Officials Threaten Resignation If Latest Baht-bus Controls Not Enforced

[soundman]

Officials threaten resignation if latest baht-bus controls not enforced

Sawittree Namwiwatsuk

Frustrated over lax enforcement of rules governing baht bus operations in Pattaya, the city council’s committee for administration and maintaining peace and order has threatened to resign if their latest effort to ensure ‘songthaew’ drivers stick to their allocated routes is ignored by city hall.

Sanit Bunmachai, chairman of the city council’s committee for administration and maintaining peace and order.

At a June 10 meeting, Sanit Bunmachai, chairman of the city council’s committee for administration and maintaining peace and order, announced a plan for Pattaya Police to crack down on the more than 700 baht buses by the end of the month by monitoring how many ply routes outside those allocated to them by the Chonburi Land Transport Office, and submitting that data to Pattaya Mayor Itthiphol Kunplome.

“The committee resolved to try and solve this problem by requesting the city municipal police to check some of the major baht bus routes in town and collect information to devise a final solution,” Sanit said. “If the mayor continues to ignore this problem, then the matter will be submitted to the city council. But if the council is also incapable of solving these problems, which is causing a lot of inconvenience and hardship to the people of Pattaya, then the whole committee for administration and maintaining of peace and order in the city would resign their positions.”

Sanit said the latest plan stemmed from a large number of complaints about the pickup-truck taxis turning randomly off established routes between North and South Pattaya. This resulted in some passengers having to wait long times to catch a songthaew while others were kicked out before their destination.

Three drivers were fined in May for doing just that, Pattaya Transport Co-operative President Tawat Puakbunnak said. Three repeat offenses and the transport co-op can strip the driver of his license, which is the highest penalty set by the co-operative.

Article.

Pattaya Mail 2009 06 21

[Lancelot]

So if Somchai the bb driver does not obey the rules, Pattaya City Council will resign en mass?

Man, that will surely put the fear of Buddah in Somchai, 555+

[Basil B]

Let's hope that this is the start of some form of regulation of the Baht Buses.

I seem to recall that the colour (of the background) of the number in the windscreen denoted which route the buses were working.

I also recall new lower fares were to be introduced yet there has not been any change.

[doggie888888]

Oh like City Hall really cares? They are all busy calculating how much their cut will be if the multibillion baht monorail project proceeds. And having errant baht buses is just another "excuse" to push for the monorail. You can't make city hall understand if their "pay" is going to come from precisely NOT UNDERSTANDING the baht bus issue.

I have always been rather fond of the baht buses, they are fairly unique to this town as a major from of public transportation...all it needed was a bit of "enforcement" to ensure that the bad apples were weeded out. Isn't this easier (and cheaper) than spending billions on a dubious monorail that will probably be an eyesore along Beach Road?

Oh, I am starting to whine...time for my holiday away from Pattaya

My apologies for sounding too cynical!