thaibeachlovers

Perhaps you didn't have to use the Chiang Mai office. Every year they invented stupid new rules, or changed the size or colour of photo, or changed colour of pen.

This is a forum, not the UN. Carry on without me.

Yes to be accurate the skytrain runs on tracks, but I assumed you meant the airport train. If you go to the airport you have to use the airport train ( rail ) to get to town, though you could use a bus or a taxi ( direct to hotel ). There is no skytrain service to the airport. To go to Ekamai use skytrain.

5555555555555555. The most farangs on any bus trip I made was about 50%, and that was unusual. Bell Bus had loads of farangs though.

I could fill a book with my "adventurous journeys" in LOS. Sometimes one just had to laugh or cry. Probably the most annoying was turning up with a prebooked and paid for bus to Surat Thani only to find that they gave it to someone else!. My GF got us on the next bus, or I'd have had a melt down, which is never a good idea in LOS. The most mind boggling was finding that my GF couldn't go on a bus because she was Thai. The absolute worst was being scammed onto the wrong bus to Pattaya which stopped every 5 minutes to pick up passengers and broke down less than half way to Pattaya. Had to wait ages for the next bus and stand all the way to Pattaya. Of course we didn't get a refund or an apology. Trains were even more adventurous, but too many stories to tell on here. That's why I loved Thailand so much- everything was an adventure into the unknown.

I always enjoyed my bus trips as I like looking at the scenery. Way back the buses were rejects from intercity routes, but I think they are better now. The secret is not having to rush by leaving earlier than one thinks is necessary. There always seemed to be some delay or other problem when I traveled in LOS. If one isn't interested in the local life, take a good book.

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?