thaitransit
Member
In the middle of February while visiting friends in Mukdahan I took a few hours to go and photograph the local mass transit and intercity buses around Mukdahan's bus terminal.
A little background on Mukdahan.
Mukdahan is a small Issan town of about 30000 people. Situated right on the Mekong river facing Savannakhet (Laos). Mukdahan is about 650 km north east of Bangkok. It is only accessible by bus either directly from Bangkok or via Ubon Ratchathani or Khon Kaen. The town is linked directly to Savannakhet via a 1.5km long road bridge about 10km north of Mukdahan.
Mukdahan is an important frontier and trade town in north east Thailand. Its importance grew with the opening of the Thai Lao bridge that allowed for direct road access to Vietnam and China via Laos. A number of large hotels were built to service the Thai Lao Vietnamese trade in the area. Close to the river front in central Mukdahan is a large international trading market where people from Laos, Vietnam and Thailand trade products of all kinds. This market is an importance source of economic activity in Mukdahan. The rest of Mukdahan's economy supports government services and the surrounding low income rural areas.
There have been plans recently drawn up to build a 4 lane highway right from Central Vietnam to Burma via Mukdahan for ease of international trade and cargo shipments by road. If this is built it will greatly help Mukdahan grow and improve the employment prospects for locals in the Mukdahan area.
The mass transit system of Mukdahan consists of Lao style motor trike taxis and a few Truck bus services that operate around the town and out into the rural hinterland. All of Mukdahan's mass transit and intercity buses converge on a central terminal about 1.5 km from the centre of the town. This bus terminal consists of about 30 departure platforms arranged in a typical island layout with the ticketing hall at one end.
If your heading to Bangkok from Mukdahan there are a number of VIP buses that depart between 7pm and 8pm every night. As well as a day VIP bus at 8.30am. Please see the VIP and Intercity bus guide for details on VIP buses and Thai Lao bus services out of Mukdahan. If your travelling to Vietnam take a bus to Savannakhet (Laos) from Mukdahan then take a bus to Vietnam these are most likely to depart in the morning from Savannakhet so an overnight stop in Savannakhet is recommended.
5. This is a shot of a Route 927: Bangkok Mukdahan VIP bus. Taken on arrival at Mukdahan bus terminal early in the morning. Bus number 927 870. Bus type Volvo B12B double deck aircon VIP intercity bus.
10. This is a general view of a group of intercity buses waiting in the bus holding area at Mukdahan bus terminal. The two buses on the left are transport company VIP buses and the buses on the right area 2nd class intercity buses.
13. This is a shot of a Route 235: Udon Thani - Mukdahan Ubon Ratchthani bus. Taken as it was arriving at Mukdahan bus terminal. Bus number: 235 5. Bus type: Hino 1st class aircon.
15. This is a shot of a Route 1: Mukdahan B.P.B local truck bus. Taken as it was approaching Mukdahan bus terminal. Truck number 1 1. Note the overcrowding on this truck bus.
21. This is a shot of a Route 927 bus. Taken as it was approaching Mukdahan bus terminal. Bus number 927 914. Bus type Volvo B12B double deck 1st class aircon.
22. This is a shot of a Route 927 bus. Taken as it was leaving Mukdahan bus terminal on its way to refuel. Bus number 927 22. Bus type unknown 2nd class aircon.
24. This is an image of a Route 927 bus. Taken as it was waiting in the bus holding area at Mukdahan bus terminal. Bus number 927 1. Bus type Volvo B12B double deck VIP. This is the other VIP bus company that links Bangkok with Mukdahan.
26. This is a shot of a Route 820 bus taken as it was arriving at Mukdahan bus terminal. Bus type IRIZAR. Bus number 820 M309. Operated by an offshoot of NCA company.
29. This is a shot of a Route 4 Thai Lao international bus. Taken as it was heading for the bus platforms at Mukdahan. Bus number 4 003. Bus type Hyundai Granbird.
37. This is a shot of Route 555 bus. Taken as it waits to depart from Mukdahan bus terminal. Bus number 555 30. Bus type Very old Merc non aircon. Note this route has both aircon and non aircon buses.
Now for something completely different.
Here is a video taken at the Transport company bus departure platforms at Mochit 2 at 9pm on a Tuesday night. Even on this mid week night its hard to find a place to sit down while you wait for your bus. On a Friday night just finding a place to stand in hard any ware near your bus platform due to huge numbers of people. Really despite over 150 bus departure platforms Mochit 2 is now too small for the ever growing demand placed on it. Despite it being only 15 years old.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_N-XSnWfEs0
If you would like to see more images from Mukdahan's Mass Transit system please visit:
http://thaitransit.blogspot.com/2010/03/mass-transit-of-mukdahan.html
I hope you enjoyed the images and information on Mukdahan's mass transit system. If you have any comments or questions about this topic please post some comments below.
A little background on Mukdahan.
Mukdahan is a small Issan town of about 30000 people. Situated right on the Mekong river facing Savannakhet (Laos). Mukdahan is about 650 km north east of Bangkok. It is only accessible by bus either directly from Bangkok or via Ubon Ratchathani or Khon Kaen. The town is linked directly to Savannakhet via a 1.5km long road bridge about 10km north of Mukdahan.
Mukdahan is an important frontier and trade town in north east Thailand. Its importance grew with the opening of the Thai Lao bridge that allowed for direct road access to Vietnam and China via Laos. A number of large hotels were built to service the Thai Lao Vietnamese trade in the area. Close to the river front in central Mukdahan is a large international trading market where people from Laos, Vietnam and Thailand trade products of all kinds. This market is an importance source of economic activity in Mukdahan. The rest of Mukdahan's economy supports government services and the surrounding low income rural areas.
There have been plans recently drawn up to build a 4 lane highway right from Central Vietnam to Burma via Mukdahan for ease of international trade and cargo shipments by road. If this is built it will greatly help Mukdahan grow and improve the employment prospects for locals in the Mukdahan area.
The mass transit system of Mukdahan consists of Lao style motor trike taxis and a few Truck bus services that operate around the town and out into the rural hinterland. All of Mukdahan's mass transit and intercity buses converge on a central terminal about 1.5 km from the centre of the town. This bus terminal consists of about 30 departure platforms arranged in a typical island layout with the ticketing hall at one end.
If your heading to Bangkok from Mukdahan there are a number of VIP buses that depart between 7pm and 8pm every night. As well as a day VIP bus at 8.30am. Please see the VIP and Intercity bus guide for details on VIP buses and Thai Lao bus services out of Mukdahan. If your travelling to Vietnam take a bus to Savannakhet (Laos) from Mukdahan then take a bus to Vietnam these are most likely to depart in the morning from Savannakhet so an overnight stop in Savannakhet is recommended.
5. This is a shot of a Route 927: Bangkok Mukdahan VIP bus. Taken on arrival at Mukdahan bus terminal early in the morning. Bus number 927 870. Bus type Volvo B12B double deck aircon VIP intercity bus.
10. This is a general view of a group of intercity buses waiting in the bus holding area at Mukdahan bus terminal. The two buses on the left are transport company VIP buses and the buses on the right area 2nd class intercity buses.
13. This is a shot of a Route 235: Udon Thani - Mukdahan Ubon Ratchthani bus. Taken as it was arriving at Mukdahan bus terminal. Bus number: 235 5. Bus type: Hino 1st class aircon.
15. This is a shot of a Route 1: Mukdahan B.P.B local truck bus. Taken as it was approaching Mukdahan bus terminal. Truck number 1 1. Note the overcrowding on this truck bus.
21. This is a shot of a Route 927 bus. Taken as it was approaching Mukdahan bus terminal. Bus number 927 914. Bus type Volvo B12B double deck 1st class aircon.
22. This is a shot of a Route 927 bus. Taken as it was leaving Mukdahan bus terminal on its way to refuel. Bus number 927 22. Bus type unknown 2nd class aircon.
24. This is an image of a Route 927 bus. Taken as it was waiting in the bus holding area at Mukdahan bus terminal. Bus number 927 1. Bus type Volvo B12B double deck VIP. This is the other VIP bus company that links Bangkok with Mukdahan.
26. This is a shot of a Route 820 bus taken as it was arriving at Mukdahan bus terminal. Bus type IRIZAR. Bus number 820 M309. Operated by an offshoot of NCA company.
29. This is a shot of a Route 4 Thai Lao international bus. Taken as it was heading for the bus platforms at Mukdahan. Bus number 4 003. Bus type Hyundai Granbird.
37. This is a shot of Route 555 bus. Taken as it waits to depart from Mukdahan bus terminal. Bus number 555 30. Bus type Very old Merc non aircon. Note this route has both aircon and non aircon buses.
Now for something completely different.
Here is a video taken at the Transport company bus departure platforms at Mochit 2 at 9pm on a Tuesday night. Even on this mid week night its hard to find a place to sit down while you wait for your bus. On a Friday night just finding a place to stand in hard any ware near your bus platform due to huge numbers of people. Really despite over 150 bus departure platforms Mochit 2 is now too small for the ever growing demand placed on it. Despite it being only 15 years old.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_N-XSnWfEs0
If you would like to see more images from Mukdahan's Mass Transit system please visit:
http://thaitransit.blogspot.com/2010/03/mass-transit-of-mukdahan.html
I hope you enjoyed the images and information on Mukdahan's mass transit system. If you have any comments or questions about this topic please post some comments below.