Thai Mass Transport Systems: The Buses of Sanam Luang and Tha Chang.

Last week while on my way to ride the new Pak Kret Chao Phraya Boat service. I stopped by Sanam Luang to photograph the buses of the area. I also documented the cross river ferries at Tha Chang.

A little Background on the Sanam Luang and Tha Chang area.

The area that surrounds Sanam Luang is the oldest district in Inner Bangkok. This area is considered the true heart of Bangkok as it was the starting point for the entire city. The Sanam Luang area is steeped in royal and government history dating back well over 200 years to the founding of Bangkok.

The Sanam Luang area is located near the Chao Phraya River and is home to the world famous Grand Palace. It is also home to around 14 major government offices and 2 major universities. The area also sees a number of major royal ceremonies such as royal funerals which brings in hundreds of thousands of extra people.

At the centre of the area is a large open space that is home to the 2nd largest metro bus terminal in Bangkok. This open area is called Sanam Luang it is the namesake for the entire area. This public space is more than just a bus terminal it is used for everything from royal funerals to Buddhist ceremonies. Also it has been the home to many major political protests over the years.

The Sanam Luang area was never actually designed to be a major bus terminal it was actually built for special events such as mentioned above. As the area was set aside over 200 years ago it predates most of Bangkok’s current mass transport system. When the Sanam Luang area was set up all transport was by water or foot with no land based mass transport system available.

Just to the south west of Sanam Luang is a small and congested bus interchange and major boat pier known as Tha Chang or elephant pier. This pier is one of the busiest Chao Phaya Express boat stops as well as the busiest cross river ferry service on the whole river with 2 separate cross river routes from the one pier.

As a transport interchange and terminal the Sanam Luang area rates rather poorly due to chronic traffic congestion and frequent shut downs for special events that can disrupt the entire bus terminal for a day or more at a time. There is also zero information as to where to wait for buses around the rather spread out Sanam Luang terminal. The bus terminal area is about 300 meters wide by 700 meter long with an open space in the middle of this area.

The Sanam Luang Bus terminal is broken up into 8 disjointed sections. Some are serviced by the same bus a few times before leaving the area others just once before leaving. There is no order to which stop services which direction within the loop roadway of Sanam Luang. Always ask if the bus is heading where you want to go when boarding at Sanam Luang.

1. This is a shot of a Route 203: Nonthaburi – Sanam Luang bus. Taken looking east along Na Phra Lan road in front of the Grand Palace. Bus number BMTA 7 – 50253. Bus type Isuzu non aircon. Note: this is a free bus and a 24 hour service.

2. This is a shot of a Metrobus Route 25: Siam Park – Sanam Luang bus. Taken looking east along Na Phra Lan road in front of the Grand Palace. Bus number (Metrobus) 25 – 13. Bus type unknown Chinese import. Note this bus is driver only with single front only boarding which is at odds to the rest of the bus system. Also Metrobus uses a flat fare structure regardless of distance.

3. This is an image of a Route 203 aircon bus. Taken looking east along Na Phra Lan road in front of the Grand Palace. Bus number BMTA 7 – 3070. Bus type Isuzu aircon.

4. This is an image of a Route 82: Sanam Luang – Phra Pradaeng bus. Taken looking east along Na Phra Lan road in front of the Grand Palace. Bus number BMTA 5 – 40511. Bus type Hino non aircon. Note: this route is a 24 hour service.

5. This is a shot of a Route 203 bus. Taken looking north east along Na Phra Lan road in front of the Grand Palace. Bus number BMTA 7 – 50542. Bus type Isuzu non aircon. This bus was originally designed to be air conditioned. It appears they ran out of money to complete all the buses with aircon units.

6. This is a shot of two Route 80: Wat Sri Nuan Thum Vimon – Sanam Luang buses. Taken looking north along Na Phra That road (western loop of Sanam Luang). Bus numbers unknown. Bus type Merc mini bus. Note: this route is a 24 hour service.

7. This is a shot of a Route 33: Sanam Luang – Pathum Thani bus. Taken as it was rounding the south west curve on Na Phra That road. Bus number 33 – 1. Bus type unknown. Note this bus has the engine at the rear and has been recently refurbished into the new pink colour scheme. Also this bus has unusual outward opening plug style doors.

8. This is a shot of a Route 203 bus. Taken as it was rounding the south west curve on Na Phra That road. Bus number unknown. Bus type Hino mini bus. In the background a Route 70 bus can be seen.

9. This is an image of a Route 64: Nonthaburi – Sanam Luang bus. Taken as it was rounding the south west curve on Na Phra That road. Bus number 64 – 7. Bus type unknown. Note: This is a 24 hour service.

10. This is a shot of a Route 30: Nonthaburi – Southern Bus Terminal bus. Taken as it was rounding the south west curve on Na Phra That road. Bus number 30 – 12. Bus type unknown.

11. This is a shot of a Route 203 bus. Taken as it was rounding the south west curve on Na Phra That road on a Nonthaburi bound trip. Bus number BMTA 7 – 3070. Bus type Isuzu aircon.

12. This is a shot of a Route 124: Mahidol University (Salaya) – Sanam Luang bus. Taken as it was rounding the south west curve on Na Phra That road. Bus number 124 – 4. Bus type unknown.

13. This is an image of a Route 80 bus. Taken as it was rounding the south west curve on Na Phra That road on an outbound trip. Bus number BMTA 6 – 56064. Bus type Isuzu aircon.

14. This is an image of a Route 30 bus. Taken as it was passing the Royal Institute on Na Phra That road. Bus number 30 – 21. Bus type unknown. Note the doors are open as usual while running.

15. This is a shot of a Route 503: Rangsit – Sanam Luang bus. Taken as it was passing the Royal Institute on Na Phra That road. Bus number BMTA 1 – 1031. Bus type Merc O405 NGV.

16. This is a shot of a Route 33 bus. Taken as it was passing the Royal Institute on Na Phra That road. Bus number 33 – 7. Bus type unknown. This bus will probably undergo a refurbishment soon.

17. This is a shot of a Route 32: Wat Pho – Pak Kret bus. Taken as it was passing the city campus of Thammasat University on Na Phra That road. Bus number BMTA 7 – 50527. Bus type Isuzu non aircon. Note this is a free bus.

18. This is an image of a Route 201: Victory Monument – Taling Chan bus. Taken as it was passing the city campus of Thammasat University on Na Phra That road. Bus number 201 – 10. Bus type unknown.

19. This is an image of a Route 70: Sanam Luang – Pracha Niwet 3 bus. Taken as it was passing the city campus of Thammasat University on Na Phra That road. Bus number BMTA 7 – 55154. Bus type Isuzu aircon.

20. This is a shot of a Route 51: Sanam Luang – Pak Kret bus. Taken as it was waiting to turn into Phra Chan road in front of Thammasat University. Bus number 51 – 23. Bus type Isuzu non aircon. Note: this route was extended from Bang Pho to Saman Luang a couple of years ago.

21. This is a shot of a Route 6: Phra Phadaeng – Banglamphu bus. Taken as it was heading north along Ratchadamnoen Nai road. Bus number 6 – 71. Bus type Merc mini bus. Note: the doors cannot be closed automatically on these buses.

22. This is a shot of a Route 70 bus. Taken as it was heading north along Ratchadamnoen Nai road (eastern loop of Sanam Luang). Bus number BMTA 7 – 50479. Bus type Isuzu non aircon.

23. This is a shot of a Route 15: Mall Thapha – Banglamphu bus. Taken as it was passing the Ministry of Justice on Ratchadamnoen Nai road. Bus number BMTA 5 – 40165. Bus type Hino non aircon.

24. This is an image of a Route 201 bus overtaking a Route 6 bus outside the Ministry of Justice on Ratchadamnoen Nai road. Bus number 201 – 15. Bus type unknown.

25. This is an image of a Route 9: Soi Gamnunman – Mochit 2 bus. Taken as it was heading north along Ratchadamnoen Nai road. Bus number 9 – 13. Bus type unknown.

26. This is a shot of a Route 64 bus. Taken as it was passing Thammasat University on Phra Chan road. Bus number 64 – 21. Bus type unknown. This road has a rather nice tunnel of green effect on it despite the busy location.

27. This is a shot of a Route 201 bus. Taken as it was passing Thammasat University on Phra Chan road. Bus number 201 – 15. Bus type unknown. A large number of Sanam Luang area routes use this narrow and often jammed road to turn around.

28. This is a shot of a Route 53: Innercity loop service – Thewet bus. Taken as it was heading west past Thammasat University on Phra Chan road. Bus number 7 – 50284. Bus type Isuzu non aircon. Note: this is the most convoluted and indirect bus route in Bangkok.

29. This is an image of a Route 203 bus. Taken as it was passing Thammasat University on Phra Chan road. Bus number unknown. Bus type unknown. This route has high number of these mini buses that operate in addition to the larger buses. Giving sub 30 second route headways at peak times.

30. This is an image of a Route 124 bus. Taken as it was passing Thammasat University on Phra Chan road. Bus number unknown. Bus type Merc non aircon.

31. This is a shot of a Route 203 bus. Taken as it was passing Thammasat University on Phra Chan road. Bus number BMTA 7 -50274. Bus type Isuzu non aircon.

32. This is a shot of a Route 524: Bang Khen – Sanam Luang bus. Taken looking east along Phra Chan road outside Thammasat University. Bus number 524 – 10. Bus type Merc 0305 aircon.

33. This is a shot of a cross river ferry just about to dock at Tha Chang. Note how people start to leave the boat before it has fully docked. Each boat carries 90 people but its likely more are carried than allowed during peak times as no counting is done by staff.

34. This is a shot of the Wat Rakhang cross river ferry. Taken looking west as it was powering across the Chao Phraya River. This cross river ferry is the lighter loaded of the two cross river ferries at Tha Chang.

35. This is a shot of the Siriraj Hospital cross river ferry. Taken looking west across the Chao Phraya River towards the Hospital from Tha Chang. This cross river ferry suffers from chronic overcrowding.

36. This is an image of the Wat Rakhang cross river ferry as it was docking at Wat Rakhang. Taken looking west across from Tha Chang. This temple is rather famous with locals.

37. This is a short movie of the Wat Rakhang cross river ferry as it approaches and docks at Tha Chang. Note the loading in the ferry and how people start to leave even before it has fully docked i.e. jumping the gap. These cross river ferries operate from 5am to 11pm 7 days a week.

38. This is a short movie of the busier Siriraj Hospital cross river ferry as it approaches and docks at Tha Chang. Note: the larger load on this ferry and the mostly standing load design on the ferries. Again passengers start to disembark before the ferry has fully docked. These cross river ferries cost 3 baht per trip.