Embarrassing! Thais turn on minivan after tourist's tortuous experience

[webfact]

Embarrassing! Thais turn on minivan after tourist's tortuous experience

 

Picture: TNews 

 

Thai posters said it was embarrassing for the country after a tourist went online to complain about a trip from Krabi to Bangkok.

 

The tourist said that they had left Krabi at 3pm and after midnight they had still not stopped for a toilet break or been given any food or water.

 

Murat Ululturk said it was torture "non stop for eight hours no food, cigarette or water"

 

Picture: TNews 

 

There was even a short video of some mobile phone dueling as the tourist tried to get a snap of the offending van's plate and what appeared to be the operator jumped in front.

 

Thai netizens just said it was plain embarrassing for the country to have such situations arise, reported Tnews.

 

Source: TNews

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2017-10-25

[Jeremy50]

'Thais turn on minivan.' I'm not sure what this means, but who cares. Why were these people not sitting in the very comfortable and spacious train? Do a little research before your trip you fools, and you will see that no sane person ever ever gets inside a long distance mini-van in Thailand.

[darksidedog]

The fuel economy on that van must be mind blowing if it can travel for 8-9 hours without stopping to refuel. Newsflash for the whinger, long journeys take a long time. Next time, when you want comfort, lob out the dollars for a private taxi or fly.

[Peterw42]

An overnight minivan with no drinks trolley, food service or inflight movie. Call the press.

I very much doubt the bus went for 9 hours without a stop, it wouldnt even hold that much fuel.

 

[Get Real]

Did anyone express their need to have a break or visit a toilet. Not even a minivan driver is psychic, even if some are known to believe they got special powers.

[jackw]

Jeremey50 "Why were these people not sitting in the very comfortable and spacious train?"

Uh ... perhaps because there is no train to/from Krabi?

[agudbuk]

2 minutes ago, jackw said:

Jeremey50 "Why were these people not sitting in the very comfortable and spacious train?"

Uh ... perhaps because there is no train to/from Krabi?

Full size bus would be more comfortable, on board toilet and an organised stop.

[pearciderman]

That is not a minivan in the second picture !

[agudbuk]

Bus,  minibus, train fly or taxi are all options.

Fly quickest, train slowest.

VIP bus probably the best overall option.

[coulson]

Rather large minivan.

 

I do sympathize with newbie travellers who search out various VIP carriers and buy into the schedules, you can't blame them for falling for it. So many different stations for bus, minivan and then the crooks running services from their so called travel agencies. Can't trust any of them and the driver takes whatever route that suits him.

 

So many cheap flights from krabi - nok, air asia and Thai lion. Only costs a little more and saves time and a world of pain.

[InMyShadow]

Driver probably out of his tree on yaba.
Stay away from from these mobile coffins.

[electric]

 

Presumably the bus made several stops for the driver to stretch his legs ? One would hope so. Very poor service from the operator, expecting passengers to sit for 9 hours with no comfort stop enroute, especially so in a vehicle with no toilet.

 

Hopefully the Thai passengers on the bus made similiar public complaints to someone that cares, or at very least, named and shamed the bus company on Thai social media.

 

Bad publicity is not good for business, especially when there are hungry competitors hovering around.

 

This is the exactly the sort of poorly run service operation that Transport Authorities need to take an interest in, and rectify.

 

BTW ... doesn't look like a minivan to me.

Edited October 25, 2017 by electric

[Bluespunk]

1 hour ago, jackw said:

Jeremey50 "Why were these people not sitting in the very comfortable and spacious train?"

Uh ... perhaps because there is no train to/from Krabi?

You can travel mostly by train.

 

The journey involves a few (3 on a good day) hours by bus from Krabi and then you get a train from Surat Thani to Bangkok.  

 

Might not be direct but lot better than taking a bus for the whole journey. 

 

http://www.travelconnecxion.com/train_bangkok_suratthani.php

Edited October 25, 2017 by Bluespunk

[agudbuk]

https://12go.asia/en/travel/krabi/bangkok

[YetAnother]

12 minutes ago, agudbuk said:

https://12go.asia/en/travel/krabi/bangkok

that is a Lot of options

[coulson]

1 hour ago, Bluespunk said:

You can travel mostly by train.

 

The journey involves a few (3 on a good day) hours by bus from Krabi and then you get a train from Surat Thani to Bangkok.  

 

Might not be direct but lot better than taking a bus for the whole journey. 

 

http://www.travelconnecxion.com/train_bangkok_suratthani.php

It's certainly better way to travel, but you have to be lucky. Transfer to terminal at krabi is as expensive as the journey to krabi itself. The train is another nightmare if you don't book in advance, you can end up on a slow coach for 14 hours or waiting hours for an available sleeper.

 

That's the other issue with negotiating over land, the gross over use of words like *VIP* and *express* is misleading.

 

There is a great market for an actual VIP intercity bus service with real drivers that don't take the scenic route, but unfortunately it's all sewn up.

 

 

Edited October 25, 2017 by coulson
.

[Bluespunk]

1 minute ago, coulson said:

It's certainly better way to travel, but you have to be lucky. Transfer to terminal at krabi is as expensive as the journey to krabi itself. The train is another nightmare if you don't book in advance, you can end up on a slow coach for 14 hours or waiting hours for an available sleeper.

 

That's the other issue with negotiating over land, the gross over use of words like *VIP* and *express* is misleading.

 

 

Oh there are problems with train travel, but, if you have the time and aren’t too worried about the timetable, it is a great experience here.

 

I love the train journey between Hua Hin and Bangkok. 1020 baht for first class sleeper. 

[YetAnother]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

said it was embarrassing for the country

perhaps, but there are so so many more important things in which thailand embarrasses itself

[F4UCorsair]

4 hours ago, Jeremy50 said:

'Thais turn on minivan.' I'm not sure what this means, but who cares. Why were these people not sitting in the very comfortable and spacious train? Do a little research before your trip you fools, and you will see that no sane person ever ever gets inside a long distance mini-van in Thailand.

Or In ANY minivan, anywhere, any time, just plain crazy.

[Ron19]

3 hours ago, pearciderman said:

That is not a minivan in the second picture !

Looks like a full sized bus.

[LomSak27]

4 hours ago, Jeremy50 said:

'Thais turn on minivan.' I'm not sure what this means, but who cares. Why were these people not sitting in the very comfortable and spacious train? Do a little research before your trip you fools, and you will see that no sane person ever ever gets inside a long distance mini-van in Thailand.

Oh looks like our Professional Troll Team is in action – No Train stations in Krabi, no worries. This person in the article gave Thailand a bad image so must be attacked  here on ThaiVisa .... it says right here on my Troll posting guidelines.

[Lee4Life]

5 hours ago, Jeremy50 said:

'Thais turn on minivan.' I'm not sure what this means, but who cares. Why were these people not sitting in the very comfortable and spacious train? Do a little research before your trip you fools, and you will see that no sane person ever ever gets inside a long distance mini-van in Thailand.

Why not have compassion for them instead of turning it back on them like it's their fault? The long distance mini-vans would not be in service if they were not a viable option. There are people that don't like the motion or noise of trains, or who get motion sickness from them.

[Dogmatix]

6 hours ago, Jeremy50 said:

'Thais turn on minivan.' I'm not sure what this means, but who cares. Why were these people not sitting in the very comfortable and spacious train? Do a little research before your trip you fools, and you will see that no sane person ever ever gets inside a long distance mini-van in Thailand.

 

The railway line goes down the East side of the country and Krabi is on the West coast.   The nearest railway station is in Surat, three hours drive away.  Perhaps they did indeed do their research.  

[Lamkyong]

46 minutes ago, Lee4Life said:

Why not have compassion for them instead of turning it back on them like it's their fault? The long distance mini-vans would not be in service if they were not a viable option. There are people that don't like the motion or noise of trains, or who get motion sickness from them.

wouldn't be much sickness then if motion  is the cause

[Kasset Tak]

I only use those mini vans if there are absolutely NO other alternative, one example is where I lived before where there were no bus to/from Bangkok but they had 3 vans in each direction everyday.

[samsensam]

 

Thai posters said it was embarrassing for the country after a tourist went online to complain about a trip from Krabi to Bangkok.

 

if thais want to sort out the things to be embarrassed about they'll have their work cut out...

[Pakaty]

Minivans are deathtraps.

Last time I took a train from Surat Thani to Bangkok after they made the beds mine had roaches all over it and myself.  Grossed me out!

 

Krabi has an airport that would be my choice.

[Spock]

6 hours ago, darksidedog said:

The fuel economy on that van must be mind blowing if it can travel for 8-9 hours without stopping to refuel. Newsflash for the whinger, long journeys take a long time. Next time, when you want comfort, lob out the dollars for a private taxi or fly.

Private taxi from Krabi to Bangkok! You have to be joking. Only for rich tourists with money to burn. And where is the train line on this side of the country that posters are suggesting to take? A cheap flight would have been the best method of transport.

[InMyShadow]

The fuel economy on that van must be mind blowing if it can travel for 8-9 hours without stopping to refuel. Newsflash for the whinger, long journeys take a long time. Next time, when you want comfort, lob out the dollars for a private taxi or fly.

Why would any vehicle especially a diesel or gas van need to refuel within 8 hours after a full tank ?

 

Been a few years since a had a car so maybe I'm mistaken

 

[lucjoker]

the title says :Thai posters said it was embarrassing for the country after a tourist went online to complain about a trip from Krabi to Bangkok.

The "Thais" find it inappropriate that a "tourist" complains "online"? because it is embarrassing for the country. 

Yes the tourist is wrong !