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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Free trial of Pink and Yellow monorail lines in December
Though not fully finished and operational, the Thai government declared that the Pink Line and Yellow Line of the monorail system in Bangkok will be opened for a free trial in December. More progress on the construction has been made on the new lines of the rapid transit system and the government hopes to show the public the lines in…
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Luxury yacht halts Bangkok traffic as Krungthep Bridge opens
Drivers were understandably miffed as a huge traffic jam built up when the Krungthep Bridge in Bangkok opened to let a boat through. It is common for the bridge to open a handful of times each month, but usually to let through a big vessel belonging to the Royal Thai Navy. This time though, cars along Rama III Road were…
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Change in plane direction surprises Bangkok residents
It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s… it’s… oh, wait, it *is* a plane. Residents in Bangkok have been complaining about a sudden increase in commercial planes buzzing low over their homes. Now they finally have an explanation for why they are seeing all these low planes – an airport direction change. The Aeronautical Radio of Thailand (AEROTHAI), the agency…
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Tourism operators demand cheaper flights to Phuket
Phuket tourism operators are demanding that airlines cut ticket prices to make the island destination more financially attractive. As Chinese tourists are largely missing from the Phuket tourism market, operators are worried that travelling to the island is being seen as too expensive. According to The Bangkok Post, Chinese tourists accounted for 40% of the Phuket tourism market before the…
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Thai AirAsia launches new routes from Bangkok to Bangladesh and India
Low-cost airline Thai AirAsia announced plans to launch direct routes from Bangkok’s Don Mueang Airport to Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh and to Lucknow in northern India. The airline’s Bangkok – Dhaka service will operate four times per week commencing November 24, 2022. The flight will depart from Don Mueang at 11pm on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays and arrive…
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New MRT Yellow Line monorail train starts trial run today
The new MRT Yellow Line monorail train in Bangkok and Samut Prakarn province starts its trial run without passengers today and is expected to be fully operational by June next year. The Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand (MRTA) announced yesterday that the new MRT Yellow Line would be on trial today from 10am to 5.30pm. The trial is running…
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Thai motorcycle taxi rider rips off Malaysian tourist
A Thai motorcycle taxi rider in the southern province of Songkla said he ripped off a Malaysian tourist because his washing machine was broken. The rider claims it is the first time he overcharged a customer after demanding 500 baht from the stranded tourist for a trip that is only two kilometres. A member of the Hat Yai Municipality Council…
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Drug-addled cabbie faces jail for driving under the influence
A drug-addled cabbie faces time in jail for dangerous driving while allegedly under the influence of narcotics in the Kathu district of Phuket. A motorcycle rider brought to light the drug-taking cab driver’s antics after becoming a victim of his erratic behaviour on the road. The taxi driver scolded the motorcycle rider after the latter complained. He said… “Don’t butt…
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Room to shroom on Bangkok public buses
A fungi picture of mushrooms growing out of the seat of a public bus in Bangkok has gone viral on Thai social media. Some netizens made fun of pictures saying shitake happens while others were more serious saying enough is enough, time to refurbish Thai public buses. Political activist Jatuporn “New” Saeoueng posted the picture of the mushrooms growing out…
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Phuket taxis drivers promise to quit fighting rivals
Representatives of taxi drivers in Phuket met with provincial officials to acknowledge proposals to avoid fights recently reported in the media. Following a recent fight between a traditional taxi driver and an app-based driver in the Kamala district last weekend, Phuket authorities decided to host a meeting to urge local taxi drivers to focus on the reputation of the province.…
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Phuket taxis fined for yet another fight in front of customers
The battle between traditional taxis and ride-hailing app drivers seems to have reached a boiling point. Yet another fight between taxi drivers in front of customers took place in Phuket. It resulted in charges against both of the drivers and highlights the continuing problem Phuket and other tourist destinations in Thailand face with taxis. This incident took place at a…
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Korean Air resumes two routes to Thailand
On October 1, Korean Air resumed two direct routes to Thailand. The airline reopened services between Seoul to Chiang Mai and Phuket, which were both suspended in March 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The South Korean flag carrier announced the return of the popular routes in August. Flights from Seoul Incheon to Phuket depart on Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, and…
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Face masks still required on public transport, in cinemas
Thailand recently celebrated lifting all remaining Covid-19 restrictions and fully reopening its borders to international travellers. But, while tourists can enter without proof of vaccination or negative tests, face masks are still mandatory on public transportation throughout the country. A deputy director of the Department of Health has explained that some Covid safety and prevention measures remain in place. In…
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Phuket Airport officials pulled tourist from van, insisted they use airport taxi
The Phuket taxi situation has been under a microscope recently after accusations of taxi mafias, bad behaviour by drivers, and several outright brawls between cab drivers in front of tourists have blemished the reputation of Thailand and Phuket in particular. Another recent incident at the Phuket International Airport went viral on social media when passengers were asked to get out…
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Police ignore cheating antics of drunk Bangkok cabbie
An outraged Thai woman took to social media after police refused to punish an allegedly drunk, chain-smoking Bangkok cabbie who guzzled alcohol while driving and overcharged her brother. Supunsa Hombanyen posted videos of the slovenly drunk taxi driver on her TikTok account, @mildhom, yesterday. She said… “On September 27, 2022, my brother took a taxi from Morchit in Bangkok to…
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Nok Air cancels Nakhon Ratchasima-Chiang Mai flight routes
After just two months of operations, Thailand’s budget airline, Nok Air, is cancelling its flights from Nakhon Ratchasima to Chiang Mai province. The last flight took off yesterday morning with only 10 passengers on board. The move comes after the twice-weekly route saw low passenger numbers. The Bombardier Q400 turboprop aircraft that was used for the routes could carry up…
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Thai Airways flying high at Skytrax Awards
Thai Airways (THAI) has been named the fourth best airline in the world for cabin crew while its staff was rated No.1 in Asia at the Skytrax 2022 World Airline Awards at The Langham hotel in London. The carrier also did well in Skytrax’s global rankings, coming eighth in the airport services category, eighth in economy class catering, and 10th…
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Thailand pays 3.8 billion baht for first train hub in hospital
A budget of 3.8 billion baht has been approved to build Thailand’s first train station inside a hospital. The train station is intended to serve as a transportation hub with a medical centre at Siriraj Hospital in Bangkok. The deputy spokesperson of the Prime Minister’s Office, Ratchada Thanadirek, reported yesterday that the very first train station for health and public…
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Knife-wielding tuk tuk driver says he is the victim in brawl over passengers
An 84 year old tuk tuk driver claimed that he was attacked by younger drivers because of a row over passengers. The alleged offenders defended themselves saying they were threatened by a knife first. The elderly tuk tuk driver, Pichit Sawanwijit, filed a complaint at Mueng Udon Thani Police Station saying he was attacked by three younger tuk tuk drivers…
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Plane PA system emits moans ‘between an orgasm and vomiting’
If you are a frequent flyer, you are probably used to tuning out the plane PA system. You know how to fasten your safety belt and put on an oxygen mask, right? But what if it was entirely different – and extremely awkward – sounds coming over the PA? A passenger recorded a now-viral video on a flight from Los…
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Rail operators deny passengers were trapped for 4 hours
UPDATE Asia Era One’s Public Relations team denied any passengers were trapped in an Airport Rail Link train after a power failure last month. Asia Era One, who is responsible for the operation of the Airport Rail Link train, wants to clarify what happened when the power went down on Saturday, September 24. There were no passengers trapped inside the…
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BMTA bus driver brawls with motorcycle rider in Bangkok
A bus driver and a motorcycle rider got into a brawl on Phetchaburi Road in Bangkok last week after the former honked his horn at him. A video of the scrap between the driver from the Bangkok Mass Transit Authority (BMTA) and the motorcycle rider started circulating on Thai social media last Tuesday, September 20. The video shows a male…
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VIDEO: Taxi drivers fistfight in front of customers at Phuket shop
Several minivan taxi drivers got into a fistfight over customers outside Khun Mae Ju, a popular souvenir shop in Phuket. One man struck another in the head with an axe, and it was all caught on video. The video clip went viral on social media after people inside the shops filmed the taxi drivers exchanging punches and kicks through the…
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THAI expects bankruptcy court to approve revised rehabilitation plan
Thai Airways International (THAI) is expecting its revised rehabilitation plan to be approved by the Central Bankruptcy Court. The submitted revision comes after the ailing carrier bounced back better than expected after its Covid-19-induced downfall. But, its rehab plan hasn’t come without pushback from some creditors. Chai Eamsiri, the airline’s acting chief financial officer and senior chief, says once the…
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4 taxi drivers fined for overcharging and refusing service
Tourist police arrested four taxi drivers in Bangkok after discovering they refused to offer a service to passengers and charged overinflated fares without using the metre system. Not only Thai passengers are being refused by Bangkok taxi drivers but tourists face the same issue. They too are ripped off and refused by drivers. Tourist Police Bureau of Thailand spokesperson Apichart…
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Tour bus incentive by TAT hoped to spur domestic tourism
In their latest effort at pumping up domestic tourism numbers, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is teaming up with bus operators to send out convoys of coaches around the country. The TAT hopes commissioning over 500 tour buses will not only put to work bus drivers and other associated workers but also spur interest for Thai people to hop…
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Nok Air suspends new domestic route in Thailand after just six weeks
Nok Air has temporarily suspended all Chiang Mai – Korat flights just six weeks after the route’s inaugural flight on August 2. The suspended route was the only commercial flight going in and out of Isaan’s Nakhon Ratchasima Airport, which is now a ghost town and at risk of closing again. The service had high potential, linking the capital of…
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Electric vehicles may need long-term solar power plan
As popularity rises with electric vehicles (EVs), future charging options may include solar power. Long-term planning is being pushed by Delta Electronics (Thailand) Plc., as a result of the need to ensure adequate power supplies. One idea is that of using microgrids at charging stations. The electronics manufacturer is suggesting that each charging facility should act as a microgrid that…
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Cheap plane tickets go on sale today and tomorrow in Bangkok
Today and tomorrow discounted plane tickets will be on sale at Bang Sue Grand Station in Bangkok’s Chatuchak district at the event ‘Transport United for Happy Journey,’ hosted by Thailand’s Ministry of Transport. The ministry is hosting the event at Gate 1 from September 15-16 to stimulate tourism, exchange knowledge about transportation facilities and make travelling around in Thailand more…
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Thai VietJet to increase frequency of Japan and Taiwan flights
Thai VietJet announced the addition of flights to both the Bangkok – Fukuoka route to Japan and the Bangkok – Taipei route to Taiwan. The airline commenced the Bangkok – Fukuoka route, their only service linking Thailand and Japan, back in July. Initially, the route between Suvarnabhumi Airport and Fukuoka Airport operated three times a week. The route turned out…
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