New Bangkok route numbers with English letters confuse Thais!

 

 

Thais online have said they are confused by changes to the numbers of buses in several areas of the city.

To add to the confusion the new numbers have letters from the English alphabet.

For example the easy to remember route 555 is now B53E.

And the 166 is now the B21E while the number 73 is the B45.

More than 200 others are equally confusing.

Sanook didn't mention whose bright idea the new numbers were just that the BMTA had changed 269 route numbers.

The letters B, G and E featured prominently but no one has any idea what they mean.

The story was featured on a transport fan page on Facebook called "rotmaethai.com" (Thai buses.com).

 

Source: http://news.sanook.com/3016962/

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2017-8-4

14 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

The letters B, G and E featured prominently but no one has any idea what they mean.

Bleeding Great Error???

 

 

Sounds like change for the sake of change.

It is not only Thai people who will be confused.

I no longer live n Bkk, but had some hard won knowledge of a few bus routes. Hard won because the powers do not care to make the routes easily accessible to non Thai speakers.

Maybe a step in that direction?

555+ ....quite literally given the featured route change :)

Can't see why they are doing this. Afterall, Thai is about to become the number one spoken language in the world if the powers that be are to be believed !

3 hours ago, Bill Miller said:

Sounds like change for the sake of change.

It is not only Thai people who will be confused.

I no longer live n Bkk, but had some hard won knowledge of a few bus routes. Hard won because the powers do not care to make the routes easily accessible to non Thai speakers.

Maybe a step in that direction?

 

Easy for non Thai speakers to use the buses, all you need is the Bangkok Bus Guide (Map), which is available in book shops all over Bangkok for 99 baht. 

 

You could even use Google maps, from there be linked to the BMTA website, which has some routes one can display on google maps too. Most of the times the routes I use are not displayed, but get along with google suggestions, or others. 

Welcome to the real world!

1 hour ago, seancbk said:

 

Easy for non Thai speakers to use the buses, all you need is the Bangkok Bus Guide (Map), which is available in book shops all over Bangkok for 99 baht. 

 

Which appears to be in Thai.
I have also found Google maps to be nearly incomprehensible on this subject.
Thai people publishing information for non Thai speaking people, or นิดหน่อย, is not very useful in my experience so far.
Have you ever looked at the translations via Google?

Gobbledygook, for the most part.

3 minutes ago, Bill Miller said:

Which appears to be in Thai.
I have also found Google maps to be nearly incomprehensible on this subject.
Thai people publishing information for non Thai speaking people, or นิดหน่อย, is not very useful in my expeience so far.
Have you ever looked at the translations via Google?

Gobledygook, for the most part.

Why would I bother posting a picture of a Bangkok Bus Map unless it was in English?

Everything in this map is clearly written in English (as well as Thai).  With clear instructions on how to read the map and understand the routes etc.


 

Just another typical well thought out plan by Thai authorities. All that is left to do now is sit back and wait to see what they do to try fix the stuff-up .........which in all probability will become another stuff-up of even larger proportion.

How backward Bangkok is in reality, although Thais like to believe it is recognised as an international city. They're shocked when you point out that all public transport drivers and their assistants in Singapore are bi-lingual, quite adept with English. All traffic and road signs are also bi-lingual.  

Even Hong Kong is far more advanced in international terms of service/assistance for foreigners than Bangkok.

Thais suffer so many delusions about their beloved homeland - all down to a severe form of xenophobia encouraged by authorities and low self-esteem hidden by "face".

The best part is that on both Google Maps and on BMTA website, those buses are still listed under old numbers. Awesome.

On 8/5/2017 at 3:43 PM, seancbk said:

Why would I bother posting a picture of a Bangkok Bus Map unless it was in English?

Everything in this map is clearly written in English (as well as Thai).  With clear instructions on how to read the map and understand the routes etc.


 

I don't know. Why would you? Many here on TV might do so. Not a commentary on your intentions! But do note that I used the word "appears". Too much experience with a title, headline, etc. prominently displayed in English, then full stop.
So if I ever move back to Bkk I will invest in one.
I hope the changes in the OP have been or will be incorporated!