After just one successful trip PM gives stamp of approval to Pattaya-Hua Hin ferry

[Brer Fox]

PM gives stamp of approval to Pattaya-Hua Hin ferry

 

The PM giving his approval to the ferry might well be judged as giving it the "kiss of death".

Didn't he give his wholehearted approval to the New Year road safety campaign?

[Destiny1990]

Adding cars in the boat would make it more interesting.

[elgordo38]

15 hours ago, rooster59 said:

Sansern said the government hopes that the ferry will help generate four billion baht's worth of development in the areas around the Bali Hai pier in Pattaya and its counterpart Saphan Pla  where the ferry docks in Hua Hin.

Yes it always seems to get back to profit and not much else. When reading how this ferry started service the hair went up on the back of my neck. I hate those feelings. 

[JAG]

14 hours ago, smutcakes said:

The BKP stated that a Navy frigate escorted the ferry on its first outing. I presume therefore that the owner is presumably connected to the Navy.

 

 

Golly, that LGB (large grey boat) must have been going some to keep up with that catamaran high speed ferry!

 

Shudder to think what the fuel bill must have been!

[JAG]

2 hours ago, Enoon said:

 

Thanks for finding the details, I wasn't able to.

 

When I saw it I knew it was old.

 

The prime consideration for anyone using this service should be safety.  It would be great if someone who is a maritime enthusiast, or has professional experience, took a trip and posted their opinion.

 

 

You might find that a bit difficult - finding someone who has professional experience venturing aboard!

[sharecropper]

This is one Scamtastic venture which seems to go right to the top.

 

Though it might be cheaper and safer to use the frigate instead of the ferry for this service (and give the taxpayer at least something back)...

 

[little mary sunshine]

100% safety record!!!

[fish monger]

Carnac says, "I see disaster on the horizon".....Considering the track record of the various modes of transportation here...And that includes most of all, marine........

[mtls2005]

Time to fast-track those Chinese subs for escort service.

 

 

[The manic]

Congratulations to all involved in this successful maiden voyage.  I look forward to using this Ferry service soon and visiting Hua Hin.  Many,  but not all comments here,  are pathetically negative and reflect on the dullness of many contributors who seem to find it impossible to say anything positive about the beautiful country we have chosen to live in.  The level of hostility to all things Thai is borderline depressive neurosis. 

[KenKadz]

" He urged concerned ministries such as communications and tourism to promote the services and ensure its future success."

Communications is good!

I have yet to hear any serious "promotion/communication" about the vessel's sea worthiness and safety equipment.

Not sailing in 2 meter seas and having to be escorted by the Navy and Marine Departments does not inspire confidence.

Have there been safety inspections? By who? How often?

Are there even life vests and fire suppression equipment on board?

[farcanell]

16 hours ago, NCC1701A said:

does anyone have a google map location of the dock location in hua hin?

 

Thinking of investing?

[farcanell]

1 hour ago, little mary sunshine said:

100% safety record!!!

 Absolutely correct.... only one way to go now, so I hope the stamp of approval can be easily steamed off, once things go pear shaped.

[BSJ]

I would suspect if the keel was laid down in 1991 all the rest of the ship would be of the same vintage.   26 years in service would take it's toll on the equipment.

[elgordo38]

3 hours ago, JAG said:

 

 

Golly, that LGB (large grey boat) must have been going some to keep up with that catamaran high speed ferry!

 

Shudder to think what the fuel bill must have been!

When your a politician trying to make a point money is no object. 

[elgordo38]

30 minutes ago, BSJ said:

I would suspect if the keel was laid down in 1991 all the rest of the ship would be of the same vintage.   26 years in service would take it's toll on the equipment.

Its amazing what one can find at garage sales. 

[elgordo38]

1 hour ago, KenKadz said:

" He urged concerned ministries such as communications and tourism to promote the services and ensure its future success."

Communications is good!

I have yet to hear any serious "promotion/communication" about the vessel's sea worthiness and safety equipment.

Not sailing in 2 meter seas and having to be escorted by the Navy and Marine Departments does not inspire confidence.

Have there been safety inspections? By who? How often?

Are there even life vests and fire suppression equipment on board?

Here you go with the headache questions. If she goes belly up there will be lots of places for finger pointing

[Basil B]

18 hours ago, Wilsonandson said:

So the company is not a private venture but a national transport company.

 

Possibly reason for the clampdown on the Baht Busses, not good if Baht busses are charging 100B at the pier for a ride to Walking St, (200B to the far end of Walking St.)

[nong38]

The stamp of approval is the  hole in the bow made by an empty bottle of SPY classic.

[dru2]

'Four Billion Bahts worth of Development'...

 

Just how?

[Wilsonandson]

32 minutes ago, dru2 said:

'Four Billion Bahts worth of Development'...

 

Just how?

Exactly!

Someone big is behind this ferry company. More transparency needed in corruption free Thailand under the guidence of the new government.

Why the secretcy?

Wasn't any kickbacks in this project was there?

[mtls2005]

2 hours ago, The manic said:

Congratulations to all involved in this successful maiden voyage.  I look forward to using this Ferry service soon and visiting Hua Hin.  Many,  but not all comments here,  are pathetically negative and reflect on the dullness of many contributors who seem to find it impossible to say anything positive about the beautiful country we have chosen to live in.  The level of hostility to all things Thai is borderline depressive neurosis. 

 

FWIW, this is (at least) the third iteration of a cross-gulf ferry over the past 10-20 years. Obviously the previous implementations were not successful.

 

Been there, done that. Same, Same, not different.

 

Not really hostility, just experienced observations.

 

For the PM to claim "success" after a single journey smacks of lunacy.

 

Issues:

 

schedule

fare

weather/seas

not enough customers

no cars

poor land connectivity/transportation

docks located on Somchai's land, far from Hua Hin or Pattaya

[anotheruser]

15 hours ago, The man from udon said:

What's the big deal here.it a boat that's ok for a lake.for Christs sake you think they had launched the titanic.whens the high speed train coming between bkk and north bkk and back.pathetic muppets.next news item will be shoe shine opens up in mbk.

 

The big deal here is many need this ferry to fail to feel better about themselves. Maybe it isn't viable or won't work, however the amount of people seemingly hoping it will fail is somewhat disturbing. If they did announce a plan for high speed rail from Bangkok to Pattaya it would also receive the same negative views and people would be gleeful at every problem it had along the way to being developed.

 

Many people here seem to hope their negative views turn out to be right rather than being wrong and having nice things. 

 

I would be curious to see what people who have taken the trip think and if they have any sort of food or beverage service. I wouldn't expect full meals but maybe some sort of snacks. 2.5 hours is longer than they estimated but still quite acceptable.  I think it has a chance of the experience is substantially better than a mini van. If they just pack you in and it has the atmosphere of flying on Air Asia I can't see it being successful. 

 

If they make it a fun time and you can have some beer and go on the deck and take pictures and enjoy the sea breeze it could be a nice trip.

 

 

 

 

[Wilsonandson]

13 minutes ago, anotheruser said:

 

The big deal here is many need this ferry to fail to feel better about themselves. Maybe it isn't viable or won't work, however the amount of people seemingly hoping it will fail is somewhat disturbing. If they did announce a plan for high speed rail from Bangkok to Pattaya it would also receive the same negative views and people would be gleeful at every problem it had along the way to being developed.

 

Many people here seem to hope their negative views turn out to be right rather than being wrong and having nice things. 

 

I would be curious to see what people who have taken the trip think and if they have any sort of food or beverage service. I wouldn't expect full meals but maybe some sort of snacks. 2.5 hours is longer than they estimated but still quite acceptable.  I think it has a chance of the experience is substantially better than a mini van. If they just pack you in and it has the atmosphere of flying on Air Asia I can't see it being successful. 

 

If they make it a fun time and you can have some beer and go on the deck and take pictures and enjoy the sea breeze it could be a nice trip.

 

 

 

 

Me too. I also think this is a very good idea. It's just the small detail of who owns the ferry company. Where is their website or facebook page. Where is their broshure, ticket booking system, time table, discounts, fees, food and drinks available, on board entertainment, safety aspects, staff and crew.

Where is all that?

This idea has been around for many years and as one poster said so has the company so why is there no information on this company in Thai, English or Chinese on the internet. That rings alarm bells in my tiny mind.

[anotheruser]

1 minute ago, Wilsonandson said:

Me too. I also think this is a very good idea. It's just the small detail of who owns the ferry company. Where is their website or facebook page. Where is their broshure, ticket booking system, time table, discounts, fees, food and drinks available, on board entertainment, safety aspects, staff and crew.

Where is all that?

This idea has been around for many years and as one poster said so has the company so why is there no information on this company in Thai, English or Chinese on the internet. That rings alarm bells in my tiny mind.

 

I am not sure if it is a good idea or not. I haven't run the financials, calculated fuel costs and a ton of other things so am not qualified to judge it. However I have no reason to wish it fails. I am amazed it how much hate a simple ferry boat is getting. 

 

I have my share of negativity but at the end of the day I tend to hope for the best for a country I am living in. People here seem to a large extent to hope things get worse and I don't really understand it.

[moonray]

On 1/6/2017 at 11:51 PM, GeorgeCross said:

"Sansern said that after delays due to bad weather the ferry set off on Thursday for Hua Hin with 198 on board and completed the journey in two and a half hours. This, he said, represented half the time of a normal road journey between the eastern and western resorts"

 

so it took 50% longer than advertised and this is a success? 

 

i suppose it arrived..

It was going slowly,cause escort ship was slow(however not as slow as you...)

[currynamnam]

9 hours ago, BSJ said:

I would suspect if the keel was laid down in 1991 all the rest of the ship would be of the same vintage.   26 years in service would take it's toll on the equipment.

Keels, double hull, twice as bad

[The man from udon]

8 hours ago, anotheruser said:

 

The big deal here is many need this ferry to fail to feel better about themselves. Maybe it isn't viable or won't work, however the amount of people seemingly hoping it will fail is somewhat disturbing. If they did announce a plan for high speed rail from Bangkok to Pattaya it would also receive the same negative views and people would be gleeful at every problem it had along the way to being developed.

 

Many people here seem to hope their negative views turn out to be right rather than being wrong and having nice things. 

 

I would be curious to see what people who have taken the trip think and if they have any sort of food or beverage service. I wouldn't expect full meals but maybe some sort of snacks. 2.5 hours is longer than they estimated but still quite acceptable.  I think it has a chance of the experience is substantially better than a mini van. If they just pack you in and it has the atmosphere of flying on Air Asia I can't see it being successful. 

 

If they make it a fun time and you can have some beer and go on the deck and take pictures and enjoy the sea breeze it could be a nice trip.

 

 

 

 

I not knocking the ferry service,I hope it turns out successful.its the pm and the publicity around it.

[anotheruser]

I think they should force people to at least ride the ferry one time and if they don't deport them.

[brownknees]

It looks like it has valises attached near the stern(open up in the water and take quite a few people)so thats a small improvement.I have been to Koh Kood a couple of times and its usually full and all you have are very old"flotation devices"which are NOT lifejackets so no improvment there.Any ferry should have valises that will take the number of people onboard.