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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Sponsored How to reduce out-of-pocket medical expenses in Thailand?
Managing medical expenses in Thailand is important as healthcare costs continue to rise. The country’s healthcare system includes both public and private options, but even with the Universal Coverage Scheme (UCS) for citizens, many still face high out-of-pocket medical expenses....
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Phuket to introduce ‘baht bus’ style transport service in tourist hotspot
Phuket Land Transport Office (PLTO) is currently accepting applications from operators to establish a circular ‘baht bus’ style public transportation system in Phuket’s busiest tourist area. The announcement was made on the PLTO’s official Facebook page yesterday, with three separate notices for potential operators to provide bus transport services within Patong. Two of these notices outlined two circular routes, while…
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Revved up worries: Middle East turmoil puts Thai car exports in the hot seat
The Federation of Thai Industries’ Automotive Industry Club warned that the ongoing Middle East conflict could potentially disrupt car exports to the region. Particularly, the popular pickup exports could see a downturn if the dispute remains unresolved. Given the current stagnation in domestic sales, the Thai auto industry relies significantly on its exports. Surapong Paisitpatanapong, the vice-chairman of the Federation…
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Bangkok’s electric train flat fare drops to 20 baht, ridership soars by 90%
A surge of nearly 90% in ridership was recorded on Bangkok’s Red and Purple electric train lines on Monday, following the introduction of a 20-baht flat fare. The Department of Rail Transport (DRT) source revealed that the number of passengers on both lines escalated to 94,446 on Monday, marking an 86% increase from the previous day. The 20-baht flat fare…
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Tesla ghost hunt goes viral: Scientist on track to uncover cemetery mystery in Thailand
A viral TikTok video featuring a Tesla car detecting a ghost in a cemetery sparked scientific analysis today by Dr Chetsada Denduangboripant, a lecturer in the Department of Biology at Chulalongkorn University. He suggested that the anomaly could be due to a malfunction in the car’s sensor and software systems. The viral video was posted by @aunnyc, who drove her…
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Thai prime minister zaps to police meeting in eco-style – EV-entful ride
The Prime Minister and Finance Minister, Srettha Thavisin, attended a National Police Office meeting today in an electric vehicle (EV) to reduce pollution. The meeting with Police Lieutenant General Torsak Sukvimol, the National Police Chief, was held in a white Tesla with Bangkok licence plates 2KHP5171. The 61 year old Thai prime minister personally stated that he chose a Tesla…
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Toll-free treat: Thailand waives toll charges on major expressways for King Bhumibol Memorial Day
The upcoming holiday tomorrow, October 13, has led the Thailand Expressway Authority (TEA), under the Ministry of Transport, to waive toll charges on three major expressways, covering a total of 60 toll gates. The decision was made to facilitate travel on the anniversary of the passing of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej The Great, a public holiday as declared by…
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Bangkok’s electrifying fare cap: Next week’s ’20 baht’ trial ride
The Thai Transport Minister last night revealed that an impending fare cap on Bangkok’s electric train network is set to materialise next week. The initiative, spearheaded by the government, proposes a maximum fare of 20 baht per trip and is expected to be trialled on the Red and Purple lines next Monday, as disclosed by Transport Minister Suriya Jungrungreangkit. The…
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Thailand’s TCL suspends VIP bus service after passenger complaints, slaps 10,000 baht fine on operator
Dr Sanlak Panuwatli, the managing director of Transport Company Limited (TCL), addressed recent complaints made by passengers about the standard of their VIP bus services. The complaints were raised on the Facebook page อยากดังเดี๋ยวจัดให้ รีเทริน์ part 6, which posted images and messages about the substandard conditions of TCL’s VIP buses. Upon investigation of the raised issues, TCL found that the…
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Thai EV Club member sparks a ‘charged’ frenzy with Bangkok station surprise
A conversation in the EV Club Thailand Group on Facebook has gone viral, after one of its members, known as Penguin1, shared photos of four cars parked in an electric vehicle (EV) charging station. All four cars were seen plugged into the charging stations, with a message from Penguin1 stating, “All four cars at the ‘charging station’ in Ladprao, Bangkok,…
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Thai express train derails in Phrae due to flooding
Water runoffs between Phrae‘s Kaeng Luang and Ban Pin stations triggered the derailment of Special Express Train 13 early this morning. The train, which was travelling from Bangkok to Chiang Mai, came off the tracks at 5.48am as a result of the runoff. The locomotive, a baggage car, and a sleeper car were the three carriages that succumbed to the…
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Thailand’s fuel consumption rises despite diesel usage drop, reveals report
The Department of Energy Business in Thailand has revealed a 2.3% rise in the country’s fuel consumption to 155 million litres per day (MLD) in the first eight months of the year. This comes despite a decrease in diesel usage by 3.9% to 70 MLD, attributed to escalating prices. A shift in domestic diesel consumption is anticipated in October, following…
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Thailand pledges support for ICE vehicle production amidst EV transition
Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin has pledged continued support to internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicle production in Thailand for another 10 to 15 years, helping to facilitate a smooth transition towards electric vehicles (EVs). He also stated that incentives will be provided to ICE vehicle manufacturers who relocate their production bases to Thailand for export purposes. Delivering his keynote speech at…
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Taxi turmoil on Pattaya Beach Road: Bangkok driver’s threatening encounter
In the early hours yesterday, Pattaya City Police received a complaint from a Bangkok taxi driver alleging that he was threatened by an unidentified man he believed to be a Pattaya taxi driver. The incident took place on Pattaya Beach Road, where Chanai Waisuwan was trapped in a traffic jam while heading back to Bangkok after dropping off a passenger…
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Bridging the gap: DRR lays tracks for Kui Buri railway safety and progress
The Department of Rural Roads (DRR) has completed two rail crossing bridges in the Kui Buri district, as part of safety measures to prevent road accidents. The bridges, located between the fourth intersection of Highway No 1003 and Baan Pho Riang, are expected to support the Transport Ministry’s future double-track railway projects. This initiative comes in response to the State…
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Thailand’s State Railway seeks 50 billion baht for expansions
Thailand’s State Railway (SRT) is planning to request Cabinet approval for a funding amount exceeding 50 billion baht. This hefty sum is aimed at financing the construction of a double-track railway stretch from Khon Kaen to Nong Khai and the expansion of Red Line electric train routes. The announcement follows a directive from Transport Minister Suriya Jungrungreangkit, who instructed the…
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Roojai revs up for success: Thai online insurer aims to drive into top 10 with profitable year ahead
Online insurance firm Roojai is poised to post its first profit from Thai operations in the fiscal year ending March 2024, according to founder and CEO Nicolas Faquet. This is largely attributable to the company’s growth in motor insurance sales, as it sets its sights on becoming a top 10 player in this segment by next year. Faquet revealed it…
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Mind the gap! Bangkok BTS Skytrain startles passengers with open-door drama
A video clip of a Bangkok BTS Skytrain running with one of its doors wide open left passengers and netizens shocked. The footage, which quickly spread around the world online, was captured on a BTS Skytrain in Thailand. A TikTok user, under the account @star111042, shared the video, warning others not to stand or lean against the doors. The video…
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Thai Smile Bus electrifies its fleet with a shocking 1,083 EVs
Thai Smile Bus, a leading public transportation company utilising clean energy, plans to introduce an additional 1,083 electric buses (EV) to its fleet by next year, according to the company’s CEO, Kulapatsorn Wongmajarabhin. This initiative is part of the company’s ongoing commitment over the past two years to develop environmentally friendly public transportation and reduce PM2.5 dust pollution in urban…
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BMA to pay first instalment of 22 billion baht debt for BTS Skytrain extension
The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) is set to pay the first instalment of the 22 billion baht debt it owes to Bangkok Mass Transit System Plc (BTSC), the operator of the BTS Skytrain Green Line extension next month. This payment comes after the expected approval from the Bangkok Metropolitan Council (BMC). The debt relates to the Green Line extension and…
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Chaiya Pier 60m baht investment to boost Surat Thani tourism
A significant boost to Chaiya district’s tourism is on the horizon as provincial authorities of Surat Thani have earmarked a budget of 60 million baht for the construction of a new pier. The announcement came from Surat Thani governor, Witchawut Jinto, who confirmed that construction will commence shortly. The construction is said to be positioned near a public park in…
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Phuket marks another year without memorial for One-Two-Go flight crash victims
Phuket has seen another year pass without official memorial services to commemorate the 90 victims of the calamitous One-Two-Go flight crash that occurred 16 years ago on September 16, 2007. This absence of remembrance has become the standard practice among the local authorities. Many argue it dishonours the air disaster that stands among Thailand’s most fatal. Phuket International Airport, operated…
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Phuket MP raises concerns over hastily built, damage-prone Patong Hill Road
An MP representing Phuket District 2 announced his intention to raise a critical issue in Parliament regarding the hastily built road over the hills from Chalong to Patong. Constructed last year following a landslide on Patong Hill, this road has since been met with concerns about its condition and cost-effectiveness. The road, named Luang Phu Supha Road, was inspected by…
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BMA fast-track road returns to ease city’s traffic congestion
The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) issued a call to the Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand (MRTA) for the swift restoration of roads surrounding various MRTA construction sites. This move is aimed at mitigating the escalating traffic congestion in the city. The deputy Bangkok governor, during a recent BMA meeting, revealed that the MRTA has assured the BMA of the planned…
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Thailand’s airlines resist price war despite rising operational costs
Despite escalating operational costs, Thailand’s airlines are unlikely to trigger a new price war, while the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) intends to retain the existing ceiling for ticket prices. This information was shared by Suttipong Kongpool, the CAAT director, during a seminar co-hosted by the Airlines Association of Thailand (AAT) and CAAT this week. Suttipong indicated that with…
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Motorcycle taxi driver stole from senior passenger to fund gambling habit
A motorcycle taxi driver who allegedly stole a senior female passenger’s belongings was arrested in Bangkok. The stolen items, which included coins, a mobile phone, and 1,700 baht in cash, were sold off by the suspect to fund his gambling habit. The case began when a 70 year old woman reported that she had left her bag containing valuables on…
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Thai transport minister proposes 20-baht flat fare for MRT and SRT lines
Transport Minister Suriya Jungrungreangkit announced a pilot for a 20-baht flat fare on the MRT Purple Line and the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) Red Line. The pilot, expected to roll out within the next three months, is described as a “New Year’s present” for the public. Suriya clarified this initiative in Parliament, affirming its practicality, after it was queried…
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Thailand’s car rental sector shifts gears: 2023 growth outlook takes a modest dip of 2-3%
Thailand’s car rental sector is anticipated to witness a modest growth of 2-3% this year, as per Krungthai Car Rent & Lease Plc (Kcar). This is a step down from the previous annual growth of 4-5%, a dip attributed to numerous elements such as a stagnating economy, slow resurgence of tourism, diminished buying power, and escalating household debt. Pichit Chantarasereekul,…
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Singapore Airlines’ hot seat: Passengers fume over 8-hour ‘sauna’ delay (video)
Singapore Airlines apologised to furious passengers for keeping them onboard for eight hours in suffocating “sauna” conditions as the air conditioning was turned off as they tried to fix a technical problem on a flight bound for Singapore from Shanghai. The apology to disgruntled travellers is all too familiar for many international fliers who have grown weary of perpetual disingenuous…
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Charged up and rolling: GAC Aion sparks production of maiden battery EVs by June 2024
GAC Aion New Energy Automobile, the electric vehicle (EV) wing of Guangzhou Automobile Corporation (GAC), China’s second-largest EV purveyor, outlined plans to initiate the assembly of its maiden battery EVs by June 2024. The production is slated to occur at the brand’s nascent factory within the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC). Gu Huinan, GAC Aion’s managing director, anticipates the assembly of…
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THAI to reintroduce 9 domestic routes after closure plan of Thai Smile Airways
Thai Airways (THAI) revealed that the airline is planning to reintroduce nine domestic routes by the end of this year following the closure plan of its subsidiary, Thai Smile Airways. In February, THAI announced that it would merge with Thai Smile Airways according to its business rehabilitation plan. All 800 Thai Smile Airways staff members would be transferred to work…
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