Free Phuket Airport shuttle bus service still going ahead

[webfact]

Free Phuket Airport shuttle bus service still going ahead
Tanyaluk Sakoot


Phuket International Airport Director, Monrudee Gettuphan.

PHUKET: -- Even though the current Phuket Airport Bus Express service is running at a loss, a plan by Phuket International Airport and Phuket Provincial Office to introduce a free shuttle bus service still looks to be going ahead according to Airport Director, Monrudee Gettuphan.

Speaking to The Phuket News, Ms Monrudee said, “We are still looking to go ahead with our plan to introduce free bus shuttle services which will run from Phuket International Airport to Phuket Town, Patong and Karon.

“However, finer details such as times and exact routes have not yet been set.

“I know that limousine, meter taxi and an existing bus service are already available from the airport, but the free shuttle bus will give visitors to the airport another transport option.”

Meanwhile, Nikorn Phetcharat the manager of the existing Phuket Airport Bus Express told The Phuket News, “We now only run our service to either Patong or Kata and Karon. However, both of these routes have lost money in the two to three years we have been in operation.

“We stopped the Phuket International Airport to Phuket Town route as it was not worth our while operating it. And we don̕t have any plans to introduce a route from the Airport to Sapan Hin, Chalong or Rawai because it is not worth us investing in.”

Source: http://www.thephuketnews.com/free-phuket-airport-shuttle-bus-service-still-going-ahead-52779.php


-- Phuket News 2015-06-15

[NamKangMan]

Hardly the "transport option" that Phuket desperately requires.

[asdecas]

Anyone claiming to be unable to operate an affordable and convenient bus service from airport to popular tourist accommodation areas of Phuket is either incompetent or a liar; with planning it is perfectly feasible - assuming sundry sticky fingers are kept away.

[Gutterboy]

Anyone claiming to be unable to operate an affordable and convenient bus service from airport to popular tourist accommodation areas of Phuket is either incompetent or a liar; with planning it is perfectly feasible - assuming sundry sticky fingers are kept away.

Or both

[madmitch]

“We now only run our service to either Patong or Kata and Karon. However, both of these routes have lost money in the two to three years we have been in operation."

Have I missed something? Kata and Karon?

I looked up their website and although Kata and Karon are on the front page, the timetable only states Patong, as does the route map.

Have they managed to negotiate with the Kata/Karon tuktuk mafia co-operative or has the manager of the company conveniently forgotten that these guys won't let the bus operate there?

[Lokie]

well that was it if memory serves; Karon/Kata were no go for the bus or 'things' would happen from a certain association, Patong ok but can only drop off in one spot b ehind Jungceylon and no pick ups on way to /from so basically a waste of time for the poor bloke who has tried to run a service. This will be intresting 'if' it ever got to be a runner, lets see now lol...

But if it is what the Tourists want,,, (as the extra Jet ski areas on Patong Beach as that is what the tourists want - apparently?) silly me thought it was get rid of the dam things and have some sun loungers and shade... Silly me...

[steelepulse]

Can't see this being any more popular than the failing current bus system. Those that are controlling the transport now don't want a level playing field, as why should they, if they allow competition, they'll lose out as monopolistic practices never benefit the consumer.

[PlastikbinLina]

Hardly the "transport option" that Phuket desperately requires.

I disagree. Greed runs rampant here in Phuket in the taxi/tuk tuk service and has done so for years. I've seen the latest BMW and Benz cars with green plates so they must be making a mint. I wish the lady all the luck and just hope she lives up to her name.

[NamKangMan]

Hardly the "transport option" that Phuket desperately requires.

I disagree. Greed runs rampant here in Phuket in the taxi/tuk tuk service and has done so for years. I've seen the latest BMW and Benz cars with green plates so they must be making a mint. I wish the lady all the luck and just hope she lives up to her name.

You totally missed my point.

The "transport option" Phuket desperately needs is reasonable flat fare, set price, hop-on / hop-off, Pattaya style baht bus system along the coast road, between the beaches, particularly between Patong - Kata.

Tourists only need transport from / to the Phuket Airport twice on their holiday, however, they need this essential service many times during their holiday, and usually several times a day for shopping, meals, the beach, the nightlife, places of interest, activities etc.

It's this required regular use of mafia controlled transport that is killing tourism on Phuket, not the Phuket Airport transport, even though it is also overpriced.

Until a transport system like this is implemented, the western tourist market will keep shrinking on Phuket, and continually give way to cheap package holiday tourists, who have their own coach bus transport, as part of the package holiday.

Edited June 16, 2015 by NamKangMan

[dageurreotype]

Hardly the "transport option" that Phuket desperately requires.

I disagree. Greed runs rampant here in Phuket in the taxi/tuk tuk service and has done so for years. I've seen the latest BMW and Benz cars with green plates so they must be making a mint. I wish the lady all the luck and just hope she lives up to her name.

You totally missed my point.

The "transport option" Phuket desperately needs is reasonable flat fare, set price, hop-on / hop-off, Pattaya style baht bus system along the coast road, between the beaches, particularly between Patong - Kata.

Tourists only need transport from / to the Phuket Airport twice on their holiday, however, they need this essential service many times during their holiday, and usually several times a day for shopping, meals, the beach, the nightlife, places of interest, activities etc.

It's this required regular use of mafia controlled transport that is killing tourism on Phuket, not the Phuket Airport transport, even though it is also overpriced.

Until a transport system like this is implemented, the western tourist market will keep shrinking on Phuket, and continually give way to cheap package holiday tourists, who have their own coach bus transport, as part of the package holiday.

I don't believe your point was missed. I too have noticed all the pricey cars/SUV's with taxi emblems stuck on their sides. In fact, I was obliged to take one from Cental to Sai Yuan just last week. I was charged 500 baht. Which was a good deal set against the 400 baht I was quoted (and refused) from Homepro in Chalong to the same destination in Sai Yuan, just yesterday. Ironically, Im having to take the little local chicken bus already overloaded, to my physiotherapist in Chalong thrice weekly, as I'm unable to drive due to a shoulder injury having resulted from a vehicular accident.

I do wish people would look outside the box and stop banging on about tourists only. Although my visiting friends have had many scary times having to drive a rental here, and not being familiar with Thai style traffic 'rules', there are many residents both farang and Thai who would welcome a fully operational free from rip off public transport system, such as that which they have in Bangkok and on an island of the same size, Singapore. Then watch the fatalities drop. It's not all me me me, you know. Or at least it shouldn't be

[siam2007]

well that was it if memory serves; Karon/Kata were no go for the bus or 'things' would happen from a certain association, Patong ok but can only drop off in one spot b ehind Jungceylon and no pick ups on way to /from so basically a waste of time for the poor bloke who has tried to run a service. This will be intresting 'if' it ever got to be a runner, lets see now lol...

But if it is what the Tourists want,,, (as the extra Jet ski areas on Patong Beach as that is what the tourists want - apparently?) silly me thought it was get rid of the dam things and have some sun loungers and shade... Silly me...

there should be 4-digit numbers of Pax every day for both from and to the Airport, it is probably only that most Pax don't even know this service exists (like myself, but knowing this now, makes me even consider to spend a few days in Phuket again).

for those interested: see here --->>>

http://phuketairportbusexpress.com/en

Edited June 16, 2015 by siam2007