Phuket Land Transport Office (PLTO) is currently accepting applications from operators to establish a circular ‘baht bus’ style public transportation system in Phuket’s busiest tourist area. The announcement was made on the PLTO’s official Facebook page yesterday, with three separate notices for potential operators to provide bus transport services within Patong.

 

Two of these notices outlined two circular routes, while the third is for the traditional bus service between the old bus station on Phang Nga Rd in Phuket Town and Patong. Both circular routes are set to commence from the Bangla Police Box on Patong Beach Road (Thaweewong Road) and continue north to the Dolphin Circle before turning right onto Phra Barami Road.

 

One service will then turn onto Rat-U-Thit 200 Pi Road while the second will take a right onto Phra Metta Road. Both routes will then continue south to the southern end of Patong, turn right onto Prachanukroh Road and head back towards Patong Beach. The buses will then return to the Bangla Police Box before restarting their circular route.

 

As outlined in the PLTO’s formal announcement, the vehicles used for these services must not be passenger vans. Instead, the type of vehicle will depend on the number of passengers and a minimum of three vehicles must be provided for the service along Rat-U-Thit 200 Pi Road while at least two vehicles must be available for the Phra Metta Rd route. Both services are required to make a minimum of 40 trips per day, charging a fare of 40 baht.

 

These new services are intended to provide both convenience and safety to public bus users and enhance the competitiveness of the bus transportation system. Applicants are required to provide details of the buses or other vehicles to be used, storage, repair and maintenance sites, and plans for bus service management, anti-pollution and environmental measures, employee development, service models, and vehicle and passenger safety.

 

Applicants can contact the PLTO directly for more information and have until November 28 to submit their applications. Despite this, there has been no official mention of the new services to be provided to residents and tourists in the town of Patong Municipality.

 

By Mitch Connor

Caption: Photo courtesy of The Phuket News

 

Full story: The Thaiger 2023-10-19

 

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nothing new here, they're just running 30 years late.

 

Anyway, surely what's described in the OP is not a "baht bus" but a shuttle service?

Only 10 Baht, sometimes 20 in Pattaya. Price has been the same since 2006, at least.

"Imaginative" pricing for gullible tourist groups makes up the sum needed for a decent living for the drivers.

For 40 Baht I'd expect a portion of chicken and rice to be included.

Excellent news. Looks like the time is right for a service like this.

They forgot to add to the application criteria that applicants "must be experienced Taxi Mafia involved in fleecing tourists". I welcome change but can't see this ever happening. Look at the issues caused by Grab and Boilt in Phuket. The established mafia will not allow dilution of their lucrative market. Pattaya is so much easier than Phuket with regard to getting around. 

 

11 hours ago, isaanistical said:

nothing new here, they're just running 30 years late.

 

Anyway, surely what's described in the OP is not a "baht bus" but a shuttle service?

And we wait and see how violently the taxi drivers react and get away with!

56 minutes ago, scorecard said:

And we wait and see how violently the taxi drivers react and get away with!

They will intervene I'm sure

I thought they've had this for years already. Or am I hallucinating when I see the phuket town songtaew driving around every second day

6 hours ago, soi3eddie said:

They forgot to add to the application criteria that applicants "must be experienced Taxi Mafia involved in fleecing tourists". I welcome change but can't see this ever happening. Look at the issues caused by Grab and Boilt in Phuket. The established mafia will not allow dilution of their lucrative market. Pattaya is so much easier than Phuket with regard to getting around. 

 

 

2 hours ago, scorecard said:

And we wait and see how violently the taxi drivers react and get away with!

 

1 hour ago, hotchilli said:

They will intervene I'm sure

Times are changing, I don't see the taxi drivers blocking things this time.

9 minutes ago, stevenl said:

 

 

Times are changing, I don't see the taxi drivers blocking things this time.

They've been at it this week!

57 minutes ago, sikishrory said:

I thought they've had this for years already. Or am I hallucinating when I see the phuket town songtaew driving around every second day

Not very convenient for tourist families, especially in goul weather.

14 hours ago, champers said:

For 40 Baht I'd expect ...

... includes travel insurance given the road accident rate in Thailand.

Oh dear these type of problems have a way of setting fire to themselves @ night good luck to the brave insurance company covering this " baht bus "

5 hours ago, Srikcir said:

  19 hours ago, champers said:

For 40 Baht I'd expect ...

Not if empty. If you read the full story

That sure is the Biggest ''Baht Bus'' I have ever seen.

9 hours ago, scorecard said:

And we wait and see how violently the taxi drivers react and get away with!

Won't take long before they block the Rd preventing them from Traveling and then Threatening the drivers.

9 hours ago, Srikcir said:

Not very convenient for tourist families, especially in goul weather.

Phuket taxi drivers don't care one bit about that.

 

11 hours ago, Dave0206 said:

Oh dear these type of problems have a way of setting fire to themselves @ night good luck to the brave insurance company covering this " baht bus "

Maybe it'll be the same insurance company that covers the Smart Bus?

 

6 hours ago, BarraMarra said:

Won't take long before they block the Rd preventing them from Traveling and then Threatening the drivers.

What, like they've done with the Smart Bus for the last few years?

 

I wonder if some of the posters on here have even been to Phuket because they seem totally clueless.

1 minute ago, London Lowf said:

What, like they've done with the Smart Bus for the last few years?

 

I wonder if some of the posters on here have even been to Phuket because they seem totally clueless.

Its called Northern Humour and yes i been coming to Phuket since 2008 and fully understand the Tukies and Taxi Mafia.

20 hours ago, soi3eddie said:

They forgot to add to the application criteria that applicants "must be experienced Taxi Mafia involved in fleecing tourists".

Exactly, just like Pattaya! Also the part about fighting with tourists, killing tourists, driving like idiots because they've got the police on their side, etc, etc.

42 minutes ago, London Lowf said:

What, like they've done with the Smart Bus for the last few years?

 

I wonder if some of the posters on here have even been to Phuket because they seem totally clueless.

I've been to phuket did not like it ( my opinion and long time ago) at that time apart from the rascal vans and taxi only alternative I saw if you want to go to other part was truck style kind you see workers being transported @ building sites.i felt whole place was run by mafia I left 2 days early to return to the tranquility of pattaya. 

In addition to very low fare,  there are two features in Pattaya Baht Bus --- 

get on/ get off anywhere   and  'door-less' . 

 

The 'door-less' part is easy enough.  Would the on/off anywhere feature be same in the Phuket bus running the loop ?  if yes, is frequent stoppage an issue ?  

I think 40 B is about the right price.

On 10/19/2023 at 5:43 PM, isaanistical said:

nothing new here, they're just running 30 years late.

 

Anyway, surely what's described in the OP is not a "baht bus" but a shuttle service?

 

Correct. I used some of those buses between Phuket Town and the beaches 25 years ago. There is nothing new about this. The (mafia) problem is transportation in each resort, and between beaches.

On 10/20/2023 at 6:07 PM, scorecard said:

Phuket taxi drivers don't care one bit about that.

 

 

Nor does the TAT, obviously. As the problem has been known for decades.

The new baht bus drivers are going to be like the first black kids bussed into white schools.  Balls of steel.  Good luck to them. 

 

The other side of this story is that taxi drivers deserve a decent quality of life as well.  Look at the amount of money the average tourist spends, on just about anything, and one can see that public transportation is being subsidized by poor owner/operators.  There has to be a more equitable solution to the transportation system. 

Wait till the taxi and tuk tuk mafia get to hear of this fine incentive.

 

In fact the bus routes, like in any popular beach town of Thailand,  should be extended all over the area (and not just at tourist hotspots).

 

It will highly help reducing many problems.