[sustran] Re: Canal transport in Bangkok

[Brendan Finn]

In response to Craig's comments on river / canal transport in Bangkok, it might not be best practice, but it certainly is interesting practice. The services are well organised and effective, even if they could be tidied up somewhat. 

As I was in Bangkok earlier this week, I took the opportunity to look at the ferry operations along the Klong Saen Saeb (San Sap), which runs from the old city (near the Golden Mount temple) due east to the edge of the city. I did a simple boarding/alighting survey at Th. Phaya Thai beside the Ratchathewi BTS stop, measuring also total passengers and headways for one-hour periods in the morning and evening. Boats arrived at about 20/hour in each direction, carrying about 500 px/hour each way in the evening peak and over 800 px. downstream in the morning peak. >From a separate observation, I know that there is also a lot of boarding/alighting at the next upstream jetty at Th. Ratchadamri, so the total use of the khlong service is higher. While these figures don't put the boat services in the same league as rail, they compare favourably to a good bus route, and certainly have the potential for higher utilisation. Jetties are often sited at road bridges, allowing people to access the street-based transport services. As with all of Bangkok's transport services, planned integration (or even information about the options) would make a world of difference.

Operations are slick, with excellent dwell time at jetties. This is, of course, achieved through nimble footwork and balance by passengers that would put the heart crossways on any western health and safety officer. As with crossing the street in Bangkok, you take it very seriously and as a result you don't get sloppy. Nonetheless, boat crews were more than willing to wait for slower, nervous or encumbered passengers, and to tie up the boat if necessary. Operating speed was good, and certainly faster than anything on the street. Passengers don't usually get splashed because there is a pull-up screen to provide protection. The one nasty safety issue I observed yesterday morning was where a mattress had been chucked in the canal and formed a floating hazard. It had fouled the propellers of one of the boats, and a crew member had to repeatedly go under the dirty water to cut it away.  

My original point was about what lessons can be learned, not about what is perfect. As a transport professional, I came away very impressed with what I saw, and felt that I had learned something. As a user, I liked it and found it faster, cheaper and more interesting than other options available. Where it suited my trip purpose I used it; and where it didn't, I used other modes.

Hope this is of some interest or use.

With best wishes.


Brendan Finn.

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  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Craig Townsend 
  To: sustran-discuss at jca.ax.apc.org 
  Sent: 05 February 2002 10:39

  a) The use of river and canal transport in Bangkok, which offers fast options to bypass the street traffic.
   
  I agree that river and canal transport offers untapped potential for developed and developing cities. However, Bangkok certainly isn't a best practice. For much of the history of Bangkok, most movement was via waterway. However, the use of waterways has declined rapidly as extensive road building and rapid motorization began in the 1940s/50s. Due to difficulties in assembling land for rights of way required for road-based transport in such a dense city, and pressure from a number of sources to build roads, many of the canals were filled in and turned into roads. This practice continues, and the current governor who has no budget to spend on land acquisition has identified canals that can be used for expressway and rail rights of way (but the Thai government generally won't fund rail so just the roads will be built).  Consultants from many developed nations have included improvement of water-based transport in most plans for Bangkok, but it is not viewed as a viable option by local people and officials. Some increases in water-based services were made in the 1990s, but they appear to have declined since the late 1990s. It is also extremely dangerous (30 students died when one pier collapsed a few years ago) and physically demanding to board and reach the boats, and if you are splashed by the water it can be very uncomfortable and dangerous as the canals and the river are also the city's sewerage system. There are few residential and commercial activities close to the waterways, so it is not really faster for most trips. 

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