Sure Miss the Chiang Mai Public Buses….

[thaibeachlovers]

On 12/18/2021 at 3:42 AM, The Hammer2021 said:

Are you discussing trying to cheat a poverty stricken Thai guy out of 10 baht!?

The price is 30 baht, not 40. Who voluntarily pays more than the proper price?

[Sparkles]

On 12/23/2021 at 11:12 PM, EricTh said:

Partly true but I would think that the tuk-tuk and Song Taew somehow protested/complained to the authorities because the buses were eating away some of their income. They didn't want cheap transport for the tourists.

Chiang Mai had once planned to build a BTS train system like that in Bangkok several years ago but due to protests by the Song Taew/Tuk-Tuk group, the project was cancelled.

Chiang Mai was never going to build a BTS system, nothing to do with protests. The population doesn't warrant the huge expenditure unlike Bangkok where the population is over 10 million. Unlike CM Bangkok roads are choked with traffic and it was the only option along with underground rail which is equally popular.

 

That is not my opinion it was relayed to me by a local CM Gov official. Some were also floating the idea of a BTS type service from the Night Safari down Canal Rd to the City, that too was just "kite flying". The small bus service that travelled from near Bantawai to the City down Hang Dong Rd has also disappeared

 

When we moved here some 17 odd years ago there was a bus service launched and there was a protest from the Songteaw /Tuk Tuk Mafia as they were known .I think City Life covered that in an article. The fact is Thai for decades have relied on Songteaw's and Tuk Tuks to get around the city and old habits are hard to break. The buses were not well supported and finished up  being left in a compound near Global House and then disappeared probably as scrap metal or sold to Cambodia ????

Then along came the blue buses. Yes they were comfortable and useful for some but far too big and buses half the size and cost, meaning a more frequent timetable, would have helped. Meanwhile Songteaw's went past people waiting every minute. While some trips had passengers many had as few as 2 or 3 passengers. A friend who still has a business on the set route remarked to me that as he watched them going past more or less empty how long would they continue ? Loss of tourists who used them to get to the airport killed them off. They too are probably in a compound somewhere.

 

Cars and motor bikes are still king, especially for the 1,000's that live in hundreds of Mooban's south ,north and east of the city. We are regular visitors to Worrowat Market and for 30 baht we can park on site but there's always a line of Songteaw's and Tuk Tuk's servicing those that don't have their own transport.

 

The solution and I can't believe it  has not been discussed, by those who make these decisions, or maybe it has, is to have a fleet of electric people movers such as used by CMU, RAM and Sriphat Hospital. CM City being dead flat is perfect for such a vehicle, quiet, no pollution and easy to get on and off. They in time could replace the smoke belching Songteaw's and would be financially viable but don't hold you breath that anything will change any time soon. 

 

 

 

[EricTh]

1 hour ago, Sparkles said:

Chiang Mai was never going to build a BTS system, nothing to do with protests. 

This statement is grossly incorrect.

 

There was some official news articles several years ago about the train system and protests but I can't find it now. I read Thailand news almost everyday for the past x years.

 

Just because one 'government official' told you that doesn't mean anything. Most government officials don't know anything aside from their job duties. I have different government officials telling me contradicting 'facts' all the time.

 

The only story that is true come from the top government official and not any ordinary govt official.

Edited December 26, 2021 by EricTh

[hml367]

Maybe you can find something here:   https://futuresoutheastasia.com/chiang-mai-mass-transit/

 

or here:    http://2bangkok.com/2bangkok-MassTransit-ChiangMain.shtml

 

probably some even earlier than these

[seedy]

They have been talking about this since I arrived here.

Put it on the same list as talking about ...

Burning crop residue and forest ground cover - black smoke belching vehicles - road safety - new airport

[hml367]

16 minutes ago, seedy said:

They have been talking about this since I arrived here.

Put it on the same list as talking about ...

Burning crop residue and forest ground cover - black smoke belching vehicles - road safety - new airport

Exactly !

[hml367]

"......... The first Chiang Mai Transport Master Plan was created in 1994. It was among the earlier transport master plans for regional cities in Thailand. .......  "

 

In Section 4.3 of http://app.eng.ubu.ac.th/~app/resproject/upload/p1/WCTRS2016_0281_paper.pdf

 

Seedy is correct about there being many "planned" projects for Chiang Mai.

Edited December 26, 2021 by hml367
Add final line

[Sparkles]

On 12/26/2021 at 11:12 AM, EricTh said:

This statement is grossly incorrect.

 

There was some official news articles several years ago about the train system and protests but I can't find it now. I read Thailand news almost everyday for the past x years.

 

Just because one 'government official' told you that doesn't mean anything. Most government officials don't know anything aside from their job duties. I have different government officials telling me contradicting 'facts' all the time.

 

The only story that is true come from the top government official and not any ordinary govt official.

Well if you believe in "official" new stories that's a laugh. I could list a dozen  of them, that never saw the light of day over the last 2 decades. Protests had nothing to do with it. There were far bigger public protests in CM about the buildings, for the judiciary, on Doi Suthep, what did that achieve ? nothing .

 

My contact in local Gov, still a neighbour, now retired, has never once been wrong about all the floated speculation in the 17 years we have been in CM, you are speaking to the wrong ones.

 

I remember well arriving to work in Bangkok 20 years ago and Thaksin was live, in a television address, telling the population that he would solve Bangkok's traffic gridlock in 6 months. Was he, as PM, not a top official ? 

 

When the bulk of population live in Moobans, way out of the city, a BTS system was never going to be built, financial suicide as city bus systems have proven. Our Mooban has 800+ homes, multiple that by that by say 3 people per home that's 2,400 indiviuals not anywhere near public transport the reason cars and motor bikes are the main form of transport and will remain that way. There are 100's of similar Moobans

 

The Songteaw mafia may well be "noisy" but don't elevate them to city decision makers, simply not true.

Electric people movers are hopefully the future.