80 The commercial framework behind this public transport role is more complicated. “Chao Phraya Express Boat operates without any government subsidy,” says Supapan, adding that state-owned public piers are free to use, while both scheduled public passenger boat fares and five-year per-vessel licences are regulated by the Marine Department. “Fare regulation is a key reason why water-based passenger transport has not been able to develop to its full potential.” The river is demanding because passenger boats, cross-river ferries, cargo craft, tugs, dinner cruises and sightseeing vessels share the same waterway. When it comes to scheduled services, Chao Phraya Express Boat operates alongside its sister tourist boat operation and Thai Smile Boat, but Supapan is clear that “competition among operators must remain at a level that does not compromise navigational safety”. Pier management is complex because public piers are mostly owned by the Marine Department, although some belong to temples or private owners, and many are shared. Supapan points to “the density of vessels on the river” and the need to manage “a large number of boats of all types and sizes”. Managing dwell times, passenger flows and traffic types requires landside public transport discipline, which is complicated by currents, wash and limited berthing space. Fleet design reflects those constraints. The 47-boat fleet includes 26 singleengine wooden monohulls built between 1992 and 2005, 11 twin-engine wooden monohulls dating from 1996 to 1999, four air-conditioned aluminium doubledeck catamarans delivered in 2020, and steel and aluminium monohulls built in 2024 and 2025, with four more due by October 2026. With the express boat fleet averaging about 24 years, renewal plans are dictated by more than age alone. The design envelope is shaped by bridge clearances, pier geometry, river width, passenger volume, wash, fuel efficiency and ease of maintenance. “The most important design criterion is the safety of the vessel in service,” says Supapan. Smaller vessels may be better for high-frequency services with lower demand, while tourist craft require a different balance of capacity, amenities and appearance. Electrification is now the strategic thread running through that renewal programme, even though Chao Phraya Express Boat does not yet operate its own electric passenger vessels. From 2022 to 2025, however, it operated electric craft on behalf of the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration on the Saen Saep Canal extension, gaining first-hand experience with electric FEATURED INTERVIEW Supapan Pichaironarongsongkram has been running Chao Phraya Express Boat for 55 years
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