Thai 'Transport Company' loses bus passengers to budget airlines

[HooHaa]

"This prompted a need for the Transport Company to revise its role and to revamp its business opportunities for survival, he said."

Survival?

Yep, that's the key word when travelling.

Particularly by bus. I certainly can't afford not to fly.

[spidermike007]

Competent, considerate drivers who don't flee the scene might be a start.

You mean a real man? Someone who takes responsibility for his actions? Someone with a real package and not someone imitating a man? A non man child?

[selftaopath]

"This prompted a need for the Transport Company to revise its role and to revamp its business opportunities for survival, he said."

Survival?

Yep, that's the key word when travelling.

Yea considering the deadly Thai roads one might think it's safer to fly.... even if airlines have "red flags."

[selftaopath]

As per usual: Complain about the pesky competitors instead trying to improve the own product!!

Sober/non-drugged drivers

Clean and well-serviced buses

Concentrate on routes, where you can compete (100-500 km)

But I guess, it is easier to complain...................

Indeed. To do anything else might require creativity or actually doing something ( which is not something Thainess embraces).

[zakk9]

Hardly see Airlines competing with bus company for a 1 hour flight compared to a 8 hour bus trip, airports are often out of town and you have to check in early for you flight so you do not save that much time.

Most airports in Thailand are 10-20 minutes from the city centre, and that includes Suvarnabhumi (by Airport Link). To get to Mo Chit bus terminal, there's a 20 minutes taxi ride just to get from the BTS-station, more if the traffic is heavy. Admittedly, you have to be at the airport 30-60 minutes before departure, but more often than not, I've had to wait for an hour or more to find a seat on a bus out of Bangkok. Railway would be the obvious winner, but I don't believe it before I see it.

All talk about "bus travel will be better once the roads are improved". No, it won't. When roads improve, more people will use their cars for transportation, creating more traffic jams and increasing the wear of the roads. With the attitude towards maintenance in Thailand, that means bumpy roads. Don't expect miracles.

[noosard]

Fly Udon Thani nto Chiang Mai

About 1 hour flight

I always arrive airport early 30 mins before gate closes so travel time 2 hours

Had 2 beeres at 50 bht while waiting

Stuff going on a bus for 8 painful hours or so

On dangeroeus windy roads

[Puyai]

As per usual: Complain about the pesky competitors instead trying to improve the own product!!

Sober/non-drugged drivers

Clean and well-serviced buses

Concentrate on routes, where you can compete (100-500 km)

But I guess, it is easier to complain...................

I used to (and still do) much prefer the 24 seat VIP bus from Phuket to Bangkok bus, if time allows. Big comfy seats with plenty of room to stretch out, just hop on one end and disembark the other. No hanging around for hours in dreary overpriced airport lounges thronging with Chinese/Russian hordes, being treated like cattle, barked at at the Immigration desks and then having to pay the price of the flight to a bloody taxi driver to get you to and from the airport. As to safety, you aware of the latest red flag against Thai aviation?

Hang around for hours??

I show up 45 minutes before I fly and always have plenty of time left to buy overpriced coffee and cakes.

[gk10002000]

Plane travel is a strong competitor against 10 hour bus rides. I took a bus from Kon Khan to Phuket just because it was a last minute decision at night and it was available. That was not fun. Not much to see out the window at night, VIP or otherwise. A 6 hour bus ride with a stop for lunch during the daytime is OK as I enjoy the scenery.

A proper train system would be so nice.

[halloween]

I hate to piss on somebody's parade, but if a bus service isn't viable because of low cost airfares, what is the justification of building a high-speed train?

[zakk9]

I hate to piss on somebody's parade, but if a bus service isn't viable because of low cost airfares, what is the justification of building a high-speed train?

Because high-speed trains go from city centre to city centre, with a minimum of hassle and because total travel time approaches that of airplanes when transit to and from airports etc. are included. In Europe and Japan, they have made planes obsolete on several routes and reduced air traffic on others. High speed trains to key destinations like Chiang Mai, Korat, Udon Thani, Pattaya and Rayong would reduce air traffic and the need to expand Suvarnabhumi as well as reduce traffic congestions.

It would also make it more attractive to establish businesses in areas along the train lines, easing the pressure on the central region and creating job opportunities for farmers who cannot make a living from their farms in the north and northeast.

Edited June 23, 2015 by zakk9

[halloween]

I hate to piss on somebody's parade, but if a bus service isn't viable because of low cost airfares, what is the justification of building a high-speed train?

Because high-speed trains go from city centre to city centre, with a minimum of hassle and because total travel time approaches that of airplanes when transit to and from airports etc. are included. In Europe and Japan, they have made planes obsolete on several routes and reduced air traffic on others. High speed trains to key destinations like Chiang Mai, Korat, Udon Thani, Pattaya and Rayong would reduce air traffic and the need to expand Suvarnabhumi as well as reduce traffic congestions.

It would also make it more attractive to establish businesses in areas along the train lines, easing the pressure on the central region and creating job opportunities for farmers who cannot make a living from their farms in the north and northeast.

That's all fine, but at what cost? Surely it is cheaper to provide links to suburban networks for airports than to build hundreds of km of HSR track, with no proof that it will ever break even? DM is working fine as a hub for LCC.

BTW businesses along the trainlines are only viable if the train is stopping. Have 6 stops between BKK and CM and add an hour (at least) to the trip.

[Cuchulainn]

Some seem to forget how terrible airports are. I will always choose the bus over an airplane. No need to show ID , no pesky security , no metal detectors , no groping . I feel safe on the overnight bus. High speed train will have the peskey security too.

I hate authority and airports are full of them.

You feel safe on a Thai overnight bus?

I must agree with you on a few points; It really is a huge nuisance to bring your large, cumbersome driving licence/photocopy of passport with you to show airport security. At times, I've had trouble fitting it into my carry-on luggage.

And YES!!. Those metal detectors really are a pain. Having to queue up for at least, 2 minutes is infuriating. That's 2 minutes of my life wasted. How dare they?

Peskiness to the left of us

Peskiness to the right of us

Who will rid me of this turbulent peskiness?

[zakk9]

I hate to piss on somebody's parade, but if a bus service isn't viable because of low cost airfares, what is the justification of building a high-speed train?

Because high-speed trains go from city centre to city centre, with a minimum of hassle and because total travel time approaches that of airplanes when transit to and from airports etc. are included. In Europe and Japan, they have made planes obsolete on several routes and reduced air traffic on others. High speed trains to key destinations like Chiang Mai, Korat, Udon Thani, Pattaya and Rayong would reduce air traffic and the need to expand Suvarnabhumi as well as reduce traffic congestions.

It would also make it more attractive to establish businesses in areas along the train lines, easing the pressure on the central region and creating job opportunities for farmers who cannot make a living from their farms in the north and northeast.

That's all fine, but at what cost? Surely it is cheaper to provide links to suburban networks for airports than to build hundreds of km of HSR track, with no proof that it will ever break even? DM is working fine as a hub for LCC.

BTW businesses along the trainlines are only viable if the train is stopping. Have 6 stops between BKK and CM and add an hour (at least) to the trip.

Building high speed trains in Thailand must be based on future prognoses for traffic growth. One of the aims must be to move businesses out from Bangkok. It's expensive to build, but once it's there, it's an enormous asset. There are probably not as many as 6 cities between BKK and CM that would make a stop profitable, but the stops would be very short, typically less than 2 minutes or even shorter, and the tracks would be laid out in a way that makes it possible to go full speed until a few kilometers before the stations. A northeastern line would probably only stop in Saraburi, Korat, KK and Udon with a possible extension to Vientiane (and Kunming if the Chinese build it). It works in other countries, so why not in Thailand?

How profitable it would be depends on the size of the cities. Cities like CM, Korat, KK and Udon have a great growth potential, as have Pattaya/Sriracha/Chonburi and Rayong. A line to Rayong probably wouldn't be a real high speed train. 200 kph would be enough for a short distance like that.

[MaiChai]

8 hours on a racing bus or 40 minutes on a plane. Tough decision...

[zakk9]

8 hours on a racing bus or 40 minutes on a plane. Tough decision...

I know, I know... you'll miss the excitement if you go by air, but if you fly Thai Orient, it's almost like taking the racing bus to Udon

[MaiChai]

Unless it crashes (like it did in Phuket...)

[zakk9]

Unless it crashes (like it did in Phuket...)

Then it's exactly like taking the bus

[BritTim]

Firstly, the quality of the service of The Transport Company is actually rather good compared to the private companies. I find their drivers better and the buses well maintained. The problem is the price, as well as the travel time. If booking in advance, the cheapest flights are often half what The Transport Company charges. I hate airports but, when both travel time and cost are much less, it is hard to justify the bus.

I am surprised nobody has commented on the suggested 8-10 hour travel time by bus from Bangkok to Hat Yai. You need to be very lucky to do it in 12 hours. Meanwhile, allowing for travel time to/from airports and the need to arrive at airports a bit earlier, going by air still only takes a bit over 2 hours. In Bangkok, at least, there is no real advantage getting to the bus station rather than the airport. Indeed, with no BTS/MRT station at Mo Chit or Southern bus stations, and traffic jams around them a very real risk, you probably need to allow more time getting to the bus station than the airport.

There is one legitimate reason still to use the long distance buses in Thailand (apart from avoiding the security theatre at the airport): environmental impact. Buses use less fuel per passenger mile, and create less damaging emissions. Personally, while willing to keep that in mind, it is not enough for me to incur much greater cost and inconvenience.

[Asiantravel]

...and maybe soon you'll have pesky fast trains to deal with.

Might be time for a strategy meeting.

Soon?

I will believe it when I see it

[cookee68]

Not to mention Thai buses have a bad reputation for their driving skills and deaths,

[GinBoy2]

I'm a total convert to air travel. Since Air Asia, then Nok entered the KKC market prices have plummeted, in here I am in Bangkok having flown down with Nok on a ฿850 ticket, which included everything, tax fees, seats the lot.

People are right airports can be a pain, but the regional non tourist airports are still easy to deal with. Show up 30 mins before flight no hassle security and you're on your way. That compared to the 8 hour bus journey, and lest we forget getting from the bus station to downtown BKK aint so easy, or driving myself down its no contest for me

[BSJ]

Yesterday, despite my reservations, the wife and I travelled to Bangkok in a mini bus which is the only option from our village. The driving was terrible! The crazy driver was driving at ridiculous speeds on roadworks sections of Hwy 11....I though I was going to be sick. I hung on to my breakfast...just!

I'd like to take the big bus back, which can drop us at Wang Si Phun, but it's 20 km to our village and there is no taxi. Guess I will be mini busing it back!