BANGKOK, 14 Feb 2014 Mr. Pinit Khampu, Deputy Managing Director of the Transport Company Limited revealed that the number of passengers using its services had dropped 30% since the political turmoil erupted at the end of last year.
Mr. Pinit said the chaos had discouraged people in Bangkok from sightseeing in the countryside and rural residents from travelling into the capital.
Meanwhile, Ms. Sujinda Cherdchai, President of the Bus Operators Association, asserted the overall number of passengers using her company’s service had declined by 45%. She attributed the decrease to the economic recession, rising trend of people using personal vehicles and political instability. Nonetheless, she was confident that the number of passengers would return to normal when the political deadlock eased off.
The Joint Bus Service Operators Association stated it would soon send representatives to meet with Transport Minister Chadchart Sittipunt, and Permanent Secretary for Transport Somchai Siriwattanachok. The discussion is expected to include measures to help private bus companies providing joint services with the Bangkok Mass Transit Authority.
The number of bus passengers in Bangkok and its vicinity continued to decline since the 2011 floods. Currently the presence of the political gathering has further pulled down the figure as well as the operators’ income.
