Thai bus operators face intense competition from Chinese bus operators using nominees and offering lower prices, while more foreigners are illegally working as van drivers serving tourists, according to the Thai Transportation Operators Association.
Wasuchet Sophonsathien, the association president, said illegal foreign operators continue to compete with licensed bus companies, which have not fully recovered from the pandemic.
As more independent tourists and high-end tour groups arrive, particularly Chinese tourists, illegal foreign firms have pivoted from operating big buses to vans or minivans catering to these groups, he said.
Mr Wasuchet said some long-stay foreigners apply for a personal driver's licence or use an international driver's permit to work as drivers serving a small group of tourists, which is illegal. Driving is a restricted occupation for Thai nationals.
Some foreign operators offer both van and bus services by using Thai nominees to register their businesses, he said.
These companies cut service prices to gain large customer volume and market share, said Mr Wasuchet.
For instance, Thai operators typically offer a bus service from Suvarnabhumi airport to Pattaya priced at 7,000 baht, including fuel cost, but he said Chinese nominees serve the same route by slashing the price in half.
Many of these operators cooperate with foreign agents and operators in their networks, such as hotels and restaurants, to organise tour groups, said Mr Wasuchet.
He said allowing 60-day visa-free stays for 93 nationalities also led to more foreigners working illegally in bus and van businesses to earn income.
Tourists pay for their services through foreign payment applications, making it difficult for Thai authorities to track down their financial transactions for tax purposes.
"In these examples, tourism income is not distributed to local operators, flowing instead to foreign operators," said Mr Wasuchet.
Only 13,000 to 14,000 tour buses have returned to operation, compared with 40,000 buses in 2019. Many tour bus firms still lack funds to maintain their bus fleet, which were idle during the pandemic, he said.
When a new cabinet forms, Mr Wasuchet said it should crack down on illegal nominees by collaborating with the private sector, which can report irregular businesses to the authorities in the early stages.
To support Thai bus operators, he said the government should regulate the diesel price with a long-term plan to help mitigate fuel expenses, which account for 60-70% of operations. In addition, more public spending is needed for organising meeting programmes, which would spur bus tours.
