Baht buses and bahtbus-type Taxis Already Raised Their Fares ?

[barryofthailand]

20 bath is fine by me, as long as we wont get charged 500 bath driving from walkingstreet to Naklua.. yes, you read correctly... 500 bath! I asked 4 busses before I found one who wanted to do it for 300 bath, and after walking 300 meters up 2nd road I found one who did it for 200 bath. So who cares about 5-10-20 bath compared to 500.

If you would have just gotten on a songtaw on second road, you might have been able to get to Nauklau for 20 Baht.

Barry

[tropo]

20 bath is fine by me, as long as we wont get charged 500 bath driving from walkingstreet to Naklua.. yes, you read correctly... 500 bath! I asked 4 busses before I found one who wanted to do it for 300 bath, and after walking 300 meters up 2nd road I found one who did it for 200 bath. So who cares about 5-10-20 bath compared to 500.

If you would have just gotten on a songtaw on second road, you might have been able to get to Nauklau for 20 Baht.

Barry

Perhaps DonTron doesn't know the golden rule. Never get in a standing baht bus, and don't talk to the driver because then he will think you are negotiating a private fare. If the diver stops and attempts communication with you, get out.

[JimmyCA]

10 baht is more than a fair price for the driver to make a baht

[ThaiBob]

10 baht is more than a fair price for the driver to make a baht

I am sure you have done a detailed analysis to substaniate this statement.

I've been visiting Pattaya for 10 years and the farang price still remains 10 baht. Public transportation in my home country has doubled or tripled in the mean time and service has worsened. I would support a 5 baht increase for farangs/tourists. Personally a 1, 2 or 3 baht increase would be a nuisance for me. I would also suggest "any" person showing a work permit, long-term VISA, retirement VISA, etc. pay the local (Thai) price.

[Jingthing]

I don't give a fig about what a bus costs is your "home country."

Very silly of you to even MENTION that.

This is Thailand.

These are cattle trucks.

They act erratically.

They often do not finish their expected routes and take unexpected turns.

They do not offer transfers. Sometimes you need THREE SEPARATE paid trips to reach your destinationl; that is THREE FARES, folks.

20 baht is way too much for this level of service!

Edited November 3, 2007 by Jingthing

[tropo]

Well at least the pigs are learning how to fly.

[ThaiBob]

I don't give a fig about what a bus costs is your "home country."

Very silly of you to even MENTION that.

This is Thailand.

These are cattle trucks.

They act erratically.

They often do not finish their expected routes and take unexpected turns.

They do not offer transfers. Sometimes you need THREE SEPARATE paid trips to reach your destinationl; that is THREE FARES, folks.

20 baht is way too much for this level of service!

I was trying to point out that inflation in Thailand exists and is not some fabrication to gouge tourists or farangs for more money. The government artificially supports gas prices to help moderate inflation. I think there are some posters that are in denial. I would suggest the complaints about baht bus service should be addressed in the context of a price increase; no improvement in service, no price increase.

[tropo]

I was trying to point out that inflation in Thailand exists and is not some fabrication to gouge tourists or farangs for more money. The government artificially supports gas prices to help moderate inflation. I think there are some posters that are in denial. I would suggest the complaints about baht bus service should be addressed in the context of a price increase; no improvement in service, no price increase.

You've really missed the point. Baht buses have been overcharging most farangs by 100% for a long while...I'm not sure how long, but some long term residents may like to help out here.

Think about it. They've had an 100% price rise for a long while...through intimidation. I'm sure this practice should compensate for fuel price rises for years to come.

[Mujjiman]

They will never regulate ven in the slightest, the Thais like the element of lottery in all things a dum tourist will pay the 500 from Walkigt Street to Naklua 500-

In the past I have got on a bus on my own only for it to deviate as quickly as it can then ask "where you want go" of course tryingto turn it into a taxi.

I then offered a 20 baht note to get the great line " I no have change" not to worry I just found one.

They love trying to con and cheat, its almost an obsession.

Also I know a good freind who had an atemted pick pocket team on a baht bus from Jomtien, the bus stopped the team of 3 thives got off and never paid the driver ! So is he in on a commision.

Stay safe its a jungle out there

[peacemakers]

I was trying to point out that inflation in Thailand exists and is not some fabrication to gouge tourists or farangs for more money. The government artificially supports gas prices to help moderate inflation. I think there are some posters that are in denial. I would suggest the complaints about baht bus service should be addressed in the context of a price increase; no improvement in service, no price increase.

You've really missed the point. Baht buses have been overcharging most farangs by 100% for a long while...I'm not sure how long, but some long term residents may like to help out here.

Think about it. They've had an 100% price rise for a long while...through intimidation. I'm sure this practice should compensate for fuel price rises for years to come.

The only way they make big money is from tourist. Same as BG. No tourist, no money!

[britmaveric]

Yellow Taxi(s) - Mate told me they are just for airport/banger runs just as I suspected. Guess pigs arent flying yet, however technically taxi(s) are in Patters, just not used for what you want them for.

[PattayaParent]

Cut the number of Baht bus licenses by half, at least, will pretty much double the income for the remaining drivers.

From what I've heard the Baht buses are mostly owned by the police which is why there's no problem with licences for the 700 on the roads even though half that number would be sufficient.

Most drivers rent the Baht Buses from the police owners (300 baht a day) and have to pay the petrol themselves. I know 3 Thais (only 1 of which had a driving licence, for a motorcy) that thought they'd do this and make some money and at the end of the day ended up out of pocket.

[plasticpig]

Most drivers rent the Baht Buses from the police owners (300 baht a day) and have to pay the petrol themselves

it was 500 baht per day years ago.

petrol!!! nearly all are DERV.

[Haydn]

Ive bought a bike

[torrenova]

A lot of rumours here but here's some facts.

For 3 years I used them almost exclusively to get from the junction of 2nd Road and Pattaya Tai to my condo at View Talay 2 and vice versa. On the odd occasion I used a motorbike taxi. We also have businesses in the Walking Street area and many of our customers would use them as well. As did / do our staff.

Generally, the drive from Jomtien to Pattaya was always easier as the bus was always going that way, irrespective of the number of passengers. No qualms for Bt10. In reverse, a few years ago it was the same. The bus did wait at the school as it does now but I never used it, prefering to jump on one which was already moving. No dramas and a baht bus could be chartered at 2/3/4/5/6am to View Talay 2 for between Bt60 to Bt80.

About 2 years ago, things started to change. It was mooted that some unroadworthy buses be taken off the road and the number of licences reduced. The exact opposite of this occurred and more licenses were issued and more buses hit the road.

At this time, there was a marked shift from a few drivers parking up, hoping for a charter fare, to a much greater number just sitting around doing nothing. Still there were largely sufficient for a few minutes wait at 4am to be the norm and Bt10 home.

Move forward another year to about the beginning of 2006 and you have many more buses parked up and they only want private hire. They have zero interest in doing their job and they were no longer acting as buses but as taxis. Prices for the run to Jomtien ranged from Bt100 at the bottom end up to Bt150/200 and they didn't care that people told them where to stuff their stupid ideas. Now waiting for a bus late at night sometimes took 10 minutes or more and if you were the only one on, he might go another 100 metres and stop, asking you where you are going, which is self evident when getting on as it heads to Jomtien but TIT. Around this time I started to use a select group of motorbike taxis who would do the fare for a reasonable Bt30/40. Not the greedy buggers on Walking Street I hasten to add.

Now before I moved to my house in June of this year things got really bad. The whole road between 2nd Road at Pattaya Tai to way past Soi Marine became a baht bus car park. They would actually threaten people who wanted to park their cars as they thought and think it is their domain. I doubt some of these drivers have ever "done the circuit" for the collection of Bt5 and Bt10 fares. There are a few diamonds in the rough but they are very few and far between.

From observation it is getting worse though I rarely use them now. All along Beach Road whey they can, all around the corner at Walking Street and all along 2nd Road (I have counted over 20 in a row on there waiting to reverse to the corner for a job).

Get on a songthaew at 2nd Road a few years ago and he would drive to BigC without question. Now if there is not enough booty, its a left turn at Pattaya Klang and back to Beach Road. It has gotten to the stage that if I am at Naklua I ask them if they are going to Walking Street so as not to be thrown off halfway. The same if I am going to BigC from Walking Street.

Another greater annoyance which is usually the fault of Russians and the like in my experience is to have a few passengers on a bus when they stop it and try to hire it. Of course these knights of the road refuse and tell them the route - not ! Sod you, Thai or westerner. I do not know what it is about these people but if I want to get a taxi, I have know since I could first walk and talk that you needed an empty one. You don't get the first one and throw the occupants out. The drivers do nothing to discourage this of course and sometimes they actually want payment from you for going so far !

So in the week we hear about taxis in Pattaya we have stories about having to raise the charges from Bt5 upwards. Now I have seen fewer and fewer Thais paying Bt10 in the last couple of years but I have seen more and more of these highwaymen charging Bt20 or Bt50 or more for a Bt10 (read a real Bt5) journey. There is no need to raise the bar but if they do, then standardise it at Bt10 and publicise it. Do you remember when nearly all the buses had the "not over Bt10" sticker in them ? Not many do now though !

Plaster it all over Pattaya that the baht bus fare is Bt10 and no more. See how they like that.

The answer really is to take some of them off the road but the proof of the pudding is staring us in the face. That they do not give up their jobs and find something else more productive must mean that it pays and if those layabout ones who can make it pay with very few fares a day on private hire still want to do it then there is no reason to raise the price.

They cannot raise it to Bt15 as it is only Bt5 and if they add Bt2 then it remains at Bt10 where it is effectively now. In my opinion they will push for Bt10 and the unofficial westerner price will magically jump to Bt20. I won't pay them Bt20 and if I was in town more than I am now I would rent a cheap room by the month and sleep there rather than give the thieving robbers any more money.

[enyaw]

The day has come. This is going to be interesting. So when they raise the Thai price, here comes some new fireworks over the farang price. I think under law these fares need to be strictly regulated, the same for everyone. Enough of the race based pricing. This price rise time is a good time for Pattaya transport to start to grow up.

Here's a good one.. How many Thais can you fit into a baht bus..?

Actually.. ingenious idea! One side of the bus could have a 10 bht enterance.. the other a 5 bht enterance which consequently is half the width of the 10 bht side.. there you go, you cant argue with that! If you can fit into the 5 bht side you can travel for 5 bht.. everyones happy!

Edited November 6, 2007 by enyaw

[JimmyCA]

10 baht is more than a fair price for the driver to make a baht

I am sure you have done a detailed analysis to substaniate this statement.

Yes, I have. You can also, it is that simple. Just get an average time to go around the loop to determint the loops per day x an average load x 10 baht. Even you can do it

[torrenova]

And add in all the short stops. You have to count the total people who get on during the journey.

I am sure on a long journey from Jomtien up to BigC I can recall occasions whereby perhaps 30+ people have gotten on and off in the 30 minutes it takes (traffic permitting). Sometimes will be much les I agree but that just shows that there are too many buses, not that they should put the fare up !

[wpcoe]

I take a pickup-truck-style taxi from Tesco Lotus on Sukhumvit and/or from Carrefour on Pattaya Klang once a month or so. (Are these part of the "baht bus mafia"? They are not sawn-thaews, they are regular pick-up trucks and minivans with a signboard posted at the staging area with their rates.)

About two months ago, I was surprised to be charged B150 from Tesco to my condo in Jomtien. For the past two years it had been B120. I thought maybe I got a rogue driver trying to gouge me, but next time I was at Tesco, the big sign with the fares indicated the fare to Jomtien now was indeed B150 ... an increase in one fell swoop of B30, or 25%

I just returned from Carrefour today and used a taxi driver I'd used several times before. He apologetically asked for B180, when the fare had been B150 for the previous two years. I didn't check the printed sign at Carrefour, but my guess is that it has been "udpdated" with the new fares, too. I'm sure this guy was not trying to gouge me.

So, every time I get a taxi home now, I'm buying them an extra litre of diesel or benzene in addition to what they used to get?

I'm surprised that I haven't read any report, much less complaints, about the price increase in this forum.

[Jingthing]

If the sign says 150, you are lucky to get 150. When the sign said 120, 150 was demanded of me for a good while already, and just a few years ago the sign said 100. Yes, rampant inflation (greed inflation) indeed! These are not the baht bus mafia. These are a different kind of taxi. Really, there is nothing you can do but pay what they demand or figure out ways not to use them (my solution).

They are really annoying because if you come to them loading down with shoppings, they really have you by the short hairs ...

Edited November 7, 2007 by Jingthing

[ThaiBob]

10 baht is more than a fair price for the driver to make a baht

I am sure you have done a detailed analysis to substaniate this statement.

Yes, I have. You can also, it is that simple. Just get an average time to go around the loop to determint the loops per day x an average load x 10 baht. Even you can do it

Please share your results (details), I'm just dying to know. Seriously, as a financial analyst by profession, your logic is flawed but it was certainly good for a chuckle.

[torrenova]

I forgot to mention these tosspost in my other rant.

From BigC North Pattaya to View Talay 2 used to be Bt80, say 2 1/2 to 3 years ago. Now they want Bt150 and will not budge. I told a few of them I would rather walk (though impractical).

It reminds me to pen that letter I have been inking in my head for quite a few years to Tesco, Carrefour and BigC to ask them just who these taxis (nay, pick ups with very low roofs) actually are and who is responsible for the signs that they so lovingly refer to.

Before I had the truck I visited Carrefour so infrequently because I could buy nothing without having to suffer these cretins (and I do know about the "just let it defrost" free delivery service). In many ways those guys are actuall worse than their baht bus mafia colleagues.

[torrenova]

I have in the past when very bored one afternoon, sat down and played with some numbers for the profitability or otherwise of bus drivers in Pattaya. It does not need me, a risk analyst, nor a financial analyst, to see that they earn substancially above their "pay grade" if they are even prepared to do the basic routing job.

[hiromj]

The price of a barrel of oil is up $35 USD in the past six months. All prices will be going up (except the cost of walking if you do not wear shoes).

[brooklynbridge]

The price of a barrel of oil is up $35 USD in the past six months. All prices will be going up (except the cost of walking if you do not wear shoes).

Increase in the cost of living brought to you by the Bush Adminstration, sponsors of the Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Stay tuned for the War in Iran -- and even more oil price increases to come. Remember -- your costs may go up but your dollar is worth far less!

Edited November 8, 2007 by brooklynbridge

[Jingthing]

Just how far do you clowns have your heads up your behinds. If you've got such a sharp eye and memory for prices maybe you ought to look at the trend in fuel over the last year or two. Or maybe you should look into buying a vehicle if you feel your getting ripped off. Either way shuttup about a measly 20-30 baht increase in a mode of transport that is probably cheaper here than anyplace else in the world.

Did you even read the post? We are not talking about the 5 or 10 baht baht buses. We are talking about really short taxi rides that would cost 50 baht in Bangkok. Why do they cost 150 baht plus in Pattaya when the cost of living is lower in Pattaya than Bangkok? Really, I am offended by your post.

So everyone should buy a car? Amazing that people support that concept.

Edited November 8, 2007 by Jingthing

[Jingthing]

They do indeed make decent money.

Given the level of service (often do not complete routes and kick you off, no transfers offered so you may need 3 fares to get where you are going) 10 baht is plenty. Raise the fare for the Thais!!

Edited November 8, 2007 by Jingthing

[Pattaya_Fox]

The Two topics relating to Baht bus fares have been merged.

[torrenova]

Just how far do you clowns have your heads up your behinds. If you've got such a sharp eye and memory for prices maybe you ought to look at the trend in fuel over the last year or two. Or maybe you should look into buying a vehicle if you feel your getting ripped off. Either way shuttup about a measly 20-30 baht increase in a mode of transport that is probably cheaper here than anyplace else in the world.

Sorry but you are incredibly naive and severly lacking in economics in Thailand. Inflation at 20-30% (even if you were correct) would hardly be best described as a "measly ... increase".

Let me educate you. You are not "anyplace else in the world", you are in Thailand and in particular, Pattaya. That is all there is to it. No reference to anywhere else is even partially valid.

Perhaps it is you who should "shuttup" until you can come back with a more relevant argument to support highway robbery, price gouging, intimidating practices, violence and all the other nice traits displayed by a large unmber of the baht bus collective.

[wpcoe]

The Two topics relating to Baht bus fares have been merged.

There should be a distinction between the topics of what started out as two separate threads:

1. Baht buses and taxis operated by the "baht bus mafia"

2. Taxi services located in the parking lots of mega-markets like Tesco and Carrefour, mostly in private vehicles

The two groups are apparently independent. The second group at least has a big sign board with posted fares to give you an inkling of the going rate.

I also believe the first group is regulated by some local government agency, as it seems there has been mention in the media about no fare increases yet being approved. It seems that the second group can, and has, raised its fares at will. Can somebody verify if the second group is regulated by the government?