The PLTO posted on its official Facebook page yesterday (Oct 17) three separate official notices for operators to apply to provide bus transport services for Patong.
Two of the notices announced two circular routes to be served by operators, while the third route open to applications from prospective operators is the decades-old bus service between the old bus station on Phang Nga Rd in Phuket Town and Patong.
The two circular routes will both start from the Bangla Police Box on the Patong beach road (Thaweewong Rd).
From there both routes continue north to the ‘Dolphin Circle’ at the northern end of the beach, then turn right onto Phra Barami Rd.
One service will turn right onto Rat-U-Thit 200 Pi Rd, while the other will turn right onto Phra Metta Rd.
Both routes continue south all the way to the southern end of Patong, where they will turn right onto Prachanukroh Rd and head back towards Patong Beach. The ‘buses’ will then continue north and stop back at the Bangla Police Box, before starting the circular journey over again.
The vehicles to be used to provide the services must be “standard type 2(e) that are not passenger vans”. The type of vehicle is optional, depending on the number of passengers, the PLTO formal announcement said.
A minimum number of three vehicles must be provided for the service that will travel along Rat-U-Thit 200 Pi Rd, while a minimum number of two vehicles must be provided for the service along Phra Metta Rd.
Both services must make a minimum of 40 trips per day. “The fare throughout the line is 40 baht,” the announcements read.
The guidelines for all three services offered through the announcements yesterday explained that the aim is “to provide convenience and safety to the people who use public bus services so they travel even more and to develop the bus transportation system to be competitive with other newly emerging public transport services on an equal footing consistent with the progress in economy and society of the country”.
Applicants must show details of the buses, or other type of vehicle, to be used, and places where the vehicles will be stored, repaired and maintained.
Plans must include a bus service management plan and anti-pollution and environmental plans, as well as employee development and service models, and safety plan regarding the vehicle and passengers.
“The history of past transportation operations (if any) is a factor in considering the designation,” the announcements said.
Prospective applicants could seek more details by contacting the PLTO directly “during official hours from 29 September 2017 to 28 November 2023”, the announcements confirmed, giving the clear deadline for submitting applications as Nov 28.
The new services to be launched in Patong are plainly similar to the renowned ‘baht bus’ in Pattaya. However, the ‘baht bus’ in Pattaya is provided by pickup trucks converted to carry passengers in the back. The routes are set, but the service is pretty much hop-on, hop-off. The minimum fare is B10.
All three announcements yesterday were marked as “announced on 29 September 2023” by PLTO Chief Adcha Buachan. However, all three were posted by PLTO only yesterday (Oct 17).
The announcements follow Phuket MP Somchart Techathavorncharoen earlier this month posting a 16-page report on discussions with the PLTO about launching new bus services in Phuket, including the ‘baht bus’ style service in Patong.
Mr Somchart noted plainly in his report on Oct 3 that the ‘baht bus’ style service in Patong had been agreed by Phuket Provincial Land Transport Control Committee… on “17 August, 2023”.
The announcements by the PLTO yesterday gave no explanation for the delay of more than two weeks in even just announcing the new services to be provided, despite the top regulatory transport committee for Phuket approving the new services two months ago.
Likewise, Patong Municipality has yet to make any mention of the new services to be provided to local residents and tourists in the town.
Mr Somchart in his report on Oct 3 also noted that progress had stalled on plans by the Phuket Provincial Administration Organisation (PPAO) to provide a bus service from the airport all the way south to Rawai.
Phuket’s transport kingpins have also yet to agree to allowing the popular Phuket Smart Bus to expand its route from its terminus in Rawai to Cape Promthep, a distance to of 2.1 kilometers.
Doing so would affect other operators, Mr Somchart noted in reporting the discussion of the meeting.
Meanwhile, the PPAO has yet to reveal any more details about its plans to launch an electric bus service throughout Phuket Town, despite already announcing that it has requested a budget of B156 million for the project.
Those plans might be on hold following the Phuket ‘Smart Bus’ providing a free shuttle service in Phuket Town during the Phuket Vegetarian Festival.
If the ‘pilot project’ is deemed successful, the bus might be called on to continue to operate in Phuket Town.