.. Posted June 23, 2005 Report Share Posted June 23, 2005 Skytrain to have smart card system to link with the subway - translated and summarized by Wisarut Bholsithi from Bangkok Biznews, June 7, 2005 and found on 2Bangkok BTS is going to bid for the new smart card system to enable BTS to have a joint ticket with BMCL subway. There are three companies competing for the smart card system installation: 1. NSI (Singapore), 2. CUBIC (USA), 3. SINGAPORE TECH (Singapore) BTS would be able to pick the bid winner by the end of June 2005. The investment on a smart card system would be 150-200 million baht. BTSC and BMCL have cooperated with each other so as to train BTS officers to handle smart card systems. The BTSC and winner of the bidding will install the system and train BTS officers in the first two stations [Mochit - Asoke] while the rest will be done by the winning company alone. The new system will be ready for full service by the end of 2006. BTS will not buy any additional rolling stock for the time being. The current number of passengers are: 1) Weekdays: 380,000 passengers a day, 2) Weekends: 230,000-240,000 passengers a day There are 31 serviceable Skytrain sets from the available 35 sets. 2 of 4 standby sets will be used for another 2 years beginning at the end of 2005. After 2007, BTS will consider purchasing new sets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gummigut Posted June 27, 2005 Report Share Posted June 27, 2005 I wonder whatever happened to the Thai Smart Card. Probably died a slow death. <<burp>> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rickfarang Posted June 27, 2005 Report Share Posted June 27, 2005 "I wonder whatever happened to the Thai Smart Card. Probably died a slow death." If you are talking about the new identify card, it looks like they are still going through with it. The have the first batch and are deciding how to distribute them for testing. I was shocked that they cost to the government of the first cards amounted to about 3500 baht each. This was news about a week ago, so its alive and kicking. As for the joint rapid transit card, its about time. Now, if they would agree to change the name of either the Sukhumvit Station on the subway line and the adjoining Asoke Station on the skytrain so that passengers would know when to get off without studying the map, that would be nice too. And those beggars at the station exits..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nervous_Dog Posted June 27, 2005 Report Share Posted June 27, 2005 Ahhh - still going on, the accepted one doesn;t meet many of the TOR requirements, and is basically unacceptable according to ICT nd Science and Technology Minisries (Who are about to combine into one ministry by the way) However Interior has said we'll accept it, Final decision not made, follow it in the Wednesday Bangkok Post this week, Byteline section. Look for the column by Don, should mention something. Can call me if you want more details, as it's far from dead, but bring for here. DOG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.. Posted June 27, 2005 Author Report Share Posted June 27, 2005 If the Thais had their shit together (stop laughing you in the back! ), they would just copy the fan-freaking-tastic Octopus Card system they use in Hong Kong. Should be the benchmark for this type of payment system the world over. Cheers, SD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Khun_Kong Posted June 28, 2005 Report Share Posted June 28, 2005 rickfarang said: ... if they would agree to change the name of either the Sukhumvit Station on the subway line and the adjoining Asoke Station on the skytrain ... The first couple of times I asked for a ticket to the "Asoke" MRT stop, the asshole behind the window just kept giving me his lobotomy face. After several tries and finally help from Sher Lek Holmes, he said, "Ooooohh, Seloom". Do these people have any idea about context and that sort of thing? Was I reeeally the 1st farang to say "Asoke"? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nervous_Dog Posted June 28, 2005 Report Share Posted June 28, 2005 Isn;t Asoke BTS the same as Sukhumvit? "Seloom" is the same as "Saladang" Maybe thats why he was giving you a funny look? DOG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gummigut Posted June 29, 2005 Report Share Posted June 29, 2005 The Thai Smart Card is/was an organization that was going to issue a card along the same lines as the one in Hong Kong. Plans to distribute both a prepaid anonymous card and a non-anonymous card. Think it was called the Thai Smart Card Corporation. Sorry, not talking about the identity card. These folks were in the office tower by Central on Silom. Some of the Thai guys there were really nice people and was surprised they got roped into that situation. Lots of folks told them they would use it (CP [specifically their 7-11's], mobile companies, tollway, blah blah blah). Guess someone decided all this looks good, but probably like most everything else here, when it's time to put your cards on the table, everyone folded. As for the language stuff... I still remember a very "proper" farang woman on the skytrain. She asked what the next stop was. A Thai politely told her Siam station (see-am station). The farang was reading the station stops above the door. She patiently repeated the question and the Thai patiently answered. And then this woman said, "Oh, you mean s-eye-am station don't you?" <<burp>> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rickfarang Posted June 30, 2005 Report Share Posted June 30, 2005 "Was I reeeally the 1st farang to say "Asoke"? " Yeah, to him probably. Thanks for balzing the trail for the rest of us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nervous_Dog Posted June 30, 2005 Report Share Posted June 30, 2005 So - if you read yesterday sbangkok Post as I suggest early in the week, you'll see that the cards fail the TOR completely, but will they be accepted? DOOG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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