Phuket local bus operators in tussle for passengers

[webfact]

Phuket local bus operators in tussle for passengers


The island is divided up among a variety of concession-holders, each with its own specific route.

PHUKET: -- Operators of the traditional blue songtaew buses between Chalong and Phuket Town yesterday (May 14) pleaded with Chalong Mayor Samran Jindapol to intercede in an “invasion” by their counterparts who service the Kata-Phuket Town route.

They complained that the Kata songtaew operators are picking up passengers between Chalong Circle and Phuket Town, and in the other direction, stealing their business.

The Chalong-Phuket operators said that the Kata-Karon operators, who share with them the road between Chalong Circle and Phuket Town, have broken an agreement on the picking up and dropping off passengers on that part of the route.

Mayor Samran said the Chalong-Phuket songtaew operators had also complained to the Land Transportation Office (PLTO) and Chalong police.

Somchay Kongsomrit of the Phuket Songtaew Service Club, which has the concession for the Chalong-Phuket Town route, said that in the past it was agreed that the Kata operators could pick up passengers who wanted to go to Kata or Phuket Town at one designated area, in front of the Kmart convenience store near Chalong Circle.

This had worked well for both groups, he said, but recently the Kata-Karon operators had increased their drop-off points southbound to four more spots on the road from Phuket Town to Chalong – at the Darasamut intersection near Central Festival, at the Dibuk Clinic, at Wat Chalong and at Lotus in Chalong.

Worse, he said, they were also now picking up passengers in those places, and in both directions.

This, he said, breaks the existing agreement that they may only drop passengers off, only at those four places, and only when travelling south.

“The Phuket Town-Chalong operators have no passengers left because the Kata operators have failed to stick to the agreement,” Mr Somchay said.

The Kata operators replied that they were simply providing a service the customers want.

Their spokesman said, “We stop and pick up passengers because they want us to. Some passengers tell us when they get in the vehicle that they want to go to Kata and then they change their minds, so we have to stop wherever they want to get off.”

Mr Samran said after the meeting with the two sides that a PLTO committee will examine the situation but in the meantime he wanted both parties to follow the original agreement.

This is that, on their way south from Phuket Town the Kata-Karon operators may only drop off passengers at the five points; they may not pick up passengers until they get to the Kmart shop in Chalong.

Going north they may not stop for drop-off or pick-up between Chalong Circle K-Mart and Phuket Town.

They must also tell passengers boarding at K-Mart or Phuket Town that they will not stop in between.

Source: http://www.thephuketnews.com/phuket-local-bus-operators-in-tussle-for-passengers-52334.php


-- Phuket News 2015-05-15

[huahinjoe]

"Nice" buses, by the way, what year is it 1970?

[LivinginKata]

"The Kata operators replied that they were simply providing a service the customers want."

Since when did customer service matter in the bus/taxi business....

[steelepulse]

"The Kata operators replied that they were simply providing a service the customers want."

Since when did customer service matter in the bus/taxi business....

The only service here is lip service.

[madmitch]

I've never had a problem in flagging a songthaew or getting one to stop by ringing the bell anywhere on its route. I generally only use them when I take the car to Honda for a service but it's a way of getting there and back to Karon. I've been doing this for years, it's nothing new.

Why can't one of them use Chaofa East and the other Chaofa West rather than take exactly the same route? Too logical?

[NamKangMan]

Once again, the transport issue on Phuket continues to play out like a Greek tragedy.

[useronthenet]

Pathetic! A small little Island, and doesn't have a proper uniform transport system. Is there anyone in charge ?

[LivinginKata]

<snip> Is there anyone in charge ?

Yes .... the taxi/tuk tuk mafia are in charge.

[keestha]

Even a 300 Thai people colony on Mars would develop a taxi problem. Turf division always done the same illogical way.

Khao Lak consists of a number of separate villages. Drivers from village A can take passengers to village B, but are not allowed to pick up passengers there.

If everybody would be allowed to pick people up anywhere when flagged down, income would remain the same and customer satisfaction would be higher.

[BestBitterPhuket]

"Nice" buses, by the way, what year is it 1970?

Phuket, a "world class" tourist destination, and these are the only buses they have. Tou

[NamKangMan]

Even a 300 Thai people colony on Mars would develop a taxi problem. Turf division always done the same illogical way.

Khao Lak consists of a number of separate villages. Drivers from village A can take passengers to village B, but are not allowed to pick up passengers there.

If everybody would be allowed to pick people up anywhere when flagged down, income would remain the same and customer satisfaction would be higher.

"If everybody would be allowed to pick people up anywhere when flagged down, income would remain the same and customer satisfaction would be higher." - no, income would be higher for some, and lower for others, but yes, customer satisfaction would be higher.

The system you describe, one that is implemented all over the world, rewards the harder working drivers with more customers, therefore, more money, and the lazy drivers get less customers, therefore less money.

On Phuket, the various groups collude so they all get the minimal amount of customers (laziness) but overcharge all of them, through collusion, so their salary is still high, as if they did a hard days work behind the wheel.

In order to do so, the operators join an "association" or "club" or "service" - for which they pay a fee. These organisations are nothing more than the Phuket transport mafia.

As these "organisations" allow more taxis, tuk-tuks, buses, minivans etc to operate, in order to collect more "fees" - the price of transport rises, so all of the operators still make the same salary, despite now getting a thinner slice of the transport pie, and working even less.

Eventually, the system got to where it is now. For example, a round trip from Patong to Kata costing more than a meal for two in a decent restaurant, and in many cases, more than a decent guest house, or small hotel room, per night.

This system has been allowed to flourish by officials, which have overseen all the problems it has caused for Phuket.

Massive increases in traffic, difficulty in parking, noise and air pollution, accidents causing death and injury, and a rapidly shrinking western market.

The problem is now so great, not even the military can fix it.

Public transport is an essential service in any community, let alone, a "World Class Tourist Destination" and on Phuket, criminals have FULL control over it.

[LivinginKata]

^

Very good analysis NKM ....These 'associations' evolved more than 20 - 25 years ago and have grown in power given the rampant local governemnt and police corruption.

[stevenl]

What and where is Kmart BTW?

[ToddinChonburi]

Doing it for the good of the people. How Noble !!!!!

[siam2007]

Even a 300 Thai people colony on Mars would develop a taxi problem. Turf division always done the same illogical way.

Khao Lak consists of a number of separate villages. Drivers from village A can take passengers to village B, but are not allowed to pick up passengers there.

If everybody would be allowed to pick people up anywhere when flagged down, income would remain the same and customer satisfaction would be higher.

"If everybody would be allowed to pick people up anywhere when flagged down, income would remain the same and customer satisfaction would be higher." - no, income would be higher for some, and lower for others, but yes, customer satisfaction would be higher.

The system you describe, one that is implemented all over the world, rewards the harder working drivers with more customers, therefore, more money, and the lazy drivers get less customers, therefore less money.

On Phuket, the various groups collude so they all get the minimal amount of customers (laziness) but overcharge all of them, through collusion, so their salary is still high, as if they did a hard days work behind the wheel.

In order to do so, the operators join an "association" or "club" or "service" - for which they pay a fee. These organisations are nothing more than the Phuket transport mafia.

As these "organisations" allow more taxis, tuk-tuks, buses, minivans etc to operate, in order to collect more "fees" - the price of transport rises, so all of the operators still make the same salary, despite now getting a thinner slice of the transport pie, and working even less.

Eventually, the system got to where it is now. For example, a round trip from Patong to Kata costing more than a meal for two in a decent restaurant, and in many cases, more than a decent guest house, or small hotel room, per night.

This system has been allowed to flourish by officials, which have overseen all the problems it has caused for Phuket.

Massive increases in traffic, difficulty in parking, noise and air pollution, accidents causing death and injury, and a rapidly shrinking western market.

The problem is now so great, not even the military can fix it.

Public transport is an essential service in any community, let alone, a "World Class Tourist Destination" and on Phuket, criminals have FULL control over it.

this is why I recommend to any of my customers/clients to rent a car when in Phuket or Samui. online rates at avisthailand.com can be as low as 650THB a day in low season. that's less than a return trip from Patong to Kata in a..... what ? "TAXI" ?