First ferry from Pattaya safely arrives in Hua Hin

[webfact]

First ferry from Pattaya safely arrived in Hua Hin

 

 

HUA HIN: -- The first ferry service between Pattaya and Hua Hin will be launched on January 17 after a successful test run of the service from Pattaya to Hua Hin on Thursday following several postponements due to strong winds and high waves.

 

200 passengers who included Thai and foreign tourists, members of the media and locals were on board Royal One ferry at the Balihai pier in southern Pattaya for the journey to the fish market pier in Hua Hin. The entire trip took two and a half hours.

 

The ferry was escorted by a Royal Thai Navy frigate and a patrol boat of the Marine Department during the test run to ensure safety for the ferry and its passengers.

 

Full story: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/first-ferry-pattaya-safely-arrived-hua-hin/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2017-01-06

 

[Casanova666]

" For those in peril on the sea "

Sent from my SM-G920F using Thaivisa Connect mobile app

[impulse]

2-1/2 hours?  Not bad.  

 

I'd gladly pay $30-40 to avoid 4-6 hours on the highways here in Thailand.

[everett kendall]

When traveling that way I usally go throught BKK at 5:30-6:00 am to avoid traffic.

Now I can leave at a more reasonable time once the car ferry is working.

[smedly]

oooops ok 200 people on the free maiden voyage

 

This ferry needs to be able to take cars and motorbikes otherwise they are wasting their time

[Alan Deer]

I would have reservations about this service in particular the pricing.

 

On the premise that at 0 baht the number of passengers would be “unlimited/maximum or at least exceed the capacity of the vessel, incremental price increases will show a line that relates passenger take up against price.

I doubt if this is s a straight line - more likely a parabolic curve of some kind.

 

In fact what has the take up been on the free (0 baht) test trips? Was the vessel even full then?

So my question would be at what price does take cover running costs and expected profit from the project?

My feeling is that at the current price take up will be too low......and subsequent reductions in price may result in  a loss in profitability to the extent that the operation will have to close or get subsidized.

 

I would also question the service offered.....I would seem to me that there has been little or no research into who/what would require or take up this service.

So far it has been suggested that tourists wishing to avoid the longer and more dangerous road trip are the target - but will this be sufficient to keep the service running year round?

 

There have been hints of a larger vessel later, which would double capacity and of course introduce savings of scale for the company - but this depends on the extra numbers of take-ups being there in the first place. Where is the evidence for that?

 

[For example -  with the larger vessel 250 per trip - 2 trips par day times 7 days equals 3500 pax per week - is this possible?]

 

It seems to e that they have not considered and car ferry either...although this would require a much higher level of investment, given the potential advantages for freight and motorists one wonders if in the long run this would have been a more productive service.

 

In conclusion one has to wonder at the depth of research that went into the business plan for this venture and the ultimate practicability or the service offered and the potential for it to pay for itself.

 

 

 

[impulse]

8 minutes ago, Alan Deer said:

In conclusion one has to wonder at the depth of research that went into the business plan for this venture and the ultimate practicability or the service offered and the potential for it to pay for itself.

 

All good points, but a hundred years of research isn't as good as running it up the flagpole and seeing how many people salute.  

 

I just hope they have the staying power to tweak the details to see what appeals to different people.  They may make money on concessions at either end and on the boat itself, they may want to run a different schedule on weekends, they may want to offer monthly passes at a reduced rate to absorb some of the empty seats, and on and on.

 

They may be able to make a go of it carrying cargo in addition to passengers.

 

But in the end, you have to start the service before you can tweak it.

[khunano]

"Fish Market Pier" the mooring shown on the picture is in Khao Takiab, which is about 8 km south of the Fish Market Pier and the centre of Hua Hin!

[sahibji]

should have mentioned the travel time.

 

in any case a new chapter in travel within thailand.

[Sooo Upto Me]

Something good an newsworthy has just happened for Pattaya & Hua Hin but yet u still get moaners on here who just hav to try & find faults with it.

 

[Sooo Upto Me]

38 minutes ago, smedly said:

oooops ok 200 people on the free maiden voyage

 

This ferry needs to be able to take cars and motorbikes otherwise they are wasting their time

 

Why?

 

[sahibji]

39 minutes ago, smedly said:

oooops ok 200 people on the free maiden voyage

 

This ferry needs to be able to take cars and motorbikes otherwise they are wasting their time

there has to  be a beginning and then add -ons  depending upon demands of the market.

[SOUTHERNSTAR]

2 hours ago, impulse said:

2-1/2 hours?  Not bad.  

 

I'd gladly pay $30-40 to avoid 4-6 hours on the highways here in Thailand.

The only problem is you maybe delayed for a week. Is reliability not as important as comfort?

[sydneyjed]

What happens if the ferry cancels a trip and you have already paid...do you get your money back straight away?The last ferry operators were plagued with bad sea conditions and cancellations and that ultimately was their demise and the end of that.I for one hopes that this new venture works but have my doubts for the long term!

[smedly]

4 minutes ago, Sooo Upto Me said:

Something good an newsworthy has just happened for Pattaya & Hua Hin but yet u still get moaners on here who just hav to try & find faults with it.

 

I don't think anyone is moaning, I for one would like this service to be a success but it is useless to me unless it can take motorbikes and cars and I would guess many people think the same, I also think that from a business perspective it will fail because of that which is disappointing, I see this as connecting the east of Thailand to the west avoiding Bangkok - it is not about travelling the Hua Hin

[rhythmworx]

Does it have a bar onboard?

 

If not I would rather drive

[guzzi850m2]

The price is a bit high for my liking but still a good alternative to do it by road.

 

For the retired folks in both places it makes it very easy to go for a mini holiday in each end. 

 

I hope it will succeed.

[Bannoi]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

The ferry was escorted by a Royal Thai Navy frigate and a patrol boat of the Marine Department during the test run to ensure safety for the ferry and its passengers.

 

Is this to be a permanent escort 

[Emster23]

" The ferry was escorted by a Royal Thai Navy frigate and a patrol boat of the Marine Department during the test run to ensure safety for the ferry and its passengers. "

 Maybe in the future they can be escorted by navy submarines. Maybe even have submarine races to entertain the passengers

[Stargeezr]

This ferry service will be mostly for tourists  , and except for those who live full or part

time in Thailand. Tourists do not have cars or pickups to worry about.

  Expats who live full time have vehicles that can be driven from Hua Hin to Pattaya  and

the other way as well.     Lazy people however  would want a passenger and car service.

Sorry  No  Can  Do, for now

Geezer

[blazes]

12 minutes ago, guzzi850m2 said:

The price is a bit high for my liking but still a good alternative to do it by road.

 

For the retired folks in both places it makes it very easy to go for a mini holiday in each end. 

 

I hope it will succeed.

 

and who, pray, would want to go on a mini holiday from HH to Pattaya?

[NanLaew]

7 minutes ago, Bannoi said:

 

Is this to be a permanent escort 

 

<see Emster23's post>

[Sooo Upto Me]

14 minutes ago, rhythmworx said:

Does it have a bar onboard?

 

If not I would rather drive

 

Wot so u drink & drive do u?

 

[NanLaew]

1 minute ago, blazes said:

 

and who, pray, would want to go on a mini holiday from HH to Pattaya?

 

Mini mongers hiding their light under the genteel retirement bushel in HH?

[rhythmworx]

3 minutes ago, Sooo Upto Me said:

 

Wot so u drink & drive do u?

 

 

Why not, everyone else does, I can drive drinking better than people who are sober.

[12DrinkMore]

 

Well done, Captain!!

 

Close, but just managed to avoid an "Italian Sail-by".

 

 

 

 

[JustNo]

and so it begins...

on the first light of the fifth day, at dawn look to the East..

 

[Bsd]

31 minutes ago, rhythmworx said:

Does it have a bar onboard?

 

If not I would rather drive

 

The sale of alcohol is banned on all ferries and piers in Thailand.  Advertising alcohol isn't which is why Raja have a giant floating Singha billboard for a boat.

 

You will have to buy your beer from the 7eleven across the road before you board.

[GMajor]

13 minutes ago, 12DrinkMore said:

 

Well done, Captain!!

 

Close, but just managed to avoid an "Italian Sail-by".

 

Keep calm, catamarans got a shallow draft mate.

[scorecard]

1 hour ago, impulse said:

I just hope they have the staying power to tweak the details

 

I hope that also includes regular inspections of all aspects of the actual ferry, especially safety equipment, everything in order in regard to known items that can cause fire or explosion, and seaworthiness.