Denied Bus / Train Travel Bkk

[TSF]

Tell your friend to stop a meter taxi and negotiate a price to Surin. From Chachoengsao it should cost about 3000-4000 bt and he'll be home in about 6 hours, enjoying a cold beer and all this BS behind him.

[Pla Simon]

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?

 

21 minutes ago, cleopatra2 said:

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.

 

Thanks for your comments, Sheryl and cleopatra2.

 

I am surprised also, and in all respects, I find the whole issue, at best, rather contentious, to say the least. I find the proposition of discrimination in such a blatent form, untenable.

 

I can't answer in any other way than to relay my friend's very real experience, yesterday evening - his bus ticket was booked on his behalf, but was told unequivocally no foreigners were allowed to board the train, at Rangsit Main Train Station - by the representative there.

 

I wonder if this was an unofficial internal memo, that was circulated, and left to the individual subjective interpretations of the badge holders and whistle blowers, so prevalent here, that has since been flip flopped ?

 

Or is this logic a move to appease inculcated conceit and xenophobia ? Is a virus discriminatory ?

 

I am happy to send the memo privately, without prejudice, to yourself, or perhaps Rooster for interpretation - it's in Thai script. 

 

To bring closure to the matter, my friend has consequently and successfully booked a private minibus for this evening - his Thai  girlfriend is still reeling from the affront.

 

It might be worth noting for anyone else assuming they can book state owned transport right now.

 

Thanks, and have a good one.

[cleopatra2]

1 hour ago, Pla Simon said:

 

 

Thanks for your comments, Sheryl and cleopatra2.

 

I am surprised also, and in all respects, I find the whole issue, at best, rather contentious, to say the least. I find the proposition of discrimination in such a blatent form, untenable.

 

I can't answer in any other way than to relay my friend's very real experience, yesterday evening - his bus ticket was booked on his behalf, but was told unequivocally no foreigners were allowed to board the train, at Rangsit Main Train Station - by the representative there.

 

I wonder if this was an unofficial internal memo, that was circulated, and left to the individual subjective interpretations of the badge holders and whistle blowers, so prevalent here, that has since been flip flopped ?

 

Or is this logic a move to appease inculcated conceit and xenophobia ? Is a virus discriminatory ?

 

I am happy to send the memo privately, without prejudice, to yourself, or perhaps Rooster for interpretation - it's in Thai script. 

 

To bring closure to the matter, my friend has consequently and successfully booked a private minibus for this evening - his Thai  girlfriend is still reeling from the affront.

 

It might be worth noting for anyone else assuming they can book state owned transport right now.

 

Thanks, and have a good one.

Rangsit is in Pathum Thani ,one of the areas that has been identified for Covid.

Each provincial governor has been giving the power to implement measures to control the outbreak.

 

[onthedarkside]

A trolling post has been removed.

[Sheryl]

6 hours ago, Pla Simon said:

 

 

Thanks for your comments, Sheryl and cleopatra2.

 

I am surprised also, and in all respects, I find the whole issue, at best, rather contentious, to say the least. I find the proposition of discrimination in such a blatent form, untenable.

 

I can't answer in any other way than to relay my friend's very real experience, yesterday evening - his bus ticket was booked on his behalf, but was told unequivocally no foreigners were allowed to board the train, at Rangsit Main Train Station - by the representative there.

 

I wonder if this was an unofficial internal memo, that was circulated, and left to the individual subjective interpretations of the badge holders and whistle blowers, so prevalent here, that has since been flip flopped ?

 

Or is this logic a move to appease inculcated conceit and xenophobia ? Is a virus discriminatory ?

 

I am happy to send the memo privately, without prejudice, to yourself, or perhaps Rooster for interpretation - it's in Thai script. 

 

To bring closure to the matter, my friend has consequently and successfully booked a private minibus for this evening - his Thai  girlfriend is still reeling from the affront.

 

It might be worth noting for anyone else assuming they can book state owned transport right now.

 

Thanks, and have a good one.

I think there are 3 possibilities:

 

1 - there really is such a rule but issued by the Governor of Pathumthani so only affects travel to/from Pathumthani

 

2 - it is a local interpretation of a central government instructions. If so it would not actually ban foreigners from travel ( people are boarding trains without issue elsewhere) but it probably does state that all travelers must show ID and it is possible that officials in Rangsit interpret that to mean a Thai citizen ID card and thus that only Thais can travel. The Thai language tends not to be very precise and government edicts in particular are prone to vague wording such that varying interpretations result. Thais as you know doubt know often default to "cannot" whenever faced with a situation they are unsure of or which does not seem to 100% fit the instructions they were given.

 

3 - given that ID must be shown to purchase tickets and that someone else (a Thai) purchased these tickets for your friend is it possible he did so showing his own Thai ID card? In which case when your friend, obviously not him, tried to board this would have been an issue as they are probably instructed to verify identities boarding.

 

 

 

[SchuetzRob]

On 1/21/2021 at 10:59 PM, 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. 

 

Rangsit does have a train station. The bangkok-chiang Mai trains (and others) do stop there. At present, though, everything there is a bit chaotic with the construction work in connection with the mrt (?) line from bang sue to rangsit. 

[elgenon]

On 1/21/2021 at 7:56 AM, 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.

If the memo stated foreigners are not allowed to buy tickets, why was he able to buy a ticket? Seems to me if you are sold a ticket you should be able to use it. Did he ask the manager that? I know I'm being logical but I would want to know. Or, at the least, I would ask. It would seem the ticket seller was under the purview of the manager. Did he get a refund?

 

Take a photo of the ticket and send it to the main manager? To the Bangkok Post along with the story? 555

[tifino]

2 minutes ago, elgenon said:

If the memo stated foreigners are not allowed to buy tickets, why was he able to buy a ticket? Seems to me if you are sold a ticket you should be able to use it. Did he ask the manager that?

an 'aw aw aw u dun it now Butler' moment - Blakey don't believe falang was the one who actually bought it at the counter 

[mxer90]

I tried to book a provincial bus from Si Thep (Phetchbun) to Pattaya on 5th January and was denied at the bus station. I tried a few days earlier with the same result.

 

I have taken this bus many times over the past few years. I know the guy in the office and we are quite friendly. He speaks very little English but the person I was with speaks good English. He basically said he cannot book tickets for falangs or chinese.

 

He was very apologetic but said he's been told by his head office. I was surprised but he said try a minivan. Which I successfully did. One from Phetchbun to Rangsit Future Park, one from Rangsit to Pattaya Klang.

 

[jollyhangmon]

5 minutes ago, mxer90 said:

I tried to book a provincial bus from Si Thep (Phetchbun) to Pattaya on 5th January and was denied at the bus station. I tried a few days earlier with the same result.

 

I have taken this bus many times over the past few years. I know the guy in the office and we are quite friendly. He speaks very little English but the person I was with speaks good English. He basically said he cannot book tickets for falangs or chinese.

 

He was very apologetic but said he's been told by his head office. I was surprised but he said try a minivan. Which I successfully did. One from Phetchbun to Rangsit Future Park, one from Rangsit to Pattaya Klang.

 

 

... which outfit rejected your business?

The muppets of Transport Co (aka. 999, state owned, surprise, surprise) which by now got a respective reputation or do we see copy-cats already?

 

[mxer90]

2 minutes ago, jollyhangmon said:

 

... which outfit rejected your business?

The muppets of Transport Co (aka. 999, state owned, surprise, surprise) which by now got a respective reputation or do we see copy-cats already?

 

 

The usual Rayong to Lomsak bus service (3 times daily). Yeah probably a state owned company......Phet Prasert Co.

 

[Sheryl]

2 hours ago, elgenon said:

If the memo stated foreigners are not allowed to buy tickets, why was he able to buy a ticket? Seems to me if you are sold a ticket you should be able to use it. Did he ask the manager that? I know I'm being logical but I would want to know. Or, at the least, I would ask. It would seem the ticket seller was under the purview of the manager. Did he get a refund?

 

Take a photo of the ticket and send it to the main manager? To the Bangkok Post along with the story? 555

 

As described he did not buy the ticket himself, someone else (a Thai) did it for him.  One of the possibilities is that the Thai buying the ticket showed his own Thai ID causing problems when someone else, a foreigner, tried to use it. They seem to now be checking IDs.

[Sheryl]

38 minutes ago, mxer90 said:

. He basically said he cannot book tickets for falangs or chinese.

 

 

 

 

Together with reports of having to show ID when booking, makes me think that the issue is that they are now required to enter an ID number intoi a computerized system to make a booking.

 

In fact some foreigners have an ID card (I do) but Thais often assume this is not the case.  And for those who do not, passport should be acceptable instead but many do not know this or how to enter a passport number in the field for ID card (often entails putting zeros first). This issue afflicts many things, from Lazada Wallet to continuing  Social Security hospital coverage after retirement and registering at a government hospital. Even sometimes opening a bank account if the bank staff have nto done it before for a foreigner.

 

All over the place, some can do it, others don't know how and will announce "foreigner cannot".

[mxer90]

1 minute ago, Sheryl said:

 

Together with reports of having to show ID when booking, makes me think that the issue is that they are now required to enter an ID number intoi a computerized system to make a booking.

 

In fact some foreigners have an ID card (I do) but Thais often assume this is not the case.  And for those who do not, passport should be acceptable instead but many do not know this or how to enter a passport number in the field for ID card (often entails putting zeros first). This issue afflicts many things, from Lazada Wallet to continuing  Social Security hospital coverage after retirement and registering at a government hospital. Even sometimes opening a bank account if the bank staff have nto done it before for a foreigner.

 

All over the place, some can do it, others don't know how and will announce "foreigner cannot".

 

Not the case for me. I have used this service many times and they have used my passport number recently (the past 12 months), no problem.

 

The guy which I know (as I mentioned above) specifically said he cannot book tickets for falangs or Chinese. He's known me for years and if it was possible to use a Thai ID he would have asked me if I had one, which he didn't. If there was any way this guy could have got me on the bus he would.

 

I think this will go back to how it was before the restrictions were put in place just after New year.

[greenmonkey]

This could have been a localised directive where some do-gooding offical had a bright idea to ban farang - happens all the time. During the first wave when massage places were still open my wife and I went to a local massage shop in Nonthaburi. The lady there told my wife that she could have a massage (she is Thai) but I could not... some local official had instructed her 'no farang' allowed for massage. The following week it was all forgotten and I was allowed to have my massage.

[The Theory]

On 1/21/2021 at 10:14 PM, Pla Simon said:

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

The "duty manager" just follow the order, no foreigners. He does not care where you come from and they keep it simple, no foreigners .Since 2nd wave caused by illegal border crossers. 

 

[TigerandDog]

13 minutes ago, The Theory said:

The "duty manager" just follow the order, no foreigners. He does not care where you come from and they keep it simple, no foreigners .Since 2nd wave caused by illegal border crossers. 

 

who were Thai & Myanmar, NOT farangs.

[jomtienisgood]

On 1/21/2021 at 10:59 PM, 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. 

 

Yes, I used to live Rangsit and don't recall any bus or trainstation.....

[The Theory]

10 minutes ago, TigerandDog said:

who were Thai & Myanmar, NOT farangs.

Welcome to Thailand ????

[The Theory]

On 1/22/2021 at 11:29 AM, Kiujunn said:

On 1/22/2021 at 8:52 AM, Pla Simon said:

 

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.

Absolutely false statement. 
The reason that it is happening now is states of emergency (2nd wave). Top bus companies are closed or no service to some destinations. "Those cheap ones managed by non sense ideas" in this situation. I traveled by 2 time by 1st class NCA from BKK to CM and fly back from CM to BKK in last Oct. no problem at all. 
 

 

 

 

Edited January 23, 2021 by The Theory

[Kiujunn]

7 minutes ago, The Theory said:

Absolutely false statement

You did see the question mark,  did you?

[Andy from Kent]

On 1/21/2021 at 11:51 PM, bobandyson said:

There is a train station in Rangsit. Only used it once and that was about 25 years ago to catch a train into Bangkok.

 

 

While not 25 years ago, only 18 years ago when I first  visited Thailand, there were relatively few high rise buildings in Bangkok.    

 

Slippery slope to reference 25 years ago and think things didn't change in the meantime.

 

[The Theory]

On 1/21/2021 at 11:03 PM, Salerno said:

 

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.

The letter worth only when you deal with check points or government authorities, not businesses. 

[Sig]

On 1/21/2021 at 11:21 PM, 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.

 

<deleted>??? That's quite the incredible jump.... Kinda like being in the diametrically opposed camp to conspiracy nuts!
The story sounds so completely normal for Thailand and wasn't presented in any kind of derogatory fashion at all. What on earth did you find derogatory in the OP?? I'm assuming you understand what "derogatory" means....?

[Skeptic7]

Should NOT have to produce or provide anything! Should be treated same as any other passenger. Buy ticket and ride.

 

Just another blatant example of Thai bigotry and xenophobia. 

[elgenon]

19 hours ago, Sheryl said:

 

As described he did not buy the ticket himself, someone else (a Thai) did it for him.  One of the possibilities is that the Thai buying the ticket showed his own Thai ID causing problems when someone else, a foreigner, tried to use it. They seem to now be checking IDs.

Sorry, I missed that. Yes, that could explain the problem.

[Huckenfell]

On 1/22/2021 at 3:48 PM, Pla Simon said:

 

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.

Why did they issue a ticket if there was no intention to allow him to travel.

[Salerno]

14 minutes ago, Huckenfell said:

Why did they issue a ticket if there was no intention to allow him to travel.

 

He didn't buy it.

[Huckenfell]

On 1/23/2021 at 3:15 PM, mxer90 said:

 

Not the case for me. I have used this service many times and they have used my passport number recently (the past 12 months), no problem.

 

The guy which I know (as I mentioned above) specifically said he cannot book tickets for falangs or Chinese. He's known me for years and if it was possible to use a Thai ID he would have asked me if I had one, which he didn't. If there was any way this guy could have got me on the bus he would.

 

I think this will go back to how it was before the restrictions were put in place just after New year.

Do they understand 'Discrimination'  as this is what it comes down to.

[thurien]

On 1/21/2021 at 10:59 PM, Sheryl said:

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

 

 

there is