Baht Bus Fare - The Real Story

[Jingthing]

You are correct about your issue. So give it a break. It is a tiny issue compared to the entire Pattaya public transport system, you are only talking about rides out of town. But the baht bus mafia carries no moral authority to harass the Bangkok taxis because they are the very same force crushing local competition in Pattaya --- Pattaya taxi meters. Name me one other international beach resort other than Pattaya in the world without part of the public transport sytem being metered taxi cars. I doubt you can.

Edited September 15, 2007 by Jingthing

[tropo]

You are correct about your issue. So give it a break.

It's hard to give it a break when you never do.

Did you ever think that maybe tourists (I'm talking about real tourist who come to Pattaya for a 1-3 week vacation) would actually prefer the open baht buses to being enclosed in an air-conditioned taxi.

There are plenty of tourist resorts in ASIA which don't have metered taxis, but I can't think of any the size of Pattaya. Pattaya is a rapidly developing resort which will eventually find its legs. Pattaya would not be the first emerging resort area that has had the problems of trying to kick a monopoly.

I don't agree with the people who say it will never happen.

In the meanwhile I would suggest that expats who have a big problem with the "violent mafia" do what I've done and get your own wheels.

[Jingthing]

Tropo,

I have never once said the baht buses should be stopped and replaced by taxi meters. Not once. I agree they are a pleasant ride when you going the standard tourist runs, which many residents use as well. So don't act like I am for that. A city the size of Pattaya is for tourists and residents. And tourists need taxis sometimes too, to go to remote restaurants when they are dressed up, when they don't want to get wet and sweaty, when they need to go to the hospital, late at night after a disco night on 3rd road, etc etc.

Telling everyone to buy their own car is just so wrong in so many ways I won't even comment.

BTW: I didn't think you could name a major international beach resort city other than Pattaya without taxis available ...

Edited September 15, 2007 by Jingthing

[tropo]

Telling everyone to buy their own car is just so wrong in so many ways I won't even comment.

I agree with you that taxis would be a plus in Pattaya...no argument there.

It's not going to happen overnight because Pattaya was a little whore-town which grew up to become a little resort-town, which grew up to become a resort-town with expats, which has now become a big resort-town with expats and as you say, an "International resort".

The baht bus service was fine when only tourists were here, but now with the large expat community more is needed, but Thailand doesn't think "expat", they think "tourist".

Give it time.

Could you name many places that have grown so big so fast? Developing infrastructure for a city takes time and I believe Pattaya will get there.

Whose talking about buying a car, I'm sure I'm not the only one who rides a motorcycle to avoid local transport.

Edited September 15, 2007 by tropo

[Jingthing]

Scary. We basically agree. Motos aren't for everyone. I know of too many people injured or killed on those in Thailand, not for me, I value my health.

[cobra]

i decided to open a new thread becasue this is the definitive answer and i did not want it to be lost in the related thread.

today i had to go to pattaya mem for a BP check up. normally i walk EVERYWHERE, i loathe songtaews and think the drivers are about the worst representation of thai manners i have ever seen. today was the worst. i 'had' to take the bus (500m mind you) so as to not increase my blood pressure before the chkup.

the price is b5 everywhere save for: dolphin to sukhumvhit, nakula, over jomtien, pattaya tai north late night. those are b10

so i gave the guy b5 and he blew up (and so did my blood pressure). i should have gave him b10 so as to not cause the conflict - but being here 10 yrs and paying this, its just natural.

edit: i told the guy IN THAI > thai's pay five baht, farangs pay five baht -same

the guy repeatedly tried to run me over and then chased me up to (but not into) the hospital. he circled the hospital numerous times with his shrew of a wife in tow.

i called the police and reported that the man attempted to murder me with his vehicle and is now stalking me.

THAI POLICE WORTHLESS FOR FARANG: she stated that if i wanted to take action i had to file a complaint - sound familiar?? if a thai was raped, cracked skull, knifed ... do they have to file a complaint?? no. but i digress.

the woman on the phone CONFIRMED THE DOUBLE PRICING STANDARD. thai pay 5 farang pay 10. i said im here at the hospital - we pay the same. we alsopay the same at the airport, the restaurant, the barber, the cinema... she was speechless - but murmured - but not at the aquarium na. WORTHLESS.

there can be no double pricing FOR PUBLIC TRANSPORT - PERIOD. this is racism pure and simple and to prove this my friends daughter who is thai holding french pp pays 5.

as stated prior - we all know why they do not post the price which is further insulting. it appears they will attept to kill you for paying LESS than 10 - but aer quit ehappy to take MORE than ten from you. in the end - they are <deleted> thieves and i am so sick of this crap and pattaya bs and crime in general i may write to the travel agencies and the iata.

thai police support racist double pricing fully. 100% fact.

and btw - the next time someone tries to kill you - go file a complaint!

the price is 10 - period. i stand corrected as racist this policy, 'law' - whatever is...

HI

I CANT BELIEVE HOW SAD YOU ARE 5 BAHT OR 10 BAHT SO WHAT . I AM FED UP READING ABOUT THE PATTAYA CHEAP CHARLIE THESE ARE THE PEOPLE THE THAI GOVERNMENT WANT TO GET RID OF .THAILAND IS FOR ENJOYING , WHY DONT YOU GO BACK TO YOUR COUNTRY AND SEE HOW FAR A TAXI WILL TAKE YOU FOR 5 BAHT, NOT TO FAR I WOULD THINK . WHY WORRY HOW MUCH THAI PEOPLE PAY YOU ARE NOT THAI . WISE UP AND START TO ENJOY .

Your sediment is shared,

These penny pitching neurotics who are most likely just as cheap, annoying and unpleasant back home, have to eat up bandwidth with their stories of abuse over 5b, or lack of transportation systems that are not in place, it is what it is.

Then there's the trolls these threads attract, looking to stir sh.. up, which somehow they keep being fed.

I'll personally give the change out of my ash tray to anyone who's been abused over 5b so they can be made whole again, if only they would / could just let it go already.

[MELATONIN]

I'll personally give the change out of my ash tray to anyone who's been abused over 5b so they can be made whole again, if only they would / could just let it go already.

You better hope that it is a huge ashtray.

[Naam]

These penny pitching neurotics who are most likely just as cheap, annoying and unpleasant back home...

please be lenient. the suffering is not caused by additonal 5 Baht but by "racism"

[Buckwheat]

Several posts have been removed due to the "flamimg" of fellow members.

Please stick to the topic and refrain from the personal attacks.

Thank you for your anticipated cooperation.

[Tolley]

I once tried to pay 5 baht for a songtaew ride of 100 metres as the driver actually went up central road instead of going down second road.

It ended up with the songtaew driver throwing my twenty baht note back at me and him been seen by police and getting dragged down to the cop shop for abusing the monarchy by throwing the money out of the window of the songtaew.

My thai girlfriend thought i was stupid when i told her the story and said you should never mess with these people as they are capable of absolutley anything.

So my advise would be let it slip as it is such an insiginificant amount of money and patently not worth getting upset about.

Too many more important things to worry about it.

[klikster]

Sorry I meant that they should have no absolute right to work.

Thanks .. and civility besides. You may get kicked out of this place.

[Chang_paarp]

You are correct about your issue. So give it a break. It is a tiny issue compared to the entire Pattaya public transport system, you are only talking about rides out of town. But the baht bus mafia carries no moral authority to harass the Bangkok taxis because they are the very same force crushing local competition in Pattaya --- Pattaya taxi meters. Name me one other international beach resort other than Pattaya in the world without part of the public transport sytem being metered taxi cars. I doubt you can.

Phuket

Just like Pattaya the "taxis" are as persistant as an Australian bush fly, and just as annoying.

[ThaiPauly]

250+ posts about 5 baht.

Amazing

[elkangorito]

250+ posts about 5 baht.

Amazing

Yeah I know but really, this 'Baht Bus Mafia' really needs to be stopped....for the good of all man (& woman) kind.

[jay1970]

We wanted to go to Jomtien from Soi 4 (near walking street). Driver quoted 200 baht.

[Bertil]

No worries you won't be seeing aircon taxi(s) in Pattaya in this life.

I have, for a long time already, seen taxi meters in Pattaya, and they were NOT from Bangkok. They were blue and yellow, I think.

And surely I'm not in next life. Not yet.

[Jingthing]

No worries you won't be seeing aircon taxi(s) in Pattaya in this life.

I have, for a long time already, seen taxi meters in Pattaya, and they were NOT from Bangkok. They were blue and yellow, I think.

And surely I'm not in next life. Not yet.

Edit: ]No worries you won't be seeing aircon taxi(s) in Pattaya THAT USE THE METERS in this life.

Probably true.

(This is an OLD thread!)

Edited November 16, 2008 by Jingthing

[Bertil]

Yes it is an old thread. Still, the prediction about the future was wrong.

And Britmaverick just mentioned aircon taxis, not necessarily that they must have meters.

(They do, in fact, but they don't turn them on.)

[Jingthing]

Yes it is an old thread. Still, the prediction about the future was wrong.

And Britmaverick just mentioned aircon taxis, not necessarily that they must have meters.

(They do, in fact, but they don't turn them on.)

So they are kind of the like the ladyboys of taxi meters, they've all got a functioning tool, but the meters are little more than superfluous appendages. ... How very Pattaya.

BTW, in case any of you have been following my checkered history on this issue, let me get this out of the way: I NO LONGER CARE! (Or more accurately I have grown to realize the futility of caring when faced with an insane situation, massive corruption and ingrained local mafias.)

Edited November 16, 2008 by Jingthing

[Rinrada]

This should solve the prob-lem...

Pattaya City has unveiled an ambitious plan for the construction of four-billion baht monorail public transport system in the city along the same line as the BTS in Bangkok.

Thai Engineering Consultants Co. Ltd. (TEC) and MFC Asset Management Public Co. Ltd. representatives presented details of their research and unveiled a plan to Mayor Itthipol Khunplome and an advisory committee at a meeting at city hall on October 1.

Pongsak Det-Udom, managing director of TEC, said that after research and a survey of Pattaya city, the company opted to propose a monorail system suitable for the city’s topography based on the high standards set by the Bangkok Mass Transit System (BTS).

They propose the transport system be constructed in three phases for a final total distance of 27.1 kilometers.

Initially an 11-km.circuit with 9 stations will be built for 8 trains.

It will start from North Pattaya in front of city hall and travel to Pattaya Beach Road, Bali Hai Pier, South Pattaya Flyover, Pattaya 3rd Road, Central Pattaya, the junction of Pattaya 3rd Road and North Pattaya and back to the front of city hall.

[Mobi]

This should solve the prob-lem...

Pattaya City has unveiled an ambitious plan for the construction of four-billion baht monorail public transport system in the city along the same line as the BTS in Bangkok.

Thai Engineering Consultants Co. Ltd. (TEC) and MFC Asset Management Public Co. Ltd. representatives presented details of their research and unveiled a plan to Mayor Itthipol Khunplome and an advisory committee at a meeting at city hall on October 1.

Pongsak Det-Udom, managing director of TEC, said that after research and a survey of Pattaya city, the company opted to propose a monorail system suitable for the city's topography based on the high standards set by the Bangkok Mass Transit System (BTS).

They propose the transport system be constructed in three phases for a final total distance of 27.1 kilometers.

Initially an 11-km.circuit with 9 stations will be built for 8 trains.

It will start from North Pattaya in front of city hall and travel to Pattaya Beach Road, Bali Hai Pier, South Pattaya Flyover, Pattaya 3rd Road, Central Pattaya, the junction of Pattaya 3rd Road and North Pattaya and back to the front of city hall.

This is of course complete <deleted>, and if it ever happens (which I seriously doubt) it will simply be a massive exercise in corruption.

If they were sincere in trying to provide the tourists in Pattaya with a decent, reliable and comfortable public transport service, all they need to do is get rid of ALL the Baht buses, and replace them with a fleet of medium sized, air-conditioned buses, which would do a "ring service between Beach and second road, with designated bus stops every 500 meters or so. The bus stops would have to be kept clear of parked cars and bikes, so that they didn't disrupt the flow of traffic.

Passengers could get on and off at any stop and pay a fixed fare - maybe 20 Baht.

This sort of service has been working in Cancun in Mexico for many years and is very popular and successful. Everyone from millionaire tourists to local Mexican workers use the buses to travel up and down the coastal strip.

There could be other fixed routes for buses to travel to the outer areas of Pattaya, maybe for a higher fixed fare.

This sort of scheme would certainly not cost the billions proposed for a monorail system, but of course, the opportunities for corruption would be far less, and they would have to deal with the Mafia Baht Bus gangs.

[fresnoboy]

This is of course complete <deleted>, and if it ever happens (which I seriously doubt) it will simply be a massive exercise in corruption.

If they were sincere in trying to provide the tourists in Pattaya with a decent, reliable and comfortable public transport service, all they need to do is get rid of ALL the Baht buses, and replace them with a fleet of medium sized, air-conditioned buses, which would do a "ring service between Beach and second road, with designated bus stops every 500 meters or so. The bus stops would have to be kept clear of parked cars and bikes, so that they didn't disrupt the flow of traffic.

Passengers could get on and off at any stop and pay a fixed fare - maybe 20 Baht.

This sort of service has been working in Cancun in Mexico for many years and is very popular and successful. Everyone from millionaire tourists to local Mexican workers use the buses to travel up and down the coastal strip.

There could be other fixed routes for buses to travel to the outer areas of Pattaya, maybe for a higher fixed fare.

This sort of scheme would certainly not cost the billions proposed for a monorail system, but of course, the opportunities for corruption would be far less, and they would have to deal with the Mafia Baht Bus gangs.

Agreed !

[thaiman]

edit: i told the guy IN THAI > thai's pay five baht, farangs pay five baht -same

Really? I've seen lots of thais pay ten baht. This is only in the last year or so.

[torrenova]

I don't think there would be a problem in taxis operating with the Bt35 start as per Bangkok. The fact is that to deflect the issue, the mafia introduced a few cars which they control and can now say that the public don't want such vehicles. I've called them many times but never an answer. I've spoken to the drivers and they will not put the meter on. Prices are the usual x hundred <deleted> that the bah bus guys spew out.

I really wanted them when in Soi Khaotalo as not on a bus route and I hate bikes. Luckily I have alternatives but they are not cheap and certainly not Bt35 plus some mileage.

As for taxis not being able to pick up in one area or another then that is just a stupid rule. All taxis should be able to work wherever they want.

[smedly]

Interesting thread, I think that pattaya is a tourist resort of sorts and attracts tourists, they come here on holiday and just like any other tourist resort in the world the locals try to make as much as they can while they are here, now the problem is - the only way to identify a tourist is simply they are not Thai and therein lies the problem, there is no consideration for Farangs that are actually living here but are also not Thai - hence we have some double pricing and mafia style organisations clubing together to maximise the falang rip off, I remember drinking in a bar in walking street which is often frequented by Thais, a bottle of beer for me was 130baht and looking at the bin of one of the Thai guys (which almost got me thrown out even though I new the guy and he freely showed it to me) his beer was 60baht (same beer) the reality is tourist or not we are going to be identified as spend happy falangs and be ripped off at every opportunity, the only place I see a difference is where I'm in a local that I use all the time, then there are perks.

[Beacher]

I don't have a need to use baht buses, so I might mistaken, but it seems that the generally accepted price hike to 10 baht was attributable to the fact that petrol prices had risen rapidly and got close to 45/liter for regular 91. Now with the falling price of oil and prices back down to around 23 baht, these drivers must be making good money if people are still paying 10 baht. I realize that the majority of BB drivers probably changed their vehicles over to LPG or NGV, so the once high price of petrol didn't affect them, but I seem to recall that the people at Pattaya City Hall made some comments about 10 baht being reasonable in light of much higher petrol prices.

Edited November 24, 2008 by Beacher