Thai govt wants to raise fares of 'low-cost' airlines

[PatOngo]

Rumor has it they will be targeting an increase in the price of bar fines next month.

[keith101]

more likely to die in a bus than a plane so keep the low air fares for the safety of all people .

[koratjohn]

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Maybe Ms Suchinda should get into the low cost airline industry rather than running to the junta complaining of having competition.

Not so sure I would want to fly on an airplane being run by a Thai Bus Company. Just me...

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What , not even a VIP one ?

no not even the VIP, here that only means u pay more for same thing. What's VIP on a bus, a euro cake and cup of water. Sure this bus VIP standard would be implemented for the first class on a bus company ran airline.

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[MobileContent]

May I suggest to the Thai government to get in contact with SkyBus which runs many buses for AirAsia such as from KL to Singapore, etc.

Looking at the buses in Thailand specially the one that is run by the Ministry of Transportation, I would just say privatize the the Transport Company.

I enjoy taking a bus in Malaysia but stopped it in Thailand two years ago on request of my lassie.

I think the real issue is helping Thai Airways to stay alive.

Edited January 9, 2015 by MobileContent

[outsider]

Rumor has it they will be targeting an increase in the price of bar fines next month.

Yeah, those on the streets can't compete, so they made a complain and it's decided that bars should increase their bar fines.

[TechnikaIII]

"Thailand's Minister of Transport, Air Chief Marshal Prajin Janthong, said the cheap fares for domestic flights offered by low-cost airlines are hampering the business of public bus companies in Thailand."

Stuff that. When Norway set up the very expensive airport rail link to the main Oslo Airport, an enterprising person said he could supply a coach service at half the price, and still make a profit. He did and it was working. Efficient and very comfortable. So what does the government do? Imposed a 100+% tax on every occupied bus seat, and sent him broke. (Because people in the government had financial interests in the rail link) Sucks, doesn't it?

If airlines can reduce the road death toll, go for it. Remove traffic from those treacherous highways. There is no bloody way I will travel by road to Chiang Mai, and especially not Chiang Rai. No way at all.

Until Prayuth can guarantee safer road transport, he can go to Hell on that one.

I would like to know who Prayuth's buddies are. He said he would deal with corruption, not participate in it.

Edited January 9, 2015 by TechnikaIII

[JOC]

An easy choice!!

[monkeycountry]

What's next. Tot complaining about too low prices of mobile phone rates. Lol

They pretty much already are. TOT does not want the government to auction off frequency/bandwith to the mobile operators, which is partly why 4G is not coming anytime soon, and at the same time TOT wants to keep it's own expired frequency/bandwith without paying for it. TOT admit though that the only reason for the above is that they cannot compete with the private operators, so if the government does not block the private operators, TOT will go out of business.

[Thakkar]

If it is determined that people travel by air because it is safer, will the minister plead with airlines to increase their accident rates in order to level the playing field?

T

[ALFREDO]

With this statement, the Junta Generals, got politicians, annoy me.

Can say,

that some seats on flights are sold very cheap in advance of many month in advertising campaigns,

cheaper than Bus tickets, but these fares are not every day fares.

And some seats get sold cheap on every flight of Thai Lion Air- often, still special low, Nok Air, Orient Thai, Air Asia and even Bangkok Air - the route BKK - UTH Udon Thani

BUT, these fares are just competitive with Bus tickets, if you include time and security aspects, Bus tickets are still usually cheaper.

Anyway, A TING TONG statement! Annoying!

[ExPratt]

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Maybe Ms Suchinda should get into the low cost airline industry rather than running to the junta complaining of having competition.

Not so sure I would want to fly on an airplane being run by a Thai Bus Company. Just me...

Sent from my GT-N7100 using Tapatalk

What , not even a VIP one ?

no not even the VIP, here that only means u pay more for same thing. What's VIP on a bus, a euro cake and cup of water. Sure this bus VIP standard would be implemented for the first class on a bus company ran airline.

Sent from my GT-N7100 using Tapatalk

That was a bit tongue in cheek by the way, I haven't been near one of those coaches VIP or otherwise for 10 years

[monkeycountry]

I hope Thailand's Minister of Transport, ACM Prajin Janthong remembers to tell the public that the reason they have to continue to die in bus crashes is to protect the business interests of his best friend bus owner Suchinda Cherdchai.

The good news is that this article indirectly also explains why the government never orders more safety in the bus sector, despite all the crashes. Such an order would of course also hurt the pockets of bus owner Suchinda Cherdchai

[Jessi]

"Police State"

[Carrerakiss]

Junta is backward thinking and totally out of step on this one. As mentioned, if bus companies are hurting due to other forms of travel, smarten up, get your act together and offer a good service. And I posit it's not just the price either. People are simply fed up of doing 12-hour+ journeys to the capital when they could get there in an hour. This goes for government employees, too, who's supervisors would send them on a bus or train... but now their budgets can allow them to fly and thus be more productive.

It is 2015, junta, not 1815. Get with it! Buses are a short-haul idea in this century, flying is the way forwards, or is it that you would just prefer to keep your people down? pffft!

That's true. Personally I'm not big into flying, but I do like driving. Even so, I think if the government could improve the roads and build some much needed motorways and expressways linking Bangkok with outlying provinces all the way to the borders, the journey times could significantly improve. It's unacceptable that a 560-odd km journey to Udon Thani takes like what 8-9 hours by bus and maybe 7-8 if you're lucky by car. It should take just 5-6 hours. But because of the horrible roads, with their u-turn bays, trucks overtaking at 60km/h slowing you down, there's no way it can be faster under the present circumstances.

If a bus journey to Udon could be shaved down to say 6 hours then the bus companies might become competitive, but if takes all day as you say, let the people fly.

Don't give them any ideas. More than a few bus drivers already try to meet the travel time scales you suggest are possible, and it's very scary.

Please note, no matter how good the road infrastructure is, thereby facilitating faster road journeys, the ability of Thai drivers to drive safely will NOT improve. So undertaking, swerving in and out of lanes etc, will still make the journey a lottery and at higher speeds, the potential to "buy" the winning ticket of an early grave will only increase.

Cheap reliable air services were a significant step forward for Thailand and I'm very disappointed to see the government try and shackle it, rather than nurture it. All the comments I've read slamming the statement by the government are, in this case, completely justified in my opinion.

Ah well, this is Thailand and everything ebbs and flows like a tide except with far less logic and reasoning

[jabis]

developed a brain tumor again

[PaulHamon]

joking right?

[davehowden]

You could just not make it up, could you!!

[SunsetT]

What!!! With the carnage on the roads here! The more people who fly the better. Its simply survival!

[Johnny S]

Are there no limit to the stupidity of the socalled policians in LOS .... ? I know 5 year olds that make more sense than these imbecilles

To the Junta: Move to North Korea, you will fit in just dandy

[Always18]

The economic politics of pure greed which will be thrown back in their faces if/when Thailand ever truly engages in the AEC.

I vividly recall Yingluck espousing her version of the same philosophy on one of her shopping jaunts to another SE Asian state when she announced:-

"Thailand doesn't want to compete with you, we want to collaborate with you"

No further comment necessary....................

[Kasset Tak]

I have seen some flights being dirt cheap, they can't make any big profit, I would even guess that they are flying with a loss just trying to get a piece of the market.

You have to count the cost of the airplane, maintenance, staff, fuel, airport fees and so on!

Some are complaining about the price on bus tickets, compare the price and how far you would get by bus back home for the same amount! Back home I used to pay equal to 2000Baht for a 150 km ride to the airport and here I pay 250-350Baht when I travel to Bangkok from Kampheng Phet and that's over 300 km.

[empireboy]

Un-freakin-believable!

When stupidity rules at the top is their even a chance of success?

[redman67]

I don't use the domestic flights because of price I use them because I hate the buses they're horrible end of long gone are the days of 17 hour bus journeys with little or no break but it does help the fact the flights are real value for money.

[tomacht8]

Everyone can fly
So why drive with a bus then?
Suchindas bus empire is a dying dinosaur,
compared to other transport options,

which are regularly faster, cleaner, cheaper, safer and more comfortable in.

[leftorright]

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Here is an idea for the government

How about yearly inspections of the equipment of these inter-provincial bus companies

How about governors to slow down these inter-provincial bus companies

How about log books that show exactly how long a driving shift is on these inter-provincial bus companies

How about publishing the safety records of these inter-provincial bus companies

How about restoring democracy in Thailand so that these hair brained ideas from the military masters stop

yes, to all except the final point, I have been out this way for 13 years and I see zero difference between this bunch of idiots and any of the others that have been in power. Remember propellorhead and his outstanding idea to reduce flooding by tying boats across the Chao Phira and using their propellors to move the water faster? Moronic ideas seem to be universal among Thai leaders no matter if they are elected or not, so restoring democracy is not going to make a blind bit of difference.

Agreed that moronic ideas are produced by all sides and governments here, but at least under democratic rule the people will have chance every once in a while to vote them out if things become unbearable. That's a bit more difficult with the current bunch.

[mikemac]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

Here is an idea for the government

How about yearly inspections of the equipment of these inter-provincial bus companies

How about governors to slow down these inter-provincial bus companies

How about log books that show exactly how long a driving shift is on these inter-provincial bus companies

How about publishing the safety records of these inter-provincial bus companies

How about restoring democracy in Thailand so that these hair brained ideas from the military masters stop

yes, to all except the final point, I have been out this way for 13 years and I see zero difference between this bunch of idiots and any of the others that have been in power. Remember propellorhead and his outstanding idea to reduce flooding by tying boats across the Chao Phira and using their propellors to move the water faster? Moronic ideas seem to be universal among Thai leaders no matter if they are elected or not, so restoring democracy is not going to make a blind bit of difference.

My personal favorite was a few years ago (not sure who was in power but probably someone in the Shin family) when whoever was in charge of traffic in Bangkok had a brainstorm regarding traffic congestion in the city.

His idea ................................................... keep the green lights on longer ! Absolutely brilliant ! Who would have thought of this, and it was right in your face !

[ttthailand]

I think it is more about the bus companies wanting to raise prices. But if they do now they will be priced near the airlines in some cases. Greed !

[dapperdan]

I hate those stinky, cramped, dangerous little vans. They want full fare for my bag. Give me a big bus anyday. The low cost carriers want to put the bus companies out of business so they can raise their fares.

[Nakajima]

Anyone in doubt anymore??

The junta is slowly (?) moving the country backwards to the good old days!!

I never had any doubt since coup day 1.

[lucpez]

Bus companies should raise their fares as their hampering buffalo-drawn cart businesses!!!