(Phuket) Launch of Smart Bus on February 28: Phuket Residents Countdown to the Era of Smart City Buses

Feb 05, 2018 | view 2,072

"Phuket City Development" is set to launch 10 smart buses on the route from the airport along the beach to Rawai, along with an application to enhance travel and services in Phuket at the end of February. This launch was postponed from the original plan to present it as a New Year gift to the people of Phuket.

In mid-2017, Phuket City Development Co., Ltd. (PKCD) held a seminar on the concepts and guidelines for developing Phuket at the Grand Ballroom of the Pearl Hotel, Phuket, chaired by Governor Noraphat Plodthong, along with deputy governors, officials, businesspeople, shareholders, local merchants, and representatives from civil society, totaling over 300 participants.

During that event, Dr. Phaijit Jinda, Managing Director, revealed that the company had studied and initiated the smart bus service, with an initial fleet of 10 buses and an investment of over 55 million baht.

Chairman Kan Prachumphan explained the master plan for Phuket's development (2017 - 2026), which is divided into four groups: urban planning and design for the revitalization of Phuket according to infrastructure development criteria, enhancing Phuket as a leading global tourist destination, and developing Phuket into a smart city.

Recently, on Wednesday (January 31), Mr. Watchara Jaruarayanon, Executive Director of Phuket City Development Co., Ltd. stated that the new Mercedes-Benz smart buses, totaling 10 units, will be fully operational on February 28.

"The schedule for the launch of all 10 smart buses will not change. Before the launch day, there will be advertising through large billboards in front of HomeWork, along with a launch event in front of the company office on the first floor of the HomeWork building in Phuket, before the buses are put into service," he said.

Mr. Watchara added that the presiding official for the opening ceremony has not yet been confirmed, but it is expected to be a high-ranking official from the Ministry of Transport along with the Governor of Phuket and relevant agencies. The details of the event will be kept confidential for now.

The main purpose of the smart bus is to address transportation issues in Phuket.

"The 10 smart buses will operate on a single route from the airport along the beach to Surin Beach, Kamala, Patong, Karon, Kata, and Rawai, taking approximately 30-45 minutes per trip. The first bus will depart from the airport and Rawai at 6:00 AM until 8:00 PM, with a total of 32 trips per day. This route is the first and only one with bus services, essentially a tourist route with 50 service stations, and the fare ranges from 50 to 170 baht," he stated.

"PKCD plans to test the 25-seat smart bus on February 10 on the actual route, using internal staff for initial rides, and will conduct real passenger trials before the official launch on February 28."

Additionally, the PKCD application named Choop.Me, developed by Phuket Application (PKAP), a subsidiary of Phuket City Development (PKCD) ("Choop" means "reserve" in southern Thai), will allow users to check the location of the smart bus and see if it is approaching their waiting position. Currently, it is not available for download but will be released simultaneously with the buses on February 28, and will only be usable with the buses. Hotel reservations are expected to be available between April and May.

PKCD aims to use the Phuket Smart Card, developed by the company, for payments across all services.

"Initially, payments will only be accepted for the bus service as it is still under development. In the future, it will be used for other services such as tour bookings, dining, and shopping," he added.

"The company has requested cooperation from Phuket Airport to provide parking space for the buses, which will be near the parking area. There will also be points of sale for the Phuket Smart Card, which can be purchased at the PKCD office. In the future, additional sales points may be added at convenience stores, tour counters, or even on the buses themselves, pending further meetings on the details."

"We are a company of Phuket people. We did not come into existence solely for business purposes. Our work is genuinely intended for the people of Phuket. In addition to the smart bus, we have other projects aimed at making Phuket a stable and sustainable province," Mr. Watchara stated.

The smart buses will be equipped with large luggage racks for tourists, ramps for wheelchair access, three CCTV cameras per bus that will record and send data to the control room at the PKCD office, GPS systems, and in-bus entertainment such as Wi-Fi and USB charging ports at every seat, emphasizing comfort within the 25-seat smart buses.