Keeping Bangkok moving by river Supapan Pichaironarongsongkram discusses with Philippe Holthof why Chao Phraya Express Boat is prioritising commuter reliability Although Chao Phraya River in Bangkok, Thailand, is often seen through visitors’ eyes, it is primarily considered a transport corridor by Chao Phraya Express Boat, which offers a high-frequency service closer to metro, tram, or commuter rail than to sightseeing. Supapan Pichaironarongsongkram, the company’s chairperson, describes Bangkok as a “city of waterways”, with the river long serving as one of its main transport arteries. The company’s fleet of 47 boats provides around 100 scheduled trips daily from 06:00 to 20:00, linking 35 piers over a 31-kilometre corridor between Pak Kret and Wat Rajsingkorn. “Travelling by water avoids road congestion, allowing travel times to be predicted accurately,” says Supapan. “It is convenient, fast and affordable.” Chao Phraya Express Boat is part of Supatra Group, the family business that has grown into 13 companies spanning boat services, retail, hotels, restaurants and advertising, while remaining closely connected to the water. Supapan has been in the business for 55 years, having been appointed managing director at the age of 26 after her mother, Khunying Supatra Singholaka, acquired the public river bus operation from Thailand’s Ministry of Transport and established Chao Phraya Express Boat in 1971. She represents the third generation of women in the family to helm a maritime business – her grandmother, Khunying Boonpan Singholaka, founded a crossriver passenger boat company near the Grand Palace over a century ago. Supapan’s daughter Natapree has now joined the business too. Reflecting on how unexpectedly she took the helm, Supapan recalls: “I was armed with a bachelor’s degree in liberal arts, mainly languages, and had no knowledge of the marine industry. There are no secrets to our success, just the willingness to put our best efforts into everything that we do.” Today, the group’s boat activities cover express boats, cross-river ferries, and the Chao Phraya Tourist Boat hop-on hop-off operation. Supapan describes the scheduled express boats as “like buses plying regular routes”. The service carries a predominantly local market, with commuter and tourist traffic split roughly 70:30. The group’s three boat companies carried around 12 million passengers in 2025, with Chao Phraya Express Boat itself averaging more than 5.6 million passengers per year. FEATURED INTERVIEW “ There are no secrets to our success, just the willingness to put our best efforts into everything that we do” 78
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