New bus station

[pomchop]

I noticed that the old downtown bus station is now completely demolished.

Does anyone know if the plan is to rebuild a new station on the old site or is it going to be something else?

The old station was always an interesting spot to sit and watch all the arrivals and departures of every description of bus and passengers.

[sceadugenga]

It was indeed a place to watch the world go by, I was waiting there one afternoon and saw three senior Thai police officers place a very drunk farang on a bus and watch to make sure it left with him on it.

I'm surprised to hear it's gone, the plan was that the new bus station on the Super Highway would be for the national buses and the old one would be for provincial services only.

A cheap shuttle run between them was available.

[villagefarang]

They are clearly well on their way to building something on the site but I am quite happy to wait and see what it ends up being. I got tired of the speculation game a long time ago.

[pomchop]

There is a big sign all in Thai right at the construction site...and what appears to be a rendetion of a new structure that i "think" could be a new bus station......maybe some of our Thai reading members/wives can tell us what the sign might indicate.

[DonaldBattles]

Based on the sign it looks like a government office building. It could be a new building for the Amphur as the one they are using is very limited. It will not be a new bus station as it creates too much traffic in the inter city.

[pomchop]

Found this on travelfish.org site...if correct then it WILL be a new bus station downtown.

The old downtown bus station next to the night bazaar is currently being rebuilt with completion, if all goes well, sometime in 2017. At the time of writing, (October 2015), several buses were still stopping around the edges of the demolished station, and Green Bus Company maintained an office there, but once construction work gets fully into swing we’re not sure how long that situation will last. Many local services; Phayao, Chiang Khong, Chiang Saen and Mae Sai were still parking buses here but the majority of services - long distance in particular - have moved to the new bus terminal, terminal 2. This is located just south of town on route 1 and songthaew services between the two terminals cost a flat 20 baht per person.

[RichCor]

Had lunch with some Thai friends in a nearby lot that oversaw the deconstruction.

A couple of my friends were told it was going to be a bus station with a four-story parking structure atop, completed in 2 to 3 years.

I'm with VF on this. Currently it's a dirt lot. We'll see what happens.

[DonaldBattles]

The big photo they have on the construction wall does not show any busses around it and does not look like it is 4 stories tall. However it most likely will be a new station. Seems kind of crazy to bring these busses into such a busy area.

[pomchop]

A thai friend of mine today also confirmed that news reports say it will be a new bus station.....a parking lot above would likely make sense.

i much prefer another bus station downtown to say a new shopping complex.

[RichCor]

This obligatory blurry pic of a nearby sign, and this second image seem to further corroborate my recent made-up story:

So, AEC (ASEAN Economic Community) project

A four-story Bus Terminal Station / Parking Structure (more than 200 parking spaces)

Construction from 13 August 2558 -- 3 November 2560 (some text says construction completed 3 May 2560)

78,700,000 THB estimated cost, construction to be completed by an Italian-Thai company

Edited December 1, 2015 by RichCor

[RichCor]

That's an awful lot of white people in that render.

And it looks like Pomchop parked his sports car in the red zone, again.

[DonaldBattles]

This clears the mystery. Most unusual.

[DonaldBattles]

At least when I go to the pump shop there will be a place to park. Wonder what the parking fee will be? HOpe it is serious to keep people from filling it up and leaving their vehicle there for days.

[pomchop]

So a little over 2 million USD....if this were in USA the pre construction permits/studies/plans etc would be more than 2 million before they dug one spade of dirt.

This obligatory blurry pic of a nearby sign, and this second image seem to further corroborate my recent made-up story:

So, AEC (ASEAN Economic Community) project

A four-story Bus Terminal Station / Parking Structure (more than 200 parking spaces)

Construction from 13 August 2558 -- 3 November 2560 (some text says construction completed 3 May 2560)

78,700,000 THB estimated cost, construction to be completed by an Italian-Thai company

[DonaldBattles]

Most likely in the US they would not allow a major bus station to be built in a high density populated city area. This new facility in Chiang Rai will be a major factor in the continuing traffic situation. With the population growth rate of Chiang Rai by middle income educated Thais moving here the city will be choked in 5 years. Now without regard to people double parking on both sides of the street it is difficult to drive. Recently my side view mirror was hit by a car trying to miss double parking. As there is no traffic law enforcement in Chiang Rai we are looking at a dismal future for driving through the city. An example of this is now they have set up a big fair in downtown on both sides of the street almost blocking traffic. Why they could not put it in the wat or the school in front is beyond me. Essentially this is a set of junk shops like they put on every Sunday night in town. I am not opposed to people making money but there should be some consideration for those who need to drive through the already crowded city.

[sceadugenga]

I only need to go to town once or twice a week so I usually make it around midday Tuesday or Wednesday for the easiest traffic negotiation.

[pomchop]

I only need to go to town once or twice a week so I usually make it around midday Tuesday or Wednesday for the easiest traffic negotiation.

One of the great things about being retired is i can set my schedule to avoid most all the traffic BS....i very rarely have any traffic or parking problems just by planning ahead. I avoid Big C or Central on weekends and plan my downtown trips like you midweek, midday.

In fact just yesterday I was doing errands and parked very near all the places i needed to go ...and was thinking how easy is this?

[my friend I]

At least when I go to the pump shop there will be a place to park. Wonder what the parking fee will be? HOpe it is serious to keep people from filling it up and leaving their vehicle there for days.

Why don't you park in the Thaivisa parking section at the Wiang Inn.

[DonaldBattles]

Don't think I would want to try to carry my pumps that far. I have to do like Thais do and double park to load or unload my pumps. If the city would start charging minimum of 25 Baht for parking it would keep some places open. Now the town is filled with employee parking free. If the meter maid does not catch you your are free. There are only 2 and they work for themselves. Really sucks!

[hathairat2711]

One quick question.

I will be flying Bangkok to Chiang Rai latter part of next week and onwards to Mae Sai to action a visa run.

Are the round trips Chiang Rai to Mae Sai buses still operating from the old bus station (night market)?

[pomchop]

0-5324-2214-5 , 0-5324-1933

E :

[email protected]

i would call or emai Green Bus to verify

There is NO OLD BUS STATION left as it is completely demolished...but maybe leaves nearby.

Edited December 6, 2015 by pomchop

[teezza]

Will the old bus station now be the new bus station and the new station be the old station?

[pomchop]

Will the old bus station now be the new bus station and the new station be the old station?

good question...what was new is now old and what was once old is now new?

maybe name will be Downtown Station ....

I think the idea is/was that the downtown station buses are primarily for buses within CR province and the highway bus station is for destinations outside of the province...but then again the CM buses still started and stopped at the downtown station AND the highway station so so much for that idea....

[my friend I]

One quick question.

I will be flying Bangkok to Chiang Rai latter part of next week and onwards to Mae Sai to action a visa run.

Are the round trips Chiang Rai to Mae Sai buses still operating from the old bus station (night market)?

If you take a taxi out to the Mae Sai Highway from the airport a green bus will come by. Should say Mae Sai on windscreen. There is also a green bus to Chiang Saen on that highway.

[DonaldBattles]

As this bus station compounds the inter city traffic on a 2 lane street I think that it is being built associated with some kind of corrupt scam. The bus station could have been put on a 4 lane road where the government owns property. The amphur office is pitiful and a disgrace why they refuse to build new one or relocate it is beyond me. This would have been an ideal location for the amphur office as there is sufficient parking. GOD ONLY KNOWS WHY FOR ANYTHING!

[hathairat2711]

I have just conversed with greenbuses service centre and CR Tourist information and they both informed me that the green buses to Mae Sai still operate from the bus station night market until further notice.

Enjoy.

[JAG]

The big photo they have on the construction wall does not show any busses around it and does not look like it is 4 stories tall. However it most likely will be a new station. Seems kind of crazy to bring these busses into such a busy area.

Well yes, except that the local buses which use it are predominately for local people coming into the city centre for shopping and so on, so the central location is more convenient.

[cheeryble]

Terribly sorry to see the old bus station get pulled down.

I liked it in it's rather old fashioned form and loved to see the veteran buses from decades ago pulling in and spilling out all nature of people.

Afraid the new one looks like the bus station version of yet another boring new concrete shophouse.....but will wait to pass judgement.

Must admit it's very nice to arrive in the middle of town and get my bike out from under the bus, bag on back, and pedal or walk just minutes to my destination.

Edited December 27, 2015 by cheeryble