Are You A Sexpat Or Do You Ride The Backwards Morality Train?

[nyujay2010]

Hello All,

Fairly new to Pattaya and just moved in the Naklua/Wongamat area. I don't own a motorbike yet so will need to rely on song taew or taxi. Anyone know how to get to the Pattaya Immigration Office in Jomtien by song taew? Do I take a song taew from Naklua and then transfer at the end of Walking Street? What is the price for that sort of journey? What about taxi, what is the price since they don't use meters here?

Thank you in advance for your responses.

Regards,

J

[craigt3365]

Let's move this over to the Pattaya forum. I'm sure quite a few members there will be able to help out.

Topic Moved.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

Ha, excellent question to answer using the new Google Street View!

It's here: http://goo.gl/maps/67MXt

(Drag the mouse around to see the location, or zoom out to get the map location; it's in Jomtien Soi 5)

To get there using public transport, first take a songthaew to the intersection of South Pattaya Road with Second Road (So the very end of Beach Road, 10 Baht), then get on any of the waiting songthaews going to Jomtien. (Here: http://goo.gl/maps/Amwj0 ) Then get off at Jomtien Soi 5 and walk up.

Edited April 23, 2013 by WinnieTheKhwai

[Zodiac]

Why not take a motorbike taxi? He will take you all the way there. Wait for you and bring you back. Easy. And whatever anyone says: it is safe.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

Because baht buses are safer, you don't have to wear a helmet that doesn't fit and is dirty with ladyboy-acne residue, don't get blasted by the sun, and the cost is a mere 20 baht total?

(How can 'being on a motorbike in Thailand' ever be safe. I'd do it in extreme emergencies, but not when I can plan a nice ride in a baht bus. )

Edited April 23, 2013 by WinnieTheKhwai

[BlackPuddingBertha]

"Do I take a song taew from Naklua and then transfer at the end of Walking Street? What is the price for that sort of journey?"

Some bahtbuses will actually go all the way from Naklua to Jomtien though you may need to change as you mention. The fare is 20B or 2x10B, so the same either way.

There is a new immigration office supposedly opening this month in The Avenue and that will save you half the trip, though I dont know if it will be doing everything that can be done at Jomtien. I expect it will be doing all the common things at least (reporting, re-entry permits, residence certificates, extensions).

[BlackPuddingBertha]

Why not take a motorbike taxi? He will take you all the way there. Wait for you and bring you back. Easy. And whatever anyone says: it is safe.

Ho ho ho. You must own shares in one of the local hospitals. And that would cost a lot more than 40B even leaving aside the safety and comfort issue.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

^ Interesting.. is there any way to tell on the outside which buses would go all the way to Jomtien from Naklua? Would be worth it to not have to cross the South Pattaya intersection.

[BlackPuddingBertha]

As far as I know technically all the dark blue ones are supposed to go all the way from Jomtien to Naklua and back (except when they are doing completely different routes, of course, like Theprasit Road or 2nd Rd/Sukumvit). But of course a lot of them just give up part way and do a u-turn, especially if they dont have any/many passengers on board.

At one point they introduced a system of coloured bars on the front of the bus that supposedly indicated where it was going, but that didnt catch on presumably for the same reason.

[nyujay2010]

Thanks everyone for your comments. I'll just wing it and see how it goes! If they don't go all the way through I'll just transfer at the end of Beach Road area/2nd Road

[Spoonman]

Why not take a motorbike taxi? He will take you all the way there. Wait for you and bring you back. Easy. And whatever anyone says: it is safe.

Provided he is not drunk or stoned then yes the journey will be safe.

[nyujay2010]

FYI - the journey was INCREDIBLY easy!! Took songtaew to end of Beach Road, right near Walking Street, then transferred to Jomtien Soi 5. The immigration process was also very fast and easy. I definitely like living in Pattaya compared to Bangkok :-) Thanks again everyone!

[WaywardWind]

I also live in Naklua, in a condo on Soi Naklua 16; we use one of several private taxis which park across the street from our building to save time in the early morning when we go. Fare to Jomtien Immigration is 200 THB.

We have returned via baht buses: one from Jomtien Bach Road to Pattaya Tai, a second one from Pattaya Tai to Dolphin Circle, and then a third from Dolphin Circle to Soi 16. (Sometimes the second one continues north on Pattaya Naklua Road and we stay on it.) From there we walk, or take a moto taxi to our condo.

[Chang_paarp]

^ Interesting.. is there any way to tell on the outside which buses would go all the way to Jomtien from Naklua? Would be worth it to not have to cross the South Pattaya intersection.

Apart from asking, which runs the risk of changing from bus to taxi mode, there is no way of knowing.

From experience most of the Jomtien Baht Buses only go as far as Dolphin roundabout.

Coming from Nakeua most Baht Buses do the return from Pattaya Tai.

[mickjn]

Ask at reception,one of to boys will go and you a private baht bus.Will cost you 200 baht.Have to look when you are going,just get the ordinary baht bus home 30-60 baht

[balo]

Why pay 200 baht when you can pay 20 baht ?

YOu can buy a nice dinner instead for 180 baht ..

[chickenslegs]

Why not take a motorbike taxi? He will take you all the way there. Wait for you and bring you back. Easy. And whatever anyone says: it is safe.

Ho ho ho. You must own shares in one of the local hospitals. And that would cost a lot more than 40B even leaving aside the safety and comfort issue.

In my 12 years in Thailand, mainly around the Pattaya area, I have never heard of an accident involving a motocy taxi. Now comfort - that's a different issue.

Going off topic for a moment. When I first came here the motocy taxis would take me and the Mrs. on one bike (three up). Nowadays they insist on separate bikes.