Songthaew Fares in Pattaya

[papillon 695]

Do you think it would be easier to hail a Baht Bus in Pattaya if the fare was increased to Twenty Baht?

 

Quite a few times I've gone to climb onto a BB and the fucker has just put pedal to the metal and roared off. Makes you look a proper cunt.

 

I think I could even handle Thirty Baht for Farangs and Fifteen for Thais.

 

I think the Drivers deserve an increase, it's long overdue.

 

Are more Songthaews needed to cater for all the Russians that private hire them?

[Wings 55]

Do you think it would be easier to hail a Baht Bus in Pattaya if the fare was increased to Twenty Baht?

 

Quite a few times I've gone to climb onto a BB and the fucker has just put pedal to the metal and roared off. Makes you look a proper cunt.

 

I think I could even handle Thirty Baht for Farangs and Fifteen for Thais.

 

I think the Drivers deserve an increase, it's long overdue.

 

Are more Songthaews needed to cater for all the Russians that private hire them?

 

No incrrease needed as i have seen people giving the drivers 100 baht for a 10 baht trip. The reason they don't stop for you is that they are looking for a group to pick up and charge them 5000% more if they can.

 

One time a guy and his wife (Farlang) stopped the bus i was on alone and asked the driver how much to a hotel (Only 5 min drive) he said 1000 baht and they said yes. The driver kicked me off the bus and took them. The guy did tell me what he was going to pay but i couldn't warn him as the driver was already next to me telling me to get off. (Som Nar Nar Him)

 

See this all too much lately, they will drive past 1 person.

[Gabor 296]

I bet, they were russians....

[papillon 695]

The reason they don't stop for you is that they are looking for a group to pick up and charge them 5000% more if they can.

Yeah I know that but if regular fare was increased they might be more tempted to stop and pickup solitary passengers.

 

If it's true that the Drivers are making more money overall by doing private hires then the City needs to allow more Licenses and get more Songthaews on the streets.

 

If people can't catch a bus they're going to drive their cars and bikes into town adding to the congestion.

 

Waste of fucking time widening Beach Road if it means 4 lanes of parked cars instead of three.

[MM 6,562]

Last thing the city needs is more baht buses on the roads.

[teelack 8,359]

Plus 1 for me. They do however need to be managed in a better way.

Last thing the city needs is more baht buses on the roads.

[MM 6,562]

Plus 1 for me. They do however need to be managed in a better way.

Agreed. But with the new quality tourists commendering them at high prices, I don't see how managing them will work. More buses isn't the answer, because outside of busy times, they are running empty and accounting for most of the traffic.

[js007 795]

Sometimes, they're empty, and drive on by.

 

Pattaya needs a bus system, or maybe some trolley lines. Mass transit with a definite schedule and route(s). That way all the taxi cabs could get lost and compete with each other for the suckers.

[nkped 1,207]

Sometimes, they're empty, and drive on by.

 

Pattaya needs a bus system, or maybe some trolley lines. Mass transit with a definite schedule and route(s). That way all the taxi cabs could get lost and compete with each other for the suckers.

It's working fine at 10 baht right now. In January, you will quickly see that a fleet of pickups just is not adequate as a mass transit system anymore. That's due to the number of people wanting to get around and not the fare.

[BeerBelly 1,013]

Do you think it would be easier to hail a Baht Bus in Pattaya if the fare was increased to Twenty Baht?

 

Quite a few times I've gone to climb onto a BB and the fucker has just put pedal to the metal and roared off. Makes you look a proper cunt.

 

I think I could even handle Thirty Baht for Farangs and Fifteen for Thais.

 

I think the Drivers deserve an increase, it's long overdue.

 

Are more Songthaews needed to cater for all the Russians that private hire them?

`

Maybe I'm doing something wrong, and I certainly don't have a lot of experience, but I've never had an issue getting a baht bus. If the traffic is moving and one doesn't stop, then another will be by in less than ten seconds.

 

The issues I have had are getting on a songthaew that is waiting for more customers and they just wait until it is at 100% capacity. I usually get off after a few minutes and get one that is already moving. Another issue is taking a songthaew on Beach Road that turns before South Pattaya Road.

[short 215]

Maybe we need to train the Russians on what to pay.

[ttk 236]

Yeah I know that but if regular fare was increased they might be more tempted to stop and pickup solitary passengers.

I don't see how even doubling the standard fare to 20 baht would get the buses to stop for solitary passengers if they can get 1000 for private hires. Even with 15 on the bus they are way ahead with private charters.

I don't have much problem getting a bus at the current rates. Yeah, there are a few that blow past the residence Garden...and then get stuck 100 yards down the road ... At most it been maybe 5 minutes wait and at peak times, it is much faster to walk toSouth Pattaya road anyway

[python 27]

Last thing the city needs is more baht buses on the roads.

 

I agree. There are far to many vehicles, both 2 and 4 wheel, on the roads in Pattaya. The widening of Beach Rd will/has only provided more parking space and solve nothing. I think Baht Buses and motorbikes should be allowed on Beach Rd but controls or restrictions could be placed on parking and vehicles such as coaches and lorries that may not need to be on that road. What other city would allow coaches to park the length of its main street then pay to widen the road? Also, what pisses me off are the arseholes driving huge 4x4's up and down Soi's like 6,7 & 8 that any busy with pedestrians just because they can .

 

As for the BB drivers scamming passengers, could City Hall not make a real attempt to ensure the BB drivers clearly display charges in the back like you see in some BB's or put signs explaining costs and routes along the various BB circuits?

 

I don't think the price is an issue, and besides how stupid would you have to be when you every other passenger handing the driver a coin, or getting change from a 20Tbt note when they get off.

[short 215]

 

 

Time for Pattaya Original Rail Network.

[steamer 158]

Haven't had a problem getting songthaew's myself. They should limit delivery's to before 13:00 on beach road tho.

[jacko 8,578]

Agreed. But with the new quality tourists commendering them at high prices, I don't see how managing them will work. More buses isn't the answer, because outside of busy times, they are running empty and accounting for most of the traffic.

Moving and stationary.

Have you seen the line down 2nd rd from Tai after 2am!

[Gary 4,066]

I was going from Pattaya to Jomtien, I waved down a Jomtien bound baht bus and was on the way. The baht bus was then waved down by a group of six people who talked to the driver a long time. They all piled in and off we went. The baht bus turned off and headed up the hill and stopped at one of the fancy hotels. I got off and asked the driver if he was now going to go to Jomtien. His answer was that he was sorry but was headed back to Pattaya. He then told me "No charge for you". No shit! A motorbike taxi was sitting there and the driver was grinning at me. That little bastard charged me 100 baht to take me to Jomtien.

 

I usually don't have any problems with the baht buses but it is becoming much more frequent for empty baht buses to pass you by without stopping. Not a big deal but it is irritating.

[teelack 8,359]

Agreed. But with the new quality tourists commendering them at high prices, I don't see how managing them will work. More buses isn't the answer, because outside of busy times, they are running empty and accounting for most of the traffic.

 

Yes I appreciate it will never be easy but they manage to do it well heading up Second Road late on where they manage the buses and ensure that they are packed before they go. It seems to me that the Pattaya drivers are able to see the sense in management but seem to need a central authority to make it work.

[gaijin 146]

If you don't like baht buses and the bullshit they pull, learn how to ride a motobike and rent one. Same as riding a bicycle to me. I get around town stress free and at my own leisure.

 

One of the few times I had to use a baht bus last trip was when I took a TG and her niece to the movies. Afterwards, she had to drop her niece off back the family's shop and it was getting late like around midnight. Well this girl is notorious for taking a long fucking time every time she leaves me and says is coming back. To the point I get pissed off but dammit I do enjoy fucking her. Wanted to protect my investment for the evening so I offered to go with them to drop her niece off and then come right back to my room so she'd have no excuse for taking 3 hours to do it. Had my TG talk to a baht bus driver and settled on 200 baht round trip to a road near Pattaya Tai but no baht bus route, from VT6. Well fuck I made the mistake to have her tell the baht bus driver that he'd have to wait just a few min while she gets the niece to bed, but we'd already departed. He instinctively replies 400 baht. Fucking pissed me off but what can I do about it? Shoulda kept my mouth shut that's what.

Edited September 11, 2013 by gaijin

[plahgat 523]

Most of the time when they speed of and don't take up more passengers it is simply because someone already on the bathbus has hired it as a taxi.

I never ask the driver for the fare only pay the usual 10 baht when I get off, even if I go to Jomthien, and never any problems.

Happened quite a few times when I have been alone on the bathbus, that the driver changes his mind and goes another route dropping me off at the roadside so I can continue on another bus, but at least they don't ask for the fare.

 

Plahgat

Edited September 11, 2013 by plahgat

[plahgat 523]

Problem with the russian tourists is that they think all bathbuses are taxis even the ones on a fixed route already with passengers on, and asks the driver to take them to a out of the way place

and some drivers can't resist the higher amount he will earn and kicks out the other passengers or takes them on a long detour.

 

Plahgat

[nkped 1,207]

Today, came out of Central Festival on the Beach Road side. I walked around a parked baht bus because no one was on it. After a few seconds, the driver calls out "tuk tuk, 10 baht.". It is low season.

[bratpack 91]

Have u seen the improved beach rd ??????.Why increase a baht bus fare for u, u hardly leave your mum in uk

Yeah I know that but if regular fare was increased they might be more tempted to stop and pickup solitary passengers.

 

If it's true that the Drivers are making more money overall by doing private hires then the City needs to allow more Licenses and get more Songthaews on the streets.

 

If people can't catch a bus they're going to drive their cars and bikes into town adding to the congestion.

 

Waste of fucking time widening Beach Road if it means 4 lanes of parked cars instead of three.

Edited September 11, 2013 by bratpack

[Chris100UK 493]

It's annoying when you are on beach road/second rd and the baht bus turns down a soi. I would like to ask the driver where he is intending to go but that may be interpreted as a private hire.

[MeGoDanceNow 4,281]

You might recall that a city bus system was tried. Sparkling new bus stop signs complete with advertising from local businesses was rolled out about, what, five years ago or so?

 

The baht bus mafia torpedoed the buses, demanding that they run infrequently, etc etc.

 

A light rail/skytrain system might work because it would have more official muscle behind it than a bus system.

 

Besides, the town has grown a lot. A rail system is sorely needed.