Baht Bus Drivers At Bus Station Demanding 30 Baht To Beach Rd.

[tropo]

I'm so glad the first thing I did when I moved here was to buy my own motorbike... really cheap to run and keeps me away from all those transport scam artists. 10 baht here, 10 baht there and before you know it you've spent 1,000 baht for nothing

One decent hospital bill could easily take care of the savings and more. My landlord had a small accident 18 months ago. He's up around the 1 million baht mark already and counting.... and still on crutches. That's a lot of baht bus rides.

I have insurance for the motorbike (private, not the compulsory useless one) and also have an international health insurance.. Having an accident is not nice but you never know so I make sure I'm covered properly

Good idea, but insurance is not cheap. You were talking about using a motorcycle to save on baht bus fares, remember?

[Jingthing]

It's almost as if for some people owning a private vehicle is like a religious dogma, and deciding to not own one is some kind of unacceptable blasphemy. I think TOLERANCE is best in religions and transport choices!

[tropo]

It's almost as if for some people owning a private vehicle is like a religious dogma, and deciding to not own one is some kind of unacceptable blasphemy. I think TOLERANCE is best in religions and transport choices!

A lot of people change their personality when they hop into a car. They feel superhuman in their caged projectile.... I deal with this every day on my motorcycle.

[jinasia]

Hi everyone,

this makes me firmly believe the price is now stuck "officially" to 30 THB. Last time I was in Pattaya was in Songran, and I thought that the price hike was there because of the special holidays. Before that on New Year 2012/13 and the price was 20THB. So seems the price has just gone up. No way to juggle your way out. It is "only" 10THB but how often do you see 50% price hikes? Remember the volume of traffic etc. And this price affected Thais alike at least on Songran.

Edited June 5, 2013 by jinasia

[RabC]

To go/see/do anything outside walking distance you then become a prisoner of the transport system, point in case I have never had to pay 20 or 30 baht from the bus station to Beach Rd, as I have never set foot on a Bus. If I want to go to BKK/Swampy/Nakhon nowhere, I do so in my own vehicle, in my own time and at a flat rate expense (cost of petrol/tolls). If you want to live at the behest of the Baht Bus Mafia then go ahead, but stop with the posts, its your bed, you made it and you have to lie in it.

I can't see why you would even enter into a conversation about owning a car on this thread. It would be the most expensive, least pleasurable, most aggravating and least convenient way to get to Bangkok.

Here's the easiest way. Ride your motorcycle to the bus station. Park it there for 30 baht per day and relax on the bus.

And mix with the great unwashed Cheap Charlies? You have obviously not driven into BKK, until you hit downtown BKK its fine, actually a pleasure on the toll way. Leave the car at Swampy and hop on the train, simple. Lots of modern cities have it these days, called Park and Ride, the independence of your own vehicle and the convenience of mass public transport with exposure to the second limited.

Edited June 5, 2013 by RabC

[blackman]

To go/see/do anything outside walking distance you then become a prisoner of the transport system, point in case I have never had to pay 20 or 30 baht from the bus station to Beach Rd, as I have never set foot on a Bus. If I want to go to BKK/Swampy/Nakhon nowhere, I do so in my own vehicle, in my own time and at a flat rate expense (cost of petrol/tolls). If you want to live at the behest of the Baht Bus Mafia then go ahead, but stop with the posts, its your bed, you made it and you have to lie in it.

I can't see why you would even enter into a conversation about owning a car on this thread. It would be the most expensive, least pleasurable, most aggravating and least convenient way to get to Bangkok.

Here's the easiest way. Ride your motorcycle to the bus station. Park it there for 30 baht per day and relax on the bus.

the trains pretty good too

[Jingthing]

Hi everyone,

this makes me firmly believe the price is now stuck "officially" to 30 THB. Last time I was in Pattaya was in Songran, and I thought that the price hike was there because of the special holidays. Before that on New Year 2012/13 and the price was 20THB. So seems the price has just gone up. No way to juggle your way out. It is "only" 10THB but how often do you see 50% price hikes? Remember the volume of traffic etc. And this price affected Thais alike at least on Songran.

Some people coming to this thread late may read that wrong. You're speaking about a special fare from the bus station. For NORMAL bus rides (the vast majority of the system) the fare is TEN BAHT, and 20 baht for very long rides, called long haul rides, which are not defined.

[jinasia]

Hi everyone,

this makes me firmly believe the price is now stuck "officially" to 30 THB. Last time I was in Pattaya was in Songran, and I thought that the price hike was there because of the special holidays. Before that on New Year 2012/13 and the price was 20THB. So seems the price has just gone up. No way to juggle your way out. It is "only" 10THB but how often do you see 50% price hikes? Remember the volume of traffic etc. And this price affected Thais alike at least on Songran.

Some people coming to this thread late may read that wrong. You're speaking about a special fare from the bus station. For NORMAL bus rides (the vast majority of the system) the fare is TEN BAHT, and 20 baht for very long rides, called long haul rides, which are not defined.

Hmm I understood this means the songtaew from Pattaya bus station to Beach road and that area. That is 20 THB and if to Jomtien then more. To get from Beach Road area to bus station to head back to BKK for example does cost you 20 THB too as you need to take two songtaews (10 tHB each).

Or am I now totally out?

Edited June 5, 2013 by jinasia

[Jingthing]

Generally on the normal bus routes, the standard fare for ONE LEG is TEN BAHT except for VERY LONG rides (undefined). If you need to change buses, that's two fares you pay. Those fares are still TEN BAHT each leg. There is obviously no transfer system.

[Lancelot]

Those baht busses at the bus station are sooooo overcrowded. I always walk to the road and hail a usually empty baht bus and pay 10 baht to beach road

[Jingthing]

Those baht busses at the bus station are sooooo overcrowded. I always walk to the road and hail a usually empty baht bus and pay 10 baht to beach road

Exactly. Sorted. I guess if loaded in luggage, then you're more stuck.

[Postmaster]

C'mon lads how much are we talking about here? Some of these Baht Bus franchisees pay a 1000 baht to hire the bus for a day I've heard. Then there's fuel, repairs, potential accidents. I feel so sorry sometimes for these would-be entrepeneurs running about empty most of the day trying to make a crumb.

Yes, I know there's the bad type too.

[Jingthing]

C'mon lads how much are we talking about here? Some of these Baht Bus franchisees pay a 1000 baht to hire the bus for a day I've heard. Then there's fuel, repairs, potential accidents. I feel so sorry sometimes for these would-be entrepeneurs running about empty most of the day trying to make a crumb.

Yes, I know there's the bad type too.

They make more than a crumb, dude.

[tropo]

To go/see/do anything outside walking distance you then become a prisoner of the transport system, point in case I have never had to pay 20 or 30 baht from the bus station to Beach Rd, as I have never set foot on a Bus. If I want to go to BKK/Swampy/Nakhon nowhere, I do so in my own vehicle, in my own time and at a flat rate expense (cost of petrol/tolls). If you want to live at the behest of the Baht Bus Mafia then go ahead, but stop with the posts, its your bed, you made it and you have to lie in it.

I can't see why you would even enter into a conversation about owning a car on this thread. It would be the most expensive, least pleasurable, most aggravating and least convenient way to get to Bangkok.

Here's the easiest way. Ride your motorcycle to the bus station. Park it there for 30 baht per day and relax on the bus.

And mix with the great unwashed Cheap Charlies? You have obviously not driven into BKK, until you hit downtown BKK its fine, actually a pleasure on the toll way. Leave the car at Swampy and hop on the train, simple. Lots of modern cities have it these days, called Park and Ride, the independence of your own vehicle and the convenience of mass public transport with exposure to the second limited.

Why would my sentiments toward driving a car to Bangkok indicate I've "obviously not driven into BKK"?

I've driven into and around Bangkok many times in private vehicles - only not my own. What's the difference?

But now you're suggesting to go part of the way by car (to Swampy) and then take public transport the rest of the way. That's even more messing around.

Even if I had my own car I wouldn't drive it to Bangkok on the one or two days each year I need to go there.

Now if you get pleasure out of driving in heavy traffic in Thailand, that's fine, you have a good reason to drive, but I don't consider that pleasure.

One of the things I enjoy about living in Thailand is that I don't need one. Cars are nothing but a pain - upkeep, maintenance - they're an ongoing headache unless you have a good reason to own one.

But come on.... we're discussing a 30 baht bus fare. Suggesting car ownership to circumvent a 10 baht songthaew fee? That's a bit extreme.

[Awohalitsiktoli]

C'mon lads how much are we talking about here? Some of these Baht Bus franchisees pay a 1000 baht to hire the bus for a day I've heard. Then there's fuel, repairs, potential accidents. I feel so sorry sometimes for these would-be entrepeneurs running about empty most of the day trying to make a crumb.

Yes, I know there's the bad type too.

The reason most are empty is because they refuse to stop for people who do not look like newbie suckers. I have no sympathy for them at all.

[kyb789]

I have heard both sides on this discussion, but the bottom line (IMHO), is to prevent what has already happened to Phuket. Tourists didn't complain and didn't care about pricing, and now look what happened there. New York and London prices in Thailand? It is happening now. So, I support the cheap charlie's. Complain louder, voice your complaints to the Thai's, and walk to the street and catch a 10baht bus laughing all the way. Maybe grab a few tourists that have been sitting on the bus at the bus station for 20 minutes waiting for it to be full. Let the baht bus mafia see the customers walk away.

[PoodMaiDai]

I've seen them asking for 100b before. All you can do is laugh at them and walk on.

[brewsterbudgen]

Hi everyone,

this makes me firmly believe the price is now stuck "officially" to 30 THB. Last time I was in Pattaya was in Songran, and I thought that the price hike was there because of the special holidays. Before that on New Year 2012/13 and the price was 20THB. So seems the price has just gone up. No way to juggle your way out. It is "only" 10THB but how often do you see 50% price hikes? Remember the volume of traffic etc. And this price affected Thais alike at least on Songran.

I've yet to see that it's an official fare rise. If the LED sign at the bus station is still showing 20 baht (and 30 baht to Jomtien), then that's the fare. Some operators may try to charge more "out of normal hours" and on "special" occasions.

[Kaoboi Bebobp]

Something else is going on, too. The moto taxi guys I sometimes use between the bus station and Big C Extra are now asking for 60 baht. I've done around 25 return trips between BKK and Pattaya in the last 12 months and have always paid 50, was never asked for 60. It has now happened the last two times, both ends. (To big spenders: please don't bother telling me a 10 baht increase is a pittance!) Anyway, I got the fare back to 50 when I told them how many times I've done the exact same trip.

My guess is that the transport providers are working together to hike already pricy fares. I don't know what bar girls pay to moto taxi drivers, but I bet it isn't much below the farang price, if it is at all. Any Thai I've talked to about the taxi drivers have been very critical of the fares. And these are the people who are most affected by the heavy price of transport, aided and abetted by oblivious tourists -- pretty much the same story the world over in heavy tourist towns.

Edited June 6, 2013 by Kaoboi Bebobp

[Wavefloater]

C'mon lads how much are we talking about here? Some of these Baht Bus franchisees pay a 1000 baht to hire the bus for a day I've heard. Then there's fuel, repairs, potential accidents. I feel so sorry sometimes for these would-be entrepeneurs running about empty most of the day trying to make a crumb.

Yes, I know there's the bad type too.

You said it -- these guys are basically entrepreneurs. Like any entrepreneur, you have a business plan and do an analysis of the market situation to see if your intended idea will fly. After that, like any business owner, you have to work very hard and put in a lot of hours once you decide to go ahead with your business idea. These, along with having a good product or service, are crucial elements to having a successful business. I can have the best product and do a superb analysis, but if I don't do the work, I'm not going to have a successful business. Perhaps the approach of sitting at the bus station, hoping to get enough people to pay more than they would have to if they walked a few meters out to the curbside and waited isn't the best one. It seems this is a classic case of that contrary Thai business model -- supply and demand. In Thai logic, if the demand is less the price must go up (to make up the revenue lost by the lower demand). Maybe the guys who decide to sit on their duff at the bus station aren't the most ambitious sorts to begin with and don't deserve a whole lot of sympathy.

Also, it's sad to see that people can't drop the "Cheap Charlie" attacks here and understand that the real message addresses the bigger problem of avoiding that absurd Phuket situation. Certainly nobody can say that baht buses in Pattaya aren't good value, and thousands of people in Phuket would love to have a similar situation there. But unless we are vigilant in maintaining the Pattaya transportation system, it could easily degrade into what has happened in Phuket.

Edited June 6, 2013 by Wavefloater

[brewsterbudgen]

If the price from the bus station has officially changed to 30 baht, I would accept it. It's been 20 baht for as long as I can remember and is probably overdue for an increase. I'd rather pay 30 baht than something like 22 or 23 baht.

But I don't think the price has officially changed.

Edited June 6, 2013 by brewsterbudgen

[ThaiBob]

I have heard both sides on this discussion, but the bottom line (IMHO), is to prevent what has already happened to Phuket. Tourists didn't complain and didn't care about pricing, and now look what happened there. New York and London prices in Thailand? It is happening now. So, I support the cheap charlie's. Complain louder, voice your complaints to the Thai's, and walk to the street and catch a 10baht bus laughing all the way. Maybe grab a few tourists that have been sitting on the bus at the bus station for 20 minutes waiting for it to be full. Let the baht bus mafia see the customers walk away.

Comparisons with Phuket really do not pass scrutiny. Most locals in Phuket live in Phuket City and in fact cheap public transportation is available there too, and to go back and forth to Patong. It is the tourists in Patong who get screwed by the minibus drivers, although in their defense they do provide door to door service and the bus is not shared. Compare that to Pattaya with regular routes and service for all (tourists, locals, students, expats, etc.). One of reasons I choose to live where I do is because of the baht bus service whose costs for me have not increased in well over 15 years. Despite it's short comings, how many transportation systems can make that claim? So Pattaya Cheap Charlies get a grip on yourself and remember the bus station users do have options, simply leave the station and walk out to the street.

[Finlaco]

I always think such a tread gives a good insight into the various types of farang who live in Thailand. Before any of us arrived in Thailand we all lived in a society when the concept is/was ‘it’s not the money but the principle’ prevailed, and where it’s not normal to self justify why one should pay more for a product or service. We’d also be aware that a fool and his money are easily separated.

I think that the argument ‘it’s less than USD$1’ is relevant only as far as keeping it in perspective. I think also it’s interesting to read comments like ‘Cheap Charlie’, but with no substantive facts to reject the OP’s original post. It seems by merely posting ‘Cheap Charlie’; many regulars think it demonstrates a detailed understanding of Thai culture and in a Fox News style, if you can’t argue on facts and reason, then personal attacks are the way to go.

I wonder how the 'Cheap Charlie' posters think Phuket got to the level of THB200 flag rates for tuk tuks and motor bike taxis?

[rinteln]

I only see an issue here if drivers are charging more than advertised somewhere in the station. If not then this is a simple case of that's how much they charge, deal with it !

If you think its too much then you have a choice, there are other options. I don't think there is an obligation for drivers to be offering services for x amount, its not a government department or something.

Also the thing to think about is the people getting these buses are more likely to be tourists and expats are more likely to have their own transport or know other options. Now if tourists are complaining about paying 1 USD for some 1/2 KM transportation when they are on holiday then i would suggest there will be quite a few issues for them with the rest of their holiday.

All in all its really a none issue. A rip off in my book is when you pay more than agreed or was advised, not if someone just thinks they are paying too much for something. Its supply and demand baby. Its not the first time that knowledge is used to charge more for something and wont be the last. You can get the bus there nice and easy for 30 baht or walk somewhere and try to find it for 10/20 baht. Im sure the extra 10 baht is worth it. Frankly if i was here on holiday i would not care and as an expat i would expect to have my own options.

Edited June 6, 2013 by rinteln

[Tolley]

C'mon lads how much are we talking about here? Some of these Baht Bus franchisees pay a 1000 baht to hire the bus for a day I've heard. Then there's fuel, repairs, potential accidents. I feel so sorry sometimes for these would-be entrepeneurs running about empty most of the day trying to make a crumb.

Yes, I know there's the bad type too.

You said it -- these guys are basically entrepreneurs. Like any entrepreneur, you have a business plan and do an analysis of the market situation to see if your intended idea will fly. After that, like any business owner, you have to work very hard and put in a lot of hours once you decide to go ahead with your business idea. These, along with having a good product or service, are crucial elements to having a successful business. I can have the best product and do a superb analysis, but if I don't do the work, I'm not going to have a successful business. Perhaps the approach of sitting at the bus station, hoping to get enough people to pay more than they would have to if they walked a few meters out to the curbside and waited isn't the best one. It seems this is a classic case of that contrary Thai business model -- supply and demand. In Thai logic, if the demand is less the price must go up (to make up the revenue lost by the lower demand). Maybe the guys who decide to sit on their duff at the bus station aren't the most ambitious sorts to begin with and don't deserve a whole lot of sympathy.

Also, it's sad to see that people can't drop the "Cheap Charlie" attacks here and understand that the real message addresses the bigger problem of avoiding that absurd Phuket situation. Certainly nobody can say that baht buses in Pattaya aren't good value, and thousands of people in Phuket would love to have a similar situation there. But unless we are vigilant in maintaining the Pattaya transportation system, it could easily degrade into what has happened in Phuket.

Good on you for keeping up your 'vigilance' on prices I am sure this will have a positive effect on dampening any price rises.

[Lancelot]

C'mon lads how much are we talking about here? Some of these Baht Bus franchisees pay a 1000 baht to hire the bus for a day I've heard. Then there's fuel, repairs, potential accidents. I feel so sorry sometimes for these would-be entrepeneurs running about empty most of the day trying to make a crumb.

Yes, I know there's the bad type too.

I think a lot of us aren't worried about 10 more baht, its the way they cram you into them at the bus station. Since I have a choice by walking about 50 meters further, I vote with my feet Edited June 6, 2013 by Lancelot

[rinteln]

C'mon lads how much are we talking about here? Some of these Baht Bus franchisees pay a 1000 baht to hire the bus for a day I've heard. Then there's fuel, repairs, potential accidents. I feel so sorry sometimes for these would-be entrepeneurs running about empty most of the day trying to make a crumb.

Yes, I know there's the bad type too.

I think a lot of us aren't worried about 10 more baht, its the way they cram you into them at the bus station. Since I have a choice by walking about 50 meters further, I vote with my feet

"I think a lot of us aren't worried about 10 more baht"

The OP certainly is !!

Edited June 6, 2013 by rinteln

[yoslim]

Why shouldn't we be worried about 10 baht ?? I can buy lots of stuff with the extra 10b eg:

- sports drink or energy drink

- 2x 5 baht rolling tobacco pack

- variety of small snacks at 7/11

- baht bus ride around town

-...

This is thailand and I think in baht, converting back to homecurrency doesn't make any sense after a while

[Rimmer]

Baiting post and reply removed

[hotandhumid]

I find it incredible that these sort of people actually exist (that's the OP, not the baht bus driver) whinging about a measly 30 baht and starting a thread on it.....you Sir are an utter embarrassment.