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What the signs will look like, with Thai language likely to be added

Roll 'Em! Phuket's Airport to Patong Bus Service Set to Start Soon

Wednesday, June 19, 2013
PHUKET: Phuket's airport to beaches buses will be rolling soon, just as Phuketwan predicted, but they will only be going as far as Patong beach for now.

Phuket Land Transport Office specialist Jaturong Keawkasi said this afternoon that the new service will begin once the private contractor has given the buses one final maintenance check.

''It won't be long now,'' he said after a sign-off meeting at Phuket Provincial Hall at which Phuket Vice Governor Jamleran Tipayapongtada signalled that the service had his official approval to roll.

At the meeting were key Phuket officials representing all sections of business as well as police and the prosector's office.

The mesage was plain: the buses are rolling, whether Phuket's tuk-tuk and taxi drivers approve or not.

So far only the taxi and tuk-tuk drivers of Kata-Karon have opposed the low-cost hop-on, hop-off service, indicating they will stage blockades to stop the buses.

A public meeting is to be held over the extension of the service from Patong to Karon.

But for now, attention is on how soon the buses could be running, with the decision in the hands of the private contractors, OS Carrent and Tour Co., who have at least six buses ready to roll in ''Airport Express'' livery and will be aiming to paint more.

The bus stop signs revealed at the meeting were all in English and contained the easily made error of confusing 12am with 12pm.

Every day from 9am to 7.30pm the buses will roll, initially every 90 minutes. It's not known whether - as has been suggested - there will be extra security arrangements for the start of the service.

Specialist Khun Jaturong said after the meeting that someone had told him it would be necessary to put the Bus Stop signs in Thai as well as English, otherwise people might think the service is only for tourists, not residents.

The historic occasion was met with smiles today, just as the first day of the actual service will be before long.

The service is expected to widen and develop increased frequency over time. It's not expected to affect taxis and tuk-tuks because passengers will still need to ride on from the bus stops to resorts or their homes.

In other transpost-related developments, Transport officials previewed the new king-size tuk-tuk style pickup.

The vehicles will be capably of carrying up to 12 people - about twice as many as a standard tuk-tuk - or six people with a load of luggage.

They have yet to be given the official go-ahead but some models have already been spotted on Phuket's streets.

Vice Governor Jamleran also said there was a growing problem at the new Phuket bus terminal in Thepkasattri Road because too many people left their motorcycles long-term at the terminus carpark for free.

He said a different system was needed. ''At present it's free parking with no security,'' he said. ''Motorcycles crowd the carpark and some get stolen.''

Noted for his black humor, Vice Governor Jamleran suggested it was time for the Phuket bike burner of several weeks ago to make a comeback to clear some space.

Comments

Comments have been disabled for this article.

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will there be service from Patong to the airport? where in Patong is the drop off?

Posted by sky on June 19, 2013 18:14

Editor Comment:

Read previous articles, please. The sign does say ''To Phuket Airport.''

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Without the Patong to Kata leg, I predict this service will whither and die.

Posted by sir burr on June 19, 2013 20:06

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Seems like a perfectly reasonable query from Sky as to where the pick up/drop off point in Patong is Mr Ed, bearing in mind previous articles have NOT stated where it is. Maybe its a big secret to stop sabotage by 'vested interests'.

Posted by Mister Ree on June 19, 2013 20:16

Editor Comment:

As we were working on two other breaking stories, and as neither of you contribute a baht to this site, blow it out your bazooka. We don't take orders from readers.

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(moderated)

Posted by stu on June 19, 2013 20:27

Editor Comment:

Oh it's Stu, the reader with the high expectations and the low IQ. Don't bother, move on, please. Cynics are a dime a dozen, and the discount period is over.

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Announcing the new king size tuk tuk comes as a shock!

Where will they park? Will they be allowed to misappropriate even more road space?

Next question & the most obvious is what cost? I am in Korat at present & caught a Song Taew into town - today - 10 baht for a 10 km journey taking 25 minutes!

Posted by Logic on June 19, 2013 20:52

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Hope they sell tickets.not everyone is as polite as the experienced Brit line-up professionals...could be some interesting scenes...

Posted by david on June 20, 2013 07:42

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"In other transpost-related developments, Transport officials previewed the new king-size tuk-tuk style pickup."
That new style pickup had the entrance at the back. I clearly remember reading, also in this site after somebody fell out of one, that back entrance tuktuks were illegal and would be fased out.

Posted by stevenl on June 20, 2013 13:05

Editor Comment:

You've confused a couple of articles. The rear entry tuk-tuks are legal, the side-entry ones are not. Yes, occasionally people fall to their deaths from the rear-entry tuk-tuks.

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From your article on 12 July 2012, http://phuketwan.com/tourism/phuket-tuk-tuk-fall-aussie-tourist-coma-icu-16317/: "Phuket tuk-tuks with side entrances are legal, but tuk-tuks with rear entrances are illegal".

Posted by stevenl on June 20, 2013 13:31

Editor Comment:

One of those is wrong.

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I sincerely hope this service is successful. It would be great to see an attempt for positive change in Phuket work and be embraced. As a visitor who comes several times a year to a fantastic place it would be nice to see some of these more problematic things start to change. Maybe more would follow.

Ed, good job. Don't take the crap people dish your way. I like to read something with an opinion even if I don't always agree. Your job wouldn't be as easy as some think...particularly with so many beach bars to spend the afternoon at.

Posted by Darren on June 20, 2013 18:08

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"You've confused a couple of articles."
So I have not confused the articles after all, but PW has confused the information and its readers.
Maybe an opportunity to correct and publish the correct information?

Posted by stevenl on June 21, 2013 09:41

Editor Comment:

The correct version is, as i said, that the tuk-tuks with rear entrances are legal, while the side entrance tuk-tuks are illegal. A Phuketwan article certainly got that wrong a while back.

You have confused a couple of articles. People have fallen out of rear-entry tuk-tuks (one article), but the side-entry tuk-tuks are the illegal ones (another article). You suggested that the rear-entry tuk-tuks were illegal because people fall out of them. Not so. Apologies for causing your confusion.


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