Mass tourism celebration as hundreds of new Chinese tour buses procurred, introduced to Phuket traff

[mesterm]

Oh god. This is why I'm thankful I don't live in Phuket.

Here in Pattaya we have the same situation. I am seriously thinking about leaving Thailand. All what we see now is just the beginning. There are hundreds of millions Chinese more to come here. You cannot go anywhere without getting overwhelmed by them.

Why not just move to another part of Thailand? I don't think they're in every province.

Sure, You can go somewhere in the province, like in the middle of nowhere (e.g. Isaan) and play on the rice fields with the buffalo's.

But I'm not sure that you will not meet them there too.

Chiang Rai is sort of fine, and while Chiang Mai sees a growing number, it doesn't seem as bad as Phuket/Pattaya.

And there's always Bangkok, but of course you don't get the nature as much.

Perhaps you can consider Bali or Yogyakarta to move to?

[craigt3365]

And here in Pattaya, they are looking at banning buses in the center of the city. For good reason!

Craziness. Sorry Phuket, another reason not to visit.

[steelepulse]

The gazette spells it out even clearer. If this doesn't reek of unfair business practices, I don't know what does. http://www.phuketgazette.net/phuket-news/Phuket-traffic-nightmare-Number-islandbased-tour-buses/65276

>>A contract between the Bestlin Group and local shops bidding for tourist stops would purportedly pay not only for the Sunlong buses, but also the drivers’ wages.

“Furthermore, the bus operators will receive money from those shops, and the buses will belong to the tour operators after six years under contract,” Gov Chamroen said

Hmmm, I smell backhanders and payola.

[Aachen]

They don't spend any significant money on this, thus the locals don't benefit from it. Their tours are paid for in advance, in China, in RMB.

Although I would like to agree - this is not true.

[DrDave]

The gazette spells it out even clearer. If this doesn't reek of unfair business practices, I don't know what does. http://www.phuketgazette.net/phuket-news/Phuket-traffic-nightmare-Number-islandbased-tour-buses/65276

>>A contract between the Bestlin Group and local shops bidding for tourist stops would purportedly pay not only for the Sunlong buses, but also the drivers’ wages.

“Furthermore, the bus operators will receive money from those shops, and the buses will belong to the tour operators after six years under contract,” Gov Chamroen said

Hmmm, I smell backhanders and payola.

Wow. So this means that the tourist stops will be raking in enough profit so that they can completely reimburse the bus manufacturer (Bestlin) for the bus within 6 years, pay the drivers' salaries, pay the companies that organize the tours and then bank a profit for themselves. Those tour stops must be extremely profitable in order to sustain that kind of overhead!

[dageurreotype]

They don't spend any significant money on this, thus the locals don't benefit from it. Their tours are paid for in advance, in China, in RMB.

Although I would like to agree - this is not true.

I agree. The 7/11s must make a fortune.

[LivinginKata]

Drove up Patak road from Kata past the school about 08.30 this morning. I counted 5 buses in front of me and 4 behind.

The lead bus was in the outside lane, wrong gear, had to stop and go into a crawler gear. All the buses behind just made an inside lane overtake.

It's just getting worse and worse, bus drivers blocking outside land. They seem to have no idea about driving etiquette ...

[siamerican108]

The gazette spells it out even clearer. If this doesn't reek of unfair business practices, I don't know what does. http://www.phuketgazette.net/phuket-news/Phuket-traffic-nightmare-Number-islandbased-tour-buses/65276

>>A contract between the Bestlin Group and local shops bidding for tourist stops would purportedly pay not only for the Sunlong buses, but also the drivers’ wages.

“Furthermore, the bus operators will receive money from those shops, and the buses will belong to the tour operators after six years under contract,” Gov Chamroen said

Hmmm, I smell backhanders and payola.

From the original story:

"Speaking on behalf of the bus division of the Andaman Tourism Business Association, Mr Wichai Siemsawn revealed some details about the procurement through Bestlin Group Co Ltd, which he said will initially provide 100 of 300 new buses on a six-year finance plan.

Though declining to provide the exact value of the procurement, Mr Wichai said that tourism operators who will receive and use the buses will not be required to make a down payment or pay any installments, which he said will be covered by the tourism retail outlets requiring the transport of the (Chinese) tourists.

Read more at http://www.thephuketnews.com/mass-tourism-celebration-as-hundreds-of-new-chinese-tour-buses-procurred-introduced-to-phuket-traffic-next-month-58382.php#UWPBu4XJztmtxAoV.99"

So the Gazette said the same thing, but were able to name "Sunlong", mind you they had 48 hours after the story had broken..

[NamKangMan]

Drove up Patak road from Kata past the school about 08.30 this morning. I counted 5 buses in front of me and 4 behind.

The lead bus was in the outside lane, wrong gear, had to stop and go into a crawler gear. All the buses behind just made an inside lane overtake.

It's just getting worse and worse, bus drivers blocking outside land. They seem to have no idea about driving etiquette ...

"It's just getting worse and worse" - yes, it is, and not one of them using a tuk-tuk, which is how it got to this in the first place, yet, the status quo remains.

The chicken or the egg - The tuk-tuk or the coach bus.

[Lokie]

Congestion may not be as bad as initial statement, Re '300' buses,

don't forget to factor in the average attrition rate of tour Buses being written off over Patong hill, one per week or so if they can get in, in between Cement mixer trucks so that will wittle the numbers down a tad...

[chercheur888]

It looks like that Viset Road after the Sai Yuan turn off down to Rawai Beach Road will become what the Patong Beach Road is for Tuk Tuk's, a giant parking!