Baht Bus Confidential: True Life Experiences From The Front Lines

[dmax]

ive never had a problem with baht buses, pay ten baht to driver , he may stall a while expecting more but just walk away. simple !

[Jingthing]

ive never had a problem with baht buses, pay ten baht to driver , he may stall a while expecting more but just walk away. simple !

Do you live here and ride them most days? Seriously, I can't imagine a frequent user of baht buses over a long period of time NEVER having a problem with them. It seems against the odds in the extreme.

Edited May 6, 2010 by Jingthing

[gharknes]

anyone really want to test the honesty of these scoundrels, start giving them 100baht notes expecting change and see how many give you back 90baht or even 80baht.................I always make sure I have the correct change.

PS if I gave a driver 100baht and got 90baht change I'd give him a tip...no question

Edited May 6, 2010 by gharknes

[neilf]

New years eve my freind saw an angry Baht Bus driver tell 2 falangs to get off his bus unless they were going to pay 100 Bt each!!!! both refused and had to get off, the driver was out in the middle of the road and screaming and shouting at them!!! Funny thing was the two of them didnt even have a seat - they were standing on the step at the back!

This happend on second road around soi 4 area, my mate said it was quite a spectacle and a lot of people were watching??

i was on a baht bus full of people on new years eve stuck in traffic under the flyover that goes to bali hai when the driver announced 150 baht to jontiem or get off -------------a few did ----------i got a motorbike for 50. a lot of things go up in price in the uk on a holiday or at xmas so is it wrong for thais to put some things up at say songkran or our new years eve etc

[neilf]

I think that there should be some kind of thread started listing numbers of baht buses in Pattaya which are good and which are bad.

Example: 186=GOOD

I am not clear as to the point of that. People pretty much take the next available bus.

no vote with your feet------------keep a list of bad ones numbers and see if you can not get on before you see the number then tell the driver from a safe distance that he is blacklisted for bad behavour but for a consideration you will post good things about him--------if you cant beat them join them !!

[Ulysses G.]

if I gave a driver 100baht and got 90baht change I'd give him a tip...no question

I'd have a heart attack!

[neilf]

I think they lease the bus from the organized baht bus collective so if that is the case, they must earn their "nut" everyday before they earn baht 1. So of course they must hustle and be aggressive to earn a living in their struggle for economic survival. But there are limits to what is acceptable (grabbing and holding down my hand for example).

The queue men I was talking about who stand around Pattaya Tai and 2nd do not drive buses, so I assume they are paid by the baht bus collective. But who knows. I don't know exactly what their money motivation is to yell at riders.

I haven't seen any of those signs pictured above for quite some time.

the one at the queue might be a nutter who thinks he has a job and is tolerated for some reason

in england a guy dressed in black used to stand inside a pub door and open it as people went in it was assumed he was door staff -----------he was just a strange customer---------it was lancashire so no surprise there.

[neilf]

There is of course no standard spelling for romanized Thai, so you can spell things however you like. Liberating, innit?

5 baht, 10 bath, 20 bats, its all a carnival ...

10 bath sounds good to me------------you would need a lot of space

[syd barrett]

Since the cost of a ride was increased from 5 to 10 baht for all there has been lot less trouble and bad feeling.

There is still the odd crazy driver, but all things considered they offer a value alternative to mafia meter taxis who want 150 baht per trip minimum.

[Jingthing]

The thread that never dies, and never will die, as long as the baht bus collective mafia lives.

This report is about the situation at the famous baht bus queue at Pattaya Tai, loading up to go to Jomtien.

I have reported some disturbing incidents coming from the abusive behavior of the loading men down there such as yelling at a Russian family and making small children cry. Over time, I have seen many horrors I haven't bothered reporting.

However, here's a new one that I think is worth mentioning.

Tonight there was a backlog of people waiting to load because of the rainstorm. That happens sometimes. People politely lined up, including me.

Well the bus I was waiting to load filled up except for the back and I don't choose to ride on the back. There was really no more room. One of the loaders, a drunken old coot with "crazy eyes" doing his "job" forcibly tried to spread some foreigners in both directions to make room for me. There wasn't room. I didn't wish to impose myself on those people and more importantly I decided to wait for a better chance at some comfort on the next bus, which I knew would take about a minute to load anyway, so no sweat.

The loading man went totally postal on me. He wanted to FORCE me to board a bus I did NOT want to board. When he saw I wasn't going to board, his alcoholism disease ravaged brain decided if I wasn't getting on the bus he ordered me to board, I wasn't going to be allowed on ANY bus.

He started yelling at me and making hand gestures, saying about four times -

You WALK WALK WALK!

Clearly ordering me to leave the scene of his sordid transport empire.

Of course, I wasn't budging. I wasn't walking away. I was going to wait for the next bus as a human being with free will is supposed to be allowed to do.

I stood up to him forcefully and directly, making it clear I wasn't going to budge. His partners in crime who were clearly much more sane didn't commit either way in this conflict, not supporting him directly, of course not supporting me either.

He backed off. I boarded the next bus and had a comfortable ride.

Yes, I know I could have been the latest victim of a crazed gang of "wronged" Thais if he had decided not to back down. But I would do it again tomorrow.

Anyone who carefully reads this report and still doesn't understand that the baht bus system operates with the mentality of a violent mafia, well, you're not paying attention.

Edited August 13, 2010 by Jingthing

[syd barrett]

I am genuinely interested in your story. I take the baht bus from Pattya Tai to Soi Chayapreuk about 2-3 times per week but always 10 am-12 Midday.

What time was this aggressive situation?

Sometimes if I am carrying bags I also refuse to stand on the back of a baht bus (and wait for the next).

I think you were unlucky to encounter a loony. I have to be fair, in 9 years I have had only 2-3 problems with these Songthaew from Pattya Tai-Jomtien BY DAY.

[Jingthing]

It was about an hour ago. I hope the loony tunes isn't a new regular at the loading queue. If so, what weapons can I carry here legally?

I was carrying bags and he wasn't forcing me on the back. He was OK with that. He wasn't OK with me refusing to board the already stuffed seating area.

BTW, how's this for a change of pace? I don't think this is westerner/Thai issue except in the sense that the vast majority of Thais would have followed his orders. Maybe the vast majority of non-Thais also. It's more of a mafia territory issue, they own that queue and you do what they say, or it's the highway (not on a bus). Its a similar kind of phenom to what you hear about in Phuket, violent reactions to anyone questioning the authority of the tuk tuk mafia's parking rules.

Edited August 13, 2010 by Jingthing

[balo]

Interesting story

I will be going to Jomtien tomorrow to visit friends. Is it still 30 baht they charge you from the bus terminal ?

[Jingthing]

Interesting story

I will be going to Jomtien tomorrow to visit friends. Is it still 30 baht they charge you from the bus terminal ?

Not sure what you mean. From Pattaya North road where the Bangkok bus comes in? If you mean the Pattaya Tai queue, it's only 10 baht to Jomtien.

BTW, I forget to mention that my "special friend" the drunken old coot made a point to harass me AGAIN when I did board the next bus. He was screaming at me to move in from the rear seat of the bus but within moments a guy just walked in and filled the space, so he was frustrated a second time. Like I said, hope he's not a regular.

It is a common thing for them to power trip people to scoot in even though most people are fine working it out themselves by filling spaces as they come in. There are situations where it's important to scoot in, such as when a sick or frail elderly person has a hard time boarding, etc. To avoid conflict, a lot of the time I just go to the front end right away, but not always. Another point, being on the front or rear end seats is the best to avoid pickpockets as you only need to cover one pocket side ... Speaking of pickpockets, that is another reason aside from comfort to avoid crowded buses, but of course from the queue they need to be full to leave.

Edited August 13, 2010 by Jingthing

[balo]

Interesting story

I will be going to Jomtien tomorrow to visit friends. Is it still 30 baht they charge you from the bus terminal ?

Not sure what you mean. From Pattaya North road where the Bangkok bus comes in? If you mean the Pattaya Tai queue, it's only 10 baht to Jomtien.

BTW, I forget to mention that my "special friend" the drunken old coot made a point to harass me AGAIN when I did board the next bus. He was screaming at me to move in from the rear seat of the bus but within moments a guy just walked in and filled the space, so he was frustrated a second time. Like I said, hope he's not a regular.

Yes Pattaya North road , if I remember correctly it was 30 baht with the baht bus, It's the same system with queues there, never had any problems with them so looking forward to a "smooth ride".

Edited August 13, 2010 by balo

[syd barrett]

Interesting story

I will be going to Jomtien tomorrow to visit friends. Is it still 30 baht they charge you from the bus terminal ?

Not sure what you mean. From Pattaya North road where the Bangkok bus comes in? If you mean the Pattaya Tai queue, it's only 10 baht to Jomtien.

BTW, I forget to mention that my "special friend" the drunken old coot made a point to harass me AGAIN when I did board the next bus. He was screaming at me to move in from the rear seat of the bus but within moments a guy just walked in and filled the space, so he was frustrated a second time. Like I said, hope he's not a regular.

Yes Pattaya North road , if I remember correctly it was 30 baht with the baht bus, It's the same system with queues there, never had any problems with them so looking forward to a "smooth ride".

From Pattaya North Bus Station the charge is 20 baht only. Don't ask the price or it will be inflated to 30-40 baht.

[Jingthing]

Continuing the discussion of the abusive incident I experienced a few nights ago, I had mentioned that I didn't think this was motivated by a Thai-Westerner conflict, but rather a case of mafia type territorial ethics (or lack of thereof).

Interestingly, I had a long discussion about this with an old friend and he interpreted it a different way.

His take was this this old Thai man viewed me and any "farang" as a rich western tourist, with all the implicit resentment and disdain that can sometimes imply. His view was that this man saw me a cheap Charlie who could could easily afford to charter a bus myself if I actually required/demanded the comfort of a seat that actually accommodated by body. If I was going to participate in the peasant people's baht bus system, I could do so, but I was required to accept that there was no right to expect/demand a comfortable seat. If I got one, fine, but demanding one, not acceptable. Me being a kind of prima donna demanding a comfortable seat of my choice totally offended this guy's sensibilities, and he got hostile. Just repeating my friend's theory. It's a good one I think, but I don't pretend to know the actual truth going on that violent man's brain.

Some other points from my friend.

I was put into a fight or flight situation. My adrenaline went up and I chose fight (although this was a heat of the moment situation and I didn't actually think about it). The idea of listening to him and start walking to Jomtien didn't occur to me as an option and by the time he was yelling at me, the option of caving in and boarding the overcrowded bus didn't seem like a real option either. The way I reacted was dangerous, it could have resulted in violence. His suggestion was what I should have done was to do FLIGHT, just smile meekly and walk BACK TOWARDS the direction of Pattaya. If I had done that, basically surrendered backwards but still not listening to his absurd abusive order to walk to Jomtien, there would have been very little chance of him chasing me to inflict violence. Then after 10 minutes or so I think I could have easily slipped back onto a new bus. His other funny option was to adopt a meek, non-aggressive polite stance and feign misunderstanding. I am not sure I could pull that acting job off, but his theory was that this would have caused "reverse culture shock" and confused the abusive Thai man to the point where he would just give it up without further aggression.

I am glad I had that conversation with my friend because I think I may react differently to such events in the future, with less chance of creating a violent situation.

Cheers and happy baht bus riding.

Edited August 16, 2010 by Jingthing

[Jingthing]

Good news! The mad man who I reported about on the previous post doesn't appear to be a regular worker at the bus queue. Perhaps when he gets especially drunk he pays the regular guys to hang out there for the sport of harassing and abusing transport riders.

[waza]

The worse experience I have had on a Baht bus is when it was pooring with rain and the Thai lady who was sitting opposite me offered to pay the driver for me to save me from spending too long in the rain. She asked me for the 10 baht as she was exiting the Bus the stop before me to pay the driver. My friend with me said she would rip meI though it would be OK as she was with a Farrang, and she must have been his wife as she was too old and ugly to be a BG and the sum was a pittance. The husband said nothing, so I agreed and gave her the 10 baht and thanked her. They got off and went to the driver and we continued. Sure enough when I got off and just walked away the Driver began yelling at me to pay I returned and paid him.

[contemplating]

Wow, love the discussions about the baht buses. We couldnt live without them, and cant live with them. Im sure everyone would be happy with the 10 baht, if they got what they payed for, but many times dont. The thing is, first and second time visitors dont know what they should pay, and for what distance, dont even know the names of the roads, so the baht bus drivers just take as much as they can, so in return, we should give as little as we can. When I am at the north bus terminal, they always tell me 50 baht to town, so I walk, need the exercise anyway. In town, I dont really like the hassle of trying to figure out where they are going and what will be the price, so walking is an option.

Lets face it, there are too many people in Pattaya that make their living on trying to screw farangs, as much as possible, of course in the long run, they screw themselves, but who ever thought that they can think about tomorrow.

If the baht buses had a route map and posted prices, they more people would be comfortable with taking them. No one likes to be screwed, even for one baht. Comparing prices here, with prices back home, is not the way to do it. If everyone gave the baht bus a 10baht, then the fare would be 20 baht, and the driver would just laugh at the stupid farangs, which they do anyway!

No one would get in a taxi in the UK or US, and have no idea where the taxi was going, and if it would even get there, and what it might cost.

[syd barrett]

When I am at the north bus terminal, they always tell me 50 baht to town, so I walk, need the exercise anyway. In town, I dont really like the hassle of trying to figure out where they are going and what will be the price, so walking is an option.

I agree with you, walking is beneficial to health, but remember next time not to ask the fare at the North Pattaya Bus Station.

It is 20 baht.

Because next time it might be raining!

[Ulysses G.]

Is that the Naconchai Air station? I just walk across the street and pay 10 baht to the beach every time.

[syd barrett]

Is that the Naconchai Air station? I just walk across the street and pay 10 baht to the beach every time.

No, the bus station on Pattaya North Road. Baht buses are infrequent down Pattaya Nua so the baht bus service from inside the bus station charge 20 Baht to the Beach Road.

[PolPat]

Is that the Naconchai Air station? I just walk across the street and pay 10 baht to the beach every time.

No, the bus station on Pattaya North Road. Baht buses are infrequent down Pattaya Nua so the baht bus service from inside the bus station charge 20 Baht to the Beach Road.

Same story at that bus station as well. Walk across the street, unless you are with a Thai they will try and charge you 40 Baht. Why mess with these scam stations. You can hail on the street and avoid these jerks. I try not to talk to them just hand them 10 baht and run away.

[Jingthing]

Yippee!

Another baht bus queue horror story. This time it's a funny one, really.

It's high season drama now at the baht bus queue near the school for the 10 baht buses to Jomtien. There is now often a large messy queue of people waiting to get on the next bus, and they fill up very quickly during these peak times.

Drivers (and "staff" on the sidelines) do push hard (understandably so) to pack the buses. Ideally they want six people on each side (even more for the buses fitted with the extra back seats) plus some standers. They often let it go at five depending on the situation, big people, the bus has waited long enough, etc.

Anyway, last night bus 405's driver went a bit postal. There was one side with five people, they were all large people and the side was filled, but he asked the two near the end to squish in more (there was a little squish room but not much) and those two people basically told him to bugger off (in Russian), they weren't moving. So the driver announces, then I not go! You wait two hours, I will walk away! And he did walk away from this loaded bus (there were already standers as well). I thought he was bluffing but the Thais on board realized the driver's "face" was at stake and he was not bluffing. So the Thais led the way and the entire bus emptied out to wait to board ANOTHER bus. There was much smiling and rolling of eyes about how nutsoid the driver had acted. After a face saving interval the disturbed driver started allowing a new crop of "victims" to board his bus (none of the same tainted crowd from before). I have to admit I was tempted to yell out to them, don't get on that bus, make him wait two hours! But of course I didn't.

Most of the people were tourists and it is quite clear those baht bus "diplomats" are not making a good impression.

Edited December 17, 2010 by Jingthing

[deejah]

a bit OT but explains why things might be very busy on that corner for a while:

is it still one way going north into town from jomien due to road work?

if that is the case then is it possible to get on a baht bus from s pattaya rd near soi bouy cow without having to go to 2nd rd and then head back towards soi bouy cow

with the one way rd work and the market on tuesday and friday, it can be a mess!!!!

are there any cheap alternatives to avoid the mess?

any 10 baht buses on 3rd road?

thanks

[Jingthing]

You could try to board one of the packed buses from the queue on the part of Third road that it goes, but chances are the bus will already be 100 percent loaded. At this point, the queue is the best bet. The previous incident I reported with the insane queue warden happened long before the current detour situation(and before high season as well) and I actually do not feel there is any relation between this bad behavior and the detour. In the first case, a violent drunk, in the second case a man with a little too much more pride than good sense. They are always trying to fill up those buses to overfill, no matter what. I don't really blame them for trying to do that as that's their livelihood; it's more their tactics and horrific manners while doing it that goes too far sometimes.

Edited December 17, 2010 by Jingthing

[Exsexyman]

Does anybody out there know if the current arrangement for the sardine special to Jomtien, ie, via the back streets of soi day night is permanent, or will south pattaya road revert back to two way when (or if ) the roadworks are finished?

[Jingthing]

Does anybody out there know if the current arrangement for the sardine special to Jomtien, ie, via the back streets of soi day night is permanent, or will south pattaya road revert back to two way when (or if ) the roadworks are finished?

It isn't permanent but can't say when. Interestingly, there is a demand for the current route, quite often people will use it to go to the part of Third road that it goes now, so at least some people will miss the detour route!

BTW, there should DEFINITELY be an established baht bus route going the entire length of Third Road. It's weird that there isn't. Of course not many buses would be needed but even if you had to wait ten minutes, it would be better than nothing, and also expand the market for third road businesses.

It's too bad the baht bus mafia company isn't interested in that route because there would be a demand, I am certain. Even sadder is that of course if some private songthaew operators wanted to run the route to fill this obvious gap in baht bus service, there would be a predictable extreme reaction from the baht bus mafia company, to protect this route that they don't even serve. Because of course they OWN the entire city, whether they serve the entire city or not, which of course, they don't do.

Edited December 17, 2010 by Jingthing

[Exsexyman]

Does anybody out there know if the current arrangement for the sardine special to Jomtien, ie, via the back streets of soi day night is permanent, or will south pattaya road revert back to two way when (or if ) the roadworks are finished?

It isn't permanent but can't say when. Interestingly, there is a demand for the current route, quite often people will use it to go to the part of Third road that it goes now, so at least some people will miss the detour route!

BTW, there should DEFINITELY be an established baht bus route going the entire length of Third Road. It's weird that there isn't. Of course not many buses would be needed but even if you had to wait ten minutes, it would be better than nothing, and also expand the market for third road businesses.

It's too bad the baht bus mafia company isn't interested in that route because there would be a demand, I am certain. Even sadder is that of course if some private songthaew operators wanted to run the route to fill this obvious gap in baht bus service, there would be a predictable extreme reaction from the baht bus mafia company, to protect this route that they don't even serve. Because of course they OWN the entire city, whether they serve the entire city or not, which of course, they don't do.

Thanks for that Jingthing. At the moment i am recovering (slowly) from a broken wrist and the roadworks cant finish soon enough for me. Those speed humps in the back streets are a f****ing nightmare for me. Fully agree with what you say about third road, it is odd when you consider that all other major roads are catered for.