Baht Buses Lower Fares To Five Baht

[Jimmyd]

From The Pattaya Times Magazine

December 6, 2008

In a surprise move, Khun Somsak Kapraew, head of the Pattaya Baht Bus Consortium, announced that fares for one-way baht bus rides have been reduced to five baht instead of the usual ten baht. Said Khun Somsak:

"Because of both the economic and political situations in Thailand, our drivers voted overwhelmingly to reduce the fares at our last meeting."

When asked if the huge drop in oil prices was a factor in the decision, Khun Somsak said:

"It certainly helped, but the fact is that our drivers see themselves as public servants and they really want to do their part to try to help out those who are suffering in these trying times."

The drivers also voted to expand their service area to cover more of Pattaya, to adhere more strictly to the traffic laws and to charge the same price for all customers, regardless of age, gender or race.

The mayor of Pattaya, when asked for comment, said:

"I am very pleased with this announcement. I want to congratulate the Baht Bus Consortium for helping to make Pattaya even more attractive to all, both residents and visitors."

[midas]

it will be very interesting to see how many drivers volunteer to give back

any overpaid amounts to passengers who may not have read this post

[soundman]

to adhere more strictly to the traffic laws

I'll believe that when I see it.

[Theyreallrubbish]

and to charge the same price for all customers, regardless of age, gender or race.

I took one last night. Paid 10 Baht and am now amazed, AMAZED I TELL YOU! that they didn't proffer change.

I think the mayor should be told. After all wouldn't want a single bad apple to ruin the image of Pattaya baht bus drivers

[Basil B]

and to charge the same price for all customers, regardless of age, gender or race.

I took one last night. Paid 10 Baht and am now amazed, AMAZED I TELL YOU! that they didn't proffer change.

I think the mayor should be told. After all wouldn't want a single bad apple to ruin the image of Pattaya baht bus drivers

I think it is a 3 day trial they will be doing next year.

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February 29th to 31st to be exact...

:D

[LennyW]

Have i been in hibernation and all of a sudden woken up on April 1st????, this has got to be some kind of wind up!!

[zaphodbeeblebrox]

They will probably return to the old double pricing scheme: 5 baht for Thais/10 baht for everyone else.

[Hssl]

The blue menace adhere to one thing only being a complete pain in the butt

[syd barrett]

Funny that, because I thought a baht bus driver had gone mental two days ago when he gave me 15 baht change from a 20 baht note.

5 Baht is 10 pence in UK money, so for a short trip in a third world country seems about right. In the Philippines it used to be 1.5 peso a trip which was about 2 pence!!

[marshbags]

Funny that, because I thought a baht bus driver had gone mental two days ago when he gave me 15 baht change from a 20 baht note.

5 Baht is 10 pence in UK money, so for a short trip in a third world country seems about right. In the Philippines it used to be 1.5 peso a trip which was about 2 pence!!

fair play if it,s true.

No such happenings in my province as of yet.

Maybe considered off topic, but a good guide to the scenario of the O.P.

It,s truly amazing that when you go to Tesco in your 5 baht taxi, while the price of oil has gone back and the economic situation has got dire, especially for Thai.

Instead of reducing the prices, apart from selected / limited reductions, the prices are still going up

<deleted>

marshbags

[popshirt]

I am waiting for a report from Jingthing on the baht fares before I believe this bit of news.

[britmaveric]

Give them 5bht then walk away. Course only works if you have the exact change.

[happyaussie]

It baffles me how many complaints I see about Baht buses. To me it is the most efficent taxi service on earth. Other than 3rd world countries tell me where else I can get such a cheap/efficent taxi service.

By reading some of the comments above and in previous postings it's no wonder farangs are held in such contempt.

How about baht buses are removed. What's the alternative?

These guys have lives to live and bills to pay.

So remember you are visitors, pay the 10 baht and be happy.

[CGW]

It baffles me how many complaints I see about Baht buses. To me it is the most efficent taxi service on earth. Other than 3rd world countries tell me where else I can get such a cheap/efficent taxi service.

By reading some of the comments above and in previous postings it's no wonder farangs are held in such contempt.

How about baht buses are removed. What's the alternative?

These guys have lives to live and bills to pay.

So remember you are visitors, pay the 10 baht and be happy.

I have to agree, surprises me that people even carry small change, I thought it was for throwing into a jar and giving to charity when full!

[begsaresponse]

Hello, come in Jingthing this is just up you alley!!!? Or are you just too traumatised to answer??????????????

[Jingthing]

Hello, come in Jingthing this is just up you alley!!!? Or are you just too traumatised to answer??????????????

I have no issue with the current baht bus system, when used as BUSES. Nice fiction item from the OP.

[pothai]

Pattaya should be proud of their Baht Buses....probably one of the most convenient and cheapest modes of transport there is in Thailand...have a look at Samui/Phuket/Hua Hin etc..... 5 Baht or 10 baht its great value either way

[Jingthing]

Yes, on the set routes they are super convenient and the price is fine. However, there are down sides. They are horrible rip offs when converted to charter taxis and a good portion of the drivers are psychopathic lunatics (both in their driving style and public relations with "clients") and/or on yaba. Also, the truck exhausts are often very filthy.

Edited December 7, 2008 by Jingthing

[pothai]

Pattaya should be proud of their Baht Buses....probably one of the most convenient and cheapest modes of transport there is in Thailand...have a look at Samui/Phuket/Hua Hin etc..... 5 Baht or 10 baht its great value either way

Havnt been to Pattaya for a few months but 80 Baht for a ride after midnight that would cost at least 500 in Samui/Phuket.....pretty good value and no real haggling needed....probably as I dont live there I havnt encountered the bad side of them....but as a visitor, I give them a great applause

[tropo]

I had no idea the official price had been increased to 10 baht in the first place, when did that happen?

[Rinrada]

I had no idea the official price had been increased to 10 baht in the first place, when did that happen?

Official price has always been 5 Bt but lots of 'hoi poll-oi'love to play the rich foreigner and get the feel good factor by giving 10...bit like charity but without the tax rebates... ...just love tipping....even seen them at Suwanna trying to backhand the pilots $500 after a flight.....

Reminds me when the Saudis first used to visit London and would give the Bus Conductors £20 on a 20 pence fare....and tell em to keep the change nice innit...

Anyway now that the Bt/Song Tails 'capones'are charging ...ha bt a trip ...I suppose that we will (non Hoi P etc)have to consider giving them 2.5 bt..a time ..anybody got a bag of 50 s'tangs

[Chaz1819]

It baffles me how many complaints I see about Baht buses. To me it is the most efficent taxi service on earth. Other than 3rd world countries tell me where else I can get such a cheap/efficent taxi service.

By reading some of the comments above and in previous postings it's no wonder farangs are held in such contempt.

How about baht buses are removed. What's the alternative?

These guys have lives to live and bills to pay.

So remember you are visitors, pay the 10 baht and be happy.

I agree so much - sometimes amazes me when I hear crying about such things .......... trade shoes for a month

[Tolley]

Stay in Pattaya long enough and most people will learn to hate the songtaew drivers for a variety of reasons.

10 baht is reasonable when they do what they are supposed to do.....

but they are a law under themselves and can do some very irritating things like suddenly deciding to not go the prescribed route and turning off leaving you to go and get another one....or driving like a lunatic with you left trying to hang on and of course if you have an accident and you are in the back who knows what might happen to you, or trying to get you to hire the vehicle when you just want to go on a prescribed route etc

[onzestan]

How can something so trivial as the price of a trip on a baht bus trigger so much emotion.

I don't allow myself to be bothered by it longer than it takes to take my money from my pocket and pay.

Makes life a lot easier and a lot more fun.

cheers

onzestan

[TheWalkingMan]

It's a miracle!

TheWalkingMan

[Jingthing]

How can something so trivial as the price of a trip on a baht bus trigger so much emotion.

I don't allow myself to be bothered by it longer than it takes to take my money from my pocket and pay.

Makes life a lot easier and a lot more fun.

cheers

onzestan

Oh, let me see, hmmm, I don't know, hmmmm, maybe it is the racial aspect of its enforcement that offends western sensibilities of basic fairness and equal treatment.

Asian faced billionaire, 5 baht

White faced pauper living on a frozen pension in a tiny room, 10 baht

Asian faced American, 5 baht

White faced luk krung, raised in Thailand, 10 baht

Edited December 8, 2008 by Jingthing

[onzestan]

How can something so trivial as the price of a trip on a baht bus trigger so much emotion.

I don't allow myself to be bothered by it longer than it takes to take my money from my pocket and pay.

Makes life a lot easier and a lot more fun.

cheers

onzestan

Oh, let me see, hmmm, I don't know, hmmmm, maybe it is the racial aspect of its enforcement that offends western sensibilities of basic fairness and equal treatment.

Asian faced billionaire, 5 baht

White faced pauper living on a frozen pension in a tiny room, 10 baht

Asian faced American, 5 baht

White faced luk krung, raised in Thailand, 10 baht

Took a while for the racial aspect to surface, but here we go again.

FYI I don't believe for one minute that there's a racial aspect to this Baht bus pricing policy.

For the Thais a tourist has more money than the Thais, therefore they should pay more. That's called profit enhancement!

They do what every taxi driver in the whole world does to tourists.

Live with it.

cheers

onzestan

[tropo]

How can something so trivial as the price of a trip on a baht bus trigger so much emotion.

I don't allow myself to be bothered by it longer than it takes to take my money from my pocket and pay.

Makes life a lot easier and a lot more fun.

cheers

onzestan

Oh, let me see, hmmm, I don't know, hmmmm, maybe it is the racial aspect of its enforcement that offends western sensibilities of basic fairness and equal treatment.

Asian faced billionaire, 5 baht

White faced pauper living on a frozen pension in a tiny room, 10 baht

Asian faced American, 5 baht

White faced luk krung, raised in Thailand, 10 baht

Took a while for the racial aspect to surface, but here we go again.

FYI I don't believe for one minute that there's a racial aspect to this Baht bus pricing policy.

For the Thais a tourist has more money than the Thais, therefore they should pay more. That's called profit enhancement!

They do what every taxi driver in the whole world does to tourists.

Live with it.

cheers

onzestan

You took the words out of my mouth. If they can get away with "profit enhancement" they will. The only way to stop this is through strict enforcement by a municipal authority, and that is not likely to happen in our lifetime.

Edited December 8, 2008 by tropo

[BigDamo]

So guys, Im back in Patts in 2 weeks for a while staying at the Dusit and will be going into W/S each night. If I (A farang) jump on at the dusit and get off at W/S and hand 5 Bht they will accept it or shout and moan?

??

[JetsetBkk]

How can something so trivial as the price of a trip on a baht bus trigger so much emotion...

Ever been to Phuket?

See how far you get offering 5 baht or 50 baht to a tuk-tuk driver there. Minimum is currently 150 baht, I believe. Maybe someone in Phuket who uses these rip-off merchants can comment.