Denied Bus / Train Travel Bkk

[Pla Simon]

After all necessary hoop jumping and completing 14 day ASQ in Bkk,

 

After obtaining permission to travel, aswell as installing Morchana app, and successfully purchasing an online bus ticket unhindered, my friend was denied boarding this evening in Rangsit Bus Station.

 

Bus station duty manager produced a memo from main manager, in Thai,  explaining no foreigners allowed to board or buy tickets.

 

When my friend took a photo of this memo, manager threw a hissy fit, and had security called on him to delete it 

 

Subsequently, was denied boarding a train also, citing same reason - in Rangsit.

 

Is this some new norm I am unaware of, or just unofficial discrimination ?

 

He's trying to get to Surin province.

 

Told him to maybe try a minibus tomorrow.

[Pla Simon]

Sorry, forgot to mention - Covid 19 measures were cited in the memo.

 

Should this topic be posted in Covid forum also ?

[Suphawk]

21 minutes ago, Pla Simon said:

When my friend took a photo of this memo, manager threw a hissy fit, and had security called on him to delete it

To bad my photos upload to the cloud immediately, I would report this to every news agency that will listen

[Salerno]

Did he go direct from quarantine or did he spend a couple of days in Bangkok? Did he show his quarantine docs?

[mommysboy]

Did they say anything about non-essential travel for instance?

[Pla Simon]

7 minutes ago, Suphawk said:

To bad my photos upload to the cloud immediately, I would report this to every news agency that will listen

He recalled the photo on iphone, I have a copy, but am unsure of libel laws here. I had a thought to send to Richard Barrow, but don't use social media - I prefer anonymity.

 

Also, I'm not sure this has been announced by the govr, and I missed it.

[Pla Simon]

7 minutes ago, Salerno said:

Did he go direct from quarantine or did he spend a couple of days in Bangkok? Did he show his quarantine docs?

 

3 minutes ago, mommysboy said:

Did they say anything about non-essential travel for instance?

He has all required documentation - 14 days ASQ, 3 negative covid tests, Covid insurance, permission to travel docs and morchana app installed on phone. Nothing on ticket booking website about restricted travel for foreigners.

 

He was denied at Rangsit Bus Station when he presented his ticket.

[Sheryl]

Moving this to General forum as not visa related.

 

There is no law to this effect. May be a policy of that specific bus company.

 

I haven't heard of foreigners being unable to take trains. And as far as I know there is no train station in Rangsit. ?

 

Nor for that matter a bus station in Rangsit. There are intersections where a lot of interprovincial buses stop but not a station with station manager etc. 

 

[FritsSikkink]

Bangkok is a risky area, he should have shown his  release papers fro quarantine.

[FritsSikkink]

5 minutes ago, Pla Simon said:

 

He has all required documentation - 14 days ASQ, 3 negative covid tests, Covid insurance, permission to travel docs and morchana app installed on phone. Nothing on ticket booking website about restricted travel for foreigners.

 

He was denied at Rangsit Bus Station when he presented his ticket.

Did he show the other papers though?

[Salerno]

2 minutes ago, Pla Simon said:

Nothing on ticket booking website about restricted travel for foreigners.

 

Can't say I've seen anything about that either. Only things I've seen that are somewhat relevant is if heading to a place with quarantine for people from red zones, such as Phuket,  you have to go direct from quarantine to the airport (at least one report that the taxi has to be arranged by the quarantine hotel!). Would be interesting to see what the letter he was shown says.

[nightfox]

7 minutes ago, Pla Simon said:

 

He has all required documentation - 14 days ASQ, 3 negative covid tests, Covid insurance, permission to travel docs and morchana app installed on phone. Nothing on ticket booking website about restricted travel for foreigners.

 

He was denied at Rangsit Bus Station when he presented his ticket.

Why go through Rangsit bus station. Tell your friend to go to Mochit bus terminal which is not to far from Rangsit as he will have no problem getting on one of many buses that go to Surin every day. 

[impulse]

I'm not saying it didn't happen.  But I'd have more confidence this isn't a windup if the OP had any posts before this thread.  And discussing a friend...  With no evidence presented.  Saying derogatory things about the locals.

 

Edited January 21, 2021 by impulse

[Solinvictus]

I am sorry for your experience and I hope you get it sorted out.

 

But this reminds me of how much this place can lack professionalism and is not in line with modern standards. But then again, I can consider their point as a single stand along country.

[tebee]

45 minutes ago, Sheryl said:

Moving this to General forum as not visa related.

 

There is no law to this effect. May be a policy of that specific bus company.

 

I haven't heard of foreigners being unable to take trains. And as far as I know there is no train station in Rangsit. ?

 

Nor for that matter a bus station in Rangsit. There are intersections where a lot of interprovincial buses stop but not a station with station manager etc. 

 

There  is both - bus station is north of Future park, on other side of road - shared with a Petrol station.

 

railway station is a new replacement of the old one , interchange between red line and main line - a few hundred meter down from Market 

[bobandyson]

40 minutes ago, Sheryl said:

And as far as I know there is no train station in Rangsit. ?

 

Nor for that matter a bus station in Rangsit.

 

There is a train station in Rangsit. Only used it once and that was about 25 years ago to catch a train into Bangkok. I thought it would be quicker than jumping onto a bus. Turned out that getting buses was actually quicker. I think it was only a platform. Don't recall a ticketing office or booth.

 

The Rangsit bus station is about 2 km on the left after passing Future Park. I used to catch buses from there to take me to Mae Sot and Mukdahan. The buses originated from Morchit and would stop at Rangsit to pick up passengers.

[bobandyson]

3 minutes ago, tebee said:

bus station is north of Future park, on other side of road - shared with a Petrol station.

There's a pick up point for the Nakhon Chai Air buses at a petrol station just passed Tesco Lotus Supermarket. A bit further on is the 'Baw Kaw Saw' bus station for destinations in the North and North-East.

[tomazbodner]

Is there an option to fly to Buriram or Nakhorn Ratchasima and continue to Surin from there?

[tomazbodner]

Or just book Grab to take him to Surin?

 

[scubascuba3]

Sounds like discrimination, some Thais do get this thing in their head that foreigners are a greater risk than Thais, this is why Sattahip Navy courses said no foreigners

[allane]

7 hours ago, Sheryl said:

Moving this to General forum as not visa related.

 

There is no law to this effect. May be a policy of that specific bus company.

 

I haven't heard of foreigners being unable to take trains. And as far as I know there is no train station in Rangsit. ?

 

Nor for that matter a bus station in Rangsit. There are intersections where a lot of interprovincial buses stop but not a station with station manager etc. 

 

There is a bus station in "downtown" Rangsit. I've been there.  The train station is called "Khlong Rangsit". It is about 3 km SW of the Rangsit intersection, on Kamphaengphet 6 Road.

[Pla Simon]

9 hours ago, Sheryl said:

Moving this to General forum as not visa related.

 

There is no law to this effect. May be a policy of that specific bus company.

 

I haven't heard of foreigners being unable to take trains. And as far as I know there is no train station in Rangsit. ?

 

Nor for that matter a bus station in Rangsit. There are intersections where a lot of interprovincial buses stop but not a station with station manager etc. 

 

8 hours ago, nightfox said:

Why go through Rangsit bus station. Tell your friend to go to Mochit bus terminal which is not to far from Rangsit as he will have no problem getting on one of many buses that go to Surin every day. 

Thanks for your replies.

 

As far as I am aware there are both bus terminals and train stations in Rangsit area.

He had a Thai with him - they helped him book the ticket and took him to Rangsit bor kor sor in a car- which is where he phoned me from initially. 

 

He phoned me again from the train station at ban rangsit after bus station debacle, and was denied boarding a train that could have taken him to Ubon.

 

I told him to goto Mochit, or get a sleeper train from Hua Lamphong, or failing that get a minibus.

 

Anyway - he's shacked up for the night now, phone off, I have texted him everyones' thoughts here, and will give an update tomorrow.

 

Cheers.

 

(I sent this last night - but must not have gone through)

[Pla Simon]

8 hours ago, impulse said:

I'm not saying it didn't happen.  But I'd have more confidence this isn't a windup if the OP had any posts before this thread.  And discussing a friend...  With no evidence presented.  Saying derogatory things about the locals.

 

Just to clarify - I have posted before, just not in the habit of doing so - as these forums, no matter the subject matter, tend to attract supercilious comments, such as yours - since when are facts to be construed as derogatory ? 

[Pla Simon]

Thanks to everyone for replies -

 

Let me give complete clarification on this matter, as I have spoken to my friend this morning.

 

I am not prepared to disclose peoples' personal information on an open forum. I have a copy of my friend's bus ticket, aswell as a copy of the memo he was shown, and was consequently told to delete by security, after the duty manager flipped out - I don't want to get involved in the ridiculous libel laws in force here.

 

Suffice to say, the ticket was purchased through the governing body of public transport networks. This reference was included and printed out on the memo also.

 

My friend completed ASQ - was picked up by a girlfriend and driven to Koh Chang, after it was declared the resort was closing to tourists - where he remained for a couple of weeks - he didn't get stopped at any check points on the way.

 

He declared his itinery and obtained permission to travel from the municipality on Koh Chang - valid until and including yesterday. As he could not source a bus from Koh Chang to Surin,  his ticket was bought online, and he was picked up and driven to Rangsit main bus station.

 

At Rangsit bor kor sor, he was denied boarding to a bus, and after phoning me, and then asking to speak to the manager there, was presented with a memo, of which I have a copy. After the ensuing debacle, he was driven to the brand new main train station, just down the road from bus station, and was denied boarding also.

 

His Thai representative has phoned Mochit, and Hua Lamphong just to confirm - No Foreigners Allowed to board state public transportation right now.

 

Indeed, the train he was trying to board ran from Hua Lamphong, terminating in Ubon, stopping in Surin on the way.

 

Right now he is in Chachoengsao, and is off to have the dates on his permission to travel documents ammended, and is persuing travel with a private minibus. I told him, whilst he at the govt office, to get them to phone bus or train station and seek permission to board.

 

He will phone me later, and I will update accordingly.

 

Apologies for long winded post.

[Kiujunn]

3 hours ago, Pla Simon said:

No Foreigners Allowed to board state public transportation right now.

I heard of this a long time ago,  didn't know it's still the case. 

Has this been going on for a year now?

In this case,  it won't change before 2022 or 2023.

 

A cramped minibus or taxi all the way to Surin? For heavens sake. I couldn't do this,  I am a bit taller than the average Thai.

And the risk of infection is much higher than in 3rd class train with open windows. 

Even private buses had infections. 

 

PS I just called 1690, SRT, they say foreigners can travel by train,  no restrictions. So it seems to be TIT, try 3 times and they will let you travel, but they may kick you off the train once you arrived at Nakhon Nowhere ????

Edited January 22, 2021 by Kiujunn

[nightfox]

The mistake was that your friend booked a ticket with a government owned bus company which do not allow foreigners to board on their buses at this time same as last years lockdown. That bus company is called the Transport company.

 

There are endless other privet bus companies that are not government owned operating from Mochit bus terminal that go to issan every day as I took a bus from Mochit to Koen Kean last week on Nokonchai air without any issues boarding.

Edited January 22, 2021 by nightfox

[Pla Simon]

41 minutes ago, nightfox said:

The mistake was that your friend booked a ticket with a government owned bus company which do not allow foreigners to board on their buses at this time same as last years lockdown. That bus company is called the Transport company.

 

There are endless other privet bus companies that are not government owned operating from Mochit bus terminal that go to issan every day as I took a bus from Mochit to Koen Kean last week on Nokonchai air without any issues boarding.

 

Thanks for that info - have relayed to friend, as yet still waiting to hear back from him.

 

So, presumably this applies to train services aswell ?

 

I find it odd, but perhaps not unusual he was able to book online, with no notice of restricted travel for foreigners.

 

I very rarely use public transport in this Country.

[allane]

Morchit 2 - Surin

 

Sawatdee Surin is the private bus company you want. I believe they are presently offering two trips daily.  Ticket counter on the 3rd floor at Morchit 2.  Another option:  Get whatever bus you can as far as Khorat.  Then switch to a local bus from there. Two routes are available; numbers 274 and 563.  I can not guarantee you will be allowed to board, so best to choose Sawatdee Surin.  To the best of my knowledge there are no Morchit to Surin van services, as the trip is over four hours in length.

Edited January 22, 2021 by allane
x

[Sheryl]

I am surprised if foreigners are completely banned from boarding any train in the State railways of Thailand  that we haven't heard of it till now.

 

State bus we might not hear as most people book with private companies. But surely people have been taking trains?

[cleopatra2]

1 hour ago, Sheryl said:

I am surprised if foreigners are completely banned from boarding any train in the State railways of Thailand  that we haven't heard of it till now.

 

State bus we might not hear as most people book with private companies. But surely people have been taking trains?

I am at Hualamphong now.

Been to the ticket office and purchased a ticket to Si Saket.The clerk asked for my passport for identification.

I would have presumed if foreigners not allowed to travel the booking office clerk would not have issued the ticket.