Yangon Water Bus operation to resume
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NP News - July 23
Tint Tint Myanmar Company announced to restart the water bus operations in Yangon in the coming October 2022, according to the president of the company Tint Tint Lwin.
The company held a press conference on July 21 at Melia Hotel in Yangon.
This time operations amid the Covid-19 pandemic will be joint-ventured by companies from Thailand, Singapore and Hungary, Tint Tint Lwin said.
“It is too difficult situation all over the world so I cannot make to forward our company. I started my new plan and start looking for foreign partners from Thailand, Singapore and Hungary because I cannot buy the boats so I have to collaborate with them. If we do so, we can get the boats and we will share the profits together. That’s why I negotiate and discuss with them. After that they offered to support us fortunately”, Tint Tint Lwin said.
The water bus system was firstly started in Myanmar in October 2017. The operation is run under Tint Tint Myanmar Co. ltd.
In 2017, though, passengers around 3000 rode the Water Bus; the operations were suspended approximately for a year on upgrading jetties, boats and other infrastructures. The suspension took longer due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The company restarts the operations after collapse during hard situation.
The president of the company continued, “In this situation, it is really hard for us. It totally collapsed our company. But we just think about the public transportation. We shouldn’t stop our project. We must forward. It was really difficult for us to move on in this situation of Covid-19 period and our company’s budget. We had to overcome all of the hardships in this two years. In this two year, I had to prepare myself, how to restructure my company and also Water Bus project as the rehelp plan just like rehabilitation. I plan first how I will do that for plan A, B, C. Actually my plan A was totally stopped. I just moved to the plan B last two years.”
The company will restart with 2 boats and 5 jetties: Botahtaung Terminal; Nan Thi Da (Pansodan) Terminal; Lan Thit Jettie; Sar Par Chaung and Ant Gyi.
The bus fare will be officially announced in the last week of September. Payment will be based on the digital system and cashless. The prepaid card can also be used which is developed by the company.
Additionally, Tint Tint Lwin informed that in 2024-25, the company will extend their sub-business unit by establishing a local route to deliver the agricultural products form Ayeyawady Region to make easier waterway transportation system.