Thai PM gives ultimatum on Mor Chit 2 bus terminal

Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin issued a stern warning to a Transport Company chief, threatening dire consequences if the Mor Chit 2 interprovincial bus terminal isn’t swiftly improved.

The ultimatum comes on the heels of public outrage and scathing remarks from Move Forward Party (MFP) MP Suphanat Minchaiynunt, who exposed the terminal’s grim conditions.

Government spokesman Chai Wacharonke declared yesterday, January 2, that the prime minister has directed the Transport Ministry to take charge of upgrading Mor Chit 2 before the upcoming Songkran holidays. The bus terminal, the largest in the capital, connects to provinces in the north and north east.

PM Srettha’s decree aims to address the barrage of complaints lodged by the public, as well as the recent verbal assault from MP Suphanat. The 61 year old PM expects the terminal to transform its image. Spokesperson Chai emphasised that the PM anticipates compliments, not complaints. This will be a key performance indicator for Transport Co’s director overseeing the terminal.

MFP MP Suphanat took to X (formerly Twitter) on December 28, exposing the sorry state of Mor Chit 2. He criticised the government’s failure to provide adequate services and ensure traveller safety during holidays, citing issues such as unnecessary crowding, the lack of an electric train link, and exorbitant fares charged by unregistered cabbies and motorbike taxis.

Suphanat highlighted the dysfunctional state of the station, where all five escalators were out of order, forcing passengers to lug heavy luggage downstairs. Furthermore, those arriving from provinces faced the inconvenience of hauling bags upstairs to negotiate with taxis, reported The Nation.

He also drew attention to the terminal’s pollution and revealed that only four out of 15 fire extinguishers were operational. Transport Co-Chairman Sorapong Paithoonpong, also the Transport Ministry’s deputy permanent secretary, promised a press conference in response to the criticism, which has since been indefinitely postponed.

The company’s earlier claim of insufficient funds for improvements now faces the prime minister’s ultimatum. Mor Chit 2, once a hub of inconvenience and discontent, must swiftly undergo a transformation or risk severe consequences.