New Phuket Bus Plan Breaks Transport Barrier

[Songhua]

I don't think tuk tuks are the major concern. In fact they could even capitalise on it, as othets have said, by waiting at the stops.

The real worry is what the reaction will be from the hangers-on and thug companies currently operating from the airport. Some of those minivans must make a fortune and it's difficult to imagine they'd be willing to give up a single satang of it.

[noob7]

Like I said, you will probably have to produce an air ticket to get on.

Who would check the tickets? The tuk-tuk co-op?

The bus driver. I think it will be a bit like the minivans. The driver will arrange some luggage and collect the money. He will also check you are actually going to the airport, not just down the coast.

It's an airport bus: You do your luggage yourself, inside, not in compartments under the passenger area.

That's one reason, for only 30 passengers:

"the buses must be air conditioned, seat no more than 30 passengers and have room for travellers’ luggage."

[JetsetBkk]

Why are people presuming that the buses will travel between the beaches?

I think there will be one route from airport to Patong, another from airport to Kata etc.

Well........I hope you guys are right about the single route............though I don't think you are.

Did you read this bit?:

The new service will offer “hop on, hop off” bus stops at a maximum cost of 120 baht for the entire route.

But I still think the end result will be:

.

[NamKangMan]

I don't think tuk tuks are the major concern. In fact they could even capitalise on it, as othets have said, by waiting at the stops.

The real worry is what the reaction will be from the hangers-on and thug companies currently operating from the airport. Some of those minivans must make a fortune and it's difficult to imagine they'd be willing to give up a single satang of it.

The minivans drop you at your hotel, if they do not stop and sell you another hotel along the way. :)

These buses will not be allowed to do that, so, the minivans may stll be a good option for many, but yes, you are correct, this bus will be "another wedge in the pie" thus sharing profits with another operator, and airport taxis don't like sharing profits.

[NamKangMan]

Like I said, you will probably have to produce an air ticket to get on.

Who would check the tickets? The tuk-tuk co-op?

The bus driver. I think it will be a bit like the minivans. The driver will arrange some luggage and collect the money. He will also check you are actually going to the airport, not just down the coast.

It's an airport bus: You do your luggage yourself, inside, not in compartments under the passenger area.

That's one reason, for only 30 passengers:

"the buses must be air conditioned, seat no more than 30 passengers and have room for travellers’ luggage."

I'm familar with the configurantion of airport bus.

My point is, the driver will probably have to ensure everyone is actually going to the airport, because if tourists start using the bus to go up and down the coast, which in theory they could do, it could get ugly.

So, I'm thinking, if this bus is allowed to operate, the driver will act a bit like when they check your ticket to board a plane and also collect your money.

Let's be honest, if the buses were allowed to have "hop on - hop off" tourists along the coast road, that would put about 50% of tuk-tuks out of work, and they will not allow that to happen.

[NamKangMan]

Why are people presuming that the buses will travel between the beaches?

I think there will be one route from airport to Patong, another from airport to Kata etc.

Well........I hope you guys are right about the single route............though I don't think you are.

Did you read this bit?:

The new service will offer “hop on, hop off” bus stops at a maximum cost of 120 baht for the entire route.

But I still think the end result will be:

.

Ahhhh, I can see the PG headline now. "Bangla Bus BBQ." :)

Seriously, property can be replaced, let's hope no one gets killed or injured for simply trying to supply an essential service to the masses.

[KarenBravo]

Why are people presuming that the buses will travel between the beaches?

I think there will be one route from airport to Patong, another from airport to Kata etc.

Well........I hope you guys are right about the single route............though I don't think you are.

Did you read this bit?:

The new service will offer “hop on, hop off” bus stops at a maximum cost of 120 baht for the entire route.

But I still think the end result will be:

.

Don't see how "hop on, hop off" proves that the buses will go inter-beach.

I think they won't. It'll be the sop to avoid trouble.

You will be perfectly welcome to hop-on-hop-off any any of the different routes.

[NamKangMan]

[

@ KB

Let's say one route is from the airport to Patong, then to Kata, Karon, Rawai, then back to the airport. What is stopping me from waiting at the bus stop in Patong, and when the bus pulls up, I "hop-on" and pay my 120 baht airport rate. Then, when the bus stops at Kata, I simply "hop-off" and go to the beach.

Don't get me wrong, I don't think it's their intention to operate like that, or there will be trouble, for sure, but what's stopping tourists using the bus in this fashion?

Are you suggesting one route will be airport to Patong and return. Another route will be airport to Kata and return etc etc. Why would they have so many buses driving from the airport to destinations that are only a few kilometers apart.

Of course, if these buses become so popular, that's exactly what they will have to do, organsie the passengers per their destination, otherwise there will be long ques.

[noob7]

Who would check the tickets? The tuk-tuk co-op?

The bus driver. I think it will be a bit like the minivans. The driver will arrange some luggage and collect the money. He will also check you are actually going to the airport, not just down the coast.

It's an airport bus: You do your luggage yourself, inside, not in compartments under the passenger area.

That's one reason, for only 30 passengers:

"the buses must be air conditioned, seat no more than 30 passengers and have room for travellers’ luggage."

I'm familar with the configurantion of airport bus.

My point is, the driver will probably have to ensure everyone is actually going to the airport, because if tourists start using the bus to go up and down the coast, which in theory they could do, it could get ugly.

So, I'm thinking, if this bus is allowed to operate, the driver will act a bit like when they check your ticket to board a plane and also collect your money.

Let's be honest, if the buses were allowed to have "hop on - hop off" tourists along the coast road, that would put about 50% of tuk-tuks out of work, and they will not allow that to happen.

Looks like, I had a different topic to read:

“We are not targeting tourists with the new bus service,” Mr Teerayut said. “We are pushing to develop more public transportation options for everyone on the island who cannot afford to keep using taxis and for Phuket residents who often need to travel to the airport.”

[kerfuffle]

i will believe it when i see it.

[Meetoo]

It will be interesting to see if there will be armed guards and escorts in the early days of this service. The taxi syndicates will not accept this peacefully.

There could be few technical solutions as well. Crooks don't like media attention, so install few video and still cameras to the buses with automatic upload to network storage.

Install 'red alarm button', which would make loud noises and blink lights - the way ambulances do.

Use strong (I guess bullet proof is needed) glass to separate the driver cabin from the rest of the bus.

And the paranoia has already set in .... next will be to make the bus's fire and bomb proof .... why don't they just use Sherman tanks as buses ... Safe Nah?? and can roll over those annoying taxi gangsters ... save money this way .. no need for armed guards, special Red Alert Buttons waiting for buffons to come and rescue you, no bullet proofing required either ... a hell of a savings... mind you how much would a Sherman Tank cost versus a bus loaded with anti this and anti that and the bullet proof vests and armed guards ( Who by the way can't seem to aim their guns that well ) .... And yes in the Sherman tank we would need expert foreigners to shoot as don't want any stray bullets killing innocent people and they would be quite costly.. I think though that Israelis would be the best ) ... Oye Vey!! What a world we live in ////

Edited January 20, 2013 by Meetoo

[Felt 35]

I think its funny, another show.

[JetsetBkk]

Don't see how "hop on, hop off" proves that the buses will go inter-beach.

I think they won't. It'll be the sop to avoid trouble.

You will be perfectly welcome to hop-on-hop-off any any of the different routes.

I suppose it's possible that there will be, say, 4 routes with people able to hop on and off at points on each route, but it reads to me like there will be only one, with a few bus stops in the places listed.

“We are planning to install bus stops in Thalang Town, at the Heroines Monument, in Koh Kaew and at the Tesco Lotus shopping mall. There will be only one stop each at Patong, Karon and Kata,” Mr Teerayut explained.

I don't understand why they don't finish the route by coming to Chalong via Patak road and then to Rawai. They could easily turn around at the end of Viset road for the return journey.

Anyway, 30 passengers every 40 minutes is going to make bugger all difference to the number of tourists that will have to go by "taxi". But it may help the locals and expats who may have time to hang around for the next bus, provided the queue hasn't already reached 30 people.

[DiNiro]

I'm astonished at this guys honesty.

If things are this bad, it may be time for the Embassies to advise their citizens to just stay away.

For safety reasons, Phuket Land Transportation Office (PLTO) chief Teerayut Prasertpol asked the Phuket Gazette "not to name the operator willing to launch the bus route."

“We are not targeting tourists with the new bus service,” Mr. Teerayut said.

"There will be only one stop each at Patong, Karon and Kata,” Mr. Teerayut explained.

“I will be honest in saying that I fear local taxi operators might act as they have done in the past,” Mr Teerayut said.

[noob7]

Interesting comment in the PG:

"Gee you blokes are not very street wise all that needs to be done is the boss of the tuk tuks and taxis have a major share in the bus company."

[Sharp]

I've heard it's the bosses of the Tuk Tuk and Taxis so as to aliminate the opposition from coming in it's being set up to assist them by dropping off in places where they still need taxis or tuk tuks... Let's wait n see we will soon known...

[NamKangMan]

I've heard it's the bosses of the Tuk Tuk and Taxis so as to aliminate the opposition from coming in it's being set up to assist them by dropping off in places where they still need taxis or tuk tuks... Let's wait n see we will soon known...

I'm thinking this bus will not run the way we all know it should be run.

You will pay 120 baht from the airport to, say, Patong, but the bus stop will be on the outskirts of Patong, just far enough that you will have to still get a taxi, or a tuk-tuk. Even if the bus stop was at Jungceylon, many would still need further transport from that drop off point, especially with luggage, and in the hot sun or pouring rain.

At that bus stop, they will then charge you 300 or 400 baht to you hotel, because "You have 2 person" or "You have luggage." Total cost will be around 320 or 420 baht, plus a lot of waiting around, and haggling at the bus stop.

For 150 baht you have have got the minivan to your hotel door, or for 600 baht, you could have got a metered taxi to your hotel door.

Phuket Airport and other officials can now say to the world, "We tried a bus service but the tourist didn't use it. They prefered taxis, so we stopped running the bus." or, if they keep running the bus, despite not many people using it, they can say, "We have an airport bus. This service has fixed all the problems."

I think it's just a publicity stunt that will really do nothing to improve the situation here. This is probably why the bus will not be attacked, the cartels know it's a white elephant.

I really hope I'm wrong, but would be surprised if there really is any positive change for tourist when this bus starts.

Meanwhile, there are still thousands of proper metered taxis circulating around Bangkok, and hundreds of songthaews plying their routes in Pattaya. :)

[JetsetBkk]

I've heard it's the bosses of the Tuk Tuk and Taxis so as to aliminate the opposition from coming in it's being set up to assist them by dropping off in places where they still need taxis or tuk tuks... Let's wait n see we will soon known...

Yes, there will be lines of tuk-tuks and taxis at these "hop on, hop off" bus stops charging the difference (700 - 120 baht) to go the last kilometre to the tourists' hotel.

[IrishIvan]

This is a bit off topic but Im interested to know when Pattaya introduced the baht busses, i am sure that it wasnt always the case there.

[mancub]

Krabi airport safely introduced an airport bus service several years ago, running between the beach ,town centre and Tesco to the airport. Driver + 1 staff, who asks each pax individually for their destination and arranges a drop off accordingly. 150 bt max fare . Krabi taxi "club" (600bt to the beach) seem to accept this competition, but there are no metered taxis available/permitted ...to do this trip ,which would otherwise only be around 200bt .

The bus seems to do well.

[evanson]

“As I said, we are not targeting tourists." Bullshit. Then why is this route confined only to the tourist (farang) (you think the average Thai gives a shit?) centric regions of Patong/Kata/Karon? If they really are sincere in providing alternative transport to those island 'residents', why no Chalong/Rawai route? 'Oh look, we tried but it didn't work (again)/certain sections of mafia reneged on promise not to attack drivers' so back to status quo. God people here are naive.

[KarenBravo]

Then why is this route confined only to the tourist (farang) (you think the average Thai gives a shit?) centric regions of Patong/Kata/Karon?

You'd be surprised at the amount of Thais that work at those destinations..........

[NamKangMan]

Then why is this route confined only to the tourist (farang) (you think the average Thai gives a shit?) centric regions of Patong/Kata/Karon?

You'd be surprised at the amount of Thais that work at those destinations..........

Minimum daily wage is 300 baht. Return ticket is 120 baht X 2 = 240 baht. Unless they have dual pricing, for Thai/Forigner, only the Thai's with high paying jobs would consider using the bus, and they will have the same problem as everyone else - they will still have to get to the bus stop, and get home from the bus stop.

[Felt 35]

"Evanson" are correct because 95 % of hotels in Patong, Karon,Kata have staff buses running between Phuket Town and the respective hotel on a schedule fit the workers skifts so if this route is not based on tourist then for who? Okay the expat population in queue now also outside of Tesco

0600 am start means also that few working Thais would see the bus schedule as optimal when on leave and want to fly early out of Phuket and arrive relative early in Bangkok for a further bus journey back to their homeprovince and as mentioned in previous posts most of them living around town will need transport to Tesco or one of the stops along Thepkasatri.

[Jimi007]

Then why is this route confined only to the tourist (farang) (you think the average Thai gives a shit?) centric regions of Patong/Kata/Karon?

You'd be surprised at the amount of Thais that work at those destinations..........

Minimum daily wage is 300 baht. Return ticket is 120 baht X 2 = 240 baht. Unless they have dual pricing, for Thai/Forigner, only the Thai's with high paying jobs would consider using the bus, and they will have the same problem as everyone else - they will still have to get to the bus stop, and get home from the bus stop.

IMO it's a moot point. How many minimum daily wage earners are going to the airport to fly anywhere? We are still talking about the airport bus, correct?

[Guest]

IMO it's a moot point. How many minimum daily wage earners are going to the airport to fly anywhere? We are still talking about the airport bus, correct?

They are not flying anywhere.

But let's focus to the potential clients who do fly. Subset of that would be the foreigners on the island. How many there are? 50.000?

[Jimi007]

IMO it's a moot point. How many minimum daily wage earners are going to the airport to fly anywhere? We are still talking about the airport bus, correct?

They are not flying anywhere.

But let's focus to the potential clients who do fly. Subset of that would be the foreigners on the island. How many there are? 50.000?

I really wouldn't know. Every flight I'm on seems to have quite a few Thai business men on it, then vacating foreigners. Not too many expats it seems to me... There was a census taken here in Phuket a few years ago, Thai people came to every house around my area and asked us to fill out a form, in English or Thai. I can't remember the number that was published though.

[Guest]

Some basic calculation of the numbers which have been given out. Just playing with the numbers to get better understanding what the route could do or be.

The buses from Kata to Airport run from 6am to 1am. That's 19 hours. Buses leave every 40 minutes. That's 28 trips. Each bus can hold 30 passengers. That totals 840 passengers one way each day.

Yearly, maximum capasity is 306600 passengers, one way if everybody would travel from Kata to Airport, all the buses are full each time. This would bring 36.8 Mbaht revenue, one way.

I guess it's safe to assume that the buses are not always full. Maybe 60% would closer to the usage, less in the mornings, full during day time. Now we are down to 184.000 passengers. Not all people are going for the whole trip, there will be people who jump from one beach to another. I guess, if there is enough capacity onthe buses these kind of shorter trips are much more likely to happen than the full routes from the west beaches to the Airport.

Some article mentioned that there are 8 buses on the route. Let's say that 6-7 on road and 1-2 in the garage. Round-trip from Kata to Airport and back is maybe 3 hours during the rush hours?

This way it's possible to have a bus leaving from Kata every 30 minutes.

[Felt 35]

IMO it's a moot point. How many minimum daily wage earners are going to the airport to fly anywhere? We are still talking about the airport bus, correct?

They are not flying anywhere.

But let's focus to the potential clients who do fly. Subset of that would be the foreigners on the island. How many there are? 50.000?

There are many Thais on or just over the minimum wage who fly to Bangkok and then further on with bus to the provinces when they now and then goes home. But they buy tickets lo.....ong time in advance and save up money and very often take that break just when salary come end of month.

Only in the company wifey work 70% of the employees earn between 10-15k month + service charge and none of them from Phuket, all flying when visiting family/friends in Bangkok or up country.

[NamKangMan]

Then why is this route confined only to the tourist (farang) (you think the average Thai gives a shit?) centric regions of Patong/Kata/Karon?

You'd be surprised at the amount of Thais that work at those destinations..........

Minimum daily wage is 300 baht. Return ticket is 120 baht X 2 = 240 baht. Unless they have dual pricing, for Thai/Forigner, only the Thai's with high paying jobs would consider using the bus, and they will have the same problem as everyone else - they will still have to get to the bus stop, and get home from the bus stop.

IMO it's a moot point. How many minimum daily wage earners are going to the airport to fly anywhere? We are still talking about the airport bus, correct?

"You'd be surprised at the amount of Thais that work at those destinations.........."

You mentioned Thai staff - I mentioned that the bus maybe too expensive for them, or, they introduce dual pricing. What staff were you talking about?