jay-uk Posted August 23, 2011 Share Posted August 23, 2011 http://www.flightcentric.com/FC/FCnews/Smile,-you're-flying-Thai-2095.aspx New Thai Airways spin off "Thai Smile" to fly between Bangkok and Ubon next year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SantiSuk Posted August 23, 2011 Share Posted August 23, 2011 (edited) Replacing that other Thai Airways-related airline, Nok? Or is this a further attempt to squeeze Air Asia off the route, so that all these related companies can work the prices up. My cynicism knows no bounds A fourth airline on the route (already up to 7 flights a day each way to Bangkok) is looking like an embarrassment of riches, but hooray - particularly to have a further Swampy connection - as long as AA remains! Edited August 23, 2011 by SantiSuk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zzaa09 Posted August 23, 2011 Share Posted August 23, 2011 Replacing that other Thai Airways-related airline, Nok? Or is this a further attempt to squeeze Air Asia off the route, so that all these related companies can work the prices up. My cynicism knows no bounds A fourth airline on the route (already up to 7 flights a day each way to Bangkok) is looking like an embarrassment of riches, but hooray - particularly to have a further Swampy connection - as long as AA remains! Seems to be market saturation - in this case, Ubon. I've always thought that there was a place for service amongst the handful of larger domestic carriers in the mid-range market, places where little or no airline service exist and surely would be appreciated - Isaan, the northwest and west, and the south. Over the last few years, these smaller markets have suffered at the hands of the concentrated competition at a selected fews ports of entry. For whatever reason - Thai Airways, Nok Air, Asia Air, and the new Thai Smile don't seem to understand the broader profitability in serving the smaller mid-range markets.....as there is a willing and ready clientele destined for the starving markets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
afarang Posted August 23, 2011 Share Posted August 23, 2011 Jay- SO? Why do you need to fly? No fun in flying .Hassles getting to and from airports. Waiting time .Airports are such fun places to wait in, aren't they? Me ? I love the train. ( overnight), 2nd class sleeper, fun talking ,yes actually communicating with real people . and sharing a few ales with like minded people in the restaurant car.Looking at the scenery .Cannot do that from a plane. Be a brain ,Travel by Train. Be a pain ,travel by plane> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zzaa09 Posted August 23, 2011 Share Posted August 23, 2011 Jay- SO? Why do you need to fly? No fun in flying .Hassles getting to and from airports. Waiting time .Airports are such fun places to wait in, aren't they? Me ? I love the train. ( overnight), 2nd class sleeper, fun talking ,yes actually communicating with real people . and sharing a few ales with like minded people in the restaurant car.Looking at the scenery .Cannot do that from a plane. Be a brain ,Travel by Train. Be a pain ,travel by plane> I've long belonged to your camp, afarang. When we find ourselves in need of inter-country travel, for whatever reason, we rest on the less complicated venues of coach, train, or taxi. There is nothing convenient, time-saving, nor a value than this attempt to fly from point A to B in Thailand - it's just not worth the headaches. There are some circles that still lather over the prospects of domestic air travel as akin to ease-of-life. Though, many find out that this is not so. I would prefer not to be taken prisoner at the whims of the not very efficient air travel systems that inherently plague cross-country commutes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
livingthedream Posted August 23, 2011 Share Posted August 23, 2011 afarang- SO? Why do you need to take the train? No fun in trains .Hassles getting to and from train stations. Waiting time .Train stations are such fun places to wait in, aren't they? Me ? I love the plane( faster), economy class , fun talking ,yes actually communicating with real people . and sharing a few stories with like minded people in the .Looking at the scenery .Can do that from a plane. Scared of flying? ,Travel by Train. Be there first ,travel by plane> :jap: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zzaa09 Posted August 23, 2011 Share Posted August 23, 2011 afarang- SO? Why do you need to take the train? No fun in trains .Hassles getting to and from train stations. Waiting time .Train stations are such fun places to wait in, aren't they? Me ? I love the plane( faster), economy class , fun talking ,yes actually communicating with real people . and sharing a few stories with like minded people in the .Looking at the scenery .Can do that from a plane. Scared of flying? ,Travel by Train. Be there first ,travel by plane> :jap: No inconvenience or hassles in air travel, is there? Especially, if one doesn't have the luxury of living close enough too those few selected major airports.... Travel time to the respected airport. Waiting. More waiting....even more wasted time transiting to said airport. Safety and maintenance issues are at play, as well. Thai domestic carriers don't have such a sterling reputation, do they? ....and then, waiting. The bladdy waiting. In the same frame, one could be at their destination from alternative travel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MeMock Posted August 24, 2011 Share Posted August 24, 2011 If anyone tried to tell me that it was more convenient to travel from Ubon to Bangkok via train or bus instead of a plane I will call you stupid. I would then prove it to make sure anyone else reading realises the fact. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jay-uk Posted August 24, 2011 Author Share Posted August 24, 2011 (edited) I don't travel to/from Ubon as much as I would like but the chances we have had to fly have been enjoyable experiences mostly and never had any major problems or delays. NokAir seemed a bit of a free for all in terms of getting a seat but Thai airways were very good. Having said that i've always promised myself a train ride just for the hell of it to see what it is like. Each to his own but I certainly don't think that the frequent flyers are fools in any way as it still remains the least painful way up to Ubon. Hired a mini-bus and driver to get family upto Ubon once through the night and that was scary. Had to keep one eye open on the driver in case he fell a sleep at the wheel. Not likely to do that again in a rush! Edited August 24, 2011 by jay-uk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MeMock Posted August 24, 2011 Share Posted August 24, 2011 Hi Jay, For quite some time now Nok Air have had allocated seating for no charge. They even give you a snack and a drink. They are my favorite budget airline at the moment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jay-uk Posted August 24, 2011 Author Share Posted August 24, 2011 Yes, time passes too quick mate. It will be 4 years soon since our last trip. Far too long. Should be there early next year if all is well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
afarang Posted August 24, 2011 Share Posted August 24, 2011 (edited) If anyone tried to tell me that it was more convenient to travel from Ubon to Bangkok via train or bus instead of a plane I will call you stupid. I would then prove it to make sure anyone else reading realises the fact. That anyone else reading your stupidity realises the fact of your stupidity?You are the stupid one. You refuse to get it ,don't you? WE do not want to fly overland.!! We far prefer to go , preferably by train. I have travelled all over Thailand. By train .NEVER by plane and NEVER will. Overland. The pleasure ,the fun I have had on trains, where you are FREE to move around, interact with people , often in the restaurant car, is exquisite. Plane in Thailand is about one hour travel where for about 20 minutes,both Up and Down you are locked in your seat.You spend at least 40 minutes "locked In" You cannot have a long "involvement' with other people, So ,please don't crap on about how you have LONG involvements with other people. 40 minutes,up and down leaves you about 20 minutes available for discourse, with your immediate neighbour.On the train ,we have many joyful hours. I have been on all bar one overnight sleeper trains in Thailand,.Some , many times - Butterworth, Sungai Golok. Chiang Mai , Nong Khai ,and yes, yes,even, Ubon Ratchathani.May I be permitted to make a loud noise from one of my orifices? Edited August 24, 2011 by afarang Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
473geo Posted August 24, 2011 Share Posted August 24, 2011 If anyone tried to tell me that it was more convenient to travel from Ubon to Bangkok via train or bus instead of a plane I will call you stupid. I would then prove it to make sure anyone else reading realises the fact. That anyone else reading your stupidity realises the fact of your stupidity?You are the stupid one. You refuse to get it ,don't you? WE do not want to fly overland.!! We far prefer to go , preferably by train. I have travelled all over Thailand. By train .NEVER by plane and NEVER will. Overland. The pleasure ,the fun I have had on trains, where you are FREE to move around, interact with people , often in the restaurant car, is exquisite. Plane in Thailand is about one hour travel where for about 20 minutes,both Up and Down you are locked in your seat.You spend at least 40 minutes "locked In" You cannot have a long "involvement' with other people, So ,please don't crap on about how you have LONG involvements with other people. 40 minutes,up and down leaves you about 20 minutes available for discourse, with your immediate neighbour.On the train ,we have many joyful hours. I have been on all bar one overnight sleeper trains in Thailand,.Some , many times - Butterworth, Sungai Golok. Chiang Mai , Nong Khai ,and yes, yes,even, Ubon Ratchathani.May I be permitted to make a loud noise from one of my orifices? Your comments are just a tad one sided I would say, having travelled many ways to and from Surin, I find the VIP bus over night is cheap and ok if you can sleep, the first class sleepers are often fully booked on the train, second class ok, but overnight travel does not have the same experience value as a cheap wooden seat daytrip where you have the experience of all the various food at the stops, and mix with the Thai travellers Flying for me, even though the final journey leg is an hour or so from the airport, is the mode of travel where I can say I arrive most rested. I normally travel by VIP coach, if I have plenty of time, just because for more than one traveller coach is so much cheaper. Minibus hire is way more than it used to be, and if you can get first class sleeper, is the cost not much cheaper than current airline tickets? When I was single, I too favoured the train, and yes it was entertaining, but during the day when you could see the scenery, yes a good way to travel especially if you have bags of time. Now as the family has grown other options are more favourable, for one reason or another. I am pleased flights are available and although I would say a first time visitor might miss out on the train experience by flying, I feel a seasoned traveller should be allowed to make his journey effortless, as flying just about is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MeMock Posted August 25, 2011 Share Posted August 25, 2011 Your comments are just a tad one sided I would say, Rather stating the obvious I would think considering he says "I have travelled all over Thailand. By train .NEVER by plane and NEVER will. " Can't really see how he can compare planes in Thailand when he has never set foot inside one. Besides afarang, once again you seem to have caught the 'not reading carefully before mouthing off' disease. I simply said that planes are more convenient (especially in regards to the OP JayUk) then buses or trains from Ubon to Bangkok. I don't care if you can walk around and bore to death fellow travellers with tales of your bus rides around Thailand, that is not convenient - it is simply something you obviously enjoy. Please try and explain to me how it can be more convenient. I know you cannot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zzaa09 Posted August 25, 2011 Share Posted August 25, 2011 There was a time when I would have preferred to travel domestically by air. It was a choice that I enjoyed and appreciated. Certainly, commuting by air within the borders has change, drammatically, for the worst. Seems like all the committed domestic air carriers have turned suckee overnight. They all have a history of financial troubles, disrespectful and mindless service, unreputable maintenance, and typical Thai indifference towards everything. If one considers how many domestic airlines have come and gone in the last 10-15 years, it's mind-boggling. Some start-ups don't even get off the ground. Yet, all the expected slobbering and gushing is expected when these new regional carriers clarion themselves when they have yet to prove anything. Remembering the days when Thai Airways domestic served dozens upon dozens of major and minor airports with a broad and efficient network.......even the [then young] fledging Bangkok Air served a purpose before their ideals to expand unnecessarily became their downfall. Today, airline service doesn't have to be efficient and gracious because we don't expect it - therefore being perpetuated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SantiSuk Posted August 26, 2011 Share Posted August 26, 2011 The more that people travel the more they care nothing for service. I present the US domestic airline scene in support of that claim. I don't care either, actually. As long I can book it easily, it's good value, reasonably on time, and not uncomfortable (relative to the length of flight), I don't need seat choice, food and drink or smiley service . The Asian cheapies I have tried get most of these right with AA's booking process being the big exception. I resent the crap out of Fernandes' unethical approach to transparency - no matter how many awards he gets and how rich he becomes, AA is no better than that sleaze bag airline Ryan Air. If Thai Smile are going to bring Nok Air transparency and prices to the Ubon International to Suvarnabpum route then AA would be toast for me were it not for a lingering doubt about a Thai/Nok/TS anti-competitive grab. PS. I like trains too and use them a lot in Europe. One day Thailand will have a service that persuades many of us to kick the airline habit (reasonably quick/on-line seat purchase/choice of services) - but seems unlikely in my lifetime unless Thailand gets invaded by China. Hi-speed trains from Swampy to Korat and a modest upgrade to 'our' line (or to Highway 24 in Surin province) would be a start. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zzaa09 Posted August 26, 2011 Share Posted August 26, 2011 PS. I like trains too and use them a lot in Europe. One day Thailand will have a service that persuades many of us to kick the airline habit (reasonably quick/on-line seat purchase/choice of services) - but seems unlikely in my lifetime unless Thailand gets invaded by China. Hi-speed trains from Swampy to Korat and a modest upgrade to 'our' line (or to Highway 24 in Surin province) would be a start. I fancy the grand ideals of exanding the larger rail system throughout Thailand, yet like you, I feel this will never come about in our children's lifetime - less a fashionable hi-speed network that might be the norm in places like China, France, Japan, etc. It's just not in the overall Thai character, less their business acumen, to advance in this manner. It is what it is. Touching upon Surin is a definitive example that plagues locales throughout the country. A perceived market that is not large to support regularly scheduled airline service, so deflects those to Buriram and Korat. Barely surviving the train line [the old Ubon-BKK route] cut-backs. Just recently, the upgrades to principle arterials in and out of Surin have lessened the challange of ground transport. Sure, Surin now enjoys the services of Nakhon Chai coach services and the newly anointed Thai Regional Airlines, but a market like Surin deserves more access to a larger piece of the inter-country "mass-transit" pie. Surin is but an example of communities throughout the country that lack proper and upgraded services that have a supportive market already in place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
callao Posted August 28, 2011 Share Posted August 28, 2011 Jay- SO? Why do you need to fly? No fun in flying .Hassles getting to and from airports. Waiting time .Airports are such fun places to wait in, aren't they? Me ? I love the train. ( overnight), 2nd class sleeper, fun talking ,yes actually communicating with real people . and sharing a few ales with like minded people in the restaurant car.Looking at the scenery .Cannot do that from a plane. Be a brain ,Travel by Train. Be a pain ,travel by plane> I just did both , I took the train Up bkk to Nong Khai and flew back, had issues on both, Try getting to BKK train station from Pattaya in a cab for the evening train, I think everyone in Bangkok was going that way, train is cheaper2250Bt up on the train for 2 1st class no problem loading the compartment up with shopping bags of the GF , on the way back if you are by yourself taxis start at 1200bt and you have to squeeze them to 900bt Nong Khai to Udon arport plus 2100 bt for Thai airways flight adds up I guess it is nice to have the optoin for both Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
songhklasid Posted August 29, 2011 Share Posted August 29, 2011 For some of us, who dont happen to reside full time in isaan. We have a tendancy to get to mai-noi etc, @ the fastest possible rate bring on direct flights ,save going thruBKK. regards songhklasidsid Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zzaa09 Posted August 29, 2011 Share Posted August 29, 2011 For some of us, who dont happen to reside full time in isaan. We have a tendancy to get to mai-noi etc, @ the fastest possible rate bring on direct flights ,save going thruBKK. regards songhklasidsid Getting point-to-point without detouring through BKK would always be a cause for celebration. Yet, you'll find that's usually not the operational procedure as to an airline hub, in which Swampy/Don Muang serve. The practical and rare cases where the respective carrier will find it more economically feasible to route themselves to a locale without running through a hub is a blessing indeed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AsiaWolfie Posted August 30, 2011 Share Posted August 30, 2011 to return to the actual topic: Thai Smile will simply entirely REPLACE TG's flights to Ubon as well as other destinations (Udon, Surat, Khonkaen etc.) TG will give up most domestic routes, except for trunk routes such as CNX and HKT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zzaa09 Posted August 30, 2011 Share Posted August 30, 2011 to return to the actual topic: Thai Smile will simply entirely REPLACE TG's flights to Ubon as well as other destinations (Udon, Surat, Khonkaen etc.) TG will give up most domestic routes, except for trunk routes such as CNX and HKT End of an era for Thai Airways domestic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
473geo Posted September 10, 2011 Share Posted September 10, 2011 Your comments are just a tad one sided I would say, Rather stating the obvious I would think considering he says "I have travelled all over Thailand. By train .NEVER by plane and NEVER will. " Can't really see how he can compare planes in Thailand when he has never set foot inside one. Besides afarang, once again you seem to have caught the 'not reading carefully before mouthing off' disease. I simply said that planes are more convenient (especially in regards to the OP JayUk) then buses or trains from Ubon to Bangkok. I don't care if you can walk around and bore to death fellow travellers with tales of your bus rides around Thailand, that is not convenient - it is simply something you obviously enjoy. Please try and explain to me how it can be more convenient. I know you cannot. I think you really need to take your own advice.......try reading my post........not just the first 3 lines.........just to assist here is the last sentence...... "I am pleased flights are available and although I would say a first time visitor might miss out on the train experience by flying, I feel a seasoned traveller should be allowed to make his journey effortless, as flying just about is" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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