Chiang Mai's 'Rot Daeng' Decline While Grab Gains Momentum

[webfact]

 

Chiang Mai's emblematic red trucks, central to the city's transport system, face the risk of becoming mere relics of the past. The decline in users after the tourist season, compounded by the spike in popularity of global ride-hailing giants such as Grab and Bolt, has propelled the future of these traditional transports, locally called rot daeng, into uncertainty.

 

Discussion on this topic has flooded social media networks like Facebook. Many locals have taken to these platforms expressing their dismay at the fading charm of the red trucks, making passionate pleas for an action plan to ensure the survival of their beloved transport icon.

 

Even a prior venture to introduce air-conditioned trucks was met with enthusiasm. However, the current predicament projects a more sombre picture. The challenges posed by Grab, and their likes, bear heavily on the older generation, many of whom are retirees who continue to rely on their red trucks as a source of income.

 

The slump in customers post-holiday season has forced many to consider a dismal choice: selling their trucks or bearing the financial brunt to return them if they are rented.

 

But the public outcry is not only about competition. Many are there critiquing the services offered by the red trucks, especially regarding the lack of a standardised fare system.

 

Many social media users recall and share unpleasant experiences. Abandoning passengers to fetch foreign riders mid-route, scandalous price surges for short distances, or variable rates for identical routes, all contribute to a broader dissatisfaction with the red truck services.

 

Such experiences highlight the necessity of driver conduct improvements and robust fare regulations. This would aid in restoring trust amongst locals and visitors alike, enabling the red trucks to compete with emerging taxi apps that are rapidly gaining traction.

 

The once-iconic red trucks, a cherished and practical facet of Chiang Mai's transport culture, are now at a pivotal juncture. As the community rallies together to halt this downward trend, it's clear that immediate action is required to prevent an irreversible decline.

 

File photo courtesy: Thaiger

 

-- 2024-05-14

 

Get our Daily Newsletter - Click HERE to subscribe

[Tropicalevo]

12 minutes ago, webfact said:

Many locals have taken to these platforms expressing their dismay at the fading charm of the red trucks, making passionate pleas for an action plan to ensure the survival of their beloved transport icon.

I wonder how many of those locals actually use the things.

[Yagoda]

The market speaks

[ChaiyaTH]

There is certainly not a decline and just as many driving around as always, they are also the biggest cause of traffic jams. Where does this information even come from? And there are actually less and less grabs, as it is super expensive here, more than a taxi cost in Bangkok.

 

Don Muang to Lat prao-Ratchada around 150-160 baht incl the 50 baht airport fee. Chiang Mai for 1/4th distance same price.
General ride from lat prao all the way to silom, maybe 150. Chiang Mai city to Homepro sansai; 200-220 baht (half the distance).

Edited May 14 by ChaiyaTH

[ChaiyaTH]

1 hour ago, Tropicalevo said:

I wonder how many of those locals actually use the things.

Seems your IQ is really hitting it today, perhaps, because they do not earn that much and this is the only affordable transportation method?

[BritManToo]

6 minutes ago, ChaiyaTH said:

Don Muang to Lat prao-Ratchada around 150-160 baht incl the 50 baht airport fee. Chiang Mai for 1/4th distance same price.
General ride from lat prao all the way to silom, maybe 150. Chiang Mai city to Homepro sansai; 200-220 baht (half the distance).

30bht on the Green San Sai songtaw from the fruit market by the river, up past the bus station through San Sai Noi then on to MaeJo.

[Classic Ray]

Never liked them since one changed lanes without looking or signalling and knocked me off my motorbike, claimed he was avoiding an (invisible) dog.

 

I prefer using Grab or Line cars as they are IDd and reviewed, fixed fare, more comfort and safety. No scams like taxis, tuk tuks or songtaews.

[hotchilli]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

Many locals have taken to these platforms expressing their dismay at the fading charm of the red trucks, making passionate pleas for an action plan to ensure the survival of their beloved transport icon.

If you want it , use it.

 

[malibukid]

Chiang Mai once had nice air conditioned mass transit and they ran more or less on schedule.

[cardinalblue]

Time they adjust to the marketplace or make like a Dinosaur 

[novacova]

11 hours ago, Tropicalevo said:

I wonder how many of those locals actually use the things.

If you ever make it here you’ll see that a lot of locals use them.

[novacova]

11 hours ago, webfact said:

 

Chiang Mai's emblematic red trucks, central to the city's transport system, face the risk of becoming mere relics of the past. The decline in users after the tourist season, compounded by the spike in popularity of global ride-hailing giants such as Grab and Bolt, has propelled the future of these traditional transports, locally called rot daeng, into uncertainty.

 

Discussion on this topic has flooded social media networks like Facebook. Many locals have taken to these platforms expressing their dismay at the fading charm of the red trucks, making passionate pleas for an action plan to ensure the survival of their beloved transport icon.

 

Even a prior venture to introduce air-conditioned trucks was met with enthusiasm. However, the current predicament projects a more sombre picture. The challenges posed by Grab, and their likes, bear heavily on the older generation, many of whom are retirees who continue to rely on their red trucks as a source of income.

 

The slump in customers post-holiday season has forced many to consider a dismal choice: selling their trucks or bearing the financial brunt to return them if they are rented.

 

But the public outcry is not only about competition. Many are there critiquing the services offered by the red trucks, especially regarding the lack of a standardised fare system.

 

Many social media users recall and share unpleasant experiences. Abandoning passengers to fetch foreign riders mid-route, scandalous price surges for short distances, or variable rates for identical routes, all contribute to a broader dissatisfaction with the red truck services.

 

Such experiences highlight the necessity of driver conduct improvements and robust fare regulations. This would aid in restoring trust amongst locals and visitors alike, enabling the red trucks to compete with emerging taxi apps that are rapidly gaining traction.

 

The once-iconic red trucks, a cherished and practical facet of Chiang Mai's transport culture, are now at a pivotal juncture. As the community rallies together to halt this downward trend, it's clear that immediate action is required to prevent an irreversible decline.

 

File photo courtesy: Thaiger

 

-- 2024-05-14

 

Get our Daily Newsletter - Click HERE to subscribe

Again, another article about cm by a nameless anonymous that obviously never stepped foot here. And not to mention that the cm news isn’t even in the cm sub forum anymore, so I suppose it isn’t really cm news.

[DeaconJohn]

2 hours ago, novacova said:

If you ever make it here you’ll see that a lot of locals use them.

Yes they do, but not in the great numbers that they used to.

Nowadays so many of them have vehicles of their own, or if not, a close friend or relative has one.

When my wife was a student nurse in the early '80s she bought a Honda Cub - à crédit - and only very rarely used songtaews after that.

They will go the way of the samlor sooner rather than later... mostly for tourists.

 

[BadBouy]

One can only hope they disappear, between the red trucks and road construction they should change the name of the city to Cluster <deleted>!   

[scorecard]

Also, the few times, over many many years I or my Thai family have attempted to use a roht daeng the fare offered by the driver was much more than (as a comparison) the fares I've paid to 2 taxi operators based at the CM airport.

 

On one occasion the driver told my Thai adult son (about 35 years old at the time) he only transports red shirt supporters. Son walked away.

 

On one occasion Son's wife asked if the driver would take her from Big C Don Extra to Promenada with 2 kids.

 

Driver Response: there no such place as Promenada and he drove away. 

[Sticky Rice Balls]

On 5/14/2024 at 10:03 AM, BritManToo said:

30bht on the Green San Sai songtaw from the fruit market by the river, up past the bus station through San Sai Noi then on to MaeJo.

17 bt yellow ones from CM gate to san pa tong....also white ones--blue..color referring to what area they travel to....

 

best ones I found were in Khon kaen....like a rainbow of colors..all looked new fresh and clean and were 10 bt a ride!..of course there are very few tourists to jack the price up to in KK.... 🙂

[Sticky Rice Balls]

On 5/14/2024 at 8:54 AM, Tropicalevo said:

I wonder how many of those locals actually use the things.

by the looks on my daily bike rides..many...esp at the schools in old city as the kids are packed deep inside em....

 

On 5/17/2024 at 9:13 PM, BadBouy said:

One can only hope they disappear, between the red trucks and road construction they should change the name of the city to Cluster <deleted>!   

omg the road crews at night--burmese workers on my bike rides..i feel for the folks that pay for a fancy room as these noisy crews are ripping up the road ALL over the city and then leaving a asphalt heap which is  now the old city roads....smh

On 5/14/2024 at 2:54 PM, malibukid said:

Chiang Mai once had nice air conditioned mass transit and they ran more or less on schedule.

On 5/14/2024 at 10:03 AM, BritManToo said:

30bht on the Green San Sai songtaw from the fruit market by the river, up past the bus station through San Sai Noi then on to MaeJo.

17 bt yellow ones from CM gate to san pa tong....also white ones--blue..color referring to what area they travel to....

 

best ones I found were in Khon kaen....like a rainbow of colors..all looked new fresh and clean and were 10 bt a ride!..of course there are very few tourists to jack the price up to in KK.... 🙂

[Sticky Rice Balls]

On 5/14/2024 at 2:54 PM, malibukid said:

Chiang Mai once had nice air conditioned mass transit and they ran more or less on schedule.

yep they were nice --clean and AC..20 bt...the older ones still run  RNC/?   name ...to all the local spots train--bus--nimman--tp gate etc.....RTC......red-yellow blue green buses still around as i see them pop up here and there...

 

those hop n go new buses are huge and yet to see ONE passenger in one..so expect that service to fold soon as well....

[Sticky Rice Balls]

On 5/14/2024 at 9:28 AM, Yagoda said:

The market speaks

exactly....provide a good friendly affordable service and people will come back....unlike many of these greedy red trucks guys

 

also the article says about the drivers are shocked to see low season #s.....is this low season new news to them?????? duh

 

the mindset of some thais and savings and business sense is baffling to me... high vs low season vs profit vs service....bu then again if you see whos actually driving it makes more sense to the gullible vs the actual owners renting them

[watchcat]

On 5/14/2024 at 1:54 AM, Tropicalevo said:

I wonder how many of those locals actually use the things.

 

Manny!