Bahtbus Regular Fares

[justbob]

How much cost to ride from jomtien to big c central festival 10 baht or 20 baht ?

when im give a 10 baht to the minibus driver he begin screaming:"too long, you must pay 20 baht". such situation happens almost everytime.

and if i give 20 baht to him i never get any change.

ps i see many times that thai peoples pay 20 baht for a trip from jomtien to a dolphin statue (naclua road)

Edited July 15, 2007 by justbob

[booman]

Sorry bob, I think the 20 baht is correct

[justbob]

than for what stickers at some minibuses:

minibus fare for a regular route not over than 10 baht per person .. law enforced by the thailand ministry of land transport

or something like that ?

[booman]

I need to see the sign to be honest, my memory is not what it used to be. I just seemed the normal fare from Jomtien to Big C (a stone throw distance from Dolphin Circle) has been 20 Baht. Mea Culpa.

[Pattaya_Fox]

You may find that this earlier discussion of fares may be helpful to you.

Here

[Robski]

Jomtiem to Big C must be 4 miles if not more, 20baht = 30 pence, not bad value and hardly worth worrying over 15 pence.

[Humphrey Bear]

If you did a private hire on this route you would pay 100 or 150 baht. That is for five adults. twenty - thirty baht per head. So don't be cheap.

[darkside]

unless you have made a specific arrangement with the driver, just pay 10 baht, if the driver gives you any hassle just take down his number and file a complaint.

Edited July 15, 2007 by darkside

[bazmlb]

If you did a private hire on this route you would pay 100 or 150 baht. That is for five adults. twenty - thirty baht per head. So don't be cheap.

I think the sign in the baht bus says if over 5 people the private hire rates are not applied it should only be 10 baht per person

[ZZZ]

I think the 10Baht maximum you see displayed is for trips within Pattaya, if you go to or from Jomtien you need to add 10Baht. Think it could be the same if you head into Naklua from South Pattaya they will expect 20Baht. Anything else within Pattaya should not be more than 10Baht.

[TopDogger]

when im give a 10 baht to the minibus driver he begin screaming:"too long, you must pay 20 baht". such situation happens almost everytime.

I wonder why

[moo9]

How much cost to ride from jomtien to big c central festival 10 baht or 20 baht ?

when im give a 10 baht to the minibus driver he begin screaming:"too long, you must pay 20 baht". such situation happens almost everytime.

and if i give 20 baht to him i never get any change.

ps i see many times that thai peoples pay 20 baht for a trip from jomtien to a dolphin statue (naclua road)

20 is a good deal why you worry?

I would feel cheap to argue about 10 baht for that distance. It is the same price for years, just consider the increase in fuel prices.....

[Humphrey Bear]

If you did a private hire on this route you would pay 100 or 150 baht. That is for five adults. twenty - thirty baht per head. So don't be cheap.

I think the sign in the baht bus says if over 5 people the private hire rates are not applied it should only be 10 baht per person

Other way round, old son.

The published price on the table is for up to 5 adults. Anyone over that and the price goes up.

Travelled around a lot a couple of years ago with my wife's family and it was always an argument when it came to paying, because of the extra two or three passengers.

Edited July 15, 2007 by Humphrey Bear

[Jingthing]

Last year this trip was always 10 baht.

This year, I think they had a "meeting" and are usually demanding 20 baht for that trip.

FYI: If you stop at Pattaya Klang, it is still 10 baht. Always and no problem. So if you want to browse around the Tops market shops before heading on to Big C, you can have two stops for the price of one!

Edited July 15, 2007 by Jingthing

[Forkinhades]

wish i had 10 baht, for every time i hear this type of story

[MisterFingers]

If you did a private hire on this route you would pay 100 or 150 baht. That is for five adults. twenty - thirty baht per head. So don't be cheap.

I despise comments like this. The guy was asking a question.

I remember when I was a Pattaya newbie, I asked a question about baht buses and I got, "This doufus will be on the TV news." and other shithole comments like that.

I've just never understood people like this. If someone ever asks me a question, I answer in a helpful way and keep my shithole opinions to myself if I have any.

[darkside]

20 is a good deal why you worry?

I would feel cheap to argue about 10 baht

So if you go into 7/11 and they try to charge you 24 baht for a clearly marked 14 baht can of coke, that is also ok then and you would just pay up????

[Weho]

Jomtiem to Big C must be 4 miles if not more, 20baht = 30 pence, not bad value and hardly worth worrying over 15 pence.

I'm really disgusted when the Rockefellers decide for the REST of us that it's OK to be overcharged, because the amount of the THEFT, is just SOOOOOoooo small to all the millionaires.

The question is NOT how much are you willing to be overcharged, nor what is a small amount of THEFT, but rather, WHAT IS THE FAIR and CORRECT price to pay.

Not everyone can afford to throw away 15 pence as quickly as you might be able to.

I'm guessing you're a Vanderbilt. Or maybe in the Hilton family. Maybe you're royalty. Most of us are NOT, and MOST of us prefer to pay the FAIR and CORRECT posted price.

[chingching]

No kidding, I usually pay 15 to Big C from Jomtien, if all the way to the Dolphin 20

[Naam]

Most of us are NOT, and MOST of us prefer to pay the FAIR and CORRECT posted price.

please define "fair" Weho. since when were these "fair and correct" prices fixed and how much have other prices (especially fuel) gone up?

[Jingthing]

Weho,

The fare on this route is another one of those situational grey area fares the baht buses are famous for.

From Jomtien to Big C they will take 10 baht from a Thai, they often will not accept 10 baht from a farang, they will accept 20. I am not surprised that sometimes 15 would work, because sometimes 10 would work. You also have to consider how bad a day the driver is having and whether he is a raving lunatic.

I don't even bother thinking what is the fair price or what is the correct price for baht buses. I consider what is the lowest price that will be accepted that doesn't include a good chance of the driver going ballistic. It might be nice if there really were official and clear fares, but clearly the baht bus mafia doesn't want that. Otherwise, they couldn't rip off newbies, rubes, and lately Russians who I have seen pay 100 baht for a 10 baht fare. This also leaves room for the crowd who say wish to overpay because they are so impressed what a bargain it is to ride in an open air cattle truck compared to an elegant aircon London taxi, as if there one has anything to do with the other.

We continue to need Bangkok style taxi meters as an alternative to the baht bus mafia monopoly.

Edited July 16, 2007 by Jingthing

[Weho]

Weho,

The fare on this route is another one of those situational grey area fares the baht buses are famous for.

From Jomtien to Big C they will take 10 baht from a Thai, they often will not accept 10 baht from a farang, they will accept 20. I am not surprised that sometimes 15 would work, because sometimes 10 would work. You also have to consider how bad a day the driver is having and whether he is a raving lunatic.

I don't even bother thinking what is the fair price or what is the correct price for baht buses. I consider what is the lowest price that will be accepted that doesn't include a good chance of the driver going ballistic. It might be nice if there really were official and clear fares, but clearly the baht bus mafia doesn't want that. Otherwise, they couldn't rip off newbies, rubes, and lately Russians who I have seen pay 100 baht for a 10 baht fare. This also leaves room for the crowd who say wish to overpay because they are so impressed what a bargain it is to ride in an open air cattle truck compared to an elegant aircon London taxi, as if there one has anything to do with the other.

We continue to need Bangkok style taxi meters as an alternative to the baht bus mafia monopoly.

I am in TOTAL AGREEMENT that taxi meters would solve most of the problems. A "fair and correct" price is what the Thais pay, no more, no less. And those farangs that just give in are EQUALLY as guilty as the extortionist baht bus drivers. If someone KNOWINGLY gives in to this extortion, then simply walks away think, "it was ONLY 15 pence, and I'm so frickin' rich, I can afford that", that is just as bad.

What I sometimes do, when possible, is get out of the bus at the same time as some Thai people, let them pay first, as I try to observe what they pay, and I pay the same. Along Sukumvit, I've seen Thais pay 7 baht to go a long way.

But keep dreaming about taxi meters... won't happen here for a long time, because stupid RICH ROCKEFELLER farangs, like some here, continue to give in to the corruption. So why should they bother. Everytime a farang KNOWINGLY gives in, it's like a slap in the face to the rest of us that believe in fairness and equality for all.

Those that say, "i'm so frickin' rich, 15 pence is just NOTHING to someone as rich as me", are really FORCING the rest of us to subsidize their acceptance of corruption.

[chuckd]

Since metered taxis in BKK start at 35 baht and then increase in price, is that what some of you seem to want?

I don't ride baht buses, I drive. The issue isn't an issue for me. Having ridden in taxis around the world, a ride from Jomtien to Big C at 20 baht seems a bargain. A metered taxi would be about double that amount.

The argument seems rather silly at best.

Edited July 16, 2007 by chuckd

[Jingthing]

Weho, we have no choice but to give in to a certain extent, if you are talking about double pricing. We are foreigners in a foreign tourist town. Trying to make a protest to a specific baht bus driver carries the risk of violence. What good would it do for Weho to be banged over the head with a baseball bat? Would that change anything? No. Any change in the transport monopoly in Pattaya has to come from Thai authorities realizing that a violent transport mafia is an overall negative for the image of Pattaya, and also realizing that Pattaya is now a big city that needs and deserves Bangkok style taxi meters as an alternative, not a replacement, of baht buses.

(I have one example. I once visited Prague. Prague is a wonderful city. But at least when I was there, the taxi drivers were a violent mafia known for outrageous overpricing and enforcing same with acts of violence. My personal experience with taxi drivers there was so bad I decided never to return there for that reason alone.)

The taxis would be used for other runs than the standard baht bus routes.

In the long run, there should be an elevated mass transit system from far out Jomtien north to Naklua.

Edited July 16, 2007 by Jingthing

[Jingthing]

Since metered taxis in BKK start at 35 baht and then increase in price, is that what some of you seem to want?

I don't ride baht buses, I drive. The issue isn't an issue for me. Having ridden in taxis around the world, a ride from Jomtien to Big C at 20 baht seems a bargain. A metered taxi would be about double that amount.

The argument seems rather silly at best.

You don't use the baht buses. So you think you have an informed opinion about them? The people who do use the baht buses as their primary form of transportation.

[chuckd]

Since metered taxis in BKK start at 35 baht and then increase in price, is that what some of you seem to want?

I don't ride baht buses, I drive. The issue isn't an issue for me. Having ridden in taxis around the world, a ride from Jomtien to Big C at 20 baht seems a bargain. A metered taxi would be about double that amount.

The argument seems rather silly at best.

You don't use the baht buses. So you think you have an informed opinion about them? The people who do use the baht buses as their primary form of transportation.

I would say the last 30 years of my life living in Thailand has given me enough experience to have an informed opinion about quite a few things. Baht buses have been around a lot longer than you might think. The first one I rode in was in 1978 from the Royal Cliff Beach Hotel to Beach Road. The last one I rode in was in March 2007. Does that qualify me to make a post in your eyes?

If you have the intelligence to re-read my post, you will see that I am asking about those previous posters that seem to advocate bringing metered taxis to replace baht buses.

I will say it again, and I am typing it slowly so you will understand, but I fail to see the logic of replacing a baht bus that charges 20 baht from Jomtien to Big C with a metered taxi that would be double that amount.

Now, is that an informed opinion that meets your approval?

[Jingthing]

Who said taxi meters to REPLACE baht buses? I never did. They are needed as an alternative to balance out the power of the baht bus monopoily. You see, Chucky, the baht buses double as taxis and thats where the real criminality comes into play. For example 300 baht quotes from Jomtien to Bangkok Pattaya Hospital. No easy way to do that or a thousand other routes with standard baht bus routes, so the baht bus "taxis" have us all by the short hairs. A similar taxi meter ride in Bangkok for a ride like that? Maybe 60 baht? How does that figure exactly? Cost of living for Thai people is definitely lower in Pattaya than Bangkok.

Also, Pattaya is supposedly going upscale. How is that upscale couple all dressed up supposed to arrive at their fancy restaurant (especially when it is raining or very hot)? In a cattle truck? Many such people would want to pay a premium for a real taxi even on standard baht bus routes to arrive without being ravaged by the weather.

Another thing that amuses me is all the taxi moto boys offering TAXI TAXI TAXI! Where is the <deleted> taxi, I don't see a taxi! I see a death trap driven by a waif. When you REALLY have a real taxi to offer me, go ahead and yell taxi.

Edited July 16, 2007 by Jingthing

[Weho]

I too have envisioned some kind of low-tech elevated transit from Naklua to Jomtien. I believe there is enough population density that it would pay off, going all the way on 2nd road.

Not sure that the earlier poster's point was about 20 baht for the baht bus, vs. 35 baht for a metered taxi in Pattaya, if they existed.

Remember, the metered taxi is door to door air conditioned, you can transport a lot of market/packages. It should cost more than a baht bus. I think a BETTER comparison is negotiating with a baht bus driver as a taxi, ending up costing about 200 baht from say Carrefour to say Teppresit or the beginning of Jomtien, taking say 20 or 30 minutes. The same distance/time in a Bangkok metered taxi would cost maybe 80 baht.

Case closed.

[Mid]

wish i had 10 baht, for every time i hear this type of story

noiiiice

[Naam]

Case closed.

case NOT closed Weho! i still expect an answer from you why baht buses should charge the same fare they were allowed 15 (FIFTEEN) years ago.