Comments on: Dangerous Crowds on the BTS

By: Greg

Greg — Mon, 16 Dec 2019 08:01:26 +0000

In reply to Enzo. Yeah, they sure know how to run a train system in Japan!

By: Enzo

Enzo — Sun, 15 Dec 2019 03:48:41 +0000

Most Tokyo train stations aren’t crowded most of the time. So it’s very easy to avoid overcrowding. Not so in Bangkok where you never know what you’re going to get. Tokyo is the biggest city in the world with maybe the most used train system anywhere, and it’s never nearly as bad as the BTS and MRT. Comparing Tokyo and Bangkok is like comparing filet mignon and hamburger.

By: Greg

Greg — Sat, 14 Jul 2012 06:18:57 +0000

@Keith, I think the maximum is 45 baht now from end to end, EXCEPT if you want to ride the extension out to Bearing, which costs an extra 15 baht because the extension is managed by another company. Brilliant.
@Richard, good point, those stupid commercials are hard to drown out.
@Jay, yeah, riding the train without a card is a nightmare - avoid at all costs!"

By: Big C

Big C — Fri, 13 Jul 2012 11:26:52 +0000

Hi Ken,

As the locals say "You think too much"

;)

By: Jay

Jay — Wed, 11 Jul 2012 02:58:52 +0000

Thais are very good at coping but rank right at the bottom for planning. A 10 year old could have forecasted the increase in riders when the new extensions opened and yet the BTS Group decides to order more trains with a 30+ month lead time around 10 months before the new stations opened. The poor planning most definitely spills over to the riders as well who insanely purchase single trip tickets on a frequent basis. Buy a stored value card with a couple of hundred baht and be done with 2 of the 3 lines. Another stellar article GTD.

By: Richard Swartz

Richard Swartz — Wed, 11 Jul 2012 02:16:13 +0000

Another safety issue is the noise. They have so many tv's and speakers at some stations that you can't hear anything. If an emergency did happen and an officer had to give instructions, they wouldn't be heard.

By: Keith

Keith — Tue, 10 Jul 2012 22:13:41 +0000

Not really on topic but has the maximum fair for the BTS dropped from what it originally was? I was first in Bangkok in 2007 and I thought I paid 60 baht for a fair from the northern most station in Bangkok to the center. Now I think it is 40 baht. Is the BTS the one thing in Bangkok that is cheaper than 5 years ago?

By: Ken Scott

Ken Scott — Tue, 10 Jul 2012 15:47:57 +0000

Agreed. It's an accident waiting to happen. I'd like to know what the policy is when there are delays and malfunctions on the Silom line - trains don't run, but there is a massive flow of passengers still coming up to the platform.

Also, platforms should be numbered -- Platform 1, Platform 2 and clearly labelled as such. At the moment at Surasak when there is a problem and passengers have to switch platforms, the loudspeaker instructions are to go to the "opposite platform". The passengers on that opposite platform are getting the same message. What could possibly go wrong?

At peak times, they should have 'train ticket conductors' with mobile ticket dispensers walking the lines issuing tickets.

Oh, yeh almost forgot. Although it's going to hit your pocket Mr BTS, you need to move out many of those commercial coffee/juice/ice cream/pastry stalls blocking passenger walkways - otherwise folks are going to get obstructed and trampled when there's an incident. .