Public Buses In Cm - Current Situation?

[coralia]

Well I know some people are going to LOL at me for posting this question but anyway...

When I was in CM in 2004-2005 there used to be a very reliable bus line - number 10 I think it was - which even passed by the airport. Then when I came back in 2008 it had disappeared ("finished", I was told), but several other bus lines had appeared ("6 turn right", "6 turn left"... etc....) - not very reliable though (or perhaps prone to getting stuck in the traffic)... So what is the situation now? Has it improved, or is it same-same?...

Just curious, as I normally walk everywhere... no matter how long it takes.

Thanks!

[ChouDoufu]

when were you here last? oh, how things have changed!

they decommissioned the buses when the subway line to vientiane opened.

[garyh]

when were you here last? oh, how things have changed!

they decommissioned the buses when the subway line to vientiane opened.

No matter we can walk every where.

[harrry]

when were you here last? oh, how things have changed!

they decommissioned the buses when the subway line to vientiane opened.

No matter we can walk every where.

Only if you are farang. Farangs even walk up DOi Suteph and do silly things like ride bikes to China.

[Gonzo the Face]

The bus lines could have worked save for two primary reasons..... Politics and Stupidity..... in equal portions

I remember the first day that the buses ran, righ by my front gate., they had few if any passengers, as very few people were made aware of the bus existance.

But by the end of the first 30 days there were a sizable number of passengers on each bus going by. People got to know where each number bus was going and discovered the economy of fare and started riding. Then some politico, having seen a picture of a bus once in his life, who obviously knew all about what was good and what should have been, decided to change the routes. I have seen people wait for 2 hours for the next bus to come and nada.......

One particular time the bus came to the traffic light by m y corner and rather than come straight thru, as was the route, turned right and went over the bridge. Obviously a former red bus driver with one passenger on that wanted to go somewhere else, so what the heck.....to hel_l with the scheduled route.

No the buses were starting to work but it couldn't happen over night , it takes time to build up a route , and takes some continuity , not change to make change because you have to show you are the boss....... My opinion is they were run by a bunch of dimwits.....

Just as an aside, you should see the condition of some of these former buses today........ pure rolling junk....

We do need a properly run public transport system...... but the money politics and whose family gets what, and how to incorporate the RB mafia..... well thats the real obstacle.

[Ulysses G.]

But by the end of the first 30 days there were a sizable number of passengers on each bus going by.   People got to know where each number bus was going and discovered the economy of fare and started riding.  Then some politico, having seen a picture of a bus once in his life, who obviously knew all about what was good and what should have been, decided to change the routes.  I have seen people wait for 2 hours for the next bus to come and nada.......

My opinion is they were run by a bunch of dimwits.....

All true. I used them in the beginning and then they changed the routes for some reason and it just got too confusing.

Back to red songteaws for me.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

To be honest, the Red Bus songthaews are super convenient, and affordable. They provide world class public transport for Chiang Mai.

And also let's not forget the regional songthaews, the yellow, white, green and blues. Those can be really convenient too when going further afield, to Tesco, etc.

The main reason the bus lines failed I think was because the regular Red Bus songthaews are just more convenient.

Not saying that there isn't room for improvement; some of the newer roads could use a more regular public transport line, specifically the Middle Ring road, New Sangkamphaeng Road and the Canal Road. (all the way)

[sudo]

Sure the songthaews are convenient, but arn't they pretty expensive, in local terms?

I haven't caught them very often, but it seems to be 20baht to most places, say for example from nimmenhaimen to thapae. Usually about a 15 min ride, for 20B. So if I local worker wanted to get to and from work work by catching a red bus, then it would cost them almost 2 hours of work to do so (20-30B an hour is roughly a normal wage from what i can work out). Seems pretty high price to me. Commuting in Sydney most people would probably pay about half an hours wage to pay for the bus/train/ferry to and from work. I suppose in Australia where the cost of petrol compared to wages is alot different here and causes the discrepancy. But it still seems like normal Thai people should be a bit more upset about the transport in CM than they are. Do thai people just accept the high price of the red busses and buy a motorbike? and the people that can't afford a motorbike don't matter anyway? Is that the way it is? Or am I missing something?

[Sparkles]

Also brings into question why no motorcycle taxis? With Chiang Mai's narrow sois they would be a fast ,cheap and convenient form of additional transport. There are the odd ones around that service moobans but not in the city area. They could even possibly be electric models..oh sorry I'm dreaming.Fare savings could also be possible.

[jayjay0]

Sure the songthaews are convenient, but arn't they pretty expensive, in local terms?

I haven't caught them very often, but it seems to be 20baht to most places, say for example from nimmenhaimen to thapae. Usually about a 15 min ride, for 20B. So if I local worker wanted to get to and from work work by catching a red bus, then it would cost them almost 2 hours of work to do so (20-30B an hour is roughly a normal wage from what i can work out). Seems pretty high price to me. Commuting in Sydney most people would probably pay about half an hours wage to pay for the bus/train/ferry to and from work. I suppose in Australia where the cost of petrol compared to wages is alot different here and causes the discrepancy. But it still seems like normal Thai people should be a bit more upset about the transport in CM than they are. Do thai people just accept the high price of the red busses and buy a motorbike? and the people that can't afford a motorbike don't matter anyway? Is that the way it is? Or am I missing something?

points well taken. I do believe the cost is about 16 for the Thai's not sure about that.

I myself have no problem with 20 baht. But it only represents about three minutes work for me. Big difference. Not sure about the bussses but I believe they were about 8 baht still a lot of money if you are only making 160 to 180 bakt a daay.

[scorecard]

What's the situation now with 'meter taxis'?

When I've been visiting CM I've hailed them numerous times.

Never once have I been able to get the driver to use the meter.

Still the same?

[Ulysses G.]

I think that the "official" rate for everybody is still 15 baht, but the red songteaws have been charging 20 for a basic ride for a few years and that is what Thais pay too. 

The yellow bus was dirt cheap and had the same routes for many years and had plenty of customers. No aircon, but who needs it with all the windows open and fans on a short ride? They never should have got rid of them. 

[harrry]

The white busses still run on some routes but I understand that you phone a certain number to check when they come to the stop you want, if you do not phone they may not pass it. I think it is a little like a system they apparently have for community bus services in part of California. But no one here is poor enough to ever have travelled by bus....

[coralia]

I don't understand: are the public buses still running? I haven't been in CM for two years, so I'm really curious.

Walking up to Doi Suthep and riding a bicycle to China are excellent ideas... I wonder why I haven't thought of them before. I'll have to seriously consider them...

[Sparkles]

What's the situation now with 'meter taxis'?

When I've been visiting CM I've hailed them numerous times.

Never once have I been able to get the driver to use the meter.

Still the same?

Yes its the same and if you dont accept their price they don't seem to care.The worst are at the Arcaade Bus Terminal. Not long ago we were quoted a very high price to get back to our home in Hang Dong, 50% more than normal,this from 5 guys sitting playing cards. We rang a private taxi and got the normal fare. What's the point of having meters ? I have no idea and relative to what a taxi driver makes in Bangkok these guys do pretty well. The private taxis are unmarked except for a small number.Ours was a 15 year old Volvo,with lady driver, but in excellent condition.

[anonymouse]

Sure the songthaews are convenient, but arn't they pretty expensive, in local terms?

I haven't caught them very often, but it seems to be 20baht to most places, say for example from nimmenhaimen to thapae. Usually about a 15 min ride, for 20B. So if I local worker wanted to get to and from work work by catching a red bus, then it would cost them almost 2 hours of work to do so (20-30B an hour is roughly a normal wage from what i can work out). Seems pretty high price to me. Commuting in Sydney most people would probably pay about half an hours wage to pay for the bus/train/ferry to and from work. I suppose in Australia where the cost of petrol compared to wages is alot different here and causes the discrepancy. But it still seems like normal Thai people should be a bit more upset about the transport in CM than they are. Do thai people just accept the high price of the red busses and buy a motorbike? and the people that can't afford a motorbike don't matter anyway? Is that the way it is? Or am I missing something?

points well taken. I do believe the cost is about 16 for the Thai's not sure about that.

I myself have no problem with 20 baht. But it only represents about three minutes work for me. Big difference. Not sure about the bussses but I believe they were about 8 baht still a lot of money if you are only making 160 to 180 bakt a daay.

I regularly use the yellow songtaews, from Warawot market to Doi saket is a 15 baht bus ride which isn't bad for a 13km or so trip. Children up to a certain age are also free on the songtaows, not sure at what age this changes but my six year old doesn't have to pay. I must admit the red songtaews are probably not so much of a bargain if you are at Thai on a low wage.