Baht Bus Confidential: True Life Experiences From The Front Lines

[Jingthing]

This topic gives me an opportunity to report an improbable experience.Three friends on holiday from UK and myself boarded a passenger free baht bus in Jomtien.After driving about 200 yards the driver stopped and walked to the rear of the baht bus.In this situation 9 times out of 10 I would have expected the familiar words "where you go?" from the driver,and expect him to try to negotiate a fare.

Surprisingly he was one of the good guys,and all he wanted to do was to warn us that pickpockets were becoming a bit of a fixture on baht buses and to be careful.

He deserved a medal,not just a tip.

Yes, and that is a heart warming story. And true. Be especially careful with the Thai ladies in groups boarding already crowded buses, who are carrying huge handbags!

Edited December 17, 2009 by Jingthing

[syd barrett]

I think most people who live in Pattaya and use baht-buses on a daily basis should do as I do: Have a small notebook with numerals from 000-999 written inside where I grade the baht-buses on the journey satisfaction.

Comments regarding, condition, driving, routes, driver, payment, internal fittings, etc. etc.

[Jingthing]

Oh boy, I have a new report.

BAHT BUS 491. Beware! This driver is a lunatic! That or in a contest to get the maximum fare ever from Jomtien to Pattaya!

Took this from Jomtien to the Avenue.

The bus was full. People already standing on the back. The driver knew this. However, this manic driver stopped 5 or 6 times on the way to Pattaya anyway trying to coax people onto the bus who didn't want to get on a packed bus. Each time he would bang loudly on the window. One time there was a Russian family with children. He get out of the bus and basically pushed them onto the packed baht bus. Even after that, he still stopped and tried to get more people onto the bus. Once in Pattaya a few people got off. So then on the way to the Avenue, he stopped four times with nobody around, just hoping new people would show up. Nobody did. So I got off at the Avenue. Normally I avoid eye contact with drivers but this one was so insane I wanted a good look at him. As I suspected he appeared like an angry maniac. I had my 10 baht ready (the standard fare from inner Jomtien to the Avenue, in many years have NEVER been challenge on 10 baht for that ride) and of course he snapped 20 baht. Now given his insanity I probably should have caved because he was potentially violent, but I was angry about all the stops (everyone on the bus noticed and was making faces about it) so I just tossed the 10 baht in the truck and said Bye. Happily, he didn't attack me. In any case, another memorable baht bus ride for sure!

[syd barrett]

491 is one for the notebook. What time of day?

Sometimes they have a shift system where drivers change at a set hour.

I recommend that all people in Pattaya carry a small notepad and a carbon pencil and make a note of Baht Bus numbers and their resulting experiences, then report back here.

Thanks for the feedback.

[losworld]

So pay 20 baht that's 60 cents US. If you ride to and fro daily it's 1.20 or 36 dollars per month for transportation. What's the big deal? Most here will complain about 20 baht then drop 500 for a bar fine.

Give the guys driving a break. It's 20 baht!!!!

[syd barrett]

So pay 20 baht that's 60 cents US. If you ride to and fro daily it's 1.20 or 36 dollars per month for transportation. What's the big deal? Most here will complain about 20 baht then drop 500 for a bar fine.

Give the guys driving a break. It's 20 baht!!!!

You miss the point. Do you live in Pattaya?

10 baht is the fare. End of story.

[gerry53]

losworld - I think it's crazy for you to think doubling the regular fare is acceptable because you still believe it is still cheap. What are you going to say when your beer, massages, meals, rent, etc doubles just because you are a farang?

[Jingthing]

So pay 20 baht that's 60 cents US. If you ride to and fro daily it's 1.20 or 36 dollars per month for transportation. What's the big deal? Most here will complain about 20 baht then drop 500 for a bar fine.

Give the guys driving a break. It's 20 baht!!!!

You miss the point. Do you live in Pattaya?

10 baht is the fare. End of story.

Correct. Losworld sounds like a tourist's mentality.

BTW, not only did this driver not deserve a "break" of a 100 percent tip but he is completely unfit to drive a baht bus. His behavior was insane and I strongly suspect he was on yaba. That incident of stopping and getting out of the truck to force an unwilling family onto a packed bus was a first for me to witness. My major complaint obvious to anyone reading my report is about his behavior, not the overcharging attempt. A simple overcharging attempt would not have been worthy on this thread.

Edited May 3, 2010 by Jingthing

[Jingthing]

491 is one for the notebook. What time of day?

Sometimes they have a shift system where drivers change at a set hour.

I recommend that all people in Pattaya carry a small notepad and a carbon pencil and make a note of Baht Bus numbers and their resulting experiences, then report back here.

Thanks for the feedback.

7:30 PM.

About the numbers, are you certain they generally drive the same numbered trucks each shift?

Another question, does calling and COMPLAINING to the baht bus mafia office actually have any real consequences to the offending drivers?

Edited May 3, 2010 by Jingthing

[tropo]

Oh boy, I have a new report.

BAHT BUS 491. Beware! This driver is a lunatic! That or in a contest to get the maximum fare ever from Jomtien to Pattaya!

Took this from Jomtien to the Avenue.

The bus was full. People already standing on the back. The driver knew this. However, this manic driver stopped 5 or 6 times on the way to Pattaya anyway trying to coax people onto the bus who didn't want to get on a packed bus. Each time he would bang loudly on the window. One time there was a Russian family with children. He get out of the bus and basically pushed them onto the packed baht bus. Even after that, he still stopped and tried to get more people onto the bus. Once in Pattaya a few people got off. So then on the way to the Avenue, he stopped four times with nobody around, just hoping new people would show up. Nobody did. So I got off at the Avenue. Normally I avoid eye contact with drivers but this one was so insane I wanted a good look at him. As I suspected he appeared like an angry maniac. I had my 10 baht ready (the standard fare from inner Jomtien to the Avenue, in many years have NEVER been challenge on 10 baht for that ride) and of course he snapped 20 baht. Now given his insanity I probably should have caved because he was potentially violent, but I was angry about all the stops (everyone on the bus noticed and was making faces about it) so I just tossed the 10 baht in the truck and said Bye. Happily, he didn't attack me. In any case, another memorable baht bus ride for sure!

Here's another good one.

On one of the rare occasions I ever use these vermin, I had to get up Pratumnak Hill from Pattaya Tai. I had a heavy bag with me as I was returning from Pattaya North bus station on my way back from Bangkok.

I'm not experienced at these things (baht buses), but the first bus started turning left at Thappraya Road so I got off and paid the driver 20 baht (2 people) for this short ride. Then I started walking up the Hill until another baht bus with passengers came past and stopped for us to get on. He went up the Hill but then turned right at the police booth, down the road toward Royal Cliff Hotel. He stopped at Royal Cliff Hotel and the 2 passengers got out. I thought he would be going back up the hill, but the driver got out and asked me where I was going to which I replied: Pratumnak Road Soi 5 Family Mart. He asked me for 100 baht to go back up the hill and when I refused he told me to get off and left me at Royal Cliff, taking the back road past the light house and Bali Hai Pier.

It was raining too. Luckily there was a Pattaya Taxi -"Meter" in a rank opposite the Royal Cliff entrance, so I had pay one of those scammers 100 baht to go back up the hill.

In hindsight I should have stayed on the bus because he was obviously heading back to the intersection by the overpass on Pratumnak Road because there was nowhere else for him to go (where I started my trip) and I could have just waited for another baht bus...and paid him nothing.

[losworld]

losworld - I think it's crazy for you to think doubling the regular fare is acceptable because you still believe it is still cheap. What are you going to say when your beer, massages, meals, rent, etc doubles just because you are a farang?

If rent, etc. doubles than its time to get upset. But to lose sleep over 20 baht doesn't make a lot of sense to me.

[Ulysses G.]

I was always skeptical about Pattaya baht bus drivers being as crazy as made out on TV until I discreetly flipped one the bird and he chased me for about 3 blocks the wrong way on Beach road in his truck - driving backwards. I am not longer a doubter.

[gerry53]

losworld - I agree that it's not worth losing any sleep over an extra 10 baht. My problem is that JT had a bad experience because of the baht buses drivers attitude and saneness (possibly drug induced), to give him a 100% tip is sending him and the other drivers the wrong message and sets a bad precedent. There is enough problems with baht bus drivers in this area. If the driver gives me a good trip, drives safely and behaves well it's a diferent matter. I am not a cheap charlie but other expats on limited or declining incomes (currency related) probably won't want to have 100% markups dictated to them for any goods or services.

Edited May 4, 2010 by gerry53

[Jingthing]

I don't lose any sleep over 10 baht, trust me! People who think my recent report was about 10 baht just don't get it.

[PolPat]

I was getting my bike serviced at the motorcycle shop on Third Road and Pattaya Thai. I caught the baht bus at Pattaya Klang and hit the buzzer well before the shop. The driver had a green light at Pattaya Thai and refused to stop until he made the intersection. Then he demanded 20 baht because he had entered a new zone by crossing Pattaya Thai. I paid him as I did not have exact change to throw in his lap and I thought it was very clever move on his part. I think Jomtien to the Avenue is two zones so the 20 baht might be correct.

[Jingthing]

I was getting my bike serviced at the motorcycle shop on Third Road and Pattaya Thai. I caught the baht bus at Pattaya Klang and hit the buzzer well before the shop. The driver had a green light at Pattaya Thai and refused to stop until he made the intersection. Then he demanded 20 baht because he had entered a new zone by crossing Pattaya Thai. I paid him as I did not have exact change to throw in his lap and I thought it was very clever move on his part. I think Jomtien to the Avenue is two zones so the 20 baht might be correct.

I don't understand your post. You were taking a baht bus on Third Road? There is no regular baht bus service on Third Road. Did you mean Soi Bukauw? In any case, passing the light or not, the fare was 10 baht, he was just trying you on, had nothing to do with zones.

The run from Jomtien to Pattaya can be ambiguous. Generally, from inner Jomtien, some/many but by no means all drivers will demand 20 baht if you go further than Pattaya Klang. If you get off before Pattaya Klang, they will accept 20 baht or even 1000 baht, but trust me ALMOST NEVER will they demand more than 10 baht if stopping before Pattaya Klang.

Edited May 4, 2010 by Jingthing

[PolPat]

I caught the bus at Third road and Pattaya Klang (correct no regular service). The driver told me the zone change was at Pattaya Thai. I think Pattaya Klang is another zone change. Jomtien to the north side of Pattaya Klang would be three zones. I always pay twenty baht when I go from Immigration to Pattaya Klang and have been with Thai people who do the same. The point of my post is the driver refused to let me off until I had crossed into another zone so he could charge me extra.

[Jingthing]

I already agreed with you about after Pattaya Klang. I do not agree with you BEFORE Pattaya Klang. I have no opinion on 3rd road service as that is not a standard service, but on the other hand I am very confident that if you take a bus from Pattaya Tai to Pattaya North on 2nd road, that is a 10 baht ride.

At this point, frankly, I hope we can get back the to topic of thread, real dramatic stories about baht bus riding, as opposed to the ETERNAL controversies about what is the correct fare (which is clearly a game the baht bus drivers love so they can continue to harvest the many clueless tourists who pay 100 baht for a 10 baht ride).

Edited May 4, 2010 by Jingthing

[PolPat]

I already agreed with you about after Pattaya Klang. I do not agree with you BEFORE Pattaya Klang. I have no opinion on 3rd road service as that is not a standard service, but on the other hand I am very confident that if you take a bus from Pattaya Tai to Pattaya North on 2nd road, that is a 10 baht ride.

At this point, frankly, I hope we can get back the to topic of thread, real dramatic stories about baht bus riding, as opposed to the ETERNAL controversies about what is the correct fare (which is clearly a game the baht bus drivers love so they can continue to harvest the many clueless tourists who pay 100 baht for a 10 baht ride).

I get off before Pattaya Klang. I also catch the baht bus on my way to immigration on Soi Bukkaho and pay 20 baht if I am lucky enough to catch a straight shot. My post was on topic as it described a driver failing to let me off and then having the gall to overcharge me because of his refusal to stop. I think however, we can both agree some of the drivers are shameless in how they treat passengers.

[Jingthing]

Fair enough, but I still feel if people want to discuss in detail the current realities of fares on baht buses, that they please do so in another thread. Simply fare conflicts are too pervasive to be worth mentioning. Yes I did mention one in my recent report as an added detail to the incident, but I would have never posted the story if it was only about a fare conflict.

Edited May 4, 2010 by Jingthing

[PolPat]

Fair enough, but I still feel if people want to discuss in detail the current realities of fares on baht buses, that they please do so in another thread. Simply fare conflicts are too pervasive to be worth mentioning. Yes I did mention one in my recent report as an added detail to the incident, but I would have never posted the story if it was only about a fare conflict.

Your original post is really not that unusual. Baht Bus overloading and stalling to wait for a customer is really very common place. Your post does not seem to meet your own criteria.

[tropo]

Fair enough, but I still feel if people want to discuss in detail the current realities of fares on baht buses, that they please do so in another thread. Simply fare conflicts are too pervasive to be worth mentioning. Yes I did mention one in my recent report as an added detail to the incident, but I would have never posted the story if it was only about a fare conflict.

Polpot's post was definitely about baht bus antics. The driver ignored his stop and sped over to the next zone in order to gain a higher fare.

...so give him a break boss. His post belongs in your thread.

[Jingthing]

Fair enough, but I still feel if people want to discuss in detail the current realities of fares on baht buses, that they please do so in another thread. Simply fare conflicts are too pervasive to be worth mentioning. Yes I did mention one in my recent report as an added detail to the incident, but I would have never posted the story if it was only about a fare conflict.

Your original post is really not that unusual. Baht Bus overloading and stalling to wait for a customer is really very common place. Your post does not seem to meet your own criteria.

No, you clearly didn't carefully read the report if you think that was normal. Especially getting out of the truck in traffic and forcing a family with a young child onto the bus when they had made it clear they didn't want to go onto that bus. I agree milder forms of waiting for trade and stopping when full in case people want to board the back are normal. Also, the loud banging on the window every time he did and every time people did NOT want to board because the bus and the back were already full. This driver was NOT normal. I know well what is not normal here as I ride the buses frequently for years.

Edited May 4, 2010 by Jingthing

[Jingthing]

Fair enough, but I still feel if people want to discuss in detail the current realities of fares on baht buses, that they please do so in another thread. Simply fare conflicts are too pervasive to be worth mentioning. Yes I did mention one in my recent report as an added detail to the incident, but I would have never posted the story if it was only about a fare conflict.

Polpot's post was definitely about baht bus antics. The driver ignored his stop and sped over to the next zone in order to gain a higher fare.

...so give him a break boss. His post belongs in your thread.

OK, whatever. However, I stand by my assertion that the zone story is a fiction. Any ride between Pattaya Tai and Pattaya North is never more than 10 baht. I just didn't want this thread to be another fare controversy thread. Of course, many more dramatic events can happen as a result of fare conflicts. Edited May 4, 2010 by Jingthing

[Rimmer]

My wife was alighting from a baht bus on second road when the driver took off dragging her along the ground.

She twisted and badly cut her knee as well as ruining a pair pf new trousers. She was not a happy girl and is now very scared of them, she now drives herself everywhere rather than ride on one even though it is often a lot less convenient..

[toptuan]

After a consistent string of bad experiences there, I took, what will be my last trip ever to Pattaya a month ago.

When we got on board at the central Pattaya bus station, the ticket seller and driver asked the destination of each passenger. The baht bus took many circuitous detours off the main route to deliver riders to fancy resorts and hotels all along the route between downtown Pattaya and Jomtien. I had made reservations at a hotel I had never visited before and was so happy to see the "front door" service this guy was giving, as I had only an address to go on.

I happened to be the last rider on the bus, and he stopped near the beginning (north end) of Jomtien Beach road and motioned for me to get out. When I inquired where my hotel was, he pointed the opposite direction and sped off. I wandered for nearly an hour up and down the road and side sois. Neither the local tourist police nor any vendor knew where my hotel was. They said the address didn't make any since (which I had printed out from the website). When I called the hotel, the connection was so bad that the feedback was unintelligible. I gave up, and ended up walking into a half-dozen other local hotels to find a room.

OK, I made a bad choice on the original hotel. However, it was complicated by a dishonest driver who either 1) never knew where the hotel was in the first place, or 2) was hurrying to get his cold beer waiting for him at a local bar, and could care less about the last rider on his bus.

Thanks, Baht Bus Driver!

Meanwhile, I'll go back to Isaan where strangers often WALK you to your destination out of the goodness of their hearts. I'll happily leave Pattaya to the ravenous baht bus drivers and their tourist-victims, many of whom they hope to never see again. Typical tourist trap.

[WaatWang]

Rimmer, sorry to hear about your wife! I hope she is feeling ok and maybe has the courage to try again someday.

Here's my baht bus confidential:

I needed a ride into Pattaya from Thappraya Road. The one that stopped was full but the driver said I could sit inside the cab. I speak passable Thai and we started chatting. Everything was ok until he started making advances and offered me B2,000 to go to a hotel with him! I declined but he was very persistent, trying to hold my hand, etc... I got out at Royal Garden, paid my fare and have not seen him since (this was several months ago now). I still ride baht busses frequently but will not sit inside again.

[PolPat]

Rimmer, sorry to hear about your wife! I hope she is feeling ok and maybe has the courage to try again someday.

Here's my baht bus confidential:

I needed a ride into Pattaya from Thappraya Road. The one that stopped was full but the driver said I could sit inside the cab. I speak passable Thai and we started chatting. Everything was ok until he started making advances and offered me B2,000 to go to a hotel with him! I declined but he was very persistent, trying to hold my hand, etc... I got out at Royal Garden, paid my fare and have not seen him since (this was several months ago now). I still ride baht busses frequently but will not sit inside again.

For once somebody had the chance to come out ahead while dealing with a baht bus driver. You must be hot stuff Waatwang.

[Rimmer]

One OFF topic post about prices deleted.

[tropo]

Meanwhile, I'll go back to Isaan where strangers often WALK you to your destination out of the goodness of their hearts. I'll happily leave Pattaya to the ravenous baht bus drivers and their tourist-victims, many of whom they hope to never see again. Typical tourist trap.

The sooner you release your need for baht bus drivers the better. In over 4 years I've only used them a few times - about once a year.

You could have bought a motorcycle and avoided having to move to Isaan.

Edited May 6, 2010 by tropo