Busting out: New Phuket Smart Bus service to serve entire west coast

[Chainsaw]

14 hours ago, Psimbo said:

We can't have that- the Thaigeezers will be up in arms if it's a success!

 

Edit: I note that one thing everyone seems to be commenting on is about tourists. A service along the coast, without having to go into Phuket Town is a boon to locals of all ilks as well.

 

Unlike the doomsayers I believe in evolution, not revolution and harping on about events of nearly 20 years ago serves no one.

I get the feeling NKM doesn't want the bus service to be a success. If it was, all his past doom-laden predictions would count for nothing and his raison d'être would cease to exist!

[keeniau96]

Much needed for long time. Looking forward to successful operations. Chock dee mak mak.

[Coconut Kidd]

Tomorrows the big day???

[chub]

 

Today Phuket is due to take a Giant Leap into the 20^th Century – a bus service!

The following timetable was announced by the initiators PKCD on 3^rd February.

 

“First, there will be an internal company trial run around Feb 10, and then another trial before Feb 28 to pick up real passengers who are members of the public”.

“For the launch on Feb 28, there will be a launch event at Central Festival East (HomeWorks) whereby the Phuket Governor, members of the Phuket Provincial Office as well as from the national office of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) and the Ministry of Tourism and Sports (MoTS) will be present. Tourism offices are important as Phuket is a tourism destination,” he said."

 

However, please don’t go and look for a bus stop along the route just yet. In fact the route, timetable and stop locations have not been announced. I don’t think any bus stops or timetables have been erected. There are no signs or timetables visible at the airport. A Google search of Phuket Smart Bus produces no new information and there’s none on the PKCD website either.

 

None of this looks very 'smart'. Perhaps those who benefit from the ‘status quo’ have prevailed.  

 

Edited February 28, 2018 by chub

[ExpatOilWorker]

Meanwhile at Nai Yang beach.....

[Psimbo]

9 hours ago, chub said:

 

Today Phuket is due to take a Giant Leap into the 20^th Century – a bus service!

The following timetable was announced by the initiators PKCD on 3^rd February.

 

“First, there will be an internal company trial run around Feb 10, and then another trial before Feb 28 to pick up real passengers who are members of the public”.

“For the launch on Feb 28, there will be a launch event at Central Festival East (HomeWorks) whereby the Phuket Governor, members of the Phuket Provincial Office as well as from the national office of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) and the Ministry of Tourism and Sports (MoTS) will be present. Tourism offices are important as Phuket is a tourism destination,” he said."

 

However, please don’t go and look for a bus stop along the route just yet. In fact the route, timetable and stop locations have not been announced. I don’t think any bus stops or timetables have been erected. There are no signs or timetables visible at the airport. A Google search of Phuket Smart Bus produces no new information and there’s none on the PKCD website either.

 

None of this looks very 'smart'. Perhaps those who benefit from the ‘status quo’ have prevailed.  

 

Yep- lets just knock something before it even starts- typical Thaigeezer reaction.

 

There are bus stops all along the west coast- they were erected about 18 months ago.

 

If the bus service is a success will you use it to travel along the West Coast or are you just another knocker? 

[madmitch]

Has anyone yet sighted the elusive Phuket Smart Bus?

[LivinginKata]

32 minutes ago, madmitch said:

Has anyone yet sighted the elusive Phuket Smart Bus?

 

Not yet

[stevenl]

If you really want to see it, just look at the app and when a bus is near to you go outside: https://phuket.cloud/bus/

[madmitch]

12 minutes ago, stevenl said:

If you really want to see it, just look at the app and when a bus is near to you go outside: https://phuket.cloud/bus/

It seems to be a website rather than an app but it's a start. At the moment there are three buses indicated, one at the airport, on in Phuket Town and another in Thalang - the latter two locations not being on the actual route! This does indicate to me that the service has not started yet!

 

The website does, however show the route and I'm a bit surprised to see it taking the Karon Viewpoint route to Rawai. But this does mean missing out Chalong Circle, of course. There aren't enough stops yet to make it practical for most people travelling between beaches, though it seems more are on the way https://www.thephuketnews.com/phuket-smart-bus-launches-in-style-66152.php#Q3L1q67JsBTU4GZB.97. 

[pagallim]

^

 

Looking at the map, with the orange ringed icons probably being actual buses on the road (with the blue icons being the stop locations), there's one at the airport, one en route to Kamala, and the 3rd in Patong (as at the time of posting).

[madmitch]

34 minutes ago, pagallim said:

^

 

Looking at the map, with the orange ringed icons probably being actual buses on the road (with the blue icons being the stop locations), there's one at the airport, one en route to Kamala, and the 3rd in Patong (as at the time of posting).

They are stops as well, turquoise from Rawai, orange/red from the airport. It says so at the  bottom left of the page. If you look closely you'll see one colour hidden behind the other for most stops. The actual buses have the image of a bus; hover over it and you get its number.

Edited March 1, 2018 by madmitch

[Old Croc]

I count 6 on the route.

You have to zoom in and look under the blue bus stops for the orange.

[StayinThailand2much]

On 2/3/2018 at 12:52 PM, LivinginKata said:

So that's the very well dressed smart driver. 

How long till the organised tuk-tuk thugs will beat him and his colleagues up, effectively stopping the service once more...?

Edited March 1, 2018 by StayinThailand2much

[ExpatOilWorker]

5 hours ago, StayinThailand2much said:

How long till the organised tuk-tuk thugs will beat him and his colleagues up, effectively stopping the service once more...?

It might already have happened. A little while ago there were 3 buses on the interactive map, now there are only 2. 

Come morning, they may all have been burned to the ground.

[Coconut Kidd]

Saw one yesterday about 4pm north bound main road in Kamala. Nice looking bus.

[pagallim]

Seems to be a lack of buses on the road this morning, can only see one in operation around the Kata area:

 

https://phuket.cloud/bus/

 

[LivinginKata]

Right now I see one nearing Rawai. I see another 3 over on the east side of the island .... oops. GPS tracker error.

[LivinginKata]

Operator promised 9 in service at any given time. One spare ..