Waiting for a Baht Bus

[Danderman123]

Maybe it's my imagination, but there seem to be a lot baht buses passing me by empty, or with taxi customers on board. Which means fewer actual baht buses picking up passengers on a fixed route.

 

While waiting for a baht bus this morning, I noticed an astounding number of tour buses on the streets, a lot more tour buses than baht buses. And loads just parked on city streets, constricting the traffic lanes. The City of Pattaya should do something about that.

[georgegeorgia]

1 hour ago, Danderman123 said:

Maybe it's my imagination, but there seem to be a lot baht buses passing me by empty, or with taxi customers on board. Which means fewer actual baht buses picking up passengers on a fixed route.

 

While waiting for a baht bus this morning, I noticed an astounding number of tour buses on the streets, a lot more tour buses than baht buses. And loads just parked on city streets, constricting the traffic lanes. The City of Pattaya should do something about that.

I beg to differ ,I was outside view talay Jomtien this morning at 11anm ready to go into Pattaya ,3 baht buses went past all full !  11am

[morrobay]

Join the club: I don't know what kind of business some of these songkow drivers are running: About 10 of them pass me by / that stop.  Overall I have my regulars that know me and are good people. Maybe about 20 max. 

[JimTripper]

The tour buses are constant on third road. I'm not sure where all those people are going. To hotels I guess. It's koreans, chinese, some vietnamese, india, etc. I see the signs in the window. There is usually a guide standing up and talking on a microphone inside the coach.

Edited April 29 by JimTripper

[AndyAndyAndy]

 

I wonder what Pattaya has to offer when you come in one of these tour buses that stop only at designated bus parking stops or in front of a hotel. What's the appeal of spending time driving through 3rd Road to the other side of Pattaya in a 42C that takes 2 hours? Why? What's so special about spending your holiday in a traffic jam in the middle of Pattaya vs spending it driving on some random highway? Are these people inside like these NPCs without any inner though that we keep hearing about?

[gargamon]

2 hours ago, AndyAndyAndy said:

 

I wonder what Pattaya has to offer when you come in one of these tour buses that stop only at designated bus parking stops or in front of a hotel. What's the appeal of spending time driving through 3rd Road to the other side of Pattaya in a 42C that takes 2 hours? Why? What's so special about spending your holiday in a traffic jam in the middle of Pattaya vs spending it driving on some random highway? Are these people inside like these NPCs without any inner though that we keep hearing about?

That's pretty much standard “tour tourism“ and it goes on all over the world. Vietnam is the worst that I've seen. We did a couple of month self directed tour a number of years ago while traveling from HCMC to the northern border where we entered China. We'd stop and stay until we were bored with the location and then move on to the next spot. We were enjoying Da Nang and stayed there almost a week. After the second or third day the locals were asking us why we hadn't moved on yet. They said none of the tourists stayed more than 2 days as that's when their “tour“ would move on. I'm sure glad I can make my own decisions and don't need some money grubbing tour guide to tell me what I should be doing.

[Henryford]

Those tour buses are a real PITA, they cause many of the traffic problems around Pattaya. As for baht buses i never have a problem. Apart of Christmas/New Year i don't think i ever wait more than 5 minutes. One of the best things about Pattaya, quick, cheap transport anywhere in the (main part of) town.

[jacko45k]

40 minutes ago, Henryford said:

Those tour buses are a real PITA, they cause many of the traffic problems around Pattaya. As for baht buses i never have a problem. Apart of Christmas/New Year i don't think i ever wait more than 5 minutes. One of the best things about Pattaya, quick, cheap transport anywhere in the (main part of) town.

Very much so..... at the Pattaya 3rd Rd/Klang junction Sunday, one was attempting to do a left on a red light onto Klang and it resulted in blocking the whole junction.....

[Danderman123]

One big issue with the tour buses is that they park on City streets overnight, blocking a lane of traffic.

 

The City should build some overnight parking lots, and ban buses from overnight street parking.

[JimTripper]

7 hours ago, AndyAndyAndy said:

 

I wonder what Pattaya has to offer when you come in one of these tour buses that stop only at designated bus parking stops or in front of a hotel. What's the appeal of spending time driving through 3rd Road to the other side of Pattaya in a 42C that takes 2 hours? Why? What's so special about spending your holiday in a traffic jam in the middle of Pattaya vs spending it driving on some random highway? Are these people inside like these NPCs without any inner though that we keep hearing about?

A lot of it is stopping and doing selfies at designated locations, then posting it to social media. It becomes like a family album you can look at back at home.

 

They don't have much time so they quickly enjoy the designated spot and are quickly bussed to the next location. It's set so people have an experience of being there, but are back in time for work after several days or a week or so.

[Pattaya57]

What I've found different this trip is that there are so many baht bus driving down the beach side lane instead of the inner lane. Has made it much more difficult to get a ride as they can't stop to pick you up without crossing 1 or 2 lanes of traffic?

 

Do they maybe pick up from right lane as well now as I just saw them pick up from middle lane 😄 

 

Edited April 30 by Pattaya57

[georgegeorgia]

They live in these shoe box type of rooms 

All look bored out of their minds.

 

Some sit in their rooms all day with the fan going with no shirt on,their front door is wide open and you can see them laid on the bed shirtless 

[JimTripper]

41 minutes ago, georgegeorgia said:

They live in these shoe box type of rooms 

All look bored out of their minds.

 

Some sit in their rooms all day with the fan going with no shirt on,their front door is wide open and you can see them laid on the bed shirtless 

I had a weird incident in VT2B where I saw an elderly foreigner guy just sitting on his bed with the door open, staring at the TV which was off. I think he was mentally ill. He never saw me, just stared straight ahead.

 

Also, I had a problem with a mentally ill lady trying to open my door each night. I asked security to pull up the CCTV tapes, but they knew who she was and said she was mentally ill and just did that all the time. I think they get a lot of older people who are nutjobs in the VT's. Not sure why. Maybe it's just the easiest place to end up if you're not real picky.

 

It reminded me of the single occupancy hotels I stayed at briefly when I first moved to new york city for school and was looking for a regular apartment. People can't afford climate control so you see and hear a lot of "humanity", open windows and open doors for ventilation, people in their boxer shorts, etc.

 

There are also a lot of single lonely people who kind of want to interact with other residents but don't really know how, or they don't just want to be in a closed door room and there are not a lot of common spaces and facilities to hang out in. Better places have pools, pool rooms, libraries, etc.

Edited April 30 by JimTripper

[petermik]

2 hours ago, georgegeorgia said:

Sorry I just can't stand cranky faced old men especially expats 

I walk around the view talay to see old farang expats with cranky scrunched up faces ,no one has a smile ,imagine moving here to Pattaya and looking like that after while 

And the negativity especially from some of them ,I had to walk out of the cafe after hearing whinge whinge bloody whinge 

Can we have a photo of you sweetie so we mortals may comment....

[Danderman123]

Anyone have any experience with a baht bus lately?

[NONG CHOK]

I walk around the Wongamat area for 2 hours every morning starting at 6.30 am and tour buses have taken over the area. Most are driven by guys with a Thai motorcycle mentality. Every road law is broken, exceeding 40 kmph, parking where there's a red and white painted curb. Park or over take where there's double lines. Also never reduce speed let alone stop when they come to a stop sign. I still wonder why people need a drivers license in Thailand considering how these cretins drive.

[JimTripper]

17 minutes ago, Danderman123 said:

Anyone have any experience with a baht bus lately?

Do you live at VT?

[Danderman123]

9 minutes ago, JimTripper said:

Do you live at VT?

Not too far from VT2.

[georgegeorgia]

1 hour ago, JimTripper said:

I had a weird incident in VT2B where I saw an elderly foreigner guy just sitting on his bed with the door open, staring at the TV which was off. I think he was mentally ill. He never saw me, just stared straight ahead.

 

Also, I had a problem with a mentally ill lady trying to open my door each night. I asked security to pull up the CCTV tapes, but they knew who she was and said she was mentally ill and just did that all the time. I think they get a lot of older people who are nutjobs in the VT's. Not sure why. Maybe it's just the easiest place to end up if you're not real picky.

 

It reminded me of the single occupancy hotels I stayed at briefly when I first moved to new york city for school and was looking for a regular apartment. People can't afford climate control so you see and hear a lot of "humanity", open windows and open doors for ventilation, people in their boxer shorts, etc.

 

There are also a lot of single lonely people who kind of want to interact with other residents but don't really know how, or they don't just want to be in a closed door room and there are not a lot of common spaces and facilities to hang out in. Better places have pools, pool rooms, libraries, etc.

You absolutely right!

I think a lot here at View talay Jomtien are lonely ,your right 

I had a guy walk into me yesterday, I have extremely good situational awareness, he criss crossed into me to get a conversation from me 

 

I could tell he was lonely 

Yes a few here walking around have mental illness and I would say are on some kind of disability pension from their home countries.

 

Sad but it's made me aware was going to retire here no way in the World would I be able to live in these shoe boxes !!!

 

Very depressing to see older guys end up on a bed shirtless in a 21sqm room even less in some cases .

Some with Television blaring out 

Edited April 30 by georgegeorgia

[JimTripper]

27 minutes ago, georgegeorgia said:

You absolutely right!

I think a lot here at View talay Jomtien are lonely ,your right 

I had a guy walk into me yesterday, I have extremely good situational awareness, he criss crossed into me to get a conversation from me 

 

I could tell he was lonely 

Yes a few here walking around have mental illness and I would say are on some kind of disability pension from their home countries.

 

Sad but it's made me aware was going to retire here no way in the World would I be able to live in these shoe boxes !!!

 

Very depressing to see older guys end up on a bed shirtless in a 21sqm room even less in some cases .

Some with Television blaring out 

Not if you don't have to and are lucky enough to afford something better. If not, you can be in that situation very easily as you get older. Especially if you get kind of giddy in old age and don't watch your finances like you used to.

[mancub]

1 hour ago, NONG CHOK said:

I still wonder why people need a drivers license in Thailand

Think of it like crash helmets. only needed to avoid a fine for not having one.

[morrobay]

19 hours ago, Danderman123 said:

Anyone have any experience with a baht bus lately?

Yes May 1  about 11 am. Took almost half an hour from Dolphin to Dusit/Beach.  So I bailed-forget about it. Even if it's a minor holiday its ridiculous. Even on random days second Rd is jammed up. To call spades spades it is probably all the Thais driving into Pattaya from all these major North/South expressways .

 

[morrobay]

20 hours ago, Danderman123 said:

Anyone have any experience with a baht bus lately?

They have their advantages