The Buses of Rangsit.

Last weekend I went out to Rangsit to photograph the numerous metro and interurban buses and bus routes in the city of Rangsit. This area has a very diverse range of buses and bus styles more so than even in inner city Bangkok.

A Little Background on the city of Rangsit.

Rangsit is located 32km north of Bangkok. It is part of the City of Pathum Thani. However Rangsit is the economic centre of the entire City of Pathum Thani. Rangsit is a major centre for education and research for Thailand. There are 10 universities located within the city of Rangsit.

In addition to the universities it is home to some of Thailand’s most significant industrial estates and high technology industries. A large number of pharmaceutical and cosmetics manufacturers have their plants within the Rangsit area.

The transport system of Rangsit is centered around 4 major roads. These are Phahon Yothin, Viphawadi – Rangsit, Rangsit – Nakhon Nayok and Rangsit – Pathum Thani roads. These 4 major roads form a North – South and East – West set of bus routes.

There is no single bus terminal for urban buses within the Rangsit area. Instead passengers have to transfer by crossing over long foot bridges next to Future park Rangsit shopping centre. This lack of a bus terminal makes for some mighty long walks over a number of footbridges to find the right bus stop for the direction you want to travel.

However even though there is no single bus terminal for all buses there is a couple of small bus terminals located close to SRT’s Rangsit railway station. These terminals service the Pathum Thani buses and Thanyaburi buses. However most people don’t board the buses at the terminals but instead outside on the main roads. More on these terminals in a later post.

There is also a small intercity bus terminal located 2 km north of Future Park Rangsit. This is the only major suburban area of Bangkok that has its own intercity bus terminal. This intercity bus terminal services routes operating to the Issan area of Thailand.

The metro bus services of the Rangsit area mostly operate to sub 10 min headways all day 7 days a week. With some routes operating as often as every 1 minute at peak times. The demand for bus services is very strong in the Rangsit and Pathum Thani areas. Therefore chronic overcrowding does occur throughout the day and even on weekends on some routes.

In terms of passenger information the Rangsit area is by far the worst in all of Bangkok. Unless you know the bus number your after it is very hard to know which bus you want or even where to wait for it due to zero information at the bus stops. If you’re new to the Rangsit area you must ask other passengers in Thai as to which bus goes to your destination.

The buses of Rangsit are the only local mass transport for the entire area of around 1 million people. Around half of the people who live in Rangsit work or study outside the Rangsit area mostly in Bangkok. This puts huge pressure on the roads and bus services heading towards Bangkok. There is a rail service to and from Bangkok operated by SRT but it only plays a small part in the transport task of the Rangsit area.

A number of parts of the Rangsit area are reaching the point where heavy rail metro will be needed to keep the area moving and livable. The issue of metro rail for the Rangsit area is becoming increasing urgent as the population is rapidly growing.

This section of photographs was taken close to Zeer Rangsit Shopping centre on Phahon Yothin Road. This is the main road to inner Bangkok.

1. This is a shot of a Route 34: Rangsit – Kaset University bus. Bus number unknown. Bus type Merc mini bus. Taken as it was heading towards Bangkok outside Zeer Rangsit.



2. This is a shot of a Route 59: Rangsit – Sanam Luang bus. Bus number BMTA 1 – 40091. Bus type Hino. Note this route is a 24 hour service. This bus will terminate at Bang Khen.



3. This is a shot of a Route 29: Thammasat University Rangsit – Hualamphong bus. Bus Number 29 – 21. Bus type Golden Dragon. This bus will terminate at Victory Monument. This route is one of the busiest bus routes in the Rangsit area.



4. This is a shot of a Route 39: Thai Market – Victory Monument bus. Bus number 39 – 19. Bus type unknown.



5. This is a picture of one of the many van services that operate to and from Rangsit and within the Rangsit area. This van is heading to Minburi. Most of these vans are made by Toyota and hold 15 passengers.



6. This is a shot of a Route 34: Rangsit - Hualamphong Bus. Bus number BMTA 1 – 40073. Bus type Hino. This bus will terminate at Bang Khen.



7. This is a general view of the bus stop looking north towards Future park Rangsit. Note the Don Mueang elevated expressway to the left. The lower road has 5 lanes each side and the upper road has 3 lanes each side. At peak times traffic can be seen crawling along at under 5kph.



8. This is a shot of a Route 39 mini bus. Bus number: unknown. Bus type: Merc mini bus. These buses as far as I know are based on a Merc framework with a local made body.



9. This is a shot of a Route 34 bus. Bus number BMTA 1 – 40408. Bus type Hino. Taken from the footbridge at Zeer Rangsit.



10. This is a shot of a Route 29 non aircon bus. Bus number 29 – 29. Bus type Daewoo. Taken from the footbridge.



11. This is an image of a Route 554: Rangsit – Suvarnabhumi Airport bus. Bus number BMTA 1 – 44169. Bus type Hino.



12. This is an image of a Route 187: Khlong 3 – Si Phraya Pier bus. Bus number 187 – 3. Bus type Merc non aircon. Note: this route uses the elevated way at peak times.



13. This is an image of a Route 503: Rangsit – Sanam Luang bus. Bus number BMTA 1 – 1038. Bus type Merc O405. Note: the Route 29 bus trying to push past the Route 503 bus.



14. This is a shot of a Route 356: Thammasat Rangsit - Pak Kret bus. Bus number 356 – 25. Bus type unknown. Taken looking north along the outbound side of Phahon Yothin road.



This section of Photographs was taken on Rangsit – Nakhon Nayok road in front of the Rangsit floating market. This is the main road to the east from Rangsit.

15. This is a shot of a Route 381: Rangsit - Ongkharak bus. Bus number unknown. Bus type Merc aircon. Taken looking east in front of the floating market.



16. This is a shot of a Route 381: Rangsit – Kheha Khlong 6 truck - bus. Truck - Bus number unknown. Truck - Bus type Isuzu pickup truck. Taken as it passed by with a full load.



17. This is a shot of a Route 1156: Rangsit – Pathum Thani Rajamangala University of Technology bus. Bus number unknown. Bus type: Higer KLQ6920GC. This is yet another type of imported Chinese buses.



18. This is a shot of a Route 538: Victory Monument – Pathum Thani Rajamangala University of Technology bus. Bus number 538 – 21. Bus type Merc O305. Note this bus uses the elevated way full time.



19. This is another shot of a Route 381 Truck Bus. Taken as it was about to stop at Rangsit Floating Market. Truck type: Isuzu.



20. This is another image of a Route 381 bus. Bus number unknown. Bus type unknown. Taken as it passed the Rangsit floating market.



21. This is a shot of a Route 187 bus. Bus number 187 – 20. Bus type Merc non aircon. Note this route uses the elevated way to Bangkok at peak times.



22. This is a shot of a Route 188: Khlong 6 – Chatuchak bus. Bus number 188 – 17. Bus type Merc non aircon. This service is often very overloaded due to low frequency made worse by traffic jams.



23. This is a shot of a Route 921: Aranayaprathet – Ongkharak – Rangsit – Mochit 2 intercity bus. Bus number 921 – 19. Bus type Merc O404. This bus is a 1st class intercity bus taken as it was heading towards Rangsit. This bus provides a rather indirect link to Aranayaprathet on the Cambodian border.



24. This is a general view of the Floating market at Rangsit. As it was around 11am the market had already finished. These floating markets normally open on dawn and close by 9am.



This next section of Photographs was taken at the Rangsit intercity bus terminal 2km north of Future Park Rangsit Shopping Centre. This terminal covers routes to the North East (Issan) of Thailand mostly aimed at students and factory workers return to there hometowns.

25. This is a general view of the fairly small but modern intercity bus terminal at Rangsit. This is the bus departure area. A number of buses can be seen waiting to depart.



26. This is a shot of a Bangkok – Surin 2nd class intercity bus. Taken as it was departing the terminal. Bus number 2nd class 31 – 1651. Bus type Daewoo intercity.



27. This is another angle on the Bangkok – Surin 2nd class intercity bus. Taken as it was exiting the terminal. This service is operated by the transport company.



28. This is a shot of a Bangkok – Korat 1st class intercity bus. Taken as it was loading passengers at the terminal. Bus number 1st class 21 – 8. Note this route is a 24 hour service. Bus type Cherdchai intercity.



29. This is a shot of a Route 936: Bangkok – Burirum 1st class intercity bus. Taken as it was passing though the bus terminal. Bus number 1st class 936 – 10. Bus type Cherdchai intercity.



30. This is an image of a Route 28: Bangkok – Chaiyaphum 2nd class intercity bus. Taken as it was waiting for passengers at the terminal. Bus number 2nd class 28 – 4. Bus type Merc intercity. Chaiyaphum is the least visited part of Thailand.



31. This is a general view of the ticket office at the Rangsit bus terminal. Taken looking towards the main road. Only one ticket window was open hence a long queue.



32. This is a shot of the private bus ticket counters at the Rangsit bus terminal. These counters are for routes operated by non transport company buses.



This section of photographs was taken outside the Rangsit intercity bus terminal on a footbridge right at the end of the Don Mueang elevated tollway. This is the most important road in the Rangsit area as it connects Bangkok to the north and north east of Thailand.

33. This is a general view of the start of the Don Muang elevated tollway. Taken looking south towards Bangkok. At peak times using this elevated road can save a great deal of time but is not free from all traffic jams like most of Bangkok roads but has less delays that the lower road.



34. This is a shot of a Route 510: Thai Market – Victory Monument bus. Bus number BMTA 1 – 44156. Bus type Hino. Taken from the footbridge looking down at the bus stop as the bus was loading a number of people.



35. This is a shot of a Route 6188: Rangsit - Charusorn truck bus. Truck Bus number 6188 – 95. Truck type: Isuzu pick up. Note the amount of people crammed into the back of it. Yet it still picks up more on an inbound trip.



36. This is a shot of a Route 338: Rangsit – Pratunam Pa In bus. Bus type unknown. Bus number 338 – 26. Taken from the footbridge looking north.



37. This is a shot of a Route 1157: Pathum Thani – Thai Market bus. Bus type Merc aircon. Bus number 1157 – 2. Taken as it passed by on an outbound trip.



38. This is an image of a Route 1008: Rangsit – Khlong 5 bus. Bus type Dongfeng. Bus number 1008 – 9. This bus is an aircon mini bus powered by CNG.



39. This is an image of a Route 29 bus. Bus number 29 – 31. Bus type Merc O305. Taken as it was passing by on a trip to Victory Monument. It appears that the new Golden dragon buses on this route are slowly replacing these older aircon buses.



40. This is a shot a Route 29 bus. Bus number 29 – 4. Bus type unknown. Taken as it was heading towards Future Park Rangsit Shopping Centre. This is one of the older non aircon private buses on route 29.



41. This is a shot of a Route 1008 bus. Bus type Dongfeng. Bus number 1008 – 8. Note this bus has electronic destination signs which are very rare in Thailand. In the background is another BMTA Route 510 Hino aircon bus.



42. This is a shot of a Route 39: Thai Market – Victory Monument bus. Bus number BMTA 1 – 66300. Bus type Merc O405. Taken as it was running express down the lower level centre main road.



43. This is a shot of a Route 39 bus. Bus number 39 – 27. Bus type unknown. Taken as it was about to pick up passengers. Note the truck sales yard in the background.



44. This is another shot of a Route 39 bus. Bus number 23 – 146. Bus type Hino Non aircon. This bus style is quite different to the normal non aircon buses on route 39. Note this route is a 24 hour service.



45. This is an image of a 2nd class interurban Bangkok – Bang Pa In bus. Bus number unknown. Bus type Merc intercity. This route appears to stop at most bus stops just like the metro buses.



This next section of Photographs was taken on Rangsit – Pathum Thani road near the Rangsit central market. This location is about 800 meters from the SRT train station.

46. This is an image of a Route 34 bus. Bus number BMTA 1 – 40081. Bus type Hino. Taken as it was about to turn into the Soi that leads to the Rangsit depot.



47. This is an image of a Route 520: Thai Market – Rangsit – Bang Kapi bus. Bus number BMTA 1 – 6893. Bus type Merc O305. Taken as it headed for the Rangsit depot.



48. This is a shot of a Route 338 bus. Bus number 338 – 20. Bus type unknown. Taken as it headed for the U turn underpass near the SRT railway line.



49. This is a shot of a Route 29 bus. Bus number BMTA 1 – 40018. Bus type Hino. Taken as it headed into the Rangsit Bus depot. Note this is a free bus.



50. This is a shot of a Route 367: Rangsit - Nonthaburi bus. Bus number 367 – 5. Bus type Higer KLQ 6608C. This is a CNG powered Chinese imported aircon mini bus.



51. This is a shot of a Route 59 bus. Bus number BMTA 1 – 40092. Bus type Hino. This bus route operates 24 hours a day. Taken as it turns into the Rangsit bus depot.



52. This is an image of a Route 6249: Rangsit – Bang Kadee bus. Bus number 6249 – 5. Bus type unknown. This style of metro bus is rarely seen outside of the Pathum Thani and Nonthaburi areas. What makes them odd is for there age they are rear engine buses.



53. This is an image of a Route 522: Rangsit – Victory Monument expressway bus. Bus number BMTA 1 – 66278. Bus type Merc O405. Note these Merc buses received the same body and seating layouts as the Hino and Daewoo versions of them.



54. This is an image of a Route 1138: Rangsit – Pathum Thani bus. Bus number 1138 – 22. Bus type unknown. Note this aircon bus appears to have been converted from non aircon to aircon at some point.



55. This is a shot of a Route 367: Rangsit – Pak Kret bus. Bus number 367 – 2. Bus type unknown. Note the doors on this bus cannot be closed automatically and thus remain open all the time.



56. This is a shot of a Route 185: Rangsit – Khlong Toei bus. Bus number BMTA 1 – 40035. Bus type Hino. Taken as it was on its way to the Rangsit bus depot. Note this is a free bus.



57. This is a shot of a Route 554: Rangsit – Suvarnabhumi Airport bus. Bus number BMTA 1 – 44135. Bus type Hino. Taken as it made its way to the Rangsit bus depot.



58. This is an image of a Route 1008 bus. Bus number 1008 – 7. Bus type Dongfeng mini bus. Note the bus runs on CNG and is yet another Chinese import. Taken as it made its way out of the bus terminal.



59. This is an image of a Route 504: Rangsit – Thanon Tok bus. Bus number 504 – 27. Bus type unknown. Taken as it headed for the U turn under pass near the SRT railway line.



60. This is a shot of a Route 383: Rangsit – Bang Sai Royal Arts Centre bus. Bus number 383 – 29. Bus type unknown. Taken just after it had departed from the Rangsit metro bus terminal.



I hope you find the pictures and vehicles shown to be of interest if you view this please post some comments and feelings about the pictures.