Baht Bus Prices.............a Letter....................

[libya 115]

SOURCE: Pattaya Mail Mailbag: Friday 17th August 2007

Time to raise baht bus fares

Dear Editor,

As the cost of fuel and living rise in Thailand, the cost of riding a baht bus remains at the same rate. How are baht bus drivers supposed to support themselves and their families? It is high time that baht bus fares be raised to reasonable rate that will reflect out current economic times. 15 baht per trip would be realistic. This is a pittance to most tourists and would hopefully lead to better service.

Yours,

Bill Turner

Los Angeles, CA USA

What do you think? I pay ten baht per trip to avoid hassle, if locals can get away with 5 baht, good luck to them, but 15 baht per trip might be a problem...............

[Mighty Mouse]

Baht bus drivers seem to make enough money from current rates to be able to lead a fairly comfortable (Thai) lifestyle. If it was such a bad job there may not be so many of them.

The alternative would be to head back to the hills and the rice paddy.

[bowthai]

except for the late afternoons and during the evening rush hour when people and students are hanging off the back of the baht buses,i seem to drive around behind and dodge a lot of empty baht buses that seem to stop at every farang sighting thinking they want a ride.don't see how the myriads of motorcycle taxi drivers make a living lying around on top of their bikes though.

[Tammi]

SOURCE: Pattaya Mail Mailbag: Friday 17th August 2007

Time to raise baht bus fares

Dear Editor,

As the cost of fuel and living rise in Thailand, the cost of riding a baht bus remains at the same rate. How are baht bus drivers supposed to support themselves and their families? It is high time that baht bus fares be raised to reasonable rate that will reflect out current economic times. 15 baht per trip would be realistic. This is a pittance to most tourists and would hopefully lead to better service.

Yours,

Bill Turner

Los Angeles, CA USA

What do you think? I pay ten baht per trip to avoid hassle, if locals can get away with 5 baht, good luck to them, but 15 baht per trip might be a problem...............

I pay 5 for very short, 10 for longer, 20 for a lot longer. In 7 years I've maybe had a problem twice and another 5 has fixed that.

Wonder what "better service" Mr. Bill Turner is envisiging?

[gguy]

I would suggest Mr. Turner pay 100 baht for his trips.

He seems to be a very wealthy man.

A less polite man might suggest that Mr. Turner mind his own business.

For the service provided, 10 baht is more than adequate.

[britmaveric]

naive tourist - baht buses are used by mostly thai(s) so raising the price triple - isn't going to make the masses happy.

[TexasRanger]

Not to mention the fact that me and the Mrs pay them 150 baht to take us direct from walking street to our hotel at night so we don't have to share with lagered up scroates They do all right.

Edited August 22, 2007 by TexasRanger

[Jingthing]

He lost all credibility suggesting that raising the price would improve the service!

[cubes2]

I feel 15 Baht is a good price for the service.

i have no problem giving them 20 baht a ride.

Well done to the the baht bus drivers of pattaya.

[Basil B]

I have to say that Baht Bus drivers could make more money and work less hours by getting better regulated, not forgetting less pollution and less announce of the constant beeping of horns.

The answer is to license them and regulate the shifts and routes so there are more working at busy times and less at quiet times so less are running around empty.

BB

[gharknes]

a short taxi ride in bangkok is about 40baht, a short batbus ride in pattaya is 100baht, I think they paid very well indeed, perhaps if they controlled the number of busses there wouldn't be so many of them clambering over eachother for business causing massive congestion, I've said it many times.

[britmaveric]

I think there should be more baht buses - least 1 per person. Oh right that seems to be the case now.

[Lancelot]

naive tourist - baht buses are used by mostly thai(s) so raising the price triple - isn't going to make the masses happy.

Agreed!

[dchi2031]

Im enraged of the double pricing for farangs. Its not the price, 5 baht more isn't going to hurt me but who likes getting charged more for the same goods or service? How would you like it if you had to pay more because you had dark skin? My thai friend doesn't like it either. He says often the baht bus won't pick him up to take him to south pattaya because the driver knows he can get farangs to give him 10-20 baht versus his 5. Also don't worry about them making enough money to pay for their gas, Thai public transportation is subsidised by the govt. A thai taxi driver friend of mine says he can make 500 baht a day doing private short trips in between his regular route. Thats double his normal day wage. Off the subject a bit, I've been paying 40 baht to go from central pattaya to beach rd on motor bike for months. My thai friend got me a motor bike taxi and got me the thai price, 20 baht. All this double pricing adds up. I bet I spend and extra 5-10K baht a year for transportation, food, services, gym fees compared to a Thai. If that isn't a lot, please send me your name and address and I'll be coming over to collect. Oh one last thing even though Im a farang, I only get paid a thai wage at work.

[farangfool]

We already pay 20 baht for the wonderful service from the Pattaya Nua bus station. Totally overloaded, rude and alcoholic drivers that change routes according to extra pay if available. The guys anyhow try to cheat as much as they can with change (always have exact change - the driver might just drive on) or declaring your Thai company to be foreigner and try to charge double. Pattaya traffic police is in full league with them and offers NO help if this happens right in front of their face. The baht bus scandal is old and somehow the authorities fail to solve it. It seems that vested interests are involved (selling licences?).

I simply skip the bus station service and cross the street to pick up another baht bus for 10 and, yes, maybe another 20 after having passed pattaya klang. This works until around 5.30-6. PM after that we are hostages to the mafia at the bus station. Around that time the bastards have no problem to make you wait 20 min or more until their vehicle is properly overloaded. Sometimes it is faster just to walk away and stroll to third rd. I once walked all the way to 2nd rd and the bus station "service" did NOT overtake me.

Judging from the alcohol consumption among the drivers, there seems no problem with income. Compared to Bangkok the service is bad and overpriced once you need a trip other than the standard routes. AND: these guys give a f..k about the fares published by the municipality. With some exceptions, these drivers are the worst scum foreigners are likely to encounter while being in LOS.

I treasure the partial relief offered by the bus route from Jomtien (20 baht, aircon, comfortable and NO hassle or attempts at further overpricing).

Increasing the fare would just increase the number of baht buses and Pattaya's traffic nightmare plus air pollution (all bad diesel engines). What Pattaya needs is reasonably priced public transport and not public sanctioned chaos and extortion.

[Phil Conners]

<deleted> does Mr. Turner from LA know about what is the "right" price of anything in Thailand.

I'd suggest they regulate the number of baht buses in Pattaya - or at least their routes. As it is now you can see hundreds of them circling or parking empty in South Pattaya and wait forever for one in the less densely populated areas of Pattaya.

[WISteve]

Not to mention the fact that me and the Mrs pay them 150 baht to take us direct from walking street to our hotel at night so we don't have to share with lagered up scroates They do all right.

So you're the guy inflating their expectations?

In the past it was never a problem to charter a baht bus for 80-100 baht from Walking Street to Soi X-Zyte area.

In May I had a couple of drivers make a play for 120 baht and they weren't budging on the price.

Just walked up the street a bit farther but still...............

As fast as they drive late at night, they make do quite nicely with a few of those........

~WISteve

[tropo]

Im enraged of the double pricing for farangs.

Yet another enraged farang due to double pricing.

You really need to understand that double pricing should be expected in Thailand and most 3rd world countries. When you expect it, it won't bother you so much so next time you end up paying an extra 5 baht you won't get so upset.

[JimmyTheMook]

What Pattaya needs is reasonably priced public transport and not public sanctioned chaos and extortion.

I agree. Wish there were more options to Bangkok than the crappy bus station in North Pattaya.

[Rinrada]

errr...Local bus station in Jommi...also its cheaper....

[tropo]

What Pattaya needs is reasonably priced public transport and not public sanctioned chaos and extortion.

Wish there were more options to Bangkok than the crappy bus station in North Pattaya.

What's wrong with the North Pattaya bus station? As far as bus stations go, it's quite ok. If you are taking a Bell Coach, you even get an air-conditioned lounge to wait in.

20 baht for a baht bus to Beach Road! That should destroy anyone's budget.

Sometimes tourists need to be reminded this is Thailand, not London.

What people fail to consider is that baht buses come along every 10 seconds or so. Where else could one find such amazingly convenient transport?

[JimmyTheMook]

errr...Local bus station in Jommi...also its cheaper....

Makes a million stops on the way

[Cuban]

You really need to understand that double pricing should be expected in Thailand and most 3rd world countries.

The other night I took a BB just over half the length of Second Road, I normally ensure I carry the correct "fare" but on this occasion only had notes and a single 10 Baht coin. 5 Baht does not bother me, principle does, so I said in Thai when offering the coin I expected change - I was handed the 5 Baht change without any hassle or adverse comment.

If anyone wants to over-pay every vendor and provider of goods & services then that is clearly their personal choice so to do, please feel free to tender 500 Baht for a 95 Baht KFC set meal and wave away any change, OK maybe that is too extreme. But always pay 50 Baht for a small bottle of water at 7-11, if nothing else it will confuse the person on the till.

I think the point is that where there is no set price list to refer to, there is room for mis-pricing. I would guess the letter writer would be happy with any set price fare be it 5 Baht or 50 Baht. The point is the going rate for a bowl of noodle soup is 20 Baht, a litre of Diesel is 25.5 and a standard Baht Bus fare is 5 Baht.

If you can't deal with the idea of getting smaller bills change from the 1,000 Baht notes the ATM spits out at you before taking a Baht Bus you are the same as a twit wanting to pay for a NY subway ticket with an JCB Card. Carry the right change and the system just works.

[wpcoe]

Carry the right change and the system just works.

Sorry to horn in on this thread, but how/where can you get a supply of say, B10 coins? I've gone to several banks trying to buy a thousand baht worth of B10 coins, and have yet to find one that has an adequate supply. They scurry from teller to teller to amass at most about B700 worth. If not at a bank, where can I get them?

I often see cashiers at Tesco and Carrefour replenish their cash register drawer with coins packaged either in plastic bags, or plastic-wrapped rolls. Where do they get them?

[Rinrada]

Organised....C4 if French.......Tescos...is go on .... guess ...from where ...?...er ...

[jeepholt]

Carry the right change and the system just works.

Sorry to horn in on this thread, but how/where can you get a supply of say, B10 coins? I've gone to several banks trying to buy a thousand baht worth of B10 coins, and have yet to find one that has an adequate supply. They scurry from teller to teller to amass at most about B700 worth. If not at a bank, where can I get them?

I often see cashiers at Tesco and Carrefour replenish their cash register drawer with coins packaged either in plastic bags, or plastic-wrapped rolls. Where do they get them?

I've always had good luck getting piles of small change from the petrol stations. It seems they always have a lot of small change from all the motorcycles paying them. When I've needed a large amount, I've talked to the cashier about when they change shifts and then get there just before the shift change. Makes it easier for them to count out their money on shift changes. At least that is what the cashiers tell me. Alternatively, you COULD just drive through many times getting only a small amount of petrol and using big bills to pay if they balk at taking the time to count out a lot of change for you without buying petrol. HTH

[bdenner]

I only get to Pattaya maybe once a year and maybe I'm missing something but would gladly pay 15 or even 20 Baht if they would just place some sort of sign on their busses indicating which route they are taking. I usually stay at the Residence Garden so many of my trips require a change of bus to get up the hill. It seems to be a Ha sip Ha sip chance.

[Cuban]

I'm missing something but would gladly pay 15 or even 20 Baht if they would just place some sort of sign on their busses indicating which route they are taking.

The BB will default to the route that he(she) will pay them the most money, hence the main loop is overflowing with BBs, look at the junction with Walking Street on a Friday/Saturday night, empty BBs as it's quicker to walk because there are so many. Every tourist sees the solution - no Thai would be prepared to act on it.

When Second Road carried two way traffic BBs would do a loop East along Pattaya Klang and getting a ride along here was easy (!), now the race track encourages the uniform approach by every driver.

Getting coins: I just build up a stock by paying with 100s for most things, when expecting to use a BB in Pattaya I carry either 5x 1 Baht coins for the first trip, then 5/10s for the way back.

Not surprised banks will not give you 1,000 Baht of change, most banks will charge for the service to their banking clients - giving away change is a Western concept not Thai. Also consider that most transactions within Thailand/Pattaya are low value cash with the 20 Baht note being the kingpin of commerse here. You would be better to find a trader that does not want to spend the night counting small value coins at the end of business, so a food vendor would happliy give 5 Bahts for a 50 Baht note, keep it an very to work out transaction as "mistakes" are easy and you will encounter Thais that try to work out how to make on the deal.

Baht Bus Rule #24. Never get in a BB waiting at the end of a Soi.

[SidFernwilter]

Well would it not be better just make the fare 10 Baht for all customers?

I never had any problems with the bahtbus drivers, I found it harder to get a fair price with the bike taxis. As this is a weekly topic in variuos mailbags of the Pattaya media and has been for at least a decade, a simple solution to the problem are to buy your own motorbike! I did....

[grahamhc]

The fuel costs has cut down on empty Baht Buses cruising round looking for customers. A few months ago I came counted 23 Baht Buses parked in a row on second road at Pattaya Tai junction. Dont know how many on Pattaya Tai "outbound" or on the "Jomtien" side of the junction......

Another thing I notice is that the usual "Taxi Rank" opposite bamboo Bar has moved itself back from the wider part to nearer the corner by Walking Street trying to trap the customers who walk round the City Council's "New" crowd barriers. It snarles up the traffic on the corner, but the "normal" Police and Tourist Police just look and ignore it. Are there no fines they could earn? - or are they Police owned baht buses, as was explained to me.

I still LOVE THIS CITY !!!

There are the City Council official rates POSTED in the Baht Buses. These are the rates that City Hall says are accepatble. They use the vague term of "minimum charge not exceeding 10 Baht" (ie: 5B for local and 10 B for others), but the "Up to 5 persions in the zone" of 60 Baht is never possible. I ask for Third Road (which is in the inner zone) and told 100 Baht or get lost. Even 80 baht is not acceptable.

One night I saw 6 Indian guys getting off a Baht Bus and the Driver had got out and was asking for EIGHT HUNDRED BAHT - I wonder how far they had come.......... Cannot be Bangkok as it was a Pattaya Baht Bus !!