ZigZagMan

They sell Rice Krispies in the supermarkets, no?

I would recommend Jomtien, near Soi 5 or so.

A friend stayed at Chef Home and recommended it.

At the top of Soi 5 is the fresh market and a mellow bar beer area.

Customs would hold your puppy dog hostage for a backhander.

BAX Global delivered a parcel and they warned me the fee would not match the receipt.

For a real eye opener, go out airport and try to pick up your package yourself.

The shipping company staff are scared to death of the thugs that run all over them.

Politics having an effect on tourism?

Travelers plan their holidays months ahead and I'll bet the Bangkok Shutdown did it's damage.

Folks that should be here now, went elsewhere.

Very quiet around here I'd say. (except weekenders from Bangkok.)

I'll confess to using my bicycle helmet around town. Stays on tight under 50kph and is much cooler.

Probably better protection than the cheap motorbike helmets, no?

I have a special place in Jomtien that is always busy with real food lovers. Mostly Thai customers.

Perhaps the best seafood in the area.

I won't bother mentioning the name since it is off the baht but route and the taxis from Pattaya will ream you, 500bt for a one-way trip.

I have a PCX but I'm not one of those that think of it as a fashion statement, "bling it out "or ride it like I stole it."

Just basic transportation for me.

I did get to try out the SH150i and it is definitely an upgrade to the PCX. I will probably get an SH if I see a low mileage second hand one for sale. Don't like to buy new.

Ride the SH for a few minutes and you will agree it is far and away a better machine for the farang rider than the PCX.

First off it has larger tires, Enkei alloy wheels, larger diameter forks with a longer throw, larger shocks on the rear, rear disc brake, better seat, larger footrests, 2 more horsepower, higher quality fit-finish and ergonomically designed for the european sized individuals.

After riding an SH the PCX felt small, unstable and less comfortable. Definitely a generation behind the new SH150i.

I'm not putting down the PCX. It still is a very reliable scooter that gets the job done.

On Pattaya Tai about halfway up to intersection from Walking street Just past bamboo bar, in front of watch shop. I frequently hi/low season flag down buses who will stop on right side. These buses sometimes are empty or just several passengers. They make the right turn toward Jomtien without stopping in queue area. No ignorant Russians no gangs of angry Thais. I would be surprised if anyone would choose the queue hassel over the above.

I smell major BS.

If you do that and don't talk to them, you have no real knowledge they are going to Jomtien at all (they could be go straight on Pattaya Tai, turn left, go towards Jomtien and turn into the hill, etc.

So are you saying you TALK to them?

If you talk to them, very often that opens up the question of are you CHARTERING their truck.

Dude I have been on buses like that who do turn towards Jomtien.

Talk to them, ask Jomtien, and every time that have told me NO!

Your advice is fine if you don't mind a good chance they won't go where you want to go with that bus.

Basically it's a crap shoot. Do you perhaps see the value of PREDICTABILITY in public transport?

With the queue if you can be boarded alive, you know where it is going for sure.

So basically, you are suggesting you prefer your kind of stress (unpredictability and possible conflict over the fare if you talk to them) over the kind of stress people can expect using the queue. Great, do that, don't insult everyone who chooses differently.

Again, it's obvious to me you don't rely on the system for your regular transportation, recently.

That's fine.

But this thread is about the queue and those (for good reasons in my view) who choose to use the queue.

As this thread is about the queue, do you think it's cool to try to divert this thread into insulting people who use the queue?

Dude, many many people do use the queue and as such the issues there are of interest to THOSE people. Not you? Fine!

I catch these busses from Pattaya to Jomtien regularly , I know this has been mentioned before but there's No Need to deal with the hoards at the corner.

You can get a bus going to Jomtien along the stretch of Pattaya Tai from Bamboo bar to 2nd Rd.; if they are in the right hand lane they will turn right ( to Jomtien) ,don't talk to the driver! what I do is indicate to the driver by pointing around the corner , he either nods or waves you away. If I don't get one there then I cross Second Rd & walk past the angry mob at the corner down to the end of the school ground and start looking there , I've never had to walk too far along before getting a half full or usually nearly empty one to get to Jomtien at any time of the day , can take longer at night , but still better than being bullied in to the bus on the corner.

Agreed.

I do exactly the same for the last 3 years. There are many Baht Busses headed to Jomtien that are empty or only have a few passengers. I usually gesture or ask, "Jomtien?" The drivers are delighted to have you hop on board.

A couple times they detoured and dropped off the Russians at Pattaya Park but continued to Jomtien.

Quite often the bus us is empty and I ride solo to Jomtien. I'll give the driver a 20Bt for the executive service...

ONLY ONE TIME I boarded the baht bus at the school. What a bunch of disrespectful jerks, rudely piling in tourists, sitting there in the hot sun, until the bus was dangerously overloaded. NEVER AGAIN.

One of these days, an overloaded bus will go careening out of control down the hill into Jomtien.

There will be 2 dozen bodies flung all over the pavement. City Hall will call for action...