At 3:00 PM on April 26, Mr. Bank Itthipon shared with “Fresh News Online” his experience after purchasing a VIP tour bus ticket but ending up sitting on a hard makeshift seat on top of the toilet roof, despite paying the same fare as other passengers. Eventually, unable to bear it any longer, he requested to disembark in the middle of the journey.
Mr. Bank explained that on April 24th, he and his girlfriend purchased VIP tour bus tickets from Ubon Ratchathani to Bangkok. They boarded the bus at Dong Kaen Yai village, Yasothon Province, where they were instructed to pay for two tickets in advance, totaling 1,060 baht. They were then told to board the bus at 4:30 PM to secure their seats. Following the staff’s instructions, Mr. Bank boarded the tour bus, only to discover himself sitting on a hard surface resembling a bathroom wall, as the area below was the restroom and not an actual seat. Feeling shocked, he was unable to react in time as the bus departed.
Mr. Bank later decided to inform the staff to drop him and his girlfriend off in downtown Yasothon as he needed to change buses due to the discomfort of nearly 10 hours of travel. Despite having traveled only 30 kilometers, he felt it was a waste of money and a disrespect to consumers. He emphasized that if they had been informed earlier that there were no seats available, they would not have purchased the tickets. In his view, a VIP ticket should include proper seating. He also highlighted that elderly passengers or those traveling to visit family in Bangkok would have to endure hours of discomfort, which may not be feasible for everyone.
Mr. Bank urged the relevant authorities to address and rectify the situation, emphasizing the importance of not disrespecting consumers. After sharing his experience on social media, he discovered that many other consumers had faced similar situations.
