50 misguided shades of city bus reform

50 misguided shades of city bus reform

A city bus with a newly painted front and a new code number approaches a bus stop in Bangkok. Many wonder how such changes can address the chronic problems of bus services in the capital. SUPAKIT BUYAM
A city bus with a newly painted front and a new code number approaches a bus stop in Bangkok. Many wonder how such changes can address the chronic problems of bus services in the capital. SUPAKIT BUYAM

Comical photos of Bangkok buses with their fronts painted various colours including yellow and green, in stark contrast to the uniform red and cream of the rest of the vehicles, went viral last weekend as the city revamps its bus fleet -- cosmetically.

Sniggering netizens expressed wonder at how chronic problems embedded in city bus services could be solved by the wave of a magic wand and a splash of paint. Wouldn't it be wiser to invest in the condition of the vehicles and their services, some dared to ask.

Nonetheless, the Department of Land Transport (DLT) and the Bangkok Mass Transit Authority (BMTA) confirmed giving the fronts of the buses a new coat really is part of their reform efforts.

The BMTA launched its month-long test runs of eight new bus routes on Tuesday using new numbers and a colour-coded system.

This will see 269 new bus routes across the capital divided into four zones signified by the colours green (northeast), red (southeast), yellow (west) and blue (north to central Bangkok).

The colour of the front of each bus corresponds to one zone. Each bus also gets a new "code number" corresponding to its respective zone -- for example, "G" for green buses or "R" for red -- followed by a number.

Appending the letter "E" signifies the bus will use the expressway.

According to the authorities, these colour codes will help commuters clearly identify which zone an approaching bus runs through.

The number of bus routes will also be increased from 202 to 269 to cover more of Greater Bangkok. Route distances will shrink on average to reduce overlap and increase the frequency of bus arrivals, authorities said.

The over-arching agenda is to deliver to passengers a better service and shorten waiting times.

The poor services and deteriorating condition of city buses are chronic problems tolerated by passengers in the capital and adjacent areas such as students, street vendors and office workers.

The situation is so dire that some city slickers are compelled to sink deeper into debt by buying a car because the public transportation at their disposal is so lousy.

I remember one incident 20 years ago that left me fuming when three consecutive buses failed to pick me up. After a frustrating two-hour wait I resolved to buy my own car as soon as it was humanly possible.

While fewer city buses refuse passengers these days the long waits are entrenched. I'm sure many passengers dream of sitting behind the wheel of their own vehicle, and how can we blame them for contributing to the city's smog and congestion given the alternative?

A few weeks ago, many were stunned by the rant tweeted by 19-year-old singer Suthita Chanachaisuwan, better known as "Image The Voice".

After losing her rag due to an interminable bus wait she tweeted the following: "What a lousy country. It's not going to improve in 50 or 1,000 years from now. Now, shoot me."

The message went viral, prompted a fusillade of rebukes and bordered on becoming a national drama. One offended party suggested she pack her bags and leave the kingdom for good.

However many also sympathised with her, having experienced similar feelings on a daily basis with seemingly no one listening to their calls and complaints.

Suthita said she snapped after waiting two hours to catch a bus home in the Min Buri area of the capital. She later issued an apology, calling the tweet "a spur of the moment" thing, and subsequently deleted it.

However the so-called reforms have left many members of the public with their minds boggled as to what exactly is going on.

On the first day of the test runs, the new numbers and colours reportedly caused much confusion among passengers.

It is hard to say whether at some stage these efforts will pan out and waiting times will be trimmed, and services generally improved. Either way, I wholeheartedly endorse the move to try and improve the quality of life of commuters in the capital.

Trying to schedule buses to arrive on time in Bangkok is a thankless and no doubt almost impossible task. Congestion on almost every city block routinely blocks the flow of buses along with other traffic.

Unfortunately, public bus services have been given lower priority compared to personal cars. Successive governments have tried to build more infrastructure and implement measures to solve traffic problems in Bangkok, mostly to serve personal car users.

There is an old saying that claims in a democracy the special lane is provided for buses and other forms of public transport whereas in a communist or authoritarian state that special lane is provided for government bigwigs and other VIPs.

Thailand effectively operates as a democratic country even though it is ruled by a military regime. As such, public transport should be given top priority.

Bangkok has a few exclusive bus lanes but the routes are still too short, notably the one on Samsen Road. The longest such lane for public buses is on Rama III Road and falls under the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project. The loss-making project would already have been scrapped were it not for opposition from civic groups and local residents.

The Thailand Development Research Institute (TDRI) has proposed the BMTA increase bus fares so its revenue can cover their operational and maintenance costs and the services improved.

A study by the TDRI shows the standard fare for non-air-conditioned buses should be 15 baht per passenger. However the BMTA keeps the 6.50-baht fare unchanged, resulting in a loss of 8.50 baht per passenger. The TDRI has suggested the fare for a single ride should be increased to 10-12 baht.

The government has already registered low-income earners who are eligible for free bus rides. I suspect most of the other passengers would agree to pay the higher fare if the BMTA could guarantee a more convenient service, with less time spent standing at bus stops fuming and mentally scripting that next Twitter rant.

Sadly, I haven't seen any promising signs the problem will be solved anytime soon.


Soonruth Bunyamanee is deputy editor, Bangkok Post.

Soonruth Bunyamanee

Bangkok Post Editor

Bangkok Post Editor

Email : soonruthb@bangkokpost.co.th

Do you like the content of this article?
COMMENT (4)