Those of us in Bangkok who use Rabbit can use their cards to ride the "Smart Buses" in both Chiang Mai and Phuket.

 

Also the Rabbit cards issued in Chiang Mai and Phuket will work on the BTS and BRT as well as attracting the same promotions as a "local" card.

 

 

 

With the release of a Rabbit / Line Pay co-operation later this year (ok maybe early next) I predict the demise of a certain spidery thing (Mangmoom).

5 hours ago, Crossy said:

With the release of a Rabbit / Line Pay co-operation later this year (ok maybe early next) I predict the demise of a certain spidery thing (Mangmoom).

Oh please Crossy don't jinx this.  Getting tired of having 3 stored value card in my wallet to traverse Bangkok 

 

Thanks for the news about Rabbit being usable on the new Phuket Bus though, hadn't spotted that

9 hours ago, Argus Tuft said:

Oh please Crossy don't jinx this.  Getting tired of having 3 stored value card in my wallet to traverse Bangkok

Fear not Argus, something truly marvelous is at hand (assuming of course the locals get their act together).

 

MRTA and Krung Thai Bank are pushing to get all the transit systems to accept contactless EMV as a payment vehicle. This means that you will be able to use your PayWave (Visa) or PayPass (MasterCard) contactless card to pay directly at the gates, no need for stored value or single ride tickets. They also intend doing a stored value card using the same infrastructure (not sure if that's practical, we already have multiple solutions).

 

London has had this for some years, KLIA Ekspress also, and it's piloting in Singapore now ready to go live in September, Dubai, New York and Boston are also setting up systems.

 

There is a catch (isn't there always) in that MRTA want to do it on the cheap keep the costs down and their current proposed architecture has been rejected by all the major operators as being too costly to run.

 

Annoyingly, years back, just when we were getting started on Mangmoom, I (and others) suggested this is the way to go. Unfortunately contactless was only just starting in Thailand (it's still not massive, I've only seen terminals in Tesco) and the powers that be decided it was "too soon". Now some years and $x million later we're going to do it.

 

By the way, all this is not betraying any confidences, all information is available (in Thai of course and not on the front pages) on the MRTA, OTP and KTB websites. PM me if you want links, I will warn you that it's CTAC committee meeting minutes, heavy going and Google translate is useless.

 

I expect some form of press-release soon, of course it will have stupid timescales (way too short).

 

This makes it sound like Chiang Mai has a bus service. Dont reckon on getting to many places or getting there quickly if you are going by bus in Chiang Mai.

4 hours ago, Crossy said:

Fear not Argus, something truly marvelous is at hand (assuming of course the locals get their act together).

Thanks Crossy - great info and much appreciated

I use this Rabbit.

So this not the same rabbit I know and like using.

4 hours ago, AlQaholic said:

I use this Rabbit.

Thanks for this useless post which adds nothing to the topic.

1 minute ago, Argus Tuft said:

Thanks for this useless post which adds nothing to the topic.

A cute bunny is never useless, delicious yes, useless no.

 

Fetching my coat!

 

6 minutes ago, Crossy said:

A cute bunny is never useless, delicious yes, useless no.

 

Fetching my coat!

 

I was verbally abused by a cute bunny on public transport once Crossy - this is just....too soon!!

On 4/9/2018 at 12:47 PM, Argus Tuft said:

Thanks for this useless post which adds nothing to the topic.

Thanks for your useless comment on my useless post on the useless topic.