Shuttle bus service launched in Bangkok for interprovincial van passengers

BANGKOK, August 26 (TNA) - A free shuttle bus service has been launched in Bangkok on a trial basis to carry commuters from the Victory Monument to three main bus terminals as part of the government’s plan to move interprovincial passenger van parking areas from the inner city to relieve traffic congestion and to raise the public safety. Colonel Suvit Katesri, who heads a task force in charge of regulating inter-provincial passenger vans, Surachai Iamwachirasakul, Director-General of the Bangkok Mass Transit Authority (BMTA) and Colonel Police Thirachai Suriwong, Deputy Commander of Traffic Police, jointly launched the test-run of the shuttle bus service at the Victory Monument on Friday. The shuttle bus service is under the third phase of the government’s plan to regulate interprovincial passenger vans, in which the vans running from Bangkok to provincial areas in a less than 300-kilometre distance have been moved from the Victory Monument to park at the capital's three main bus terminals, including Mo Chit2, Ekkamai and Taling Chan. After the trial period, together with a test run of the whole system during September 21-23, the shuttle bus service will be evaluated, taking travelling times into account to provide enough shuttle bus trips for passengers before the relocation of the inter-provincial van parking will be officially applied on October 25, 2016 Normally, it takes about two hours from the Victory Monument to the bus terminals at Ekkamai and Taling Chan and about 50 minutes by using expressways. (TNA)