Chiang Mai Public transportation - Chiang Mai people disembarking Chiang Mai Minibus

I stumbled on an old file in my computer and found a piece of local news I wrote while studying in 2005. It was only one page of oral presentation script with a subject of Chiang Mai public bus. The nostalgia suddenly urges me to google and to find out how the public bus of Chiang Mai does today.

Chiang Mai public bus was created to campaign Chiang Mai mass transportation and help reduce fast-growing traffic and pollution problem of Chiang Mai city. Unfortunately, the campaign failed to meet its goal due to low public demand with only 5% of Chiang Mai resident using the service.

Despite its cheap fare of 15 baht for any journey, the 26 air-conditioned municipal buses missed people’s interest because of their insufficient routes and slow service. The lack of information and unclear routing and timetable also cause problem to users especially visitors who are new to the city.

The interior of Chiang Mai Bus

Aiming to lessen traffic and pollution in Chiang Mai, a more integrated transit, Chiang Mai Transit System or CTS, is launched and planned to be successfully operated by 2009. In the firth phase, the Chiang Mai transit system will provide service to, at least, 50 kilometers around Chiang Mai city and close districts to gain a larger number of public use.

Chiang Mai master plan draft and design of Chiang Mai mass transit is now in hand of Engineering Service Center, Chiang Mai University, to make the most appropriate land mass transit for Chiang Mai. Light rail, mono rail, street car and bus rapid transit systems are choice of consideration for CTS.

CTS alro plans to cooperate with songtaew (Si-lor, Rod-daeng) operators, Nakorn Lanna Transport Cooperatives, in order to cease the problem of losing income to any operators. The songtaew will service minor routes and major highway, and by doing so will effectively feed the whole mass transit system.

The construction is now in process and the CTS expects to launch its full operation by the end of 2010. I really hope that soon Chiang Mai will be a more pleasant place for both local people and visitors as the mass transit system w)ll be operated with low fare, air-conditioned (which will definite help with Thailand’s hot weather), and eco-friendly NGV gas use.

Chiang Mai City Bus runs through Chiang Mai University

This is how Chiang Mai Minibus looks