The Transport Company Ltd has responded to a complaint from an MP of the Move Forward Party (MFP) about poor facilities at Bangkok Bus Terminal (Chatuchak), or Mo Chit 2, and a lack of connections to other forms of public transport serving commuters.
It says the business has been in the red for three consecutive years, but despite its business losses, it has not stopped improving services.
The company, which runs the terminal, was stung into action after the Move Forward Party criticised services there. Those failures may be even more apparent over the New Year when many passengers pass through the terminal on the way to the provinces.
Regarding broken facilities, such as malfunctioning escalators, the company said it tried to fix the escalators but it could not find the right spare parts because the escalators were too old. They were put in the terminal when the station was opened 26 years ago. But some other facilities, including fire extinguishers, elevators and air-conditioners, are still functioning well. An abandoned area outside the terminal used to be a commercial zone but no one rented the place during Covid-19. The Transport Company plans to renovate the area next year, it said.
On claims that taxis and motorcycle taxis are charging excessive fares, the company has filed a complaint with the police. The company published the clarification as a response to a Facebook post by Suphanat Minchaiynunt, the MFP MP of Chatuchak, Bang Khen, and Lak Si constituency, on Wednesday.
He pointed out many key problems he found while checking the services at the terminal before the New Year holiday, when the station is crowded with passengers. Mr Suphanat compiled a list of 14 items based on his observations, ranging from broken equipment and restrooms to poor navigation signs and malfunctioning automatic ticketing machines as well as inadequate transport connections.
Mr Suphanat said the terminal does not connect with any modern public transport including the BTS Skytrain or underground train services. He also highlighted the overpriced fares charged by taxis and motorcycles. Bangkok Bus Terminal, which provides interprovincial buses to the central, northern and northeastern provinces, normally serves 60,000–100,000 passengers a day during the holiday.
However, Mr Suphanat said the Transport Ministry, Department of Land Transport and The Transport Company had not taken good care of its facility or made people feel safe or satisfied with the services.