Bangkok commuters and travellers are now able to access online information related to public transport, boats and traffic conditions at www.maps.google.co.th/transport, in order to prepare for journeys.

Information about more than 200 points of interest in Bangkok can also be accessed on the same website following a cooperative effort involving Google, the Office of Transport and Traffic Policy and Planning, the Bangkok Mass Transit Authority, the Bangkok Mass Transit System, Chao Phya Express Boats and subway operator Bangkok Metro.

The project set out to provide mapping, directions and route planning for various forms of land transportation in Bangkok, ranging from walking to buses, trains and cars. All are now available free of charge and in the Thai language on Google Maps.

Transit and traffic information are also available on mobile devices via Google Maps for Mobile. Commuters and motorists can check for latest updates on their cell phones to make route changes on-the-go. Google Maps for Mobile can be downloaded free of charge from http://m.google.co.th/maps, and the service allows commuters to input start and destination points, after which they will be given information about their route, time to destination, and traffic conditions.

 Google Southeast Asia's head of marketing in Thailand Pornthip Kongchun said the new service, accessed through Google Maps, was the first to offer seamless integration of transit and traffic information in Bangkok to help travellers to get around.

The information provided by Google Maps via computers and mobile phones includes bus and train schedules and locations and routes from the Bangkok Mass Transit Authority (BMTA), Skytrain operator Bangkok Mass Transit System (BTS), Chao Phya Express Boats and subway operator MRT. Google is also working with the Office of Transport and Traffic Policy and Planning (OTP) to integrate live traffic data into the popular and familiar user interface of Google Maps. 

Moreover, travellers can now use Google Maps to plan their routes and make an informed decision on the quickest and most convenient way to reach their destinations. Each time a Google Maps user requests driving directions, he or she will also be given plans for making the same trip by public transport, which will be useful when traffic en route is highlighted in red, or heavily congested, she said.

The head of the BMTA's office of information technology, Wisit Wongsaroj, said that each day, millions of commuters travelled the streets of Bangkok using BMTA buses. With the launch of transit information on Google Maps, with step-by-step instructions in Thai, it is now even easier to "go green" and use public transport , he said.

The Google project provides both residents and visitors to Bangkok with a comprehensive, easy-to-use trip planner that links BMTA buses to the rest of the city's mass-transit options, Wisit said. The BMTA is now in the first phase of providing route information covering four public bus routes, and expects soon to provide the same information on all city routes.

The OTP's director of technology information, Kobkul Mothana, said the new service would make it easy for Bangkok motorists to access information on current traffic conditions. It will ensure an efficient transportation system, helping Bangkok drivers to save on commuting time and expense by allowing them plan their routes in advance or change them on-the-go to avoid congested areas.

BTS chief administration officer Arkom Baramichai said Skytrain routes and schedules had been integrated into the Google Maps system to better inform Bangkok commuters about which mode of transport was best on any given day. The company believes that everyone in Bangkok will begin to use the new tool to make their daily commuting easier.

An MRT executive said the subway operator would provide information that would be integrated into Google Maps to make it easy for commuters to plan trips across multiple forms of public transport.

Google Southeast Asia's head of product management Andrew McGlinchey said his company's goal was to bring accurate and comprehensive land-transport information together on a global mapping platform for easy access, search and use on PCs or mobile phones by millions of Bangkok residents, or by users of Google Maps around the world.

"We are very excited to be launching this service in Bangkok and we hope that residents and visitors to the city, whether they are travelling by foot, bus, train or car, will find it helpful," said Google's Pornthip.

There are currently 1.7 million mass-transit users every day in Bangkok, and the city has more than 5 million motorists. These travellers can now use Google Maps to plan their trips around the city thanks to a unique collaborative project, she said.

People who have private cars can access traffic information before they leave home and can change their mind and use public transport, with advice on bus, Skytrain and subway routes. Regular public transport users can also opt to drive or take a taxi.