Pattaya City's authorities agreed yesterday to shorten the free microbus trial period from 6-months to only 45-days after protests from the local Baht Bus or Songthaew drivers (Local Pattaya taxi service).

The trial with Pattaya's free bus service began on 14 February 2004 as part of an effort to find solutions for the ever growing traffic problem in this famous Thailand beach resort.

Pattaya City Hall officials are using the free bus system to gauge public demand for their new transport system within the town's limits, but songthaew driver's cried foul, saying that the livelihood of their Baht Bus business was threatened and called for an immediate stop of the city's free transportation system.

Most locals and tourists will use the free bus service, so how are we going to survive?" said Khun Banjerd Kaewthongdee, the president of Pattaya's Public Transport Songthaew Group. Khun Banjerd yesterday had a private meeting with Pattaya City officials to tackle the problems arising from a free transportation service in Pattaya beach resort.

After the meeting, Pattaya officials agreed to reduce the free microbus trial to only 45-days instead of 6-months. Bus fares will be collected for the remaining period of the micro-bus trial. "We simply wanted to collect information on the number of passengers and their transport needs", said Khun Sittiparp Muangkhum, a senior official of Pattaya City.

The experiment with the City's run micro-bus is necessary because the Baht Bus (songthaew) system is failing to deliver an efficient and satisfying way of transport since the 20 years it has operated in Pattaya Beach., Bang Lamung (Pattaya District) District chief Suraphol Thiensuwan said.