Private cars form the largest group of vehicles on Bangkok streets. Of these a large proportion are owner-driven and often carry only one passenger. Statussymbols aside, most people buy and use their own car because they have no other option. Where are the buses? They run infrequently and unpredictably and are packed and uncomfortable. Is it surprising that everyone who can afford to wants to travel in their own car and eschew the horrors of public transport? While it is natural for middle-class families to want to own a car family outings and so forth, government and private sector workers might well take a bus to work-if they could rely on a reliable, comfortable, reasonablypriced service which, if not actually door-to-door, at least came close. This is where the private sector should be playing a geater role because only masochists could claim to enjoy driving themselces to and from work in present traffic conditions.