Airport taxi's (again)

[Old Croc]

Old Croc.."complete and efficient bus and train system on the Island for the locals (and tourists) to use to help alleviate the insanity on the roads!"

The problem is that the public transport modes that are there to supposedly alleviate the insanity on the roads more often simply adds to it...obnoxious ''professional''?? bus, van. and taxi drivers are far more insane than most regular road users..

Immagine anywhere on Phuket , but especially west coast with even more buses jamming up the already congested roads..a nightmare already.

No easy answer to this issue at all, mainly because of ;lack of prior planning in all respects.

I was suggesting what is needed are normal buses on timetables and with set routes such as all the main roads. Even a rail link from the main line (Surat Thani?) down through Phuket City and perhaps as far as Rawai.

I was NOT suggesting more double decker tourist buses flying off the hills , crooked taxi drivers or madmen in mini vans were needed!

A proper transport system would replace many of the TTs, taxis and ad hoc buses clogging the roads now. And, if you read my initial post more carefully, you would see this: "locals slowly learn it is better and cheaper to use a bus than buy another Honda" It would be a long term thing with education the key. Locals would eventually learn to spend their money on things other than a moped for the 12yo to get home from school. Hence less vehicles on the roads.

An absolute pipe-dream I know. Beyond the comprehension of all locals, and apparently many expats.

[andreandre]

Old Croc.."complete and efficient bus and train system on the Island for the locals (and tourists) to use to help alleviate the insanity on the roads!"

The problem is that the public transport modes that are there to supposedly alleviate the insanity on the roads more often simply adds to it...obnoxious ''professional''?? bus, van. and taxi drivers are far more insane than most regular road users..

Immagine anywhere on Phuket , but especially west coast with even more buses jamming up the already congested roads..a nightmare already.

No easy answer to this issue at all, mainly because of ;lack of prior planning in all respects.

I was suggesting what is needed are normal buses on timetables and with set routes such as all the main roads. Even a rail link from the main line (Surat Thani?) down through Phuket City and perhaps as far as Rawai.

I was NOT suggesting more double decker tourist buses flying off the hills , crooked taxi drivers or madmen in mini vans were needed!

A proper transport system would replace many of the TTs, taxis and ad hoc buses clogging the roads now. And, if you read my initial post more carefully, you would see this: "locals slowly learn it is better and cheaper to use a bus than buy another Honda" It would be a long term thing with education the key. Locals would eventually learn to spend their money on things other than a moped for the 12yo to get home from school. Hence less vehicles on the roads.

An absolute pipe-dream I know. Beyond the comprehension of all locals, and apparently many expats.

You're dead right about a pipe dream!! And thats all your post is....non reality, so why say its beyond the comprehension of all locals and many expats?..Its your dream only mate!!

Take a leaf from your own book and maybe you should read all of my post more carefully instead huh.

All over the world, people want to/need to use their own vehicles to get around..it doesn't matter if its cheaper to use public transport [and its often not] and all the education in the world will not convince ''locals'' to give up the convenience of being able to jump on the Honda..[moped.?.never seen one here anyway] to go from A to B and off to Super cheap, and back to drop off veges at sisters house, then back to B then on to A then back again because they forgot to buy the noodles, etc,etc..

.

This applies here in LOS on the Honda, right through to the aussie cities where the majority run around in great bloody 4WD's to do their thing as above...

Why? as i said for the sheer convenience of it...people love to be free to come and go where and when they want,with minimal fuss.

You come up with a public transport system that enables people to do that, then maybe, just maybe a few would use it.

''Hence less vehicles on the road".???

How does that work, apart from in your dream?

All you're doing is changing the mode of transport..X amount of people still want to get around the place....buses, trains, taxis etc as i said already in first post clog the roads as much, if not more....

[NomadJoe]

''Hence less vehicles on the road".???

How does that work, apart from in your dream?

All you're doing is changing the mode of transport..X amount of people still want to get around the place....buses, trains, taxis etc as i said already in first post clog the roads as much, if not more....

I think what Old Croc is pointing out is that any type of mass public transport will reduce traffic, which is obvious. I wouldn't think it would need to be explained that 10 people in the back of a single seangteaw is replacing up to 10 vehicles that would otherwise be competing for space on the roads. That is a 90% reduction in traffic. Managing the overall number of seangteaws is, of course, a different issue.

[Old Croc]

''Hence less vehicles on the road".???

How does that work, apart from in your dream?

All you're doing is changing the mode of transport..X amount of people still want to get around the place....buses, trains, taxis etc as i said already in first post clog the roads as much, if not more....

I think what Old Croc is pointing out is that any type of mass public transport will reduce traffic, which is obvious. I wouldn't think it would need to be explained that 10 people in the back of a single seangteaw is replacing up to 10 vehicles that would otherwise be competing for space on the roads. That is a 90% reduction in traffic. Managing the overall number of seangteaws is, of course, a different issue.

Thanks for your post Joe, but I think even explaining basics to some people is a waste of time.

I decided not to bother replying to his silly post, instead heeding the rule about being dragged down to their level.

[andreandre]

''Hence less vehicles on the road".???

How does that work, apart from in your dream?

All you're doing is changing the mode of transport..X amount of people still want to get around the place....buses, trains, taxis etc as i said already in first post clog the roads as much, if not more....

I think what Old Croc is pointing out is that any type of mass public transport will reduce traffic, which is obvious. I wouldn't think it would need to be explained that 10 people in the back of a single seangteaw is replacing up to 10 vehicles that would otherwise be competing for space on the roads. That is a 90% reduction in traffic. Managing the overall number of seangteaws is, of course, a different issue.

That is so seriously flawed..it's laughable ..i honestly thought you were smarter than this Joe...If he was talking about 10 cars being replaced by one saengteaw, i would agree 100% with you, but he is not..he is talking Honda mopeds!!

The average thai family Honda usually carries at least 2-3 people or more..so 3-4 Hondas are going to be replaced by one seangteaw..Yes?

And i'm sure that 3-4 Hondas zipping around as they do and mixing and mingling in the traffic flow will take not much more space than the pickup would.

" I wouldn't think it would need to be explained that 10 people in the back of a single seangteaw is definately NOT replacing up to 10 vehicles that would otherwise be competing for space on the roads."...

A minor reduction in traffic density would be the only result .....[That is far, far from your supposed 90% reduction in traffic.]

"Managing the overall number of seangteaws is, of course, a different issue."

The one and only sentence you posted that has creedance is this one and Pattaya and Chiang Mai are two that come to mind big time..look at the traffic chaos they cause....

PS

And besides all this , i stand firmly by what i said and you cant deny it, as its very evident all over the world that most people generally rare reticent to use public transport in favour of the convenience of using their own private vehicle.

One of the few exceptions to this IMO is city and close city dwellers who use it as a direct point to point transport option ...

[NomadJoe]

^ aa, let's keep the discourse civil, shall we?

Please note the "up to" and "potentially" in my comments. I was obviously providing a best case scenario. And I disagree about your ratio of bikes to riders. At least 80% have one rider.

If you ever get to Pattaya or Krabi you will see the songteaw systems they have there. I can tell by your comments you have not witnessed the cheap public transport offered at these these popular tourist destinations. Even when I have had a motorbike while visiting those places, I would often hope on the seangteaw because it was so cheap and convenient. In Phuket most people are forced to buy or rent and ride motorbikes to get anywhere.

Let's also not forget the ancillary benefit of safety something like a seangteaw would provide travelers when compared to a motorbike..

[stevenl]

And besides all this , i stand firmly by what i said and you cant deny it, as its very evident all over the world that most people generally rare reticent to use public transport in favour of the convenience of using their own private vehicle.

One of the few exceptions to this IMO is city and close city dwellers who use it as a direct point to point transport option ...

Very true, people will not give up own transport. I certainly won't.

[eezergood]

And besides all this , i stand firmly by what i said and you cant deny it, as its very evident all over the world that most people generally rare reticent to use public transport in favour of the convenience of using their own private vehicle.

One of the few exceptions to this IMO is city and close city dwellers who use it as a direct point to point transport option ...

Very true, people will not give up own transport. I certainly won't.

If transport was available to & from work, I would 100% use it and when going for a night out! I would still keep my car for shopping, weekends away but it would not move from the garage very often is a better transport system was in place

[NamKangMan]

And besides all this , i stand firmly by what i said and you cant deny it, as its very evident all over the world that most people generally rare reticent to use public transport in favour of the convenience of using their own private vehicle.

One of the few exceptions to this IMO is city and close city dwellers who use it as a direct point to point transport option ...

Very true, people will not give up own transport. I certainly won't.

If transport was available to & from work, I would 100% use it and when going for a night out! I would still keep my car for shopping, weekends away but it would not move from the garage very often is a better transport system was in place

There should be the option of public transport here, but it doesn't exist.

If the option was available, especially after the night out, it has the potential to save many lives and many people from injury.

I would not expect expats to give up their vehicles, but a proper public transport system would/should compliment the use of your own vehicle, especially after a few drinks. I'm sure it's no different back in the various home countries of the many expats here - drive to work/shopping and taxi to a Saturday night out.

Looking at Pattaya, tourists, expats, and Thai's all use the baht bus. Out of the locals, bar girls and uniformed hotel staff use the baht bus along with the tourist and expats. It would be no different here.

Currently, most have to own, or have access to, a vehicle. This causes traffic, noise and air pollution, parking problems, accidents causing death, injury and property damage.

One must wonder what first time tourists think of transport on Phuket when an "airpor limo" is an old Toyota Camry, and when they go to their hotel reception and ask them to call a metered taxi for them - only to be told, "No metered taxi Phuket." It's at this stage, most tourists know they are being "thrown to the wolves."

[eezergood]

And besides all this , i stand firmly by what i said and you cant deny it, as its very evident all over the world that most people generally rare reticent to use public transport in favour of the convenience of using their own private vehicle.

One of the few exceptions to this IMO is city and close city dwellers who use it as a direct point to point transport option ...

Very true, people will not give up own transport. I certainly won't.

If transport was available to & from work, I would 100% use it and when going for a night out! I would still keep my car for shopping, weekends away but it would not move from the garage very often is a better transport system was in place

There should be the option of public transport here, but it doesn't exist.

If the option was available, especially after the night out, it has the potential to save many lives and many people from injury.

I would not expect expats to give up their vehicles, but a proper public transport system would/should compliment the use of your own vehicle, especially after a few drinks. I'm sure it's no different back in the various home countries of the many expats here - drive to work/shopping and taxi to a Saturday night out.

Looking at Pattaya, tourists, expats, and Thai's all use the baht bus. Out of the locals, bar girls and uniformed hotel staff use the baht bus along with the tourist and expats. It would be no different here.

Currently, most have to own, or have access to, a vehicle. This causes traffic, noise and air pollution, parking problems, accidents causing death, injury and property damage.

One must wonder what first time tourists think of transport on Phuket when an "airpor limo" is an old Toyota Camry, and when they go to their hotel reception and ask them to call a metered taxi for them - only to be told, "No metered taxi Phuket." It's at this stage, most tourists know they are being "thrown to the wolves."

My staff are constantly called liars when we tell them there is ZERO chance of getting a metered taxi & then get accused verbally and on various websites of being in collusion with tuk tuk drivers to fleece them!

[andreandre]

^ aa, let's keep the discourse civil, shall we?

Please note the "up to" and "potentially" in my comments. I was obviously providing a best case scenario. And I disagree about your ratio of bikes to riders. At least 80% have one rider.

If you ever get to Pattaya or Krabi you will see the songteaw systems they have there. I can tell by your comments you have not witnessed the cheap public transport offered at these these popular tourist destinations. Even when I have had a motorbike while visiting those places, I would often hope on the seangteaw because it was so cheap and convenient. In Phuket most people are forced to buy or rent and ride motorbikes to get anywhere.

Let's also not forget the ancillary benefit of safety something like a seangteaw would provide travelers when compared to a motorbike..

Yes of course we keep it civil..its only a discussion ...but come on ... a 90% reduction in traffic?

"Please note the "up to" and "potentially" in my comments"..

Joe im' looking and looking to see note these words in your comments..but??Maybe you can point them out to me... If you had in fact used those words we probably would not be having this particular discussion, because your post would not be so flawed...

80% of Thai bikes only one rider? Not in the Thailand i live in ..anyway.... we can agree to disagree

I mentioned Pattaya and Chiang Mai, Joe as examples because i lived in C/M for probably total of 3-4 years and visited Patts several times and used the baht bus, so you" can tell by my comments that i haven't lived there" is another flawed assumption from you..

The point on my mentioning that in my post was only in response to your words "Managing the overall number of seangteaws is, of course, a different issue."

Pattaya and Chiang Mai are two that come to mind big time. I said:.look at the traffic chaos they cause....

If you want to deny that they contribute a huge amount of congestion and chaos [ last time in Patts recently you could hardly move for the bahtbuses, they stop and go at will with no regard to others and use all the road in attempts to get fares and generally ''own the roads" and create chaos} which is exactly what oldcrocguy said they would reduce, ..well thats just another flawed comment.

It gets to the gist of my original post..Lack of prior planning here on west coast Phuket ,especially has created a near unsurmountable problem..The traffic chaos already here can not be improved to any great degree by simply ''educating the locals'' as olcroc suggested to give up using their Honda mopeds and using public transport.

X amount of people need to move around a certain area at a certain time..Yes? whether they are in public transport or own vehicles ,the desired requirement.which is ease of travel and lack of congestion is always going to be a problem.

[stevenl]

And besides all this , i stand firmly by what i said and you cant deny it, as its very evident all over the world that most people generally rare reticent to use public transport in favour of the convenience of using their own private vehicle.

One of the few exceptions to this IMO is city and close city dwellers who use it as a direct point to point transport option ...

Very true, people will not give up own transport. I certainly won't.

If transport was available to & from work, I would 100% use it and when going for a night out! I would still keep my car for shopping, weekends away but it would not move from the garage very often is a better transport system was in place

Which is maybe realistic in town, but out of the town, no. It is simply impossible to have a good enough public transport to make it more attractive than riding one's own bike say between Patong and Kata. Or even Patong and Phuket Town.

[eezergood]

And besides all this , i stand firmly by what i said and you cant deny it, as its very evident all over the world that most people generally rare reticent to use public transport in favour of the convenience of using their own private vehicle.

One of the few exceptions to this IMO is city and close city dwellers who use it as a direct point to point transport option ...

Very true, people will not give up own transport. I certainly won't.

If transport was available to & from work, I would 100% use it and when going for a night out! I would still keep my car for shopping, weekends away but it would not move from the garage very often is a better transport system was in place

Which is maybe realistic in town, but out of the town, no. It is simply impossible to have a good enough public transport to make it more attractive than riding one's own bike say between Patong and Kata. Or even Patong and Phuket Town.

Impossible becasue the powers that be dont want it

[KarenBravo]

Would a cheap, affordable public transport system on this island be good, or bad?

Unarguably good in my opinion.

[eezergood]

Would a cheap, affordable public transport system on this island be good, or bad?

Unarguably good in my opinion.

+1

I can afford a car, bike etc... but would absolutely use a decent SAFE transport system. Every time i stayed in PTT i used the baht bus, save a few times

[stevenl]

Very true, people will not give up own transport. I certainly won't.

If transport was available to & from work, I would 100% use it and when going for a night out! I would still keep my car for shopping, weekends away but it would not move from the garage very often is a better transport system was in place

Which is maybe realistic in town, but out of the town, no. It is simply impossible to have a good enough public transport to make it more attractive than riding one's own bike say between Patong and Kata. Or even Patong and Phuket Town.

Impossible becasue the powers that be dont want it

No, because people will not leave their own transport. In town, yes, out of town, no.

[eezergood]

If transport was available to & from work, I would 100% use it and when going for a night out! I would still keep my car for shopping, weekends away but it would not move from the garage very often is a better transport system was in place

Which is maybe realistic in town, but out of the town, no. It is simply impossible to have a good enough public transport to make it more attractive than riding one's own bike say between Patong and Kata. Or even Patong and Phuket Town.

Impossible becasue the powers that be dont want it

No, because people will not leave their own transport. In town, yes, out of town, no.

Hard to say, as there is no option to do so! Myself and a number of my friends would certainly leave the cars at home, given a choice!

[NamKangMan]

And besides all this , i stand firmly by what i said and you cant deny it, as its very evident all over the world that most people generally rare reticent to use public transport in favour of the convenience of using their own private vehicle.

One of the few exceptions to this IMO is city and close city dwellers who use it as a direct point to point transport option ...

Very true, people will not give up own transport. I certainly won't.

If transport was available to & from work, I would 100% use it and when going for a night out! I would still keep my car for shopping, weekends away but it would not move from the garage very often is a better transport system was in place

Which is maybe realistic in town, but out of the town, no. It is simply impossible to have a good enough public transport to make it more attractive than riding one's own bike say between Patong and Kata. Or even Patong and Phuket Town.

Really? What about proper metered taxis working along the coast road, as opposed to the dangerous, non a/c, rip off tuk-tuks we have now?

I'm sure many would use a metered taxi, like those in Bangkok, to get to and from Kata, for a night out on Bangla Road in Patong.

Edited July 24, 2013 by NamKangMan

[stevenl]

Very true, people will not give up own transport. I certainly won't.

If transport was available to & from work, I would 100% use it and when going for a night out! I would still keep my car for shopping, weekends away but it would not move from the garage very often is a better transport system was in place

Which is maybe realistic in town, but out of the town, no. It is simply impossible to have a good enough public transport to make it more attractive than riding one's own bike say between Patong and Kata. Or even Patong and Phuket Town.

Really? What about proper metered taxis working along the coast road, as opposed to the dangerous, non a/c, rip off tuk-tuks we have now?

I'm sure many would use a metered taxi, like those in Bangkok, to get to and from Kata, for a night out on Bangla Road in Patong.

Different from the post I was replying to. As usual you're twisting answers again to your own use.

[NamKangMan]

@ eezergood

Correct. Since "the powers that be" will not change, the people must change, and they have.

Russian, Chinese and Indian tourists using coach buses and the traditional western tourist market in decline for other destinations in Thailand and/or neighbouring countries.

The longer "the powers that be" on Phuket stick to their business model of an overpriced monopoly, via collusion, the more damage they will continue to do to the tourism industry here as transport prices rise to cover their losses.

[NamKangMan]

@ stevenl

As usual, you resort to a personal attack.

I'll simplify it for you.

If you could catch a proper metered taxi, like those in Bangkok, from Kata to Bangla Road for a night out drinking with friends, would you, or would you ride your bike intoxicated or catch a minimum 400 baht tuk-tuk?

I think most would get the mtered taxi. I know I would.

[eezergood]

I HONESTLY do not see this getting any better in the next 5 years!

[LivinginKata]

A number of off topic posts removed. Let's stay on the airport taxi story, thank you.

[eezergood]

Airport to PAtong - 20 mins ago guests complaining they were told no bus service & "limo" THB1000. Not sure what they paid in the end.

[LivinginKata]

Do you really think that the touts are going to guide green tourists to the bus stand.

[NamKangMan]

Airport to PAtong - 20 mins ago guests complaining they were told no bus service & "limo" THB1000. Not sure what they paid in the end.

Have you considered emailing your customers with a "We look forward to seeing you at The XXXX Guest House/Hotel etc etc" and then informing them of the best of the worst transport options at the airport and tell them not to listen drivers who say your establishment has closed, is no good etc etc?

[andreandre]

^ aa, let's keep the discourse civil, shall we?

Please note the "up to" and "potentially" in my comments. I was obviously providing a best case scenario. And I disagree about your ratio of bikes to riders. At least 80% have one rider.

If you ever get to Pattaya or Krabi you will see the songteaw systems they have there. I can tell by your comments you have not witnessed the cheap public transport offered at these these popular tourist destinations. Even when I have had a motorbike while visiting those places, I would often hope on the seangteaw because it was so cheap and convenient. In Phuket most people are forced to buy or rent and ride motorbikes to get anywhere.

Let's also not forget the ancillary benefit of safety something like a seangteaw would provide travelers when compared to a motorbike..

Found your 'up to'' but no ''potentially''..Sorry..my bad!!. .but hey 50/50 is not too bad..

[eezergood]

Do you really think that the touts are going to guide green tourists to the bus stand.

NO but the information desk at least...........

[stevenl]

Do you really think that the touts are going to guide green tourists to the bus stand.

NO but the information desk at least...........

They will inform people about the airport bus. Problem is nobody ever goes there, they all presume the desks selling the limousine and shared minibus tickets are the information desks.

[NomadJoe]

^ aa, let's keep the discourse civil, shall we?

Please note the "up to" and "potentially" in my comments. I was obviously providing a best case scenario. And I disagree about your ratio of bikes to riders. At least 80% have one rider.

If you ever get to Pattaya or Krabi you will see the songteaw systems they have there. I can tell by your comments you have not witnessed the cheap public transport offered at these these popular tourist destinations. Even when I have had a motorbike while visiting those places, I would often hope on the seangteaw because it was so cheap and convenient. In Phuket most people are forced to buy or rent and ride motorbikes to get anywhere.

Let's also not forget the ancillary benefit of safety something like a seangteaw would provide travelers when compared to a motorbike..

Found your 'up to'' but no ''potentially''..Sorry..my bad!!. .but hey 50/50 is not too bad..

Hmm..I can't find it now either! I see a couple other people used it though. I need to be more careful when scanning old quotes, so my bad on that one! My point is still valid about the "up to" though. Kinda like Thai ISP's advertising their internet speeds.