After a third-class train ride, Thai Transport Minister should fly economy

[webfact]

THAI TALK
After a third-class train ride, minister should fly economy
Suthichai Yoon

Transport Minister Chadchart Sittipunt has taken a rough bus ride and discovered that city bus No 8 is the worst.

BANGKOK: -- He has also taken an eight-hour train ride to the northeastern province of Surin and found that the toilets in the lowest-class train carriage were dirty and had little or no running tap water.

He also wrote on Facebook that Train 135, a third-class route, suffered a 30-minute delay and the carriages were not in good condition.

Now he should take the cheapest seat on the national airline to determine how the carrier can get out of financial trouble.

The minister's staff had earlier set up a Facebook page to seek reactions from bus passengers about services during the period August 6-14. It didn't take long before complaints started pouring in, and bus route No 8 got the highest number of negative comments.

Passengers complained about the bad manners of the drivers and conductors, and drivers speeding past waiting passengers without stopping. Some drivers let passengers off in the middle of roads. Black exhaust fumes and engine problems added to the list of problems on this "unbearable service".

If you remember, the minister earlier took a bus to work in Bangkok but had to get off and jump on a motorcycle taxi because of the long delays on the route.

Minister Chadchart's plan to ride on the slow train to Surin wasn't disclosed until he had completed the journey so that he could find out for himself exactly what the State Railways of Thailand's service is like before reacting to its request to raise fees for third-class tickets by 10 per cent.

What he found out, by talking to train drivers and transport police, confirmed his suspicion that the service is far below standard. They told him about old locomotives, worn-out or broken train parts, a lack of qualified personnel and uneven distribution of assignments among the staff.

Now that THAI has reported a net loss of Bt8.4 billion for the second quarter, the Transport minister should disguise himself as an ordinary passenger on all the airlines that compete directly with the national carrier - as well as take the cheapest seat on one of THAI's flights - to come up with ideas on how to get the airline out of trouble. Also, as he told reporters, to determine whether it's the result of management problems.

The minister might find that the country's bus, train and airline services suffer from a common ailment: they are tied to politics and bureaucracy, and nobody - not even the country's best administrators and managers - can turn them around under the current management structures.

Attempts to "privatise" the train and bus services have been made on a regular basis, to no avail. Moves to improve efficiency have at best been just lip service. The reasons for the failure of these transport services are no secrets. Management objectives have never been about improving the bottom line by giving top priority to customer service. It's all about politicians, once in power, demanding the right to put their own people in the top posts in order to promote their own influence and benefit.

The national airline is supposed to be a publicly listed company, but the Finance Ministry remains the major shareholder and the Royal Thai Air Force insists upon its say in the management. In other words, the airline remains officially a "public company" that is controlled by political and bureaucratic interests. Paying passengers do not come first, as they should in a real business concern. This despite the fact that the national carrier has to compete head-on with all the other international carriers, which have to be run professionally in order to survive in the increasingly challenging airline business.

If Minister Chadchart takes a really long flight after his sufferings on the bus and train, he might find that there is a common solution to all the problems plaguing our transportation services: Get the politicians out and get the professionals in!


-- The Nation 2013-08-22

[Robby nz]

Yes, and instead of telling his people to take a bus to work (work????) once a month they should be told to leave their cars at home and use the bus every day.

And he should set an example by doing the same, and paying the fare.

[retell]

next project take a visarun taxi to ranong or penang nice those rides with 16 people in a 8 people van with all the luggage and a company that also delivers various packages along the route so you see the same gasstation 5 times in different directions , drivers stopping to get food and toilet but no-one can get out to do the same

or drive in an normal car from bkk 400 km to any where and see how much teamoney extra that is gonna be

[jackr]

At least he made the effort, what what. That is a really big deal for these types in this neck of the woods.

[Ianatlarge]

Points for actually taking the train ride, hope something good eventuates. As for getting the politicians out, that will merely leave the airlines in the hands of the same idiots who have screwed the usa airline system. Public involvement in public services can ensure that the needs of the public are met. Transport falls into this category.

[NongKhaiKid]

Taking the cheapest seat on the national carrier to see how he can get it out of financial trouble would prove nothing as I'm sure, like most, he knows the story behind Thai Airways.

I'm no expert but as I have understood it over the years there are so many vested interests who will not let go of their benefits. Why does the air force need a say in the airline other than to ensure retiring senior officers get a plumb post or a seat on the board. The same situation applies to those who " expect " to be rewarded by politicians for support over the years and there's no need to remind anyone of the unlimited free travel for those and such as those.

A privatised airline would take time to be turned around but at least professional executives would have a damned go if left alone but like most things here the politicians will not leave a good thing, if it's to their benefit, to get on with it.

[laurentbkk]

Those politicians have no idea about reality , they are comfortable in their A/C car with drivers .... sometime with police escort .... The problem is those bus companies belong to friends of friends of friends of politician mostly.

Regarding Thai airways , the government should invest a huge amount of money in new aircraft , new business class ( that brings the cash) etc .... I dont fly with Thai Air for years because of their lousy biz class service and crazy high prices. There is so much better and cheaper.

[Pib]

Yes, and instead of telling his people to take a bus to work (work????) once a month they should be told to leave their cars at home and use the bus every day.

And he should set an example by doing the same, and paying the fare.

Says the person that lives and works close to a bus stop.

[A1Str8]

Thailand previously had that first buyer car scheme, tricking people into something that they knew would not work.

Then when it comes to public transportation, thats all about money as well. They want to raise the prices but when it comes to service and their standards are a joke.

Despite that, the gov always finds a way to further drive prices up.

I really like this country but it is sad to see, that the gov is slowly tearing it apart.

[Emptyset]

Thailand previously had that first buyer car scheme, tricking people into something that they knew would not work.

Then when it comes to public transportation, thats all about money as well. They want to raise the prices but when it comes to service and their standards are a joke.

Despite that, the gov always finds a way to further drive prices up.

I really like this country but it is sad to see, that the gov is slowly tearing it apart.

Yeah, but aren't you actually just repeating what the minister has already said? The SRT want to raise prices but Chadchart is against it because he doesn't think it's justified when the level of service is so unsatisfactory. So you're agreeing with the minister, yet still think the government is tearing the country apart? Seems a bit of a non sequitur there.

[ginjag]

Thailand previously had that first buyer car scheme, tricking people into something that they knew would not work.

Then when it comes to public transportation, thats all about money as well. They want to raise the prices but when it comes to service and their standards are a joke.

Despite that, the gov always finds a way to further drive prices up.

I really like this country but it is sad to see, that the gov is slowly tearing it apart.

Yeah, but aren't you actually just repeating what the minister has already said? The SRT want to raise prices but Chadchart is against it because he doesn't think it's justified when the level of service is so unsatisfactory. So you're agreeing with the minister, yet still think the government is tearing the country apart? Seems a bit of a non sequitur there.

For a train ride you have to pay ok a little but still pay, instead of free pay say 20 bht. min --and have free toilets at bus and rail stations-Ha Ha pay for a pee and travel free--<deleted> joke.

[theblether]

Well many of us fly a lot and to indicate that economy class travel is in any way comparable to the train and bus services is just ludicrous. For all our gripes and snipes, in our dreams would the bus and train companies be as universally competent as the airline companies.

[moe666]

How can people travel free and expect first class service, it is an oxymoron

[asdecas]

It's all just hub-ris.

[travelman]

Cheap publicity stunt or dominated tactics by generally prevailing among Thai politicians.

[rixalex]

Yes, and instead of telling his people to take a bus to work (work????) once a month they should be told to leave their cars at home and use the bus every day.

 

And he should set an example by doing the same, and paying the fare.

Just getting him to forgo that practice of having large sections of road closed off by police so that he and his entourage can easily pass through otherwise gridlocked sections of road would be a great start!

Sent from my i-mobile IQ XA using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[Robby nz]

Yeah, but aren't you actually just repeating what the minister has already said? The SRT want to raise prices but Chadchart is against it because he doesn't think it's justified when the level of service is so unsatisfactory. So you're agreeing with the minister, yet still think the government is tearing the country apart? Seems a bit of a non sequitur there.

That Emptyset is not the reason the minister gave on the other thread :

The Transport Minister also mentioned that he did not quite agree with the fare rise for the State Railway Third Class Carriage, as it would cause the government to spend more subsidies to the State Railway.

Nothing to do with the level of service just that the govt doesn't want to spend any more money on the railways.

Much more important things like clocks, I pads, overseas trips, air con in the garbage room etc, etc.

[Xonax]

"Minister Chadchart Sittipunt has found, that the toilets in the lowest-class train carriage were dirty"

To my experience, this is not any different in first-class train carriages!

Thailand - Hub of dirty toilets.

Edited August 22, 2013 by Xonax

[metisdead]

Off topic posts and replies have been removed.

[Colabamumbai]

Maybe he would like to know that I helped a mechanic install a brake shoe on a Bangkok Nong Khai train in the Korat station, at about midnight while 2 other workers sat on the platform. New Years evening 2011.

Edited August 22, 2013 by Colabamumbai

[jackr]

^^ That wasn't the one that recently 'went off the rails', was it?

[Colabamumbai]

Now fellows lets not be critical of the train system. If you are a regular here you will remember that the P.M. Yingluk has already decided on the box lunches that will be available on the new high speed trains to the North. As posted here on the forum about say 6 months ago.

Edited August 22, 2013 by metisdead
Corrected spelling mistake of PM Yingluck's name.

[captspectre]

Yes, and instead of telling his people to take a bus to work (work????) once a month they should be told to leave their cars at home and use the bus every day.

And he should set an example by doing the same, and paying the fare.

In your dreams!

[ginjag]

Now fellows lets not be critical of the train system. If you are a regular here you will remember that the P.M. Yingluk has already decided on the box lunches that will be available on the new high speed trains to the North. As posted here on the forum about say 6 months ago.

I bet Thai Airways will be in the running for ANY pre packed food once they are up and running with this new food venture, contracts would be easily won, especially if it's government transport system.

[Skint]

Trains are poor. 3rd class? 1st class was poor hate to see 3rd!

[ginjag]

Trains are poor. 3rd class? 1st class was poor hate to see 3rd!

I remember traveling on local town buses just after WW2 they had wooden seats, because of monies and materials were not available times were hard. They called them war-time utility vehicles.

Here we have this country it's people trying their best in general to be thwarted by corruption, so regarding the trains---WW2 ended in 1945, and soon after that buses became comfortable again, as the public expected it and demanded it.

In Thailand no one demands anything, they are not allowed to do, only officials demand.

[rubl]

At least he made the effort, what what. That is a really big deal for these types in this neck of the woods.

Seen in that light the minister might not last long. He sets a bad example

[balo]

He complained about no running water inside the toilets in 3rd class ? He should try 1st and 2nd class a few times , Thai train toilets are famous for being the most dirty in the world.

[pomchop]

Cheaper to fly air asia bkk Phuket than to hire a patong tuk tuk to drive you a few miles....perhaps he might want to go to patong and see how that works out?

[bangon04]

Taking the cheapest seat on the national carrier to see how he can get it out of financial trouble would prove nothing as I'm sure, like most, he knows the story behind Thai Airways.

I'm no expert but as I have understood it over the years there are so many vested interests who will not let go of their benefits. Why does the air force need a say in the airline other than to ensure retiring senior officers get a plumb post or a seat on the board. The same situation applies to those who " expect " to be rewarded by politicians for support over the years and there's no need to remind anyone of the unlimited free travel for those and such as those.

A privatised airline would take time to be turned around but at least professional executives would have a damned go if left alone but like most things here the politicians will not leave a good thing, if it's to their benefit, to get on with it.

"Also, as he told reporters, to determine whether it's the result of management problems."

Yes it is... there is far too much management and not enough business acumen....