Nakhonchai 21 and Nakhonchai Tour companies confirm no increase in "fare prices" and call on the government to cap "diesel fuel" to enable continued operations.
On 25 Mar 2026 GMT+7, Mr. Chaiwat Wongbenjarat, Managing Director of Nakhonchai 21 and Deputy Managing Director of Nakhonchai Tour Co., Ltd., disclosed an overview of advance seat bookings during the Songkran festival. For the Bangkok-Nakhon Ratchasima route, Nakhonchai 21 opened reservations 30 days in advance, with passengers gradually booking since early March. Currently, about 4,000 advance bookings have been made, which is considered normal compared to other festivals.
There are about 15 days left before Songkran, and bookings are expected to rise, but no significant changes in booking patterns have been observed, despite speculation that rising fuel costs might encourage more people to use public transport. The travel trend this year is expected to be similar to previous festivals, as both positive and negative factors need to be considered together.
On one hand, people may choose public transport more due to high fuel costs; on the other hand, some may delay travel or reduce trip frequency to control expenses. Concerns about fuel availability and quotas remain, requiring close monitoring next week to see if the situation aligns with government announcements.
To prepare for passengers, if there are no fuel supply obstacles, Nakhonchai 21 and Nakhonchai Tour plan to increase trips by about 25 to 30 percent over normal levels, which is standard among public transport operators. Some companies may increase trips by 10 to 40 percent depending on their circumstances.
Additionally, arrangements have been made to coordinate available tour buses during this period to supplement capacity, ensuring sufficient and comfortable service for travelers.
Currently, diesel fuel prices at service stations have risen to about 33 baht per liter, directly impacting bus operators. During festivals with high passenger numbers, operations can be maintained, but outside these periods, if diesel prices remain high, the "load factor"—passengers per trip—immediately becomes an issue. If passenger management does not match costs, severe losses per trip will occur.
Therefore, the first necessary measure for operators’ survival is to reduce the number of trips to increase passengers per trip and cover rising fuel costs. While all operators strive to serve the public fully, sustained losses make continued operations unsustainable long-term.
Beyond fuel costs, operators face price hikes on other goods and services starting April 2026, including drinking water, snacks, and spare parts. These pressures force companies to intensify internal management, focusing on energy savings and optimizing human resource usage for maximum efficiency.
An important issue requiring government attention is the disparity between fuel prices at stations and the prices paid by transport operators buying directly from jobbers. While pump prices are capped by the oil fund, operators pay nearly 10 baht more per liter for fuel purchased directly, a cost burden they cannot bear.
Currently, Nakhonchai 21 and Nakhonchai Tour operate 130 air-conditioned buses on five routes: Nakhon Ratchasima–Bangkok, Nakhon Ratchasima–Chiang Mai, Nakhon Ratchasima–Chiang Rai, Nakhon Ratchasima–Nakhon Sawan, and Nakhon Ratchasima–Mukdahan. They consume 10,000 liters of diesel daily, totaling 300,000 liters monthly, and employ 400 staff members.