"baht Bus" - Origins Of The Name

[manarak]

I listened to a Thai conversation recently and they talked about "rot baht", talking about buses, regardless if big or small.

the "baht" part in "rot baht" actually stands for "bus" (mispronounced English).

so "rot baht" = "vehicle bus"

when we farangs talk and write about the "baht buses" it must sound silly to Thais. literally it means "bus buses".

same same but silly.

[Tywais]

When I was first here decades ago a baht bus cost one baht and thus the name. Guess they should change the name to sip baht bus to catch up with inflation.

[Rajab Al Zarahni]

There are lots of curiosities in translations. The arabic word for desert is sahara. In English it is used as a true noun for a particular desert so the Sahara desert is like saying the desert desert!

[IamNotaNumber]

I find that Thais mostly call them "song thaew" from the two rows of seats.

[Mobi]

'Song thaew' is the correct word to use when talking to a Thai - it is the universal word in Thailand for picks-ups that have a roof and two rows of seats and ply their trade as passenger carrying vehicles

As a previous poster said, 'Baht Bus' originates from the days when a single journey cost one baht. It is purely a farang expression, as are words like Second Road or Third Road etc. (The Thais say 'Sai Song', 'Sai Sahm ' - 'sai' being the Thai word for sand or beach...)

[candid]

By posting here I may be as guilty as the rest of you, but a Baht Bus thread needs Jingthings permission before starting.

[MJCM]

'Song thaew' is the correct word to use when talking to a Thai - it is the universal word in Thailand for picks-ups that have a roof and two rows of seats and ply their trade as passenger carrying vehicles

As a previous poster said, 'Baht Bus' originates from the days when a single journey cost one baht. It is purely a farang expression, as are words like Second Road or Third Road etc. (The Thais say 'Sai Song', 'Sai Sahm ' - 'sai' being the Thai word for sand or beach...)

Sorry Mobi,

but the Sai (สาย) in second road (ถนนสายสอง) means Line or Course and not beach or sand

Sand = ทราย

Edited October 24, 2012 by MJCM

[petercool]

^^

Correct.

A little knowledge can be dangerous. So many words foreigners think they understand are being confused with other words that may sound the same to them but have very different tones to a Thai ear.

"Rot bus" does not sound like "Rot Baht" which is anyway a term Thais do not use.

Baht bus makes more sense here than Dollar bus and probably does trace back to a one baht fare once.

[jombom]

A lot of Brits cannot say bus, and say bass instead. Therefore the Thais (who have difficulty with s) say baht instead ---- as simple as that. A tourist bus is a Tou baht etc etc.

[Jingthing]

I prefer: cattle truck

http://inpattayanow.com/2012/10/05/inside-pattaya/problems-with-the-baht-bus-system/

[sotsira]

I've always referred to them as "Bench Taxi's" this also helps newbies identify them

with the two benches in the back.

If you were to say baht bus to a newbie they would think of a large bus vehicle.

[Jingthing]

I've always referred to them as "Bench Taxi's" this also helps newbies identify them

with the two benches in the back.

If you were to say baht bus to a newbie they would think of a large bus vehicle.

I don't think that will catch on.

If you're going to be so literal, why not use song thaew and just say what that means?

Edited October 24, 2012 by Jingthing

[Kipperthai]

There are lots of curiosities in translations. The arabic word for desert is sahara. In English it is used as a true noun for a particular desert so the Sahara desert is like saying the desert desert!

or the sahara sahara!!

river avon is river river ...There are many more .Language and people aye?

[Kipperthai]

A lot of Brits cannot say bus, and say bass instead. Therefore the Thais (who have difficulty with s) say baht instead ---- as simple as that. A tourist bus is a Tou baht etc etc.

Lol how do you come to this?"A lot of Brits cannot say bus,"

[sotsira]

I've always referred to them as "Bench Taxi's" this also helps newbies identify them

with the two benches in the back.

If you were to say baht bus to a newbie they would think of a large bus vehicle.

I don't think that will catch on.

If you're going to be so literal, why not use song thaew and just say what that means?

Only because English terminology is easier to the newbies.

[Jingthing]

I've always referred to them as "Bench Taxi's" this also helps newbies identify them

with the two benches in the back.

If you were to say baht bus to a newbie they would think of a large bus vehicle.

I don't think that will catch on.

If you're going to be so literal, why not use song thaew and just say what that means?

Only because English terminology is easier to the newbies.

OK. But I would suggest the more charitable thing to help a newbie is to point to one of them as say, we call those baht buses, the fare is 10 baht, you can also charter them for unreasonable prices. Good day!

If someone learns they are called bench taxis they are going to sound foolish talking to others about bench taxis, which really is not used by Thais or foreigners.

Also they really are mostly used by most people as public transport or buses rather than as taxis.

Edited October 24, 2012 by Jingthing

[Kipperthai]

If you arrive in Thailand for the first time & don't know what a baht bus is within a few hours ,you will probably know within the next few more hours..

A spades a spade also.

[Jingthing]

If you arrive in Thailand for the first time & don't know what a baht bus is within a few hours ,you will probably know within the next few more hours..

A spades a spade also.

Well Pattaya anyway. I think in most towns they are called song thaew by all.

[DrTuner]

Never heard baht bus, always soong thaew.

[sotsira]

I recently took a Taxi from Bangkok to Pattaya, the driver had never been to

Pattaya before, and as we arrived he saw a loaded baht bus in front.

He started laughing in disbelief at what he was seeing, i then explained to him that

this was the main form of taxi transport for Pattaya and they were everywhere.

He just shook his head in disbelief that a city like Pattaya didnt have metered taxi's

like Bangkok.

So even the Thais think of them as a joke or an uncivilised method of transport.

[bangkokrick]

A lot of Brits cannot say bus, and say bass instead. Therefore the Thais (who have difficulty with s) say baht instead ---- as simple as that. A tourist bus is a Tou baht etc etc.

Lol how do you come to this?"A lot of Brits cannot say bus,"

Bus from Northern people Bass from Southern people. I guess.

[Kipperthai]

If you arrive in Thailand for the first time & don't know what a baht bus is within a few hours ,you will probably know within the next few more hours..

A spades a spade also.

Well Pattaya anyway. I think in most towns they are called song thaew by all.

Yeah probably true ,Word does travel fast though!!

[Kipperthai]

A lot of Brits cannot say bus, and say bass instead. Therefore the Thais (who have difficulty with s) say baht instead ---- as simple as that. A tourist bus is a Tou baht etc etc.

Lol how do you come to this?"A lot of Brits cannot say bus,"

Bus from Northern people Bass from Southern people. I guess.

When was you last in the UK ...North or south ? Most folk where I live(northwest) say BUS ,some say BUZ ...Southerners say Limousine :-)

[DrTuner]

I recently took a Taxi from Bangkok to Pattaya, the driver had never been to

Pattaya before, and as we arrived he saw a loaded baht bus in front.

He started laughing in disbelief at what he was seeing, i then explained to him that

this was the main form of taxi transport for Pattaya and they were everywhere.

He just shook his head in disbelief that a city like Pattaya didnt have metered taxi's

like Bangkok.

So even the Thais think of them as a joke or an uncivilised method of transport.

Sounds very Bangkokian indeed. Works too well and is too cheap, must be Lo-So, banooooork !

Unfortunately the taxi meter scams have indeed reached Pattaya already. You'll find them hunting near Central, another import.

[bangkokrick]

A lot of Brits cannot say bus, and say bass instead. Therefore the Thais (who have difficulty with s) say baht instead ---- as simple as that. A tourist bus is a Tou baht etc etc.

Lol how do you come to this?"A lot of Brits cannot say bus,"

Bus from Northern people Bass from Southern people. I guess.

When was you last in the UK ...North or south ? Most folk where I live(northwest) say BUS ,some say BUZ ...Southerners say Limousine :-)

There is a distinct difference in the pronunciation between the North and the South.

[sotsira]

I recently took a Taxi from Bangkok to Pattaya, the driver had never been to

Pattaya before, and as we arrived he saw a loaded baht bus in front.

He started laughing in disbelief at what he was seeing, i then explained to him that

this was the main form of taxi transport for Pattaya and they were everywhere.

He just shook his head in disbelief that a city like Pattaya didnt have metered taxi's

like Bangkok.

So even the Thais think of them as a joke or an uncivilised method of transport.

Sounds very Bangkokian indeed. Works too well and is too cheap, must be Lo-So, banooooork !

Unfortunately the taxi meter scams have indeed reached Pattaya already. You'll find them hunting near Central, another import.

Yes, but it would be nice to have the option to use metered taxis like Bangkok in Pattaya,

unfortunately the taxis that are here don't use meters,

so their prices depends on how they size you up for the taking.

Like you said, it;s another way to scam.

[Rajab Al Zarahni]

There are lots of curiosities in translations. The arabic word for desert is sahara. In English it is used as a true noun for a particular desert so the Sahara desert is like saying the desert desert!

or the sahara sahara!!

river avon is river river ...There are many more .Language and people aye?

Dr Boutros Boutros-Ghali = Dr Peter Peter the expensive!

Edited October 24, 2012 by Rajab Al Zarahni

[canuckamuck]

I recently took a Taxi from Bangkok to Pattaya, the driver had never been to

Pattaya before, and as we arrived he saw a loaded baht bus in front.

He started laughing in disbelief at what he was seeing, i then explained to him that

this was the main form of taxi transport for Pattaya and they were everywhere.

He just shook his head in disbelief that a city like Pattaya didnt have metered taxi's

like Bangkok.

So even the Thais think of them as a joke or an uncivilised method of transport.

I guess you found a taxi driver who had never left Bangkok his entire life and never watched Thai TV.

Song toews are found in every town and city in Thailand with the exception of a few places like BKK.

Pattaya people seem all alone in calling them baht buses, which confirms that many Pattaya expats live in a bubble.

It is not difficult to say song toew, why not just tell newbies the actual name.

[BB1950]

I recently took a Taxi from Bangkok to Pattaya, the driver had never been to

Pattaya before, and as we arrived he saw a loaded baht bus in front.

He started laughing in disbelief at what he was seeing, i then explained to him that

this was the main form of taxi transport for Pattaya and they were everywhere.

He just shook his head in disbelief that a city like Pattaya didnt have metered taxi's

like Bangkok.

So even the Thais think of them as a joke or an uncivilised method of transport.

I guess you found a taxi driver who had never left Bangkok his entire life and never watched Thai TV.

Song toews are found in every town and city in Thailand with the exception of a few places like BKK.

Pattaya people seem all alone in calling them baht buses, which confirms that many Pattaya expats live in a bubble.

It is not difficult to say song toew, why not just tell newbies the actual name.

They have them in BKK too! Just a different kind of pickup. I usually ride them on Rama 2 Road - 5 Baht. They are called a "song thaew" too.

They were called baht buses by American GI's during the Vietnam War because the fare thoughout Thailand was 1 Baht.

And no, Thais don't think of them as a "joke or an uncivilised method of transport". To many Thais they are an efficent form of transport. Especially in rural areas.

Sounds to me like OP is trolling.

Edited October 25, 2012 by BB1950

[tropo]

Unfortunately the taxi meter scams have indeed reached Pattaya already. You'll find them hunting near Central, another import.

The "taxi meter scams" haven't just arrived. They started the very day these taxi meter first arrived here - maybe about 4 years ago now.

Edited October 25, 2012 by tropo