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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Thailand halts new Volvo EV registrations after battery defect
New registrations of the Volvo EX30 in Thailand have been suspended after the Department of Land Transport found that a recent fire involving the electric vehicle was linked to a defect in its high-voltage battery cells. The order was issued after Siripong Angkasakulkiat, deputy transport minister, instructed the Department of Land Transport to investigate the case. Thitiphat Thaijongrak, director of…
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Ride-hailing apps given one month to improve safety standards
Thailand’s Transport Ministry has given ride-hailing platforms one month to improve passenger safety measures or risk licence suspension, as new rules are prepared for app-based taxi services. The planned measures include requiring drivers to hold public driving licences, installing CCTV cameras in vehicles, and providing passenger insurance coverage. Deputy Transport Minister Siripong Angkasakulkiat said the measures are aimed at improving…
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Thailand to save energy by cutting or reducing street lights on rural roads
Thailand’s Department of Rural Roads announced it will shut down or reduce street lighting on selected rural highways nationwide from May 1 as part of an energy-saving measure linked to ongoing tensions in the Middle East. The Director-General of the Rural Roads Department, Pichit Hoonsiri, confirmed on April 25 that the Thailand street light reduction plan aims to manage national…
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SRT shortens train booking period to 90 days to reduce unused seats
The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) reduced the advance ticket sales period from 180 days to 90 days today, April 24, to improve seat management and reduce unused bookings. The SRT announced the adjustment on its official Facebook page today, April 24, saying the revised booking period is intended to make seat reservations more efficient and better reflect current passenger…
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Phuket to raise boat fares to Koh Phi Phi and tour package prices from April 5
Phuket ferry and speedboat fares for routes to Koh Phi Phi, along with boat tour prices, are set to increase from April 5 after operators received approval to raise charges in response to higher fuel costs. Phuket Provincial Governor Nirat Pongsitthaworn met officials from the Phuket Provincial Marine Department and local operators at about 1.30pm yesterday, April 2, to discuss…
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Koh Samui and Koh Pha Ngan ferry fares increase after fuel price jump
Travellers heading to Koh Samui and Koh Pha Ngan now face higher ferry fares after a sharp hike in fuel prices across Thailand prompted a ferry operator in Surat Thani province to raise ticket prices. Seatran Ferry, which operates services between Don Sak Pier in the mainland of Surat Thani and the two islands, first announced a fare adjustment on…
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Bangkok canal and river boats to raise fares by 2 baht from March 30
Passenger boat operators on Bangkok’s Saen Saep Canal and the Chao Phraya River will increase fares by two baht from Monday, March 30, citing higher diesel costs after an 18% jump in fuel prices. Family Transport (2002) Ltd, which operates the Saen Saep Canal service between Wat Sri Boonruang and Phan Fah Lilat Bridge, said fares will rise from 11-21…
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Chiang Mai tram bidding set for 2027, services targeted to begin in 2032
The Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand (MRTA) plans to open bidding for the Chiang Mai tram project in 2027, with construction expected to start in 2028 and the service targeted to open in 2032. The Chiang Mai light rail or tram project was first raised in 2017 and later approved by the Cabinet in 2018. Previous reports put the…
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1,000 trucks assemble in Chon Buri in fuel shortage protest
More than 1,000 trucks assembled in Chon Buri this morning, March 18, as the Land Transport Federation of Thailand pushed for government action over the ongoing fuel shortage. Its president is urging changes to fuel supply management, stating that certain energy capital groups are thriving at a time when the general public is struggling the most. At 9.20am, Land Transport…
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Bangkok public buses criticised for refusing to serve disabled passenger
Thai Smile Bus faced online criticism after a viral video showed its buses repeatedly ignored a disabled man on a wheelchair until the man had to block the road yesterday, March 12. The Mirror Foundation posted the clip on its official Facebook page, showing a disabled man in a wheelchair struggling to get a bus stop. In its caption, the…
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Air India Express plane stuck on runway after hard landing in Phuket
An Air India Express flight carrying 133 passengers made a hard landing at Phuket International Airport today, March 11, leaving the aircraft disabled on the runway and disrupting airport operations. No injuries were reported. Tourist police were notified at about 11.20am after an aircraft encountered a landing problem at the airport. The plane was identified as Air India Express flight IX938…
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Long queues at Suvarnabhumi linked to check-in malfunction
A clarification was issued yesterday, March 3, after images of long Suvarnabhumi Airport queues circulated online following reports of a Thai Airways check-in problem a day earlier, March 2. The airport explained that the congestion occurred because March 2 was the first day Thai Airways switched its baggage rules to the “Piece Concept”, introducing a baggage limit based on the number…
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Phuket taxi drivers threaten strike over illegal app-based drivers
Taxi drivers in Phuket threatened to stage a strike on January 15, demanding government action against illegal taxi drivers who operate without official registration, especially ones on ride-hailing applications. The local news Facebook page Phuket Andaman News reported today, January 7, that a group of taxi drivers in the province is planning to protest and has asked the media to…
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Thailand’s new year holiday 2026 sees over eight million travelers, fewer accidents and smooth nationwide transport
Thailand’s New Year holiday 2026 concluded with more than eight million people traveling across the country, while road accidents and transport disruptions declined compared with the previous year, according to the Ministry of Transport. From December 30 2025 to January 1 2026, a total of more than 8.2 million passengers used public transport nationwide. Although this figure represents a 3.9…
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Bus terminals packed as 134,000 travel home for New Year
Bus terminals across Bangkok were crowded on Friday as tens of thousands of people began traveling home for the New Year holiday. Transport authorities reported heavy demand on the first day of the holiday exodus, with more services added to prevent passengers from being stranded. Mr. Atthawit Rakchamroon, managing director of Transport Co., Ltd. (BKS), said travel volumes on December…
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Motorway 7 and 9 go toll-free over New Year holidays
Yesterday, December 23, the Cabinet approved free travel on Motorway 7 and Motorway 9 from December 30 to January 5, a move aimed at easing traffic congestion during the busy New Year holiday period. Speaking after the Cabinet meeting at Government House yesterday, deputy government spokesperson Aiyarin Phanrit said the decision followed a proposal by the Ministry of Transport…
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The transport company offers New Year promotion to travellers
Travellers heading away for the New Year may be in for a pleasant surprise as Thailand’s Transport Company has announced a special promotion to make holiday journeys easier and more affordable. The state-owned Transport Company Limited is offering a New Year’s gift to passengers with a 20% discount on tickets purchased under the “Go Before – Return Later” promotion. This…
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Transport ministry eyes 40-baht day pass for train lines
The Ministry of Transport is moving forward with a proposal to introduce a 40-baht all-day train pass for Bangkok’s Purple and Red electric lines. Designed to ease commuting costs and encourage regular use, the plan will be submitted to the Cabinet for approval next week. An official source revealed the pass would allow unlimited travel for a flat fee of…
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Thailand’s airport rail deal faces legal showdown
Thailand’s Transport Ministry has raised concerns over proposed contract changes to a major airport rail project, warning of legal risks if the deal is altered. Transport Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn, who also chairs the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) Policy Committee, has called for a balanced and legally sound resolution to the dispute surrounding the 224 billion baht project linking Don Mueang,…
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Phuket boat taxi trial hits delay but promises smoother trips
Phuket’s boat taxi project, aimed at easing traffic for tourists and locals, has been delayed, pushing back the start of its much-anticipated trial run. The pilot run of Phuket’s boat taxi service, a project touted as a game-changer for the island’s notorious traffic problems, has been pushed back to mid-December. The trial, originally scheduled to launch earlier, will now take…
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Phuket bosses demand action on Kathu-Patong tunnel plan
Business leaders in Phuket are urging the government to move forward with a vital tunnel project, warning that proposed changes could cause costly delays. At a recent press conference, 24 private-sector organisations joined forces to urge the Transport Ministry to move forward without further alterations or delays. The 3.98-kilometre tunnel, approved by the Cabinet on August 26, comes with a…
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Thai minister scraps Patong tunnel plan in shock U-turn
Thailand’s transport ministry has overhauled a long-delayed tunnel project in Phuket, slashing its size, scrapping tolls, and shifting control. Thailand’s Deputy Prime Minister and Transport Minister, Phipat Ratchakitprakarn, revealed a dramatic overhaul of the long-awaited project, cutting the tunnel’s width from 17 metres to just 10 and removing the Expressway Authority of Thailand (EXAT) from the equation altogether. The Department…
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Bangkok rolls out 40 baht all-day train pass from December
Bangkok commuters will soon enjoy unlimited daily train travel on two key lines under a new 40 baht flat-fare scheme announced by the government. Transport Minister Pipat Ratchakitprakarn made the announcement at the Government House yesterday, October 29, confirming the fare scheme will be proposed to the Cabinet by November 18, with implementation expected from December 1. “The new fare…
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Bangkok to raise BTS Green Line extension fares from November 1
The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) will increase fares for the BTS Green Line train extensions starting from November 1. The change will affect three routes: Mo Chit–Khu Khot, Bang Chak–Samut Prakan, and Pho Nimit–Bang Wa. The official Facebook page of the BMA published a statement from Deputy Bangkok Governor, Wisanu Subsompon, yesterday, October 22. Wisanu explained that the fare increase…
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New bus link connects Thailand to Vientiane in just 4 hours
Thailand and Laos launched a new international bus route connecting Khon Kaen and Vientiane to enhance tourism, trade, and cross-border transport links. The service, launched yesterday, October 10, was unveiled in a ceremony at Khon Kaen Bus Terminal 3, presided over by Phanthep Saokosol, Deputy Governor of Khon Kaen province. The new route marks the fifth international bus connection between…
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Phuket expressway moves ahead with 2030 completion target
Officials in Phuket held a high-level meeting to discuss the next phase of an expressway project that will connect key areas and ease long-standing traffic woes. Plans for the second phase of Phuket’s expressway are gaining momentum, as provincial officials and key stakeholders gathered this week to refine the proposal before it heads to the Cabinet for approval. If all…
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Bangkok’s 20 baht train fare deal extended to end of November
Bangkok commuters can rejoice as the government has extended the flat 20 baht fare on two major train lines, aiming to ease travel costs across the capital. Following the Cabinet’s meeting yesterday, September 30, the government confirmed that the popular fare cap will remain in place until November 30, easing the financial burden on residents navigating the city. “From today,…
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Bangkok commuters get 2-month reprieve on 20-baht fare
Thailand’s transport minister will propose extending the 20-baht flat fare on Red and Purple Line trains to ease commuter costs and ensure policy continuity. Deputy Prime Minister and Transport Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn confirmed that a proposal will be presented at today’s (September 30) Cabinet meeting to extend the 20-baht flat-rate fare for Red and Purple Line trains until the end…
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Things to do and see along the Purple MRT Line
The Thaiger key takeaways The Purple MRT Line stretches from Tao Poon in Bangkok to Khlong Bang Phai in Nonthaburi, offering a glimpse into local culture, food, and hidden gems along its 16 operational stations. Key stops include Tao Poon for connectivity, Wong Sawang for shopping, Phra Nangklao Bridge for riverside temples, and Talad Bang Yai for shopping and dining…
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Free boat rides launched after Bangkok sinkhole chaos
A free boat service has been launched in Bangkok to help commuters affected by severe traffic disruptions caused by a sudden road collapse near a hospital. The Marine Department has deployed one of its patrol boats, Jao Tha 214, to ferry passengers for free between Thewet Pier and Kiakkai Pier. The emergency water transport service aims to alleviate severe traffic…
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