Over the decades, the iconic buses became symbols of Phuket Town, especially for their image harking back to yesteryear.
The ‘buses’ were simple: modified six-wheeled flatbed trucks fitted with wooden bench seats along the sides and wooden railings to keep passengers safe during the ride. Commuters would board and disembark using a set of steps attached to the rear.
The pink Pho Thong were launched in April 2008 under a new initiative by Paiboon Upatising, President of the Phuket Provincial Administrative Organisation (PPAO) at that time.
The moniker ‘Pho Thong’ was given for a variety of reasons. ‘Pho Thong’ comes from the Hokkien pronunciation of the Mandarin word 普通 (pǔtōng), literally meaning “ordinary two”.
The choice to call the buses ‘Pho Thong’ served as a dual reflection of the ethnic Chinese who live in Phuket Town and a reference to the already well-known blue ‘songthaew’, which continue to provide ‘bus services’ from Ranong Rd in Phuket Town to the far reaches of the island.
The ‘songthaew’ are named after the ‘two planks’ in the back that serve as the seats that passengers sit on.
The Pho Thong were painted pink, as pink is the provincial colour of Phuket.
The last of the Phuket ‘Pho Thong’ operated on the ‘Red Line’ ‒ from Chalong Pier to the main SuperCheap store in Ratsada ‒ on June 4, confirmed Rewat Areerob, current President of Phuket Provincial Administrative Organisation (PPAO).
The 24 iconic buses have now been dispersed to a variety of new homes, he explained.
“They were not scrapped, but donated to government schools, temples, mosques and charitable organisations in Phuket,” Mr Rewat said.
They might no longer even be pink, he added. “I’m not sure [if they’re still pink] since they have already been handed over. Some might have kept the pink colour, while others may have repainted them,” he said.
Mr Rewat defended the change, despite some blowback that officials were bringing an iconic symbol of Phuket into extinction.
“This move reduces long-term maintenance costs and aligns with environmental goals. We wanted something more efficient and cost-effective… That’s why we chose to go with EV buses instead.
“The EV buses offer better comfort and service, especially during the rainy season when the open-air Pho Thong buses were unpopular among locals,” he explained.
Although the new EV buses, painted blue and white, lack the colorful charm of the Pho Thong, the PPAO has no immediate plans to make them more colourful.
Instead, Mr Rewat urged the public to see the change as a step toward a cleaner, more sustainable future.
ROLLOUT
The new EV buses are now operating all services on the old Pho Thong routes: seven buses on the Yellow Line (Saphan Hin to Central Phuket); seven buses on the Green Line (Ratsada Pier to Baan Kathu School); and 10 buses on the Red Line the Red Line (Chalong Pier to SuperCheap).
“The EV rollout began with three buses on the Yellow Line on Dec 3 last year, followed by another three on the Green Line on Feb 25,” Mr Rewat explained.
“The Red Line was the last to receive any EVs. The first EVs rolled out on the Red Line on Mar 26, with additional buses gradually added to all routes until the entire fleet reached full operational capacity on June 4,” he added.
The new EV buses are “Asiastar JS6860GHN NG city buses”, manufactured in China at a cost of B5,070,833 each. They feature air conditioning, seating for 23 passengers, USB charging ports for passengers, 24-hour CCTV and wheelchair accessibility.
Each bus can travel up to 150 kilometres per charge, with recharging taking just one to two hours.
“The PPAO has two charging stations installed ‒ one at Saphan Hin and one opposite Ruam Pattana Sathit School [near Ratsada Pier] ‒ while a third at Chalong Pier is under construction and expected to open by September,” he said.
Fares are set at a flat rate of B15, with free rides offered to students, senior citizens, monks and people with disabilities.
Addressing concerns about job displacement, Mr Rewat stated that all former Pho Thong drivers had been laid off, and those wishing to continue must pass a new qualification test.
Some have already been referred for new roles through the Phuket City Development Company (PKCD).