Minivan vs Pattaya bus

[scubascuba3]

13 minutes ago, bbko said:

Just more scare stories from the cowardly lions.  A few months back I was in a bar talking with a fellow American that just arrived in town for his first visit.  He proceeds to tell me about his "terrifying" taxi ride from the airport to Pattaya.  He said the driver was speeding and he kept yelling at him to slow down, our conversation went like this;

 

Me: How fast was he going?

Him: 100 miler per hour,

Me: Really?

Him: Yeah, I kept yelling at him to slow down, but he wouldn't

Me: How did you know he was going 100 mph?

Him: I was looking at the speedometer

Me: And the speedometer needle was on 100?

Him: Yeah!

Me: You know speedometers in Thailand are in kilometers right?

Him: (blank stare)

Me: 55555

so you're saying those taxis from the airport are safe? nice careful driving?

[fredwiggy]

7 hours ago, bbko said:

Just more scare stories from the cowardly lions.  A few months back I was in a bar talking with a fellow American that just arrived in town for his first visit.  He proceeds to tell me about his "terrifying" taxi ride from the airport to Pattaya.  He said the driver was speeding and he kept yelling at him to slow down, our conversation went like this;

 

Me: How fast was he going?

Him: 100 miler per hour,

Me: Really?

Him: Yeah, I kept yelling at him to slow down, but he wouldn't

Me: How did you know he was going 100 mph?

Him: I was looking at the speedometer

Me: And the speedometer needle was on 100?

Him: Yeah!

Me: You know speedometers in Thailand are in kilometers right?

Him: (blank stare)

Me: 55555

100 kph is too fast on certain roads, especially weaving in and out of traffic, as they do here all the time. Been there, with taxis also. It isn't cowardly to want someone you don't know or trust to slow down. You've been here since 2007 and unless your head has been buried in the sand, you know that an average of 70 people die here every day. The locals are among the worst drivers I've ever seen, and I've driven in 3 countries and almost all of the US states, and put a few million MILES on my driving, including commercial. They don't look in their mirrors, don't care what's behind them and coming up or around, cut you off and drive too slow in the fast lanes, all of which is dangerous to other drivers. This has been said a thousand times, but of course nothing has ever been done about it. If you look at the accident just awhile back with the van that was incinerated, with only one survivor, you'll see that anyone not wanting to see God right now, is worried about the conditions on these roads., and driving with people that have no regard for others safety. Not a scare story but the real story.

[fredwiggy]

7 hours ago, bbko said:

Just more scare stories from the cowardly lions.  A few months back I was in a bar talking with a fellow American that just arrived in town for his first visit.  He proceeds to tell me about his "terrifying" taxi ride from the airport to Pattaya.  He said the driver was speeding and he kept yelling at him to slow down, our conversation went like this;

 

Me: How fast was he going?

Him: 100 miler per hour,

Me: Really?

Him: Yeah, I kept yelling at him to slow down, but he wouldn't

Me: How did you know he was going 100 mph?

Him: I was looking at the speedometer

Me: And the speedometer needle was on 100?

Him: Yeah!

Me: You know speedometers in Thailand are in kilometers right?

Him: (blank stare)

Me: 55555

100 kph is too fast on certain roads, especially weaving in and out of traffic, as they do here all the time. Been there, with taxis also. It isn't cowardly to want someone you don't know or trust to slow down. You've been here since 2007 and unless your head has been buried in the sand, you know that an average of 70 people die here every day. The locals are among the worst drivers I've ever seen, and I've driven in 3 countries and almost all of the US states, and put a few million MILES on my driving, including commercial. They don't look in their mirrors, don't care what's behind them and coming up or around, cut you off and drive too slow in the fast lanes, all of which is dangerous to other drivers. This has been said a thousand times, but of course nothing has ever been done about it. If you look at the accident just awhile back with the van that was incinerated, with only one survivor, you'll see that anyone not wanting to see God right now, is worried about the conditions on these roads., and driving with people that have no regard for others safety. Not a scare story but the real story.

[fredwiggy]

7 hours ago, bbko said:

Just more scare stories from the cowardly lions.  A few months back I was in a bar talking with a fellow American that just arrived in town for his first visit.  He proceeds to tell me about his "terrifying" taxi ride from the airport to Pattaya.  He said the driver was speeding and he kept yelling at him to slow down, our conversation went like this;

 

Me: How fast was he going?

Him: 100 miler per hour,

Me: Really?

Him: Yeah, I kept yelling at him to slow down, but he wouldn't

Me: How did you know he was going 100 mph?

Him: I was looking at the speedometer

Me: And the speedometer needle was on 100?

Him: Yeah!

Me: You know speedometers in Thailand are in kilometers right?

Him: (blank stare)

Me: 55555

100 kph is too fast on certain roads, especially weaving in and out of traffic, as they do here all the time. Been there, with taxis also. It isn't cowardly to want someone you don't know or trust to slow down. You've been here since 2007 and unless your head has been buried in the sand, you know that an average of 70 people die here every day. The locals are among the worst drivers I've ever seen, and I've driven in 3 countries and almost all of the US states, and put a few million MILES on my driving, including commercial. They don't look in their mirrors, don't care what's behind them and coming up or around, cut you off and drive too slow in the fast lanes, all of which is dangerous to other drivers. This has been said a thousand times, but of course nothing has ever been done about it. If you look at the accident just awhile back with the van that was incinerated, with only one survivor, you'll see that anyone not wanting to see God right now, is worried about the conditions on these roads., and driving with people that have no regard for others safety. Not a scare story but the real story.

[fredwiggy]

7 hours ago, bbko said:

Just more scare stories from the cowardly lions.  A few months back I was in a bar talking with a fellow American that just arrived in town for his first visit.  He proceeds to tell me about his "terrifying" taxi ride from the airport to Pattaya.  He said the driver was speeding and he kept yelling at him to slow down, our conversation went like this;

 

Me: How fast was he going?

Him: 100 miler per hour,

Me: Really?

Him: Yeah, I kept yelling at him to slow down, but he wouldn't

Me: How did you know he was going 100 mph?

Him: I was looking at the speedometer

Me: And the speedometer needle was on 100?

Him: Yeah!

Me: You know speedometers in Thailand are in kilometers right?

Him: (blank stare)

Me: 55555

100 kph is too fast on certain roads, especially weaving in and out of traffic, as they do here all the time. Been there, with taxis also. It isn't cowardly to want someone you don't know or trust to slow down. You've been here since 2007 and unless your head has been buried in the sand, you know that an average of 70 people die here every day. The locals are among the worst drivers I've ever seen, and I've driven in 3 countries and almost all of the US states, and put a few million MILES on my driving, including commercial. They don't look in their mirrors, don't care what's behind them and coming up or around, cut you off and drive too slow in the fast lanes, all of which is dangerous to other drivers. This has been said a thousand times, but of course nothing has ever been done about it. If you look at the accident just awhile back with the van that was incinerated, with only one survivor, you'll see that anyone not wanting to see God right now, is worried about the conditions on these roads., and driving with people that have no regard for others safety. Not a scare story but the real story.

[fredwiggy]

7 hours ago, bbko said:

Just more scare stories from the cowardly lions.  A few months back I was in a bar talking with a fellow American that just arrived in town for his first visit.  He proceeds to tell me about his "terrifying" taxi ride from the airport to Pattaya.  He said the driver was speeding and he kept yelling at him to slow down, our conversation went like this;

 

Me: How fast was he going?

Him: 100 miler per hour,

Me: Really?

Him: Yeah, I kept yelling at him to slow down, but he wouldn't

Me: How did you know he was going 100 mph?

Him: I was looking at the speedometer

Me: And the speedometer needle was on 100?

Him: Yeah!

Me: You know speedometers in Thailand are in kilometers right?

Him: (blank stare)

Me: 55555

100 kph is too fast on certain roads, especially weaving in and out of traffic, as they do here all the time. Been there, with taxis also. It isn't cowardly to want someone you don't know or trust to slow down. You've been here since 2007 and unless your head has been buried in the sand, you know that an average of 70 people die here every day. The locals are among the worst drivers I've ever seen, and I've driven in 3 countries and almost all of the US states, and put a few million MILES on my driving, including commercial. They don't look in their mirrors, don't care what's behind them and coming up or around, cut you off and drive too slow in the fast lanes, all of which is dangerous to other drivers. This has been said a thousand times, but of course nothing has ever been done about it. If you look at the accident just awhile back with the van that was incinerated, with only one survivor, you'll see that anyone not wanting to see God right now, is worried about the conditions on these roads., and driving with people that have no regard for others safety. Not a scare story but the real story.

[EVENKEEL]

I can't be the only one who couldn't be bothered with vans or buses. A taxi is like about 1100thb

[GypsyT]

Well.... some are honest how much their life is worth ???? and won't spend extra.

 

[Espanol]

On 8/16/2023 at 12:26 PM, EVENKEEL said:

I can't be the only one who couldn't be bothered with vans or buses. A taxi is like about 1100thb

 

I think a big bus is safer than a taxi.

 

[fredwiggy]

21 minutes ago, Espanol said:

 

I think a big bus is safer than a taxi.

 

Depends on who's driving

[EVENKEEL]

1 hour ago, Espanol said:

 

I think a big bus is safer than a taxi.

 

I have a personal driver who's very good. Drops me off at the Embassy, picks me up when I've concluded my business and takes me home again, 2 hrs away.  3800 bht well spent.

[ozimoron]

On 8/13/2023 at 11:11 AM, bbko said:

There's several minibus/van companies on Pattaya Klang (up the hill from Food Land) that go to BKK and make stops around the city, my wife uses them all the time and never a problem, 150 b.

this

[Olmate]

10 hours ago, EVENKEEL said:

I have a personal driver who's very good. Drops me off at the Embassy, picks me up when I've concluded my business and takes me home again, 2 hrs away.  3800 bht well spent.

I dont have any need for an Embassy driver thanks! 

[jacko45k]

12 hours ago, fredwiggy said:

Depends on who's driving

The  big Reung Ruen buses are quite sedate these days.... amble along never going too fast. In fact they have a beeper that irritates the driver at 90 kph and above (IIRC). Being  able to get off at Sukhumvit in Bangkok means you are soon on your way to your destination. I can be dropped off at North Rd easily, and usually on return get dropped off at the Rong Po market junction and the wife is there in minutes. There and back same day. 

[Espanol]

On 8/13/2023 at 6:11 AM, bbko said:

There's several minibus/van companies on Pattaya Klang (up the hill from Food Land) that go to BKK and make stops around the city, my wife uses them all the time and never a problem, 150 b.

 

https://goo.gl/maps/N3zNYytHJkMme5w1A

 

 

[Kinok Farang]

Ekkamai from north bus station,but if you live in Jomtien,the airport bus is a lot better and gets you to the skytrain.

[J Branche]

Big Bus is generally safer, more comfortable (can sleep), less weaving through traffic, good value.

 

Taxi, most expensive (may ask for toll fee), most cars suspension are firm, bumpy ride, less sleep, more weaving, probably fastest to destination, room for suitcase.

 

Minibus, limited luggage room, cramped, weaving a lot, jerky ride, multiple stops before destination.  Good Value, slightly quicker then Big Bus, Must experience Once, heck of an adventure.