Jump to content
Login with your Gmail HERE and start posting in seconds! ×
Don't just read! Be part of the Community! Join the conversation ×

Chiang Mai Public Transport.... woes

Sparkles

By Sparkles
in Chiang Mai

 Share

Recommended Posts

Sparkles Platinum Member

Sparkles

Posted
Posted

Excellent and informative article by Pim Kemasingki www.chiangmaicitylife.com on the current public transportation mess which is part of daily life in Chiang Mai.

Some interesting statistics 1.7m population in CM province,1.8 m reg vehicles ,1.2 m of which are motor bikes. 2,400 songteaws plying the city routes with another 500 out of towners etc etc.

Includes an interview with the head of the songteaw co op... a must read

Link to comment
Share on other sites
northernjohn Ruby Member

northernjohn

Posted
Posted

It all depends on your point of view. If you want set times you must be willing to wait and walk a distance. That also goes for prices. If you want to have more personal service you can stop a songthaew or tuk tuk give them an exact location then maybe barter over prices.

will a new bus system be able to handle school time routes. Many different factors to be considered for the customers. All completely different fro the ones the carriers face.

I like the current system because I like to walk a lot and some times just grab a songthaew home. As it is now I don't have to carry a bus schedule and a city map to get a ride. On the other hand many will find it quite convenient as the bus stops close to where they are coming from and going to.

Makes no difference as it is all just talk any how.

One other point that they have not addressed is the fact that the population is getting older and it is getting harder and harder for some older people to get in and out of vehicles. Cabs would serve the purpose for them. Would the new busses they are talking about be any better than what we have now.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
elgordo38 Gold Member

elgordo38

Posted
Posted (edited)

The word that really jumps out at me is the word corruption. You have a mayor of the city, a governor and all they do is wring their hands touting budget restraints. You have a Mickey Mouse songtaew bus system and they are getting worse. They tried to charge my g/f 100 bahts to go to the bus station which is normally a 40 baht trip. On another she paid a premium fare with the understanding the songtaew would take her directly home instead he dragged her all over the city and on it goes. Its all talk hand wringing and sadly no action. This whole situation and others are the fault of the chintzy central government out of Bangkok in all matters it is really the problem. 17% of the population lives there and 70% of tax bahts are spent there shortchanging others what a disgrace. Another example of hand wringing is the present drought situation. Steps should have been taken a decade ago to start solving this problem as they saw it coming and did nothing but procrastinate and try to draw in more tourists without solving a problem that additional tourism was only making worse. Everything here has to reach a "its to late" tipping point before even band aid measures are applied.

Edited by elgordo38
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share
Go to topic listing

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.








×
×
  • Create New...
""