Bangkok's Free Transport Initiative Sparks Criticism Amidst Haze Crisis

[jimbob123]

26 minutes ago, CLW said:

The majority of the air pollution isn't created from cars in Bangkok. It's from crop burning in Thailand and neighbouring countries. When does the government finally understand this? Unless there are no severe consequences for arsonists it'll continue forever. 

The government is fully aware of this—they are not stupid. The Thai sugar market is worth approximately $1.5 billion annually and is the world’s fifth-largest producer. For years, the government has attempted to pull the wool over people’s eyes by attributing the issue to traffic or construction, undoubtedly at the behest of their backers, rather than revealing the true cause of the pollution.

[RandolphGB]

10 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

Pita would have been so much better for the nation, the Thai people and the potential for a better future. 

 

 

It's a shame they didn't elect him. Oh, wait.... they did. 

 

It's actually pretty surreal that the election was stolen, a convicted fraudster was able to return from exile and assume power, before legalising casinos to make himself even richer. All done in plain sight without anyone being bothered. 

 

 

 

[riverhigh]

I love these temporay band-aid solutions. What happens after the free week of public transit. Let me guess, absolutely nothing. No long term plan, just useless quick fixes to give the impression that the authorities are doing something.

[jimbob123]

29 minutes ago, kingstonkid said:

 

Bangkok is pollution caused by the number of vehicles the poor quality of vehicles and the lack of enforcement

 

LOL can you imgine ASEAN trying to set a policy and enforce it BUDDY HOLLY'S SONG COMES TO MIND

 

THAT'LL BE THE DAY

This is exactly what successive governments have wanted you to believe. No fire without smoke me thinks...

[spidermike007]

3 minutes ago, RandolphGB said:

 

 

It's a shame they didn't elect him. Oh, wait.... they did. 

 

It's actually pretty surreal that the election was stolen, a convicted fraudster was able to return from exile and assume power, before legalising casinos to make himself even richer. All done in plain sight without anyone being bothered. 

 

 

 

And what is equally astonishing is that the International community cooperated, and is complicit, and continues to refer to Thailand as a democracy, which is such an astonishing farce and travesty of justice. 

 

And the Thai people just idly sit by and tolerate the nonsense. 

[hotchilli]

8 hours ago, webfact said:

Yet, critics argue that the plan merely scratches the surface of a far deeper issue.

Yes, highlighting the totally useless government and governors.

[LatPhrao]

No mention in the headlines of the all ready crushing crisis of overpacked and slow running BTS and MRT trains (well before the free travel  announcement).   At Bangkok nothing is done to relieve the all ready overcrowded and crushed passenger loads.  Did they add more trains to the BTS and MRT   lines?  Did they increase the frequency of BTS  or MRT trains running?   No, nothing, and with more travelers  is just making public transportation worse than before.

[kuzmabruk]

I love my Thai wife and the consensus of her FB group is “Cambodia has too many dirt roads and when Cambodians drive on them there is dust and that is our pollution here in Pattaya”

[newnative]

2 hours ago, CLW said:

The majority of the air pollution isn't created from cars in Bangkok. It's from crop burning in Thailand and neighbouring countries. When does the government finally understand this? Unless there are no severe consequences for arsonists it'll continue forever. 

     Agree.  And, it's burning being done all over.  I am on the Darkside outside of Pattaya and almost every morning my terrace has black soot on it from the burning in my area.  We smell the burning most evenings, sometimes so bad we have to stay inside with the windows closed and the aircon on.  Absolutely nothing is being done anywhere by anyone to curtail this.   Just blah, blah, blah talk and useless things like free Metro for a week in Bangkok--like that's going to do anything, in Bangkok or anywhere else.  

[CecilM]

Better use that money to educate the offenders; or use it to round them up and prosecute them.

The overwhelming majority of people get no benefit from this scheme as manual laborers don't use MRT/BTS to begin with. 

[HK MacPhooey]

4 hours ago, FritsSikkink said:

Couldn't get into the MRT, huge cues and they stopped people from getting on the platform. Went back home to work from there.

Strange to see huge cues because Pool Night is normally Tuesdays🎱

[ThailandGuy]

8 hours ago, watchcat said:

 

Air looks clear to me, perhaps you need to remove your shades?

Einstein was his time way ahead. I quote him here with permission:

Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the universe.

― Albert Einstein

 

[Jiggo]

11 hours ago, Yagoda said:

Its not cars and trucks alone. Its burning. Stop the burning.

How?

[KireB]

8 hours ago, watchcat said:

 

Air looks clear to me, perhaps you need to remove your shades?

There are a lot of apps, websites, from air quality data to wind directions, and even satellites showing where fields are burning. Now if you would have checked these theclast couple of days, you too would've come to the conclusion  that it's you who has a shaded perception of what's going on. 

[KireB]

4 hours ago, PeeJayEm said:

Why not double or triple the road tolls for the period to cover the cost of the free public transport?  That would also be dealing with the issue at source instead of the via via idea of moving out of their cars onto public transport.   Middle

 class Somchai going to want to be without his lj0uxury travel.

With literally hundreds of articles, videos and comments, you still don't know that agricultural burning is the main culprit of the pm2.5 spike? 

 

The air looks good today, no traffic? When the winds turn again in a couple of days, you will see. Same thing over and over since 2014 (any link with the coup and its key players?), just getting worse each year. 

[Classic Ray]

It’s the waste that upsets me. Burning the sugar cane to ease manual harvesting means lower prices for the sugar cane. If they harvested it mechanically, the increased cost would be compensated by higher prices.

 

Stubble is actually a good compostable material as someone pointed out earlier. Again mechanised harvesting is better, takes investment by CP or cooperatives to enable it, but cuts down fertiliser cost and improves soil condition. 
 

These methods were adopted by lots of Western farmers, known for their thriftiness, which stopped the burning. I just can’t see why the Government and farmers just don’t understand. 
 

If Thais started doing it, surrounding countries would soon latch on.

[OldmanJ]

All the government has to do is stop a lot of the burning and we will be breathing fresh welcome air for a change.

[realfunster]

12 hours ago, webfact said:

There have, however, been tangible outcomes from the initiative. According to Pichet Kunadhamraks, director-general of the Department of Rail Transport, Saturday saw a notable increase in public transport usage: 1,634,446 used the free electric train services, marking a 45.29% rise compared to previous Saturdays.

 

Yes, and I wonder how many of those actually switched from cars or were they just taking advantage of the free ride ? You would expect more of the latter ..?

[dayo202]

3 minutes ago, realfunster said:

 

Yes, and I wonder how many of those actually switched from cars or were they just taking advantage of the free ride ? You would expect more of the latter ..?

Agree...

I headed into town. Friday Saturday and Sunday, took advantage normal I would have heading to town once.

Plus I'm planning to go on Tuesday and Thursday 😀 

[tomazbodner]

Well the air quality is a lot better today than in the past days. Amazing feat by the government to fix this so quickly. It must be very hard to arrange 50km/h strong wind to blow the dust away. Wonder how they've achieved that!

 

Sarcasm off.

[SbuxPlease]

The gov't is pretty GD lucky for the strong wind today because most people won't realize the free transportation has no affect on the amount of pollutants in the air.

 

IMO the government should be doing all the things at the same time however. 

 

Educate these farmers who still don't seem to understand or have alternatives to burning.

 

Get average city workers out of single occupancy cars in BKK and into the trains and buses, then make the trains and buses work better. The VAT impact of 40%+ more people coming in to the center of the city very possibly pays the whole bill. This is a no brainer!

 

 

[cardinalblue]

People spend more money on private vehicles b/c it is convenient…now they are going to take PT to save 200-400 baht a day…

 

and add undetermined amount of extra time to their commute…PT is already stressed due to lack of promotion and adequate infrastructure 

 

idiotic idea…same as fire engines going around in CM spraying the air 

 

The idea will have no bearing on AP…a completely failed air management program in place…resignations of top officials would be a better idea 

 

 

[Spamhead]

9 hours ago, FritsSikkink said:

Couldn't get into the MRT, huge cues and they stopped people from getting on the platform. Went back home to work from there.

Huge cues ?  Must be all those snooker and billiards players being encouraged to travel by MRT. 

[OldBird]

What a great idea, offer free rides instead of policing gross polluters like all those tricked-out minitrucks that bellow out 5 pounds of soot every time they step on the gas. Or stopping people from burning their trash on the side of the roadways. Or doing proper maintenance on all the buses, city trucks, and big rigs. Yup o, the free rid will solve everything...

[Aussie999]

17 hours ago, maddermax said:

It would probably be cheaper to supply the farmers up north with nitrate fertiliser to be used to Mak compost from their crop waste. They get fertiliser for their next crop and reduce the particulates in the air. A WIN WIN Situation!

Tou forget one major issue, the stubbke needs to be ploughed in.

[watchcat]

On 1/27/2025 at 12:34 AM, JoePai said:

That's due to the cold front from China last night (and the wind) - it will not last unfortunatley

 

But in the picture it was very clear sky, no smog at all

[watchcat]

20 hours ago, Joe32 said:

Did they produce the wind? 

 

No, China was the mastermind.

[bamnutsak]

High season, big luggage and strollers, and CNY.

 

Now free rides.

 

BTS/MRT easily the busiest I've ever seen (Monday).

 

Challenging to get on/off a train, dwell times must be double. Trains backed up.

[Upnotover]

21 hours ago, Joe32 said:

Did they produce the wind? 

People that can push rivers back upstream with a few boats can surely muster a little breeze.

[bamnutsak]

Note that the Airport Rail Link is very busy, and air travelers are advised to add an extra 20-30 minutes to their journey to the airport.