Pattaya: Transport is in a mess and 80% agree with monorail scheme set to start in 2024

[Leaver]

On 8/31/2020 at 10:31 AM, thaibeachlovers said:

Does the bus service from Phuket market still run? Last time I used it it was 20 baht. Other than that I walked.

Last time I went to Phuket that bus was running, but had limited stops.  Those busses have only been around a few years, prior to that, the only option was walk, hire a bike (not a good idea for getting home after a night out) or pay the extortion transport mafia prices.

[Olmate]

8 minutes ago, Leaver said:

Last time I went to Phuket that bus was running, but had limited stops.  Those busses have only been around a few years, prior to that, the only option was walk, hire a bike (not amart good idea for getting home after a night out) or pay the extortion transport mafia prices.

  You  got the buses confused.Smartbus v bahtbus

[Leaver]

8 minutes ago, Olmate said:

  You  got the buses confused.Smartbus v bahtbus

Talking about the Smartbus.  Main route I used was Kata to Patong.

 

Edited September 4, 2020 by Leaver

[Olmate]

3 minutes ago, Leaver said:

Talking about the Smartbus.  

   Tbl meant baht.bus Ireckon

 

[Leaver]

3 minutes ago, Olmate said:

   Tbl meant baht.bus Ireckon

 

Last time I was in Phuket there were no baht buses, as we know them in Pattaya.  There were larger truck style baht buses that were mainly for Thai workers who lived in Phuket Town, but worked in the beach areas.  

[jacko45k]

39 minutes ago, Leaver said:

The amount of baht busses on the roads here survive because there are no proper metered taxis. 

 

If there were proper metered taxis here, many baht busses would be culled through lack of demand.   

But traffic problems would be as bad I suspect.

[Olmate]

3 minutes ago, Leaver said:

Last time I was in Phuket there were no baht buses, as we know them in Pattaya.  There were larger truck style baht buses that were mainly for Thai workers who lived in Phuket Town, but worked in the beach areas.  

The bahtbuses you refer to run all over and well used by all

[johnray]

Stop people using the cars.  Offer live in options at office complexes and universities.  Pointless commutes every day.  Hundreds of thousands of university students travelling for 4 hours to do a 30 minutes lesson.  Millions of people driving to work and sitting in 4 hour traffic jams longer than the time they spend at work. 

 

Every major office and business district should have nearby housing offered to the staff and then offer an incentive to the people that use it.

 

Every day I see a huge Land Rovers with one person in it.  Useless tossers in Mercedes cruising around all day.

 

it doesn't matter how many trains you build people will still jump in a car.

Edited September 4, 2020 by johnray

[Leaver]

32 minutes ago, jacko45k said:

But traffic problems would be as bad I suspect.

When hired, taxis go from Point A to Point B, usually by the shortest route.  In general, Baht Buses circulate a set set route, 24/7.  Many locals, expats and tourists are forced to use more than one baht bus on a journey.   

[Leaver]

37 minutes ago, Olmate said:

The bahtbuses you refer to run all over and well used by all

Which would be a sad state of affairs.  They looked like cattle trucks.  

[jacko45k]

13 hours ago, Leaver said:

When hired, taxis go from Point A to Point B, usually by the shortest route.  In general, Baht Buses circulate a set set route, 24/7.  Many locals, expats and tourists are forced to use more than one baht bus on a journey.   

Taxis also cruise around empty and block up junctions and corners, and only move single people rather than a baht bus which can take up to a dozen. It is the awful way the latter drive that may mean their absence produces a benefit over taxis, but I am not certain.

[thaibeachlovers]

15 hours ago, Olmate said:

   Tbl meant baht.bus Ireckon

 

No. Leaver has it right. Big truck with covered seating in the back. Departed from Phuket town market to the different towns and aquarium. Didn't go along the coast ie couldn't use it from Kata to Patong.

No bell. Just tapped a coin on something steel to stop the bus

 

One featured in "The Beach", though for some strange reason they removed the engine hood.

[thaibeachlovers]

14 hours ago, johnray said:

Useless tossers in Mercedes cruising around all day.

Some of us know why farang men like to drive the biggest car they can find on small Thai roads blocking traffic, and the reason is not complimentary.

Edited September 5, 2020 by thaibeachlovers

[Olmate]

5 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

No. Leaver has it right. Big truck with covered seating in the back. Departed from Phuket town market to the different towns and aquarium. Didn't go along the coast ie couldn't use it from Kata to Patong.

No bell. Just tapped a coin on something steel to stop the bus

 

One featured in "The Beach", though for some strange reason they removed the engine hood.

I think both of you need to revisit and update your info!     The one you mention,  referred to as Baht bus...20 baht Patong to the old town or from their to many other beaches and bays.Busy routes use normal buses and regular timetable. Leaver meant Smart bus was introduced a couple of years ago ands runs regularly to airport..pre covid anyway.online pass purchase etc.

[jacko45k]

22 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Some of us know why farang men like to drive the biggest car they can find on small Thai roads blocking traffic, and the reason is not complimentary.

I drive an old truck for the same reason and find those in their millions of baht Mercs soon back off!

[phetchy]

6 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Some of us know why farang men like to drive the biggest car they can find on small Thai roads blocking traffic, and the reason is not complimentary.

BCSD (film - Personal services).

[Leaver]

8 hours ago, jacko45k said:

Taxis also cruise around empty and block up junctions and corners, and only move single people rather than a baht bus which can take up to a dozen. It is the awful way the latter drive that may mean their absence produces a benefit over taxis, but I am not certain.

I see your point, but for a so called "World Tourist Destination" to not even have proper metered taxis in 2020 is ridiculous. 

 

If they can't even get a basic essential service like motor vehicle public transport right, how are they going to get this project right?

[Olmate]

22 minutes ago, Leaver said:

I see your point, but for a so called "World Tourist Destination" to not even have proper metered taxis in 2020 is ridiculous. 

 

If they can't even get a basic essential service like motor vehicle public transport right, how are they going to get this project right?

Meter taxi,s are available on Phuket.

[Leaver]

2 minutes ago, Olmate said:

Meter taxi,s are available on Phuket.

They are available in Pattaya as well.  That doesn't mean they use the meter though.  

[Olmate]

1 minute ago, Leaver said:

They are available in Pattaya as well.  That doesn't mean they use the meter though.  

Try telling the guy to turn it on..works for me!

[jacko45k]

13 minutes ago, Leaver said:

They are available in Pattaya as well.  That doesn't mean they use the meter though.  

I can assure you they won't, but will negotiate fares.

[Leaver]

11 minutes ago, Olmate said:

Try telling the guy to turn it on..works for me!

Gave up trying a long time ago.  They simply refuse.  They throw a price at you and negotiations start, all at an inflated rate.  I haven't bothered with them for a long time.  Can only imagine what first time tourists think.  

[thaibeachlovers]

On 9/5/2020 at 12:27 PM, Olmate said:

I think both of you need to revisit and update your info!     The one you mention,  referred to as Baht bus...20 baht Patong to the old town or from their to many other beaches and bays.Busy routes use normal buses and regular timetable. Leaver meant Smart bus was introduced a couple of years ago ands runs regularly to airport..pre covid anyway.online pass purchase etc.

My mentioning 20 baht should have been the clue.

[Leaver]

On 9/5/2020 at 3:51 PM, jacko45k said:

I can assure you they won't, but will negotiate fares.

Pattaya can not claim to be a World Class Tourist Destination until it has at least proper metered taxis.  

[jacko45k]

11 hours ago, Leaver said:

Pattaya can not claim to be a World Class Tourist Destination until it has at least proper metered taxis.  

It can and does.....

[roger101]

17 minutes ago, jacko45k said:

It can and does.....

But it doesn't work, and it won't until they make using the meter compulsory for local journeys.  In London if my memory serves me right a trip outside the area is open to negotiations.

[jacko45k]

Just now, roger101 said:

But it doesn't work, and it won't until they make using the meter compulsory for local journeys.  In London if my memory serves me right a trip outside the area is open to negotiations.

It is merely a 'claim', we all know it is hyperbole.

[Leaver]

19 hours ago, jacko45k said:

It can and does.....

Which western tourists has seen through as false advertising, misleading, and lies.