Bus No. 8 (Bangkok)

2-38 (8)
Overview
Operator	Private Joint Companies (Ordinary Bus) THAI SMILE BUS Company Limited (Air-Conditioner Bus)
Route
Start	Happy Land Village (Ordinary Bus) Kheha Romklao (Air-Conditioner Bus)
Via	The Mall Bang Kapi Lat Phrao Road Lat Phrao Intersection  BTS   MRT  Chatuchak Weekend Market Victory Monument  BTS  Ramathibodi Hospital Wat Saket Sampheng
End	Memorial Bridge
Service
Level	Daily
Frequency	5-15 minutes
Operates	04:00-24:00 (Ordinary Bus) 04:00-23:00 (Air-Conditioner Bus)
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Bangkok Bus Line 2-38 (8) is a bus route in Bangkok, Thailand. Running between Happy Land Village and Memorial Bridge via Lat Phrao Road, Phahonyothin Road, and Worachak Road. It is operated by many private-joint companies since 1955.^[1] and Thai Smile Bus Co., Ltd. (TSB) since 2022.

Bus Line 8 is notorious for reckless driving and atrocious customer service.^[2] Riders filed 345 complaints about the poor services of No. 8 buses in 2015, the highest number of BMTA complaints.^[3] On average, Bus line 8 receives about 20 complaints per month.^[4] In informal polling, it has been ranked as the worst bus service in Bangkok.^[5]

Bus line 8 operates via these primary locations:^[6]

• The Mall Bang Kapi
• Vejthani Hospital
• Imperial World Ladphrao
• Chok Chai 4 Market
• Ratchada-Ladphrao Intersection  MRT 
• Lat Phrao Intersection  BTS   MRT 
• Chatuchak Weekend Market  BTS   MRT 
• Soi Ari  BTS 
• Channel 5 Headquarters  BTS 
• Victory Monument  BTS 
• Ramathibodi Hospital
• Mahidol University Phaya Thai
• Saowani Junction
• Yommarat
• Saphan Khao
• Wat Saket
• Worachak Road
• Sampheng
• Memorial Bridge

Bus line 8 is operated by several private companies under concessions from the Bangkok Mass Transit Authority (BMTA). No. 8 line bus drivers are not paid a salary, but rather are paid a percentage of each day's receipts. This motivates them to make as many runs during their shifts as possible to earn more money.^[3]

• The BMTA punished two drivers of the No. 8 bus service for fist fighting on 14 May 2018. A dispute arose over whose bus would get more passengers. The two drivers confessed to having engaged in a fist fight, which was caught on camera and posted online by a Thai social media user. The BMTA fact-finding committee fined the driver who started the fight 5,000 baht and suspended him from work for seven days. His employer, Sap 88, was held accountable for the driver fighting in public and fined 5,000 baht. The second driver was fined 2,000 baht. Both men also received formal warnings.^[7]
• On 25 March 2016, a No. 8 bus crashed with a motorbike taxi, running over the head of the taxi's female passenger, killing her instantly. This prompted the BMTA to warn operators of No. 8 buses to improve services and ensure passenger safety or lose their concessions. BMTA officials briefed drivers and attendants of No. 8 buses at their terminals before the start of their shifts. They were told to stop at bus stops, not to race against one another, to follow traffic rules, and not to leave the slow, left lanes.^[3]
• On 23 June 2015, a No. 8 bus crashed headlong into a pickup truck, two cars, and a BTS Skytrain pillar. Two passengers and the driver sustained injuries. The driver was charged with reckless driving.^[8][9][10]
• In March 2014, a No. 8 Bus hit and crushed a motorcycle, instantly killing a 13-year-old boy.^[11]
• In 2011, a person was killed and another injured while waiting at a bus stop when a No. 8 Bus was vying with another bus for space at a bus stop.^[11]
• In October 2019, the driver of a No. 8 bus was sacked for "...slamming his way past level crossing barriers..." in Bangkok. The incident was captured in a video that went viral on social media. The bus is operated by 39 Group Ltd. which was fined 5,000 baht.^[12]
• During 16 July 2021 - 31 October 2022, BMTA operates air-conditioned buses, Line 8, on the route "Kheha Romklao - Memorial Bridge"
• In July 2022, private bus line 8 did not pass the service quality assessment from the Department of Land Transport. After this, the line number will be changed to 2-38, serviced by Thai Smile Bus Co., Ltd., which will switch to EV air-conditioned buses instead.
• On 19 August 2022, the Ministry of Transport (Thailand) held a ceremony to open EV bus service, Line 8, by Thai Smile Bus Co., Ltd.^[13]

Bus line 8 appears in a few video game mods.

• Left 4 Dead 2^[14]
• Grand Theft Auto V: The mod that showcase the bus went viral due to a YouTube video uploaded On 30 June 2015. The video shows the bus running amok on Bangkok streets, speeding and hitting buildings, until a final collision sends the bloodied driver flying from the bus.^[15]

• 
  32-109 : Re-stamped by DLT
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  32-112 : ??? ???
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  32-117 : ISUZU BXD40
• 
  32-119 : Re-stamped by DLT
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  32-121 : ISUZU BXD40
• 
  32-122 : Re-stamped by DLT
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  33-101 : ISUZU BXD40
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  33-102 : ISUZU BXD40
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  33-112 : Mercedes-Benz LP321
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  33-113 : Mercedes-Benz OF1413
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  35-102 : Re-stamped by DLT
• 
  35-103 : ??? ???
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  35-104 : Mercedes-Benz OF1617
• 
  35-107 : Re-stamped by DLT
• 
  35-108 : ISUZU BXD40
• 
  35-111 : Hino KL360
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  35-112 : Re-stamped by DLT
• 
  35-113 : Re-stamped by DLT
• 
  35-115 : Re-stamped by DLT
• 
  35-116 : ISUZU BXD40
• 
  35-118 : Mercedes-Benz LP911
• 
  35-119 : ISUZU BXD40
• 
  35-121 : ??? ???
• 
  35-124 : ISUZU BXD40
• 
  35-127 : Re-stamped by DLT
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  35-128 : Re-stamped by DLT
• 
  36-102 : ISUZU JCR600YNZZ
• 
  36-108 : ISUZU JCR600YNZZ
• 
  39-101 : Daewoo BF120
• 
  39-105 : ISUZU BXD40
• 
  39-106 : ISUZU BXD40
• 
  39-109 : ISUZU BXD40
• 
  39-110 : Leyland Albion Viking Vk55
• 
  39-114 : ISUZU BXD40
• 
  39-115 : ISUZU BXD40
• 
  39-117 : Daewoo BF120
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  39-120 : ISUZU BXD40
• 
  39-121 : ISUZU BXD40
• 
  39-122 : ISUZU BXD40
• 
  39-123 : Mercedes-Benz LP911
• 
  39-125 : Re-stamped by DLT
• 
  39-126 : ??? ???
• 
  39-129 : Re-stamped by DLT
• 
  39-130 : ISUZU BXD40
• 
  39-132 : ISUZU BF40
• 
  39-133 : ??? ???
• 
  39-134 : Mercedes-Benz OF1417
• 
  39-135 : Hino BX320

• Madness and Mayhem—Bangkok's Fast & Furious Number 8 Bus (good photos)

• v
• t
• e

Public transport systems in Bangkok Metropolitan Region

• Transport in Bangkok
• List of rapid transit stations in Bangkok
• Rail transport in Bangkok
• Mass Rapid Transit Master Plan in Bangkok Metropolitan Region

Railways

Inter-city rail and High-speed rail	Open State Railway of Thailand   Northern Line   Northeastern Line   Southern Line   Eastern Line   Maeklong Railway Under construction Eastern HSR (2029) Northeastern HSR (2026) Planned Northern HSR Southern HSR
Commuter rail	SRT   SRT   ARL  State Railway of Thailand Lopburi Kaeng Khoi Prachinburi Ratchaburi Suphan Buri
Rapid transit	BTS   BTS   MRT   MRT   MRT  (under construction, 2028)
Monorail	MRT   MRT   MRT  (planned)  MRL  (planned)  MRL  (planned)
People mover	BTS  Suvarnabhumi APM Don Mueang APM (planned)
Light rail and Tram	BTS  (planned) Trams in Bangkok (defunct)
Main stations	Krung Thep Aphiwat (Bang Sue) Bangkok (Hua Lamphong) Makkasan

Roads

Expressways	Chaloem Maha Nakhon Si Rat Chalong Rat Burapha Withi Udon Ratthaya Prachim Ratthaya Uttaraphimuk S1 Kanchanaphisek Rama III–Dao Khanong–Western Outer Ring Road (under construction, 2025)
Motorways	Open () () Under construction (2025) (2025) (2025) Planned
National highways	() () () ()

Buses

Operator	Bangkok BRT BMTA Thai Smile Bus
Major terminals	Bangkok Bus Terminal

Water transport

River	Chao Phraya Express Boat  OrangeFlag   YellowFlag  Mine Smart Ferry
Canals	Khlong Saen Saep boat service Khlong Phadung Krung Kasem boat service Khlong Phasi Charoen boat service