Sky train service breaks down again as commuters return to work after long holidays

[webfact]

Sky train service breaks down again as commuters return to work after long holidays



BANGKOK: -- Several thousands of sky train service commuters were stranded at stations on the Sukhumvit Line waiting desperately for over an hour for trains to arrive.

But no train arrived although many came as early as 6 am to catch the trains to work on the first day after the week-long Songkran holidays.

No announcement was made by the Bangkok Mass Transit System (BTS) to inform commuters who started to arrive more and more of what happened or why the train was late, thus causing most stations on the Sukhumvit Line jam-packed.

What they only saw was that the security guards at most stations tried to tell commuters that the platforms were congested while unable to tell what happened.

Many commuters posted on JS 100 Radio and FM 91 Twitter complaining about the incident which was not explained, and posted pictures of the jampacked stations.

Not even a word was heard about what happened to the train service so that those who were on the way to the stations could change minds and resort to other transport mode instead, one desperate commuter said.

FM 91 Radio later said on its Facebook page that there was a system failure at the BTS’s Morchit depot, thus making it unable to launch trains out from the depot since 6 am.

By 8 am it said the service on Sukhumvit Line was back to normal with the first train arriving at Morchit was crowded with commuters.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/content/159892


-- Thai PBS 2016-04-18

[huahinjoe]

Many commuters posted on JS 100 Radio and FM 91 Twitter complaining about the incident which was not explained, and posted pictures of the jampacked stations.

Not even a word was heard about what happened to the train service so that those who were on the way to the stations could change minds and resort to other transport mode instead, one desperate commuter said.

In cases like this in a normal country they immediately starts emergency buses and informing, directing the public in a safe manner of course nothing normal here anyway and can't blame the technology its never 100% thats why they need intelligent human assistance and a plan to work out when things like this happening....

Wonder how the thais felt about this sweating hours standing in queues hoping any minute the train will come but it seems it took 2 hours to solve, amazing

[KhunBENQ]

Riding BTS was always fun...

About 10 years ago or so

On my first holiday visit to Bangkok it was really fun.

Easy to get a seat. No crowds on the platforms.

Such tiny trains for such a megacity

Edited April 18, 2016 by KhunBENQ

[MrJohnson]

Caught a train from Asoke to Siam at around 7.20am. Noticed that the trains were not very frequent, which they normally are at that time. However, I was still able to get on the train and get a connecting train at Siam for Chong Nonsi.

[jlwilliamsjr18]

Really...I would love to see the maintenance and service schedule. How many people drive their car until it breaks down, without ever getting it serviced. I suspect the same is happening with the Sky Train.

[bark]

Many commuters posted on JS 100 Radio and FM 91 Twitter complaining about the incident which was not explained, and posted pictures of the jampacked stations.

Not even a word was heard about what happened to the train service so that those who were on the way to the stations could change minds and resort to other transport mode instead, one desperate commuter said.

In cases like this in a normal country they immediately starts emergency buses and informing, directing the public in a safe manner of course nothing normal here anyway and can't blame the technology its never 100% thats why they need intelligent human assistance and a plan to work out when things like this happening....

Wonder how the thais felt about this sweating hours standing in queues hoping any minute the train will come but it seems it took 2 hours to solve, amazing

Thank you Mr. Perfect !

[razer]

I've come to the conclusion the management of the BTS really don't give a damn about what people think.

I've thought this for a very long time.

[MaxLee]

Told 'ya, this won't be the last time that the BTS breaks down,.....

expect more breakdowns in the future, especially, when the NEW stations open,... wanna bet?

[Lupatria]

Many commuters posted on JS 100 Radio and FM 91 Twitter complaining about the incident which was not explained, and posted pictures of the jampacked stations.

Not even a word was heard about what happened to the train service so that those who were on the way to the stations could change minds and resort to other transport mode instead, one desperate commuter said.

In cases like this in a normal country they immediately starts emergency buses and informing, directing the public in a safe manner of course nothing normal here anyway and can't blame the technology its never 100% thats why they need intelligent human assistance and a plan to work out when things like this happening....

Wonder how the thais felt about this sweating hours standing in queues hoping any minute the train will come but it seems it took 2 hours to solve, amazing

Get it son, you don't live "in a normal country" TIT!

[swerver]

Many commuters posted on JS 100 Radio and FM 91 Twitter complaining about the incident which was not explained, and posted pictures of the jampacked stations.

Not even a word was heard about what happened to the train service so that those who were on the way to the stations could change minds and resort to other transport mode instead, one desperate commuter said.

In cases like this in a normal country they immediately starts emergency buses and informing, directing the public in a safe manner of course nothing normal here anyway and can't blame the technology its never 100% thats why they need intelligent human assistance and a plan to work out when things like this happening....

Wonder how the thais felt about this sweating hours standing in queues hoping any minute the train will come but it seems it took 2 hours to solve, amazing

Thank you Mr. Perfect !

This is why nothing - like the above reply "Thank you Mr. Perfect!" - will ever change in Thailand because its people refuse to accept when they are shown that what they are doing in not what the manufacturer designed the equipment for, double decker buses, sky trains with more trailing cars than motorcars are designed for, in this case as warned some time back this time of breakdowns seems to have arrived, get ready for more frequent breakdowns as time moves on.

[bkkcanuck8]

Many commuters posted on JS 100 Radio and FM 91 Twitter complaining about the incident which was not explained, and posted pictures of the jampacked stations.

Not even a word was heard about what happened to the train service so that those who were on the way to the stations could change minds and resort to other transport mode instead, one desperate commuter said.

In cases like this in a normal country they immediately starts emergency buses and informing, directing the public in a safe manner of course nothing normal here anyway and can't blame the technology its never 100% thats why they need intelligent human assistance and a plan to work out when things like this happening....

Wonder how the thais felt about this sweating hours standing in queues hoping any minute the train will come but it seems it took 2 hours to solve, amazing

Thank you Mr. Perfect !

This is why nothing - like the above reply "Thank you Mr. Perfect!" - will ever change in Thailand because its people refuse to accept when they are shown that what they are doing in not what the manufacturer designed the equipment for, double decker buses, sky trains with more trailing cars than motorcars are designed for, in this case as warned some time back this time of breakdowns seems to have arrived, get ready for more frequent breakdowns as time moves on.

What? The trainset is made up of two motor cars and two trailer cars (4 cars) [ originally 3 cars - two motor cars with one trailer car in the center ] .... how is this more trailercars than it is designed for?

[Bangkok Barry]

If ThaiPBS want to provide an English service why don't they employ staff who can write English properly, instead of making themselves look ridiculous. Is it so hard to find someone, anyone, who can write English?

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

BTS rarely has problems like this. But when I read the headline, I was pretty sure they were instead talking about the City Line of Airport Rail Link, which has had repeated breakdowns in the past two months.

BTS isn't nearly the mess that the ARL is.

[Colabamumbai]

At least no one was killed.

[soalbundy]

Told 'ya, this won't be the last time that the BTS breaks down,.....

expect more breakdowns in the future, especially, when the NEW stations open,... wanna bet?

cant wait for that high speed train

[dddave]

I challenge anyone to name an urban transit system in any major metropolitan area worldwide that does not have occasional breakdowns and service interruptions.

Just one.

I do agree that there is cause for complaint regarding the BTS's lack of public announcements and delay information.

[Jonmarleesco]

'FM 91 Radio later said on its Facebook page that there was a system failure ...' AKA a management b__ls up.

[Jonmarleesco]

I challenge anyone to name an urban transit system in any major metropolitan area worldwide that does not have occasional breakdowns and service interruptions.

Just one.

I do agree that there is cause for complaint regarding the BTS's lack of public announcements and delay information.

Wouldn't disagree. But they mostly have more competent management ... much more.

[tuanku]

If ThaiPBS want to provide an English service why don't they employ staff who can write English properly, instead of making themselves look ridiculous. Is it so hard to find someone, anyone, who can write English?

I suggest being a journalist with the intelligence and drive to learn good written and spoken English and being content to work for a not entirely truthful Government mouthpiece are probably in most cases mutually exclusive.

[Thian]

So they didn't dare to announce anything through the speakers?

Pure Thainess..

[Estrada]

Really...I would love to see the maintenance and service schedule. How many people drive their car until it breaks down, without ever getting it serviced. I suspect the same is happening with the Sky Train.

I have been to the maintenance depot. All trains are regularly serviced regularly with oversight from Siemens for their trains.

The break down was not due to any fault of the trains, but of the computerized control system which is Canadian.

[losworld]

Really...I would love to see the maintenance and service schedule. How many people drive their car until it breaks down, without ever getting it serviced. I suspect the same is happening with the Sky Train.

I have commented on this before but a year or two there was a release that schedule major maintainence was to be intentionally delayed because of possible disruptions. Welcome to the hub of maintenance.

[Estrada]

I challenge anyone to name an urban transit system in any major metropolitan area worldwide that does not have occasional breakdowns and service interruptions.

Just one.

I do agree that there is cause for complaint regarding the BTS's lack of public announcements and delay information.

Or strikes... For instance London Underground where they regularly have strikes. Currently there are 12 one day stoppages planned on the London Underground. The Paris Metro has been shut down strikes many times, the last less than three weeks ago. In contrast the BTS has operated for 17 years from 1999 with very few disruptions to service.

[Estrada]

Many commuters posted on JS 100 Radio and FM 91 Twitter complaining about the incident which was not explained, and posted pictures of the jampacked stations.

Not even a word was heard about what happened to the train service so that those who were on the way to the stations could change minds and resort to other transport mode instead, one desperate commuter said.

In cases like this in a normal country they immediately starts emergency buses and informing, directing the public in a safe manner of course nothing normal here anyway and can't blame the technology its never 100% thats why they need intelligent human assistance and a plan to work out when things like this happening....

Wonder how the thais felt about this sweating hours standing in queues hoping any minute the train will come but it seems it took 2 hours to solve, amazing

Thank you Mr. Perfect !

This is why nothing - like the above reply "Thank you Mr. Perfect!" - will ever change in Thailand because its people refuse to accept when they are shown that what they are doing in not what the manufacturer designed the equipment for, double decker buses, sky trains with more trailing cars than motorcars are designed for, in this case as warned some time back this time of breakdowns seems to have arrived, get ready for more frequent breakdowns as time moves on.

Total BS. Your manufacturer designed your brain to be used to think and learn from all the information that is readily available. It seems that you have let your manufacturer down.

The BTS sky trains were designed by Siemens to have 6 cars, two motor cars and four trailer cars in between.

[tuanku]

So they didn't dare to announce anything through the speakers?

Pure Thainess..

Man who knows how the speakers work still on holiday? [or in a hospital morgue somewhere]?

[Bangkok Barry]

I do agree that there is cause for complaint regarding the BTS's lack of public announcements and delay information.

But that would mean admitting that something is wrong, not common among Thais. I was once on a bus doing a visa run and an hour out of Pattaya the bus broke down and we had to wait for a replacement. I asked the hostess what the problem was and she said "Nothing".

[mike324]

Riding BTS was always fun...

About 10 years ago or so

On my first holiday visit to Bangkok it was really fun.

Easy to get a seat. No crowds on the platforms.

Such tiny trains for such a megacity

I agree, always wonder why they design trains so narrow for such a big city, not only that I find trains to be short and worst design for the platforms.

[Scouse Twoccer]

Really...I would love to see the maintenance and service schedule. How many people drive their car until it breaks down, without ever getting it serviced. I suspect the same is happening with the Sky Train.

Yeah, with 2, maybe 3, train breakdowns in the best part of 15 years of operation your suspicions must be right.

[Scouse Twoccer]

I agree, always wonder why they design trains so narrow for such a big city, not only that I find trains to be short and worst design for the platforms.

Space, perhaps?

[Skeptic7]

Riding BTS was always fun...

About 10 years ago or so

On my first holiday visit to Bangkok it was really fun.

Easy to get a seat. No crowds on the platforms.

Such tiny trains for such a megacity

Remember riding the Skytrain on opening day...5 December 1999. Was free to ride that day and it was standing room only. Rode from Asoke to Siam, but it was so overcrowded, opted to take the bus back!

However, after opening day...yes, it was a pleasure to ride and not overly crowded. It used to be referred to as "luxury transportation". Not so anymore. IMO the Skytrain was and remains one of the greatest improvements to BKK ever. With that said, increasing and unacceptable glitches/breakdowns, as well as insufficient capacity are tarnishing it's previously stellar reputation.

T.I.T