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School buses in Thailand �
1. Appearance & Types

• Often converted pickup trucks or minivans with a roof structure.

• Usually yellow or white in color, but not strictly regulated as in the West.

• Open sides or sliding doors are common.

2. Safety Reality

• Minimal regulations and variable enforcement.

• Frequent overloading; children sit close together.

• No seatbelts or limited safety features.

• Drivers are often experienced, but risk tolerance is higher.

3. Organization

• Schools rarely own their own buses.

• Usually local private drivers who drive fixed routes.

• Parents pay a monthly transport fee (low rate).

4. Daily Practices

• Morning and afternoon routes are tightly scheduled.

• Children are picked up and dropped off at home.

• Sometimes long journeys in rural areas.

5. Cultural Context

• Practical, inexpensive, and socially acceptable. • Safety is approached pragmatically, not bureaucratically.

• Fits into the broader Thai mobility culture.

Looking ahead

There is pressure from the government and international schools to improve safety, but structural change is slow.