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Thailand: More cross-border bus services urged
The Transport Ministry has urged bus operators to set up routes across borders from Thailand to Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam, known as the CLMV countries, due to their highly lucrative business potential.
“Expanding road networks afford bus operators more opportunities to do business,” said Chaiwat Thongkamkoon, permanent secretary for transport.
The operators need to up their level of service quality amid fierce competition from other transport modes, including rail and air, which are also key players in the transport market, he added.
Responding to reports some bus operators have abandoned the business due to losses, Mr Chaiwat said he does not want that to happen.
“The operators need to improve their services, particularly with regards to meeting customer satisfaction.
“The Transport Ministry is willing to support operators ready to run services covering Asean routes as well as areas bordering Thailand, such as CLMV countries,” said Mr Chaiwat.
According to the permanent secretary, borders will be more open in the future, which will allow more buses from neighbouring countries to enter Thailand.
“If Thai operators fail to be prepared for this, they might lose their share of the growing transport market between these neighbouring nations,” said Mr Chaiwat.
He said the border crossing in Nong Khai, which is also on the route for the high-speed train project linking China and Thailand via Laos, could be an important driver of growth in the trans-border transport and logistics market.
“The location will serve as a hub for the transport of not just people, but also commodities,” Mr Chaiwat said.
Thanee Sueblerk, deputy chief of the Department of Land Transport (DLT), said he wants Thai bus operators to join the DLT’s “Q-Bus” certification programme, intended to maintain service and safety standards on public vehicles.
He said the agency wants 100 operators join the scheme each year. Transport Co, which runs more than 500 inter-provincial buses, has been invited to join to serve as a model for private operators to follow, he added.
Source: https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/1697684/more-cross-border-bus-services-urged