More Buses For Bangkok?

[thailandlover]

I recently read an article that the City administration was considering adding 4000 more buses. Would it help? Its certainly cheaper than adding more Underground or Sky Train lines, but do you think its a short term solution to a long term problem or that its the right solution considering the economic climate? Or that they'd be better off investing money in adding more Sky Train or Underground lines?

[Moonrakers]

If they where faster and more comfortable then I'd consider using them more often. I just don't much like standing up in a packed bus with no aircon, stuck in traffic for 2 hours.

[tw25rw]

They really need London style double deckers. Would be a good place to send any routemasters if there are any roadworthy ones left.

There's actually a new network starting soon as a cheaper alternative to the BTS: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bangkok_BRT The buses have exit doors on the right with high floors so passengers step off the bus onto platforms in the middle of the road..

[bkkdawg]

In my opinion there's far too much on the roads already. Bangkok needs to concentrate on real infrastructure like MRT and BTS lines, even if it takes 10 + years to complete the network. The last thing BKK needs is more buses...

[Plus]

These buses are meant to replace the aging fleet.

What Bangkok needs is more roads.

[tw25rw]

I think they need more buses and less mercs with 1 person in them.

[asiascharlie]

Bangkok needs a complete rethink by connecting dead end sois together and getting rid of all the u turns which create traffic .A privatized bus company because the public one loses massively even with 50 year old buses .The traffic police need to be put in the traffic and those airconditioned huts they sit in and drink eat and watch tv at every intersection while tailbacks reach kms in length need to be destroyed .Run the traffic on a computer the same as the rest of the world .Finally and my favourite make streets smaller by laying train tracks down all major streets .No hard to build skytrain or underground .Right down the road .You dont like the traffic ?tough take a train .Need a model look at Tokyo.

[sickinthailand]

it's easy to understand why the city admin want more bus.

bus is cheaper than train, therefore it easier to get the funding and buy it.

in every buy they get some thing going on under the table. remember this is thailand!

then they will never buy a new bus in big number. ( i was told by a bus driver long ago.)

don't we see very old bus keep getting new paint and skin but still running on a very old engine?

older bus need a lot more maintenance, each maintenance need money... again when you talk about money and thai officer you talk about some little thing under table! can't help this is thailand!

maintenance is a very big part and it is a long term money making for ... everyone involve.

and he said you will see this old bus running for a very very long time because it is the money maker!

Edited June 4, 2009 by sickinthailand