BMTA punishes Bangkok bus staff who argue with passenger

[webfact]

BMTA Punishes Bus Staff Who Argue With Passenger



BANGKOK: -- Bangkok public transport authority has ordered the immediate expulsion of a bus driver and a bus conductor who were filmed as they shouted abuse at a passenger.

The announcement came after the circulation of the video clip, which showed the staff on number 8 bus arguing and shouting with a passenger who complained about their poor service.

The clip has been widely shared on the social network; many netizens see it as yet another evidence of the substandard service provided by the number 8 buses, which belong to the state authority but are contracted to private operators.

Mr. Opas Petchmunee, director of the Bangkok Mass Transit Authority (BMTA), said today that an official has received complaint about the argument between the bus staff and a passenger on 5 October, and have reported the matter to the Authority soon afterwards.

The BMTA has conducted an investigation and discussed the issue with representatives of Sap 888 Company, which operate the bus, Mr. Opas said.

"The investigation has concluded that the staff have committed wrongdoing," the director said, adding that the BMTA has taken steps to punish the pair, namely, such as ordering the company to immediately fire the bus driver and the conductor.

The bus where the confrontation took place would also be taken out of service for 10 days, Mr. Opas said, and the BMTA will notify other private bus companies under contract with the Authority not to receive the expelled staff to work in the future.

Number 8 buses are notorious for rude staff and reckless behaviour of the drivers. In an online poll organised by the Minister of Transport earlier this year, the number 8 route buses are voted as the worst buses in Bangkok metropolis.

Source: http://www.khaosod.co.th/en/view_newsonline.php?newsid=TVRNNE1URTFOalUxTWc9PQ==

-- KHAOSOD English 2013-10-08

[doremifasol]

Som nam na!!!!!!

[GeorgeO]

Well ... it's a start, and a good example of what 'people power' can do. It may even get the rest of them to sort their act out!

If we can get some of the BiB on film and dismissed for their numerous wrongdoings, maybe that might have the same effect with the rest of the force .. but I won't be holding my breath...!!

[A1Str8]

I wonder what's the reason that the number 8 buses seem to have the rudest, most reckless and in general most undesirable drivers.

[webfact]

Bus no 8 runs between Happy Land in Bang Kapi and Phra Phuttha Yodfa bridge - Saphan Phut.

[allan michaud]

"The bus where the confrontation took place would also be taken out of service for 10 days, Mr. Opas said,"

Naughty bus, now don't do it again.

[anon467367354]

Ever ridden the #6 down Chareon Nakhorn to Rat Burina? I've gotten off that bus more than 3 times and made a phone call to report the drivers. For some reason they are insane.

Seems to be locality which allows them to be so reckless.

[theblether]

That's the power of social media.

I was on a bus from Mae Sai to Chiang Rai, just an old local service bus. The driver went mad with a motorcyclist and his girlfriend for being in the outside lane and tried to run them off the road. The motorcyclist rightly backed off. The bus drove down the road and waited for him, when he eventually appeared the conductor jumped off the bus fixing for a fight. The motorcyclist saw this and dodged down a side alley. I thought that was the end of it, but no, the bus drove on again, stopped and waited again. Same charade again. All this faffing about must have cost us 20 minutes.

Seriously........far too many people involved in public transport are a danger to themselves and to others.

[steveyinasia]

Bus has been sent to an inactive post..seems to be normal punishment.

[impulse]

In further news, the posters of the video have been charged with defamation by the driver, the conductor and the bus company.

The driver and conductor made enough on the lawsuit that they won't have to tolerate the unwashed masses for quite a few years. By that time, all will be forgotten and they'll start all over again.

The bus company was compensated for lost revenues while their property was out of service as a direct result of the posters' actions.

(Not really, but it wouldn't surprise me)

Edited October 8, 2013 by impulse

[wileycoyote]

Bus no 8 runs between Happy Land in Bang Kapi and Phra Phuttha Yodfa bridge - Saphan Phut.

Happyland ...there's irony for you !

[Lite Beer]

Employees of the notorious Bus Number 8 receive their comeuppance

BANGKOK, 8 Oct 2013 (NNT) - After going viral, the clip named “Bus Number 8” resulted in the punishment of 2 of its employees. The video taken from a hand-held device depicted the conductor and the bus driver maliciously scorning and cursing at one of its own passengers.

A female passenger had flagged the driver down to signify her intentions of boarding. However, while turning back to get her 3 bags, the driver rushed off before she could get on. The woman later reportedly managed to board the bus while it was waiting at a stop light ahead.

Having complained to the driver and conductor about not being able to get on, she was met with a series of spiteful and malicious cursing - even being dared by the conductor to make a complaint phone call to the company’s headquarters.

Recently, Transport Minister Chadchart Sittipunt has received word of the innocent and ordered officials to carryout necessary measures to provide justice to both sides. As a result, the Bangkok Mass Transit Authority (BMTA) has conducted an investigation into the case and found both the employees guilty.

The BMTA has ordered a 10-day suspension of the bus involved in the incident. It has also banned the 2 employees from working aboard the company’s buses and will relay the records of the 2 employees to the Department of Land Transport to be stored in its data files.

-- NNT 2013-10-08

[beenhere2long]

the bus get a 10 day suspension....why?

[harrry]

It means that for the 10 days the company will have one less bus running....Less revenue for the company maybe but one less bus for passengers to catch.

[evadgib]

Lets hope provincial bus stations follow suit:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/673133-i-never-thought-a-thai-locals-stand-up-for-me-when-am-ripped-off/?p=6902315

[Sayonarax]

What did the bus do wrong? poor bus..

[MegaRanter]

Those green buses take the cake any day, then they were decommissioned.

Those green buses, mostly in the Bangkok suburbs, are law unto themselves.

They all had a unique sound and will use all the lanes on the road in a 20 minute dash.

[espinoza]

" It has also banned the 2 employees from working aboard the company’s buses and will relay the records of the 2 employees to the Department of Land Transport to be stored in its data files." Yest this will really stop them doing things like this. Beeing stored in the departments data files is very scaring. Why do they want to store this in the departments data files ? It it for any use ? Or just another flow of unuseful words ?

[bino]

I wonder what's the reason that the number 8 buses seem to have the rudest, most reckless and in general most undesirable drivers.

"...substandard service provided by the number 8 buses, which belong to the state authority but are contracted to private operators."

If they are private contractors, they probably think that the rules don't apply to them and that they can do / act however they please.

[ableguy]

the bus get a 10 day suspension....why?

being too lippy, acting hi so belching smoke, bald tires no seat belts, falling apart , being past it's sell by date, in fact pretty much like me.