Word Association (2024)

[webfact]

Public urged to try water transport on Chao Phraya to avoid traffic jams

By The Nation

 

 

The Marine Department is encouraging private individuals to adopt modern boat technology such as electric boats or other boat services to beat the urban traffic chaos.

 

Department director-general Wittaya Yamuang said that travelling by passenger boats in the Chao Phraya River is an option for people in Bangkok and its suburbs who want to avoid the traffic congestion of the city.

 

There are now both passenger ships and chartered boats for tourism to provide more services. All ships are subject to safety standards as required by the Marine Department, including safety equipment such as life vests, he said.

 

The boat drivers and masters must obtain a crew licence. Any violation or use of unsafe instruments will lead to suspension of the crew licence and the service will be stopped immediately, he said.

 

Premier Riva Boat Co said it sees an opportunity to expand the water tourism industry, especially on the banks of the Chao Phraya River where tourists, both Thais and foreigners, are interested in visiting the temples and water attractions all year round. The company has launched a charter boat business, the first tuk-tuk passenger boat service in Thailand.

 

There are five pilot boats, of which two have run a trial service since November 2019. They aim to develop up to 10 boats. However, due to the Covid-19 pandemic affecting foreign tourists, the company has adjusted its business plan. Originally, the company planned to launch the tuk-tuk boat business next year with a fixed price according to distance.

 

This year, the company expects 250 passengers to use the service per month, or 3,000 people per year, generating an income of approximately Bt2 million per year.

 

Next year, when the service of five tuk-tuk passenger boats is completed, it expects to increase passenger numbers to 500 per month or 6,000 people per year, generating income of Bt4 million per year and expanding continuously when the number of passenger ships increases to 10 in the future.

 

 

Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30392745

 

-- © Copyright The Nation Thailand 2020-08-10

 

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[richard_smith237]

How do we get our car on to one of those?

 

 

We get into our car, drive to where we want to go, then we get out. 

 

The water option would involve us waiting for a car taxi to come to our house after phoning to order one or using the Grab App, taking the taxi to a river or Klong, waiting for a water taxi, then taking the water taxi to somewhere near our destination, then getting in another taxi to get to our destination. 

 

Like the MRT the ‘Water Taxi’ is only a convenient option if both your origin and destination are close to the stations / ranks. 

 

The only real way to cut traffic - Cost. Make it prohibitively expensive for borderline road users like myself to not use cars in the city - we still need our car to transport our son to school (I’m not trusting of the mini-van services).

 

But ultimately, cars are luxuries not necessities, life is just easier with a car. 

 

 

 

 

 

[hotchilli]

20 hours ago, webfact said:

Public urged to try water transport on Chao Phraya to avoid traffic jams

Just make sure you can swim .... 

[KhunFred]

I have found the water taxis to be very efficient and cheap. I have never been ripped off using the Chaophraya route.

[Sterling]

On 8/11/2020 at 7:20 AM, KhunFred said:

I have found the water taxis to be very efficient and cheap. I have never been ripped off using the Chaophraya route.

Agreed. I used them several times on a trip to Bangkok last year and they were great. The ones I rode really had some get up and go and made the trip a lot cooler.