Pattaya’s Cattle Truck Crisis

[Rimmer]

Pattaya’s Cattle Truck Crisis

PATTAYA: -- Pattaya’s troubled relationship with baht buses is so interwoven by vested interests and self-serving connections that, along with the jet skis, the topic can probably best be put into the category of: “bad things the city cannot or will not change".

But it is clear to anyone who has a casual interest in Pattaya, and who possesses at least one good eye and a functioning brain, that the present baht bus system is unprofessionally run, inappropriate for the city as its only mass transport system, and it is completely unable to cope with the huge influx of tourists and residents into Fun Town over the past couple of years.

Because of Pattaya’s success at wooing Russian-speaking tourists, the situation is likely to get much worse in the future, especially in high season, because the increased number of tourists is already putting great pressure on this flawed transport system.

Full story and pictures HERE

-- IN PATTAYA NOW 2011-10-20

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[Jingthing]

Cattle trucks?

[Basil B]

I wanted to bet on who would be the first to comment on this topic but the odds were far too short.

[Rimmer]

I wanted to bet on who would be the first to comment on this topic but the odds were far too short.

[manarak]

Russians are familiar with using "marschroutkas" at home, which function much like baht buses, so this is nothing new for them.

I wonder what caused the article to be written... I have spent 5 months in Patts this year and rarely had to wait more than 5 minutes for a baht bus, though I am mainly using a bike now.

I'm also a bit puzzled as to which transport system would be better than baht buses for the same price?

[TheWalkingMan]

I have to agree with manarak, what other transportation could serve? Most of the time a 5 minute or less wait is all that is required on Beach Road, Soi Bukaow or Second Road. Even the trip from Jomtien usually does not require that much of a wait. Late night can be a different story.

3rd Road and the major cross streets can be a different story but I have used those just a few times, so I cannot really comment.

[Satcommlee]

I normally catch the 13:23 at Dolphin Roundabout, but If I miss that one I can get the 13:23 and 20 seconds Bus!

I do agree though that the system is inadequate for a newbie.. The hop on and pay 10 baht is fine, providing you know where you are going.

Over the last few years, Ive seen them demanding 200 and 300 baht off tourists for relatively short trips..

As for the new Meter Taxis, a Driver burst out in Laughter when I asked him "How do you keep your Meter so clean?"

[Jingthing]

During peak season, especially in Jomtien Russian season during certain times of day/night sometimes 30 buses will pass people looking for a bus service, preferring to solicit a charter fare. So yes, sometimes there can be long waits and yes I speak from personal experience. The article is talking about a real, newish problem that regular year round riders would be fully aware of. Don't get me started at the insanity at the bus queue at Pattaya Tai during peak Russian season. A lot of the time the system is fine but their interest isn't really public transportation, it's maximizing their income. Real cities have real PUBLIC bus services which are forced to actually act as buses all the time, and also keep set, predictable starting and ending points for routes.

Edited October 20, 2011 by Jingthing

[Darrel]

This is one of the most biased and inaccurate reports I have ever read. The journalist clearly has an axe to grind.

Yes, if you take the bahtbus in the queue in front of the school on the corner of 2nd Rd and South Rd, it is always full and you will wait for ages.

But just walk 50 yards up the street towards Jomtien and flag down the first one that passes. Same 10B fare, no wait (or maximum 2 minutes), and probably no one else on board at all.

I always travel to Jomtien that way, and I never join the queue. Returning from Jomtien is the same. I never queue.

10B fixed fare bahtbuses are one of the best things about Pattaya. Anyone who thinks otherwise can move to Phuket and have fun arguing about fares with the tuktuks.

[manarak]

This is one of the most biased and inaccurate reports I have ever read. The journalist clearly has an axe to grind.

Yes, if you take the bahtbus in the queue in front of the school on the corner of 2nd Rd and South Rd, it is always full and you will wait for ages.

But just walk 50 yards up the street towards Jomtien and flag down the first one that passes. Same 10B fare, no wait (or maximum 2 minutes), and probably no one else on board at all.

I always travel to Jomtien that way, and I never join the queue. Returning from Jomtien is the same. I never queue.

10B fixed fare bahtbuses are one of the best things about Pattaya. Anyone who thinks otherwise can move to Phuket and have fun arguing about fares with the tuktuks.

I second that... or get a motorcycle.

[Jingthing]

Nope. It is really bad going FROM Jomtien during some peak seasons/special weekends and times of day. I stand by that and regular riders know that. I would agree the article makes it sound like it's an all the time problem and it isn't. I also appreciate the 10 baht system WHEN IT WORKS. But if you rely on the system for predictable timely transportation, well, sometimes from some places and times, you can't. You'd know what it means when you experience it taking over half an hour to get a bus from Jomtien when there are plenty of buses running, but none who want to play the role of buses.

It's rude to tell people if you don't like it, get a bike. Not everyone wants to die early. Also, do you tell people with vehicle complaints to take the bus? Apples and oranges.

Edited October 20, 2011 by Jingthing

[Satcommlee]

Real cities have real PUBLIC bus services which are forced to actually act as buses all the time, and also keep set, predictable starting and ending points for routes.

I think Jingthing has hit the nail on the head... Since these Baht Bus drivers are looking to maximise thier own personal profits then it can't be a proper transportation system.

Maybe the mayor is right about a monorail? or at least a clearly defined bus route system.

I have given up trying to get on a non-chartered Baht bus and ended up paying 150 baht as the sole passenger heading home!

[manarak]

Nope. It is really bad going FROM Jomtien during some peak seasons/special weekends and times of day. I stand by that and regular riders know that. I would agree the article makes it sound like it's an all the time problem and it isn't. I also appreciate the 10 baht system WHEN IT WORKS. But if you rely on the system for predictable timely transportation, well, sometimes from some places and times, you can't. You'd know what it means when you experience it taking over half an hour to get a bus from Jomtien when there are plenty of buses running, but none who want to play the role of buses.

It's rude to tell people if you don't like it, get a bike. Not everyone wants to die early. Also, do you tell people with vehicle complaints to take the bus? Apples and oranges.

What do you mean with "vehicle complaints"?

About the "better transportation system" (whatever it is):

- it will take away passengers from the baht buses which will then increase their prices

- I doubt it will be as cost-efficient as the baht buses, and I'm not looking forward to pay 100 baht for a trip from Jomtien to Central or Naklua, not to mention that the girls will insist on riding on it too, so cost x2

- I doubt it will have the required operation hours (i.e. 24 hours)

[Darrel]

Nope. It is really bad going FROM Jomtien during some peak seasons/special weekends and times of day. I stand by that and regular riders know that.

I go to/from Jomtien several times a week but never have any trouble at all. I dont travel in the evening, admittedly.

There should be just as many buses coming from Jomtien as going to Jomtien, so I dont see why one direction should be more difficult than the other, unless of course you are talking about something like a mass exodus from the beach at the end of the afternoon, or some big event.

Either way, I still think that the bahtbus is vastly superior to (and cheaper than) any other form of in-town public transport in Thailand. It's only on long distances that the big buses become more suitable, and tuktuks and taxis are just a dead loss all the time.

[manarak]

Taxis in BKK are good when they use the meter.

I had a pleasant surprise the other day when I hired a Pattaya blue and yellow taxi to drive to Ban Phe pier in Rayong. No haggling, he offered 1000 baht straight away.

[Darrel]

Taxis in BKK are good when they use the meter.

Really? How far do they go for 10B on or off the meter?

A bahtbus goes from half way down Jomtien Beach Road all the way to Central Festival for that. Or from South Pattaya to Naklua.

[lovetotravel]

These guys are horrible drivers. One hit my friend on his bike and never stopped. Other baht bus drivers stopped to help, but none would tell him who the driver was that hit him. He spent a few days in the hospital.

As a car driver, they cut me off all the time, change lanes quickly, stop wherever they want. Terrible drivers and create a mess on the roads.

I'll only ride them as a last resort. Last time I did, I was told to get off a few kilos before my intended destination, and had to wait, and pay, for a ride the rest of the way (I was trying to get to the end of beach road in Jomtien).

There are too many on the roads. Most I see are empty. A good bus system with designated stops and a fixed fare is the best way to go. A good option for tourists who don't want to get wet or breath in exhaust fumes and dirt while riding in the back.

Having a system of "legit" taxis like Bangkok would be nice also. I know, I know. It's a dream.