Transport News

Thailand transport news, infrastructure updates, public transit, and traffic reports—stay informed on groundbreaking developments and real-time travel updates. Get the latest from The Thaiger, your trusted source for transport news in Thailand.

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  • Security chief says country to reopen July 1 | Thaiger

    Security chief says country to reopen July 1

    The chief of Thailand’s National Security Council announced today that Thailand has set July 1 for the end of all “business and activity lockdowns” ordered to cope with the Covid-19 crisis, include provincial and international travel. The announcement also included the end of the Emergency Decree and curfews, Bangkok Post reports. NSC Secretary-General Somsak Rungsita says the lift of restrictions…

  • Thousands of people have been travelling between provinces | Thaiger

    Thousands of people have been travelling between provinces

    … but not quite as many as before, so far. The Director General of the Department of Land Transport says that more people have been using the inter-provincial buses services after the government recently easing Thailands’ lock down situation. He says… “Although some long distance services are still not in operation to comply with the night time curfew, many inter-provincial…

  • Thai Airways has officially lost its state enterprise status | Thaiger

    Thai Airways has officially lost its state enterprise status

    The State Enterprise Policy Committee announced that Thai Airways has lost its state enterprise status after the Vayupak Fund bought a 3.17% stake from the Finance Ministry yesterday. The purchase was undertaken at a price of 4.90 baht per share, with a trade worth 285.2 million baht, leaving the national carrier owning 48% of its own shares and stripping its…

  • U-Tapao airport maintenance facility going ahead despite obstacles | Thaiger

    U-Tapao airport maintenance facility going ahead despite obstacles

    U-Tapao Rayong-Pattaya International airport is going ahead with its proposed Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul project, despite Thai Airways entering bankruptcy, according to the secretary general of the Eastern Economic Corridor Office. The 11 billion baht project to has already been approved by the Cabinet and a contract is expected to be signed in June. “In early June, project owner the…

  • Thai Airways union says it won’t oppose bankruptcy proceedings | Thaiger

    Thai Airways union says it won’t oppose bankruptcy proceedings

    “We opposed this position before but after reexamination, we have to show creditors that Thai Airways will genuinely follow the restructuring plan. Including adjustments to the board and staff.” In an abrupt reversal, the president of Thai Airways’ labour union announced yesterday that the union won’t oppose the government’s plan to reduce holdings in the airline and restructure the carrier…

  • More trouble for ailing Thai Airways as Airbus calls in its debts | Thaiger

    More trouble for ailing Thai Airways as Airbus calls in its debts

    Even as struggling national flag carrier Thai Airways strives to come up with blueprint for financial recovery, Airbus is calling in its debts on 30 aircraft rented by the airline. Thailand’s deputy transport minister says the company’s debts were checked on May 15, when documents showed that Airbus is trying to collect debts for rental of 30 airplanes as the…

  • Thai Airways’ credit rating downgraded | Thaiger

    Thai Airways’ credit rating downgraded

    The credit rating for Thai Airways will be downgraded before bankruptcy restructuring takes place. Tris Rating (Thai Rating and Information Services) has downgraded the company rating for Thai Airways and its rating for Thai Airway’s senior unsecured debentures from “BBB” to “C” while maintaining a negative Credit Alert. Following the government’s resolution yesterday it seems that the national carrier has…

  • Highway number 7 from Pattaya to Map Ta Phut opens this Friday | Thaiger

    Highway number 7 from Pattaya to Map Ta Phut opens this Friday

    According to the Thai Highways Department, the long awaited extended section of the Motorway Number 7 from Pattaya to Map Ta Phut will open up this Friday and will be accessible free of charge to users until the end of August. The Director General of the Highways Department informed the media this morning. “From May 22 the public can use…

  • Global aviation in acute crisis | Thaiger

    Global aviation in acute crisis

    by Andrew J Wood “…by the end of May 2020 most airlines in the world will be bankrupt.” Global aviation has been battered and commercial scheduled air traffic remains mostly grounded as countries enforce their lockdowns and travel restrictions. There are few signs that the end is in sight. For the largest of carriers like IAG (British Airways), United, American…

  • Registration steps for travel to or from Phuket | Thaiger

    Registration steps for travel to or from Phuket

    Although Phuket is still trying to maintain strict measures to control the spread of the Coronavirus and the island is still under a modified lock down. According to local Thai media you can apply to enter or leave the island with 2 methods of registration, Thai or foreigner. OPTION ONE. Departures from other provinces, travelling to Phuket, or people living…

  • Thai Airways ponders bankruptcy as it enters rehab | Thaiger

    Thai Airways ponders bankruptcy as it enters rehab

    Thai Airways, which turns 60 years old this month, recorded a net loss of US$66 million in 2017, US$361 million in 2018 and US$374 million last year. As the airline contemplates getting its grounded planes back in the air, it’s now confronted with a PR disaster at home as the government ponders a bailout valued around 60 billion baht, around US$1.8…

  • Fortress Phuket remains sealed off from the mainland | Thaiger

    Fortress Phuket remains sealed off from the mainland

    A request by Phuket officials to reopen the Sarasin Bridge has been refused. The Governor has confirmed that the island will remain ‘closed’ until further notice. That includes the Phuket International Airport which was going to re-open yesterday (May 16), but 24 hours after the notice to reopen the airport on Thursday, the Civil Aviation Authority did a U-turn on…

  • Thai public balks at Thai Airways’ 60 billion bail out | Thaiger

    Thai public balks at Thai Airways’ 60 billion bail out

    A big decision is on the horizon for Thai Airways, the beleaguered national carrier. Crucial decisions are now being discussed which will define the airlines’ future. The airline was still haemorrhaging cash well before the coronavirus crisis started grounding planes from the start of February this year. Thai Airways’ fortunes have been in a death spiral for the past decade,…

  • Thai Airways should file for bankruptcy: former finance minister | Thaiger

    Thai Airways should file for bankruptcy: former finance minister

    A former Finance Minister is proposing that Thai Airways formally file for bankruptcy, so the troubled national flag carrier can use the protection of the country’s bankruptcy law to begin rehabilitation. Kla party leader Korn Chatikavanich maintains that this is a “golden opportunity” for the financially battered airline to enter administration, under the bankruptcy process, and clear the way for real,…

  • PM orders ministries to study staggered work hours to reduce traffic congestion | Thaiger

    PM orders ministries to study staggered work hours to reduce traffic congestion

    PM Prayut Chan-o-cha has ordered authorities to study the possibility of permanently staggered working hours as the Covid-19 pandemic eases because such a policy might help ease long term traffic congestion. Staggered working hours, as well as working from home and learning from home, could be enforced in future to solve traffic problems, according to the PM. He tasked the Education…

  • Phuket government officially requests the opening of land, water and air links | Thaiger

    Phuket government officially requests the opening of land, water and air links

    The southern resort island province of Phuket will ask permission from Bangkok to reopen its airport, sea ports and permanent road access to the mainland (Sarasin Bridge) after several days with no new Covid-19 infections detected. The provincial governor says the province will ask the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand for approval to reopen the airport this Saturday. The CAAT ordered…

  • BTS and MRT roll out better preventative and social distancing measures | Thaiger

    BTS and MRT roll out better preventative and social distancing measures

    Since there has been a lot of backlash and social media scuttlebutt about the lack of social distancing on MRT and BTS train systems, the MD of the Bangkok Expressway and Metro Public Company, Sombat Kitjalaksak, has moved to apply improved social distancing measures by prioritising access to services in the station, platform, train, both at normal times and rush…

  • Some taxis equipped with ‘barriers’ to protect against coronavirus transmission | Thaiger

    Some taxis equipped with ‘barriers’ to protect against coronavirus transmission

    Some taxis are being converted to be coronavirus-proof, well that’s the intention. A barrier designed by Royal Thai Air Force personnel, to protect people using taxis and keep drivers in business, has been rolled out. With possible close contact to many different people, taxi drivers are at risk of catching the virus. In February, a taxi driver was the first human-to-human virus transmission in…

  • Beware overcrowding and virus transmission – PM | Thaiger

    Beware overcrowding and virus transmission – PM

    Thai PM Prayut Chan-o-cha says packed crowds in public spaces are a concern when it comes to the transmission of the Covid-19 virus. The Bangkok Posts reports that Dr. Taweesilp Visanuyothin, the spokesman for the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration, says the PM wants to see more measures put in place to reduce overcrowding. Just a few days ago, a…

  • Four more Skytrain stations slated to open in June | Thaiger

    Four more Skytrain stations slated to open in June

    Bangkok’s BTS Skytrain is as ubiquitous in Bangkok as good street food and fake Viagra, and it’s about to add four new stops to extend its reach. A spokeman says test runs to 4 new stations beyond Kasetsart University station (N13) began on April 8. The system currently comprises 43 stations along two lines: the Sukhumvit Line running northwards and…

  • Thai Airways to waive exchange fees for more routes | Thaiger

    Thai Airways to waive exchange fees for more routes

    Thai Airways International announced today that it will waive charges for flight swaps for even more passengers going to countries and territories affected by the coronavirus (COVID-19). The policy now extends to the following routes: Return trip: Bangkok-Japan, -South Korea, -Taiwan, -Singapore Exchange fees will be waived for THAI or THAI Smile code-share tickets issued on or before February 18…

  • At least 30 injured in head-on train collision | Thaiger

    At least 30 injured in head-on train collision

    A train collision yesterday at Pak Tho station in Ratcha Buri province, just west of Bangkok, has injured at least 30 people, including three railway staff. Traffic Police radio and local Jor Sor 100 radio reported the crash between a passenger express train and a freight train express train, which took place around 6:30pm. Thai media report that station staff…

  • Thai Airways considers leasing planes and outsourcing cabin staff | Thaiger

    Thai Airways considers leasing planes and outsourcing cabin staff

    In its attempts to restructure the legacy national airline, senior staff of Thai Airways may lease aircraft and cabin staff. The plans are part of fleet and service improvement options as demanded by the Thai Government who had to find 11.1 billion baht over the first 9 months of 2019 to keep the national airline in the skies. According to…

  • U-Tapao, AIS collaborate on smart terminal | Thaiger

    U-Tapao, AIS collaborate on smart terminal

    U-Tapao Rayong Pattaya International Airport and AIS, Thailand’s largest GSM mobile phone operator, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to turn the airport’s Passenger Terminal 2 into a “smart terminal.” U-Tapao, a joint civil/military public airport serving Rayong and Pattaya City, has been working on developing digital solutions with AIS in its second passenger terminal since 2018. Now it is…

  • Thailand to screen all airline passengers from China for coronavirus | Thaiger

    Thailand to screen all airline passengers from China for coronavirus

    Beginning yesterday, all airline passenger arrivals from China, regardless of their point of origin, are being screened for the Wuhan Coronavirus when entering Thailand. Health officials announced the measure after six more Chinese visitors were diagnosed with the virus, bringing the total in Thailand to 14 cases. The death toll from the outbreak now stands at 131 (as of Wednesday morning),…

  • Immigration checkpoints enhance hygiene measures nationwide | Thaiger

    Immigration checkpoints enhance hygiene measures nationwide

    Health screening measures are being boosted today at immigration checkpoints nationwide to prevent the spread of the Wuhan Coronavirus into Thailand. Since cases were confirmed in Malaysia and Singapore, officials at the Betong border crossing in the southernmost province Yala are using handheld thermometers to screen suspected contaminanees. Meanwhile enhanced hygiene measures are being implemented at immigration checkpoints at all…

  • Tour bus crash in northern Thailand injures 8 | Thaiger

    Tour bus crash in northern Thailand injures 8

    Eight people are injured, one seriously, after a tour bus crashed in northern Thailand’s northern Nan Province yesterday morning. The bus skidded into a mountain slope at a curve in the main city district. Thai media report that the bus was found lying on its side when police and rescue workers arrived at the scene. The 32 year old driver, Yutthapong…

  • Motorcycle ‘win’ drivers charge 380 baht for 4.7 kilometre trip through Bangkok | Thaiger

    Motorcycle ‘win’ drivers charge 380 baht for 4.7 kilometre trip through Bangkok

    It’s not just tourists that get ripped off by the notorious Win drivers in Bangkok (The Thaiger is a regular Grab Bike user but has never had any specific problems with Win drivers). A win-motorcycle user (motorcycle taxi) has related a recent rip off on Thailand’s most popular website, Pantip. The user said they were traveling with another friend from Victory…

  • Dramatic video shows high speed impact, eight British tourists injured on their way to Pattaya – VIDEO | Thaiger

    Dramatic video shows high speed impact, eight British tourists injured on their way to Pattaya – VIDEO

    Dramatic highway CCTV has now been released of the crash of the passenger van, injuring eight British tourists travelling from Suvarnabhumi Airport to Pattaya. Three were seriously injured in the high speed crash which scattered contents of the van over the road and grassed verge between the two sides of the motorway. Eight British tourists are in hospital after their…

  • Eight British tourists injured in Thai passenger van crash – VIDEO | Thaiger

    Eight British tourists injured in Thai passenger van crash – VIDEO

    Eight British tourists are in hospital, three seriously injured, after their passenger van crashed into the median railing on the Bangkok-Chon Buri motorway. The incident occurred about 10:30am on the Pattaya-bound side of the road. The driver, 53 year old Thanakorn To-iam, said he picked up the passengers at Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok and was taking them to Pattaya when…