be applied to our authority. Actually, it would be good if one of our authority can tell us what is the reason behind the ban of Tuk-tuks and Jumbo in VTE by 2010.

Is there any Lao journalist visiting this website who can take an interview our Lao authorities concerned?

To some extend, I wonder why our journalists never visited this website?
Probabaly, they just work in their offices and have no time to visit this website.

chiip · Guru

thanks for your kind reply... but it is still awful to think about the outskirt of our VT city for instance : my village is four KM from thatluang but we still have no water supply without thinking about ashpalted road... what a pity ! authorities concerned said they have no budget for our village the f...and stupid deputy head of the district told us last year.

Date: Oct 17, 2008

biggrin i know that in France people in the cities use small cars,but do you know one thing?lao people don't use small cars because of the roads.Laos still has alot of holes, bad roads...but if lao ppl drive small car in the bad roads.whats going to happen???Cars need to get fixed,right?? so if you spend money on Smallcar fixing,it's pointless...lao people are smart to choose what is reasonable to use

Date: Oct 18, 2008

that is good news, but Tuk Tuk drivers must have new job as Taxi drivers. if can be like this, there is no losing job, but Vientiane will have new face.

of course, at first time of Taxi era, people will suffer a littlebit of high cost, but latter it will become more balance between price and the ability to use.

paris_vientiane · Guru

Anonymous wrote:

i know that in France people in the cities use small cars,but do you know one thing?lao people don't use small cars because of the roads.Laos still has alot of holes, bad roads...but if lao ppl drive small car in the bad roads.whats going to happen???Cars need to get fixed,right?? so if you spend money on Smallcar fixing,it's pointless...lao people are smart to choose what is reasonable to use

Sure, you're right, but roads in Laos are becoming much and much better, especialy in the biggest cities. Look around Vientiane: most of the roads are quite good. So tuk tuk and small cars, or bicycles are ok in those conditions.

Of course if you live countryside, or go often far from cities, it's different, and for sure you need a good big pick-up 4 wheels drive (expensive, polluting... but there is not really other solution for the moment). But people who buy those big cars in Laos are generaly people who live in cites, people who don't strongly need it (they just want to enjoy their new money and show it to other). Most of people who live countryside (and would strongly need such cars) are too poor to buy a good pick-up.

That's the same for tuktuk: i guess that tuktuk is very uncomfortable on dirty/dusty roads, because it's open, so you get all the dust on your face, on your clothes.... But as the roads become better, there is less and less dust on the road.. So the tuktuk that was in the past quite uncomfortable become much more appropriate. Driving "open air" is quite good in a warm country as Laos.... as long as the road is clean. You don't need air control (that can make you sick and use lot of energy)

-- Edited by paris_vientiane at 11:12, 2008-10-18

paris_vientiane · Guru

Anonymous wrote:

that is good news, but Tuk Tuk drivers must have new job as Taxi drivers. if can be like this, there is no losing job, but Vientiane will have new face.

of course, at first time of Taxi era, people will suffer a littlebit of high cost, but latter it will become more balance between price and the ability to use.

sincerely, when i go to Laos, i'm not interested at all in taxi.... this don't match at all my expectations.

I can sometimes take bus, because it's very cheap and not to bad for environment
Or if there is no bus to take me where i need, I use tuktuk because it's not too expensive and "open air"

I don't care about a taxi that is expensive and in my opinion less comfortable: i don't care a comfortable seat if i have to travel in a small "close metal box" (car) in a warm country. I strongly prefer open air rather than ****ing air control (when it's available...but if you don't have, you are cooked in your car!)

Date: Oct 18, 2008

Ah old thread come up again.

I re read original post and many replies, I suggest a re read of original post for many.

The govts stated purpose for banning tuk tuks is for safety. A cursory look at the safety statistics proves tuk tuks are actually very safe. People in govt are not stupid, so they must have other reasons. Notice they think tuk tuks outside city center might be ok.

I still think they want more room for Lexus. When you drive up close to the back of a motorcylce in your climate controlled Toyota Land Cruiser the motorcyclist moves out of the way. Often a tuk tuk doesn't hear you or has no where to move, they are too big. Big potato has many things to do, very busy man, rush to afternoon appointment with mia noi, back home for dinner with family, off to drinks and entertainment with most honorable Chinese clients.

Tuk tuk needs to get out of the way for Mr Big.

In more egalitarian society everyone must wait in line. Old Volkswagon 30 years old or Porche Targa all must follow rules of road. Equality Fraternaty Liberty?