QUESTION
In September 2015, The Phuket News posted a story about buses that were air-conditioned and more cosy had started running between Phuket Town and Patong Beach.
I would much appreciate if it is not too troublesome for you to find out whether the bus is still running.
Happy New Year and I wish you and your staff all the best in 2017.
– Dustin Li, Singapore
ANSWER
These buses are actually minivans and they are still operating between Phuket Town to Patong, and they are operated under the Transport Co Ltd, the public company better known in Thailand as BorKorSor, which runs all bus services throughout the country.
The first van leaves Bus Terminal 1, the old bus terminal on Phang Nga Rd in Phuket Town, at 7am and the last van leaves the bus terminal to Patong at 6pm.
The vans are scheduled to depart hourly, but will leave early if there are enough passengers to fill the van.
At the old bus terminal, you can identify our vans as they have a sign on the front windscreen saying “Phuket Town – Patong”.
Fares are the same for Thais and foreigners: from the old bus terminal to Samkong or Kathu is only B30 and all the way to Patong is B50. The fares are the same from Patong to Phuket Town.
The vans stop at many points along the way, such as at Bangkok Hospital Phuket, Tesco Lotus on the bypass and in front of the Caltex petrol station in Kathu. They will also stop along the way to pick up any people who wave for it to stop.
If you want to get out of the van anywhere along the way, just ask our driver to pull over.
In Patong, our vans do not go to the beach road, as the blue Pho Thong buses from Phuket Town already go there.
Instead, our vans drive along Nanai Rd, then turn onto the small street past the Banzaan Market to Jungceylon.
After stopping at Jungceylon, the vans continue south along Rath-U-Thit 200 Pi Rd, then turn left onto Prachanukroh Rd. From there, they turn then left again onto Phra Mettha Rd, where they stop in front of the Kaskiornbank (KBank) branch.
– Kornkrit Euarwong, driver, Phuket Town – Patong minivan service.