A STUDY OF PARATRANSIT PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM IN A REGIONAL CORE CITY OF DEVELOPING COUNTRY : A Case Study of Songtaew in Khonkaen, Thailand

In developing countries, paratransit system that developed informally fills the gap of conventional buses and private cars, and plays a significant role to meet the rapidly changing transit demand. This paper looks at Songtaew in Khonkaen, Thailand, as a case of paratransit system that provides convenient and cost effective transportation service for a provincial city away from major metropolitan areas. It analyses the characteristics of Khonkaen's Sontaew operation by comparing it with other cities; operating system for inner- and intra-city services; roles of public sector, operating organizations and drivers and their cooperation as well as users' profile.