thaibeachlovers

No trip via Ekamai requires rail if visiting the city center ( around Siam area ). The skytrain goes right past Ekamai and the skytrain station is right by the bus station.

Hmmm. in that case it might be worth a look, 5555555555555.

Just heard on radio news that Trump has declined to go back on twitthing.

You are obviously well enough off to be happy. I'm pretty sure a few million or so citizens are not so well off as yourself. It's not like any one was asked though, was it?

LOL. Bus window seat is the best as can get to look at the scenery properly. Also bus has toilet if one gets caught short. The whole trip is an adventure in a foreign country. Taking a taxi is only "best" if one doesn't mind wasting money, and doesn't like rubbing shoulders with the locals.

You are welcome. Look at it as an opportunity to do something different for a day and you'll be far more relaxed than if stressing about getting there. Use the no stress trips as a learning experience. Could go via Ekamai to Bkk and via airport on way back. Don't go to Mo Chit though. No skytrain or underground near it so need to take a local bus or taxi. Way too far to walk. Return trip plus your cheap hotel works out about same as taxi one way. BTW, if leaving from Ekamai don't get scammed onto the bus that stops every 5 minutes to pick up passengers. Only get the bus paid for at the ticket office.

Vans are referenced on the link under How to get from Ekkamai to Jomtien Bus station, and Other Options. However I couldn't see where they left from. Logically they might leave from the bus station in Jomtien.

To be fair if the bus goes from Ekamai to Jomtien the bus should return from Jomtien to Ekamai. The link is about Ekamai to Jomtien though. Perhaps there is a different site going the other way. However, the site does say bookable vans are available, which would be the OP's best bet short of paying for a taxi.

Sounds like you really need to ask at the Jomtien bus station or look at the signs if they have English on them. Take a friendly Thai if needed. There used to be vans from Pattaya. Perhaps there still are. They may be more what you need. I never used them myself. If Bell bus still runs ( to the airport ) they had a pick up service door to bus station, and could book in advance on them. My concern is time. I'm going to be very short on time, and may just need to use a taxi.. OR you could get a very early bus. However if there are a lot of people wanting the bus you might have to wait a while for the next bus. So if you are able to pay the price, a taxi may be your best bet. Take the bus back from Ekamai when time isn't important. If I HAD to be in Bkk at an early time in the day, I'd go to Bkk the day before and have a night out in Bkk. I'd stay at a cheap hotel.

If taking baht bus to Dolphin roundabout make sure the Baht bus isn't turning left at Central road to go back on Beach. I got caught out by that. One can take the baht bus from Dolphin to the Nth bus station, but they wait till the bus fills up and that can take a long time. If in a hurry need to pay whatever to charter a baht bus. Simplest way is to charter a baht bus from where the baht bus from Jomtien stops. Probably not cheap OR take a m'bike taxi.

Perhaps you could get a friendly Thai to write it down for you to show the staff at the bus station OR you could say "Phom ow by Ekamai Kraaap" ( I want to go to Ekamai ). If they say "Mai by" it doesn't. My Thai is a bit rusty so if that's wrong would someone please say so. The signs in north Pattaya bus station have English names on them. Do the ones in Jomptien not have?

IMO you are overthinking it. Whether you go to airport or Ekamai it's still involving using airport train and/ or skytrain. From Ekamai it's only one change and from the airport 2 changes. Not that big a deal.

The best option is to go on the Ekamai bus, whichever station it leaves from, and get off at the first skytrain station ( the slow grind along Sukhumvit isn't worth the few baht savings to go all the way to Ekamai ). However, you can't get stowed luggage out if you do that, so carry on bag only. Skytrain all the way to MBK with a change at Siam. If time is important get to bus station early enough to get the bus you need, unless one can book ahead now.

Good for the suffering British populace that Johnson is no longer PM then. Unless someone can come up with a reason for Russia to destroy a Polish grain silo, Occam's razor suggests it was a Ukrainian anti air missile that missed and landed in Poland. They are apparently still using Russian built anti air missiles.

I wasn't talking to you.

SunnyinBangrak answered that as well as I could, so I'll refer you to his reply on that subject.

Unless you have a working crystal ball, you don't know that things won't get better.

That sounds like hate speech on Trump's millions of followers. What would you say if I said that about anyone that supports Biden?

Seems dotting and crossing are taking a very long time. Jan 6 was almost 2 years ago. Just how slow is the American justice system?

As a lad I loved pictures of the schooner Yankee. I used to day dream of sailing the world on it. It was a sad day it was wrecked on a reef.

but but but will be the response. Thank you for posting that.

Dilbert is the Man. Long live Dilbert.

When money has become more important than people, that society IMO is doomed to the fate of all failed societies- the Babylonians, the Romans, etc.

Of course. Farangs come below the soi dog in importance, except as an ATM, IMO. Family ( parents ) children family ( siblings ) boyfriend/ unknown husband friends monks educated Thais ( teachers, doctors etc ) official Thais all other Thais other Asians soi dogs farangs

My wife was racist, superstitious, an alcoholic, a prolific liar, prone to anger over not much and astoundingly untidy. I knew little of that before getting married, despite living with her a year. She was consummate at hiding the problems till after we got married. Even after I found out there was no point in trying to discuss any of it as she refused to talk about it. In the end though, none of that was the reason we got divorced. PS. Despite all that above she was a great partner till she wasn't. Always worked hard, great cook and the other as well.