Double-decker bus operators protest ban on the use of Khao Phap Pha route

Double-decker bus operators in Thailand’s southern provinces are demanding that the Transport Ministry and the Land Transport Department review the recent decision to ban them for using Highway 4, linking Phatthalung with Trang via Khao Phap Pha mountain, for safety reasons.

About 100 operators rallied at the base of the mountain road yesterday to protest against the ban, after they had parked their buses on the roadside.

Suriya Klaewthanong, president of the Association of Double-decker Bus operations, claimed that the ban will force the operators to take a detour to travel between Trang and Phatthalung.

He said that the detour is about 40km longer than 60km direct route, adding that the Phap Pha mountain route is an 8 percent incline and about one kilometre long and that there has not been an accident since the renovation of the route.

For buses from the three southern provinces bound for Phuket, they will have to travel through Phatthalung to Thung Song district of Nakhon Si Thammarat and then through Krabi province towards Phuket, which is further and takes longer, he explained.

Suriya said that the association plans to take the case to the Central Administrative Court to seek revocation of the ban.