The mammoth bus rumbles down a chaotic Bangkok street, stopping every two blocks for passengers. As it halts in front of a large shopping center, a bewildered-looking male tourist begins to step aboard. The conductor immediately blocks his path. No, no, this one's not for you. Since their launch, most Lady Buses have been standing-room only, according to the BMTA's director.
Anecdotal evidence appears to back that claim.
Several Thai feminists have welcomed the buses, saying that they show the BMTA's concern for women and demonstrate that females are being recognized as equals in Thai society. But some activists claim that the Lady Buses are merely cosmetic changes, obscuring the reality that Thailand remains one of the more chauvinistic societies in the region. The Lady Buses are hardly a step forward. They appear to address harassment, but separating women is not the answer. There remain huge problems in Thai gender relations, but the government papers over them, by separating women onto different buses, for example.