The return of the RTC Chiang Mai City Bus and the Light Rail Transit have sparked some hope for Chiang Mai's public transport system. However, these efforts continue to be hampered by concerns over practicality, insufficient government support, and lax regulation of private transport providers.

If you have recently been in Chiang Mai—whether as a resident or a visitor—you might have noticed new mini buses on the roads. Some of these are most likely RTC Chiang Mai City Buses, an initiative by the private sector aimed at creating a proper public transportation system for the city.

The RTC buses in Chiang Mai resuming operations, photographed in January 2024 at Chiang Mai Airport.

They resumed operations in December last year after a pause caused by the COVID-19 epidemic. Currently, they run on three routes: 24A, 24B, and 24C. A ticket costs 50 baht for the general public, with a 10-baht discount at partner shops, 20 baht for students and the elderly, and are free for the disabled and monks.

Since the launch, RTC buses have seen several adjustments. Ticket prices have increased from the original 30 baht, and the 11 large buses initially introduced in April 2018 have been replaced with fewer, smaller, but more efficient vehicles. To accommodate passengers despite the reduced frequency, customers can now schedule a ride by contacting 062-791-1649 or reaching out via the RTC Line official account.

“Currently, we allow passengers waiting at bus stops or along our bus routes to call to book with us right away because all of our buses are equipped with radios, capable of real-time coordination with each other,” Thapana Bunyapravitra, President of the Thai Association of Town Planning and Managing Director of Regional Transit Coperation Ltd, told the Lanner.

“The dispatcher will inform passengers of the expected arrival time of the bus for the passengers to decide. Once an agreement is made, the dispatcher will coordinate with the driver to pick up the passengers. There may be some delays or faster arrivals depending on traffic conditions.

“When the bus is near, the dispatcher will call the customer to prepare for boarding at the designated pick-up point. This method is a solution to the problem of having a limited number of buses and low frequency while still providing a comprehensive service.”

RTC Chiang Mai City Buses represented new hope for a city where locals have longed for a reliable public transportation system, similar to what Bangkok offers. Over the years, buses in various colours from different providers have come and gone, none managing to establish a lasting presence. Thus far, RTC has made determined efforts to break this pattern.

After the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of passengers dropped by 2 to 2.5 times, averaging only 102 per day. A report from April revealed that RTC incurred a loss of approximately 300,000 baht per month, totalling 1.8 million baht over 6 months since resuming operations in December last year. Despite the losses, RTC does not want to halt its services, as doing so would leave Chiang Mai without public transportation.

RTC has faced numerous challenges. First, it must break the habit of residents in a city where people rely primarily on personal vehicles, a reliance that contributes to PM pollutants. These pollutants, in turn, discourage people from waiting at bus stops and reduce the number of passengers, forcing the buses to reduce their frequency.

Even without the impact of PM pollution, some passengers have raised concerns about the long wait times for buses and the extended travel durations due to the numerous stops and the lengthy routes per trip. While this cycle could potentially be reversed over time, with an expanding passenger base leading to smaller routes and higher frequency, the pressing question remains whether RTC can persevere through the challenging initial phase.

To make matters worse, RTC's efforts have yet to yield favourable results due to insufficient infrastructure. Aside from a handful of private businesses permitting signage and bus stops at their locations, only two public agencies have offered support. Some officials have even gone so far as to chase RTC buses away from designated stops.

The passenger cabin of an RTC bus in Chiang Mai in 2019.

“Currently, there are two agencies who have come to help us,” said Thapana. “One is Chiang Mai Airport, which has designated parking spots for us. The other is the Chiang Mai Provincial Land Transport Office, which has granted us bus route concessions and has offered full assistance within its authority.”

“Other agencies apart from these have not yet given us any help, even though we have sent many letters. Even now, RTC has still not been granted permission to install signs in the area. As a result, the points where we stop now are like signs in a virtual world — in simple terms, passengers just know by themselves through the PR that the bus will arrive.

RTC also faces competition from other providers. Songthaew drivers, numbering around 2,000 on the roads, are known to be jealous of their passengers, which can create friction with RTC’s operations. However, their interests have become more aligned as they have joined RTC in calling on the government to combat unregistered vehicles operating through ride-hailing apps.

"We must run on routes. We must register as a business, which is very difficult to do. We must pass the test as an enterprise responsible for health, hygiene, and safety. The drivers must wear company uniforms. The employees have set working hours. The vehicles we use meet all the standards.” said Thapana.

“In contrast, there is another type of vehicle that downloads an app, comes in from other provinces, but can pick up passengers in Chiang Mai. This kind of vehicle is not subject to regulations at all. Even worse, in Chiang Mai Province, there are fewer than 200 app-based service vehicles registered with the Chiang Mai Provincial Land Transport Office, but there are actually about 3,000 operating in the city. Is this fair competition?"

Overlapping with lax regulations is the influence of consumer habits. A 2021 study by Nitchanart Chummano revealed that respondents preferred Grab services because of convenience, the user-friendly and straightforward application, reliability, adherence to agreed-upon service fees, and fast, punctual service.

All of these pressures on RTC could have been alleviated if the central government had adopted more proactive policies to tackle pollution and level the playing field, or if Local Administrative Organizations had been granted sufficient autonomy to address these issues. Unfortunately, neither has been the case.

Jurisdictional limit

As previously reported, the Chiang Mai Provincial Administrative Organization (PAO)’s priorities are heavily influenced by the central government, compelling them to focus on road construction rather than developing a transportation system. In the 2024 budget, a staggering 73% of the total budget—approximately 224,975,400 baht out of 304,751,510 baht—has been allocated to road construction and improvement.

Meanwhile, Chiang Mai Municipality has been operating its own "white buses" since October 2005. However, their reach is limited by the jurisdictional boundaries of the municipality. The white buses only operate within the first ring road, while traffic congestion issues often begin beyond the second ring road.

Moreover, the white buses do not serve key locations like Nakhonping Hospital, which lies outside the municipality’s boundaries. As a result, they have struggled to gain popularity among residents, leading to ongoing losses. However, the buses have continued to operate, sustained by subsidies from the municipality.

Table 1: Revenue and Expenses from 2015 to 2021 for Chiang Mai Municipality's Bus Operations (Unit: Baht)

Source: Annual Budget for 2016 – 2022 (Note: The Figure for 2021 is not available in the annual budget documents).

Table 2: Operating Revenue and Expenses from 2015 to 2021 for Chiang Mai Municipality's Bus Operations, Excluding Specific Budget Assistance (Unit: Baht)

Source: Annual Budget for 2016 – 2022

The amount of the subsidies highlights the uphill battle RTC faces and the resilience it demonstrates in the face of numerous challenges. Even when they stepped in to fill the gap in transport services left by the central government and Local Administrative Organizations, the relevant government agencies failed to offer the necessary support, and the Local Administrative Organizations were not permitted to assist.

In our previous report on policy failures regarding support for red songthaew buses, we noted that “power over public transport is concentrated in Bangkok, with minimal autonomy granted to Local Administrative Organizations (LAOs). The 1979 Land Transport Act designates the Provincial Land Transport Committee—whose members are primarily appointed in the capital—as the authority overseeing public transportation policies within each province.

“This committee is responsible for granting concession licenses, setting fare rates, determining vehicle types, and defining routes. According to the Act, the provincial governor serves as the chairperson of the committee for a term of four years. However, governors in Chiang Mai typically serve for an average of only two years, resulting in policies that are often unresponsive to local needs.

“In August, the People’s Party proposed a draft amendment to the Land Transport Act, suggesting that the chairperson of the transport committee be changed to the president of the provincial administrative organization (PAO). The proposal also aimed to increase the number of local representatives on the committee from one to five. However, the draft did not pass in parliament.”

Section 17 (21) of 1999 Determining Plans and Process of Decentralization to Local Government Organization Act specified that the LAOs shall have the authority to “provide public transportation and do traffic engineering” as part of managing public services for local residents. However, these provisions have not been fully implemented, as the Ministry of Transport still retains control through the Provincial Transport Committee.

Earlier in May, the Ministry of Transport issued Ministerial Regulation No. 67 (2021), allowing Local Administrative Organizations (LAOs) to apply for route concessions and design their own bus routes without depending solely on the Provincial Land Transport Office. However, this regulation positions LAOs as competitors in the market rather than granting them full authority to oversee and regulate the overall transportation system in their respective areas.

Invisible train

Another project widely discussed recently is the Light Rail Transit (LRT). Although studies for an electric train in Chiang Mai began as early as 1993, the question still looms large whether the project will ever come to fruition. As of recently, only the signs for the project remain, serving as a monument to the hope that development might one day reach the area.

In 2018, the Traffic Management Committee (TMC) tasked the Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand (MRTA) with overseeing the development of a light rail transit system in Chiang Mai, covering approximately 15.8 kilometres. However, the project came to a standstill during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In January 2024, the LRT project received an boost when then Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin visited Chiang Mai. Around the same time, the Ministry of Transport’s working group revisited the planned routes. The Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand (MRTA) confirmed that the project is progressing. The Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report is currently under review by experts.

The MRTA has outlined the project timeline: from 2025-2026, efforts will focus on determining the most appropriate investment model, with Cabinet approval expected in 2026. The project will then proceed to selecting a private sector partner (PPP) between 2027-2028. Construction is slated to begin in 2028, with operations anticipated to start in 2031.

The LRT project faces two related challenges. The first is the concern over potential further delays. The second is whether the impact on air pollution, already among the worst in the world, and traffic inconvenience during construction will outweigh the benefits of the project, especially considering that the proposed route may not effectively address traffic congestion or meet the transportation needs of the local population.

Some of these challenges are reflected in Invisible Train, a guerrilla theatre piece by Jakkrapan Sriwichai. In an interview with Echo, he revealed that during a one-month stint working in Bangkok, he was struck by the stark contrast between the public transport system in the capital and other provinces, particularly Chiang Mai. Having experienced the skytrain and subway, he was enraged by the disparity.

This led him to ask: what if Chiang Mai had an electric train system like Bangkok's? Jakkrapan therefore brought to life his Invisible Train, powered by walking, simulating the electric train's journey along the proposed routes of the Chiang Mai Light Rail Transit project. He even invited the public to join him on this invisible train ride, creating a real-world experience of what it might be like to travel along these routes. This performance aimed to create an immersive environment that helped people envision how the system could function in practice.

His artistic exploration of this question aims to challenge the status quo and bring attention to the issues of inequality in public infrastructure. However, his performance led to a different discovery: the routes proposed for such a system may not be practical. He came to realize that while the idea of an electric train sounds appealing, the infrastructure and design might not align with the realities and needs of Chiang Mai's urban landscape.

"The demonstration of the electric train is a confrontation with obstacles and the creation of obstacles because the thing itself is an obstacle to road users,” Jakkrapan told Lanner. “Even though the demonstration reduced the size of the train significantly, it still posed problems. And if the actual size doesn’t meet the actual needs, with no one using it, will it fail just like the previous public transport systems in Chiang Mai?"

Another case for decentralization

A study by the Thailand Development Research Institute (TDRI) found that transportation costs for Chiang Mai residents account for as much as 10% of the minimum wage, which averages around 350 baht per day. Therefore, round-trip transportation costs should average around 35 baht per day. As long as public transport providers cannot meet this expectation, residents will continue to rely on personal vehicles.

Reducing transportation costs benefits the economy by reducing workers' expenses, increasing their spending power, and enhancing their competitiveness. These challenges can be, and could have been addressed through an efficient transportation system. Unfortunately, this issue remains a significant challenge, not only for Chiang Mai but for Thailand as a whole.

To address this challenge, the government in Bangkok must grant more autonomy to Local Administrative Organizations (LAOs). Elected by local people, these organizations are better equipped to manage transport routes that respond to the specific needs of the community. They also have a deeper understanding of how to integrate different transport providers into a unified, cohesive system.

Restricted by the government for a long time, the LAOs may lack the confidence to innovate, even though several restrictions have been lifted or they have the opportunity to do so. To address this challenge, the local people must raise their voices to the LAOs, giving them the confidence they need to pave their own way, a move some localities have begun.