Baht Bus Rawai towards Central

[NomadJoe]

I can't find anything online which shows the blue baht bus routes. Is there anyway to get from Rawai beach to the TOT Office (i.e. going towards Central from Chalong Circle) using them? Cost? I think once the bus reaches the circle it goes down Chao Fah east towards town, not Chao Fah west, but I am not sure.

Thanks in advance.

[fiddlehead]

They are there.
I walk from my mechanic's place whenever he works on my vehicles and often see them, but I don't hop on as I like the exercise.

He's near Wat Chalong.
One time I did hop on and he charged me 20 or 30 baht to the pier road.

[pagallim]

There is certainly at least one of the baht buses that goes along Chaofa West (I live near TOT and pass these buses often), though not sure if it's the service from Rawai or Kata/Karon to Phuket Town.

[stevenl]

There is certainly at least one of the baht buses that goes along Chaofa West (I live near TOT and pass these buses often), though not sure if it's the service from Rawai or Kata/Karon to Phuket Town.

From Kata it are the big buses, from Rawai/Nai Harn the smaller pickup trucks.

[NomadJoe]

Thanks guys. I will go locate one and ask to find out for sure.

[NamKangMan]

You shouldn't use the term "baht bus" - it gets people's hopes up. :)

[fiddlehead]

Yeah, the ones I'm talking about are "song-tows" or 2 bench seats in the back of a blue pickup truck.
You know the ones that drive real slow for some reason.

[NamKangMan]

Yeah, the ones I'm talking about are "song-tows" or 2 bench seats in the back of a blue pickup truck.

You know the ones that drive real slow for some reason.

You mean like those ones that are in Pattaya, transporting all the tourists, expats and locals, wherever they want to go, all over the city, for 10 baht.

Yeah, I know the ones.

Edited June 18, 2013 by NamKangMan

[NomadJoe]

I always understood that Pattaya (and Krabi too) had what are referred to as songteaws (meaning "2 rows" as in 2 rows of benches in the back) and the correct term for the blue ones here in Phuket was baht bus, but I guess they call the Pattya ones baht buses too which doesn't make sense as they aren't buses at all, but pickup trucks. As mentioned, the ones in Rawai are similar in design to the Pattaya ones, ie pickup trucks with two rows of benches in the back. The Kata, Karon, Patong blue buses and Phuket Town pink buses definitely can't be called songteaws. They have 3 rows of benches. I probably should have said "local bus" to avoid any unwarranted expectation raising.

Pattaya Songteaws

Phuket Baht Buses:

[NomadJoe]

I just noticed in my second Phuket baht bus pic the smaller truck behind says "Phuket - Chalong" so maybe that is the answer. Perhaps the Rawai-Phuket bus takes one of the Chao Fas and the Phuket - Chalong bus takes the other.

You know, the fact that nothing can be found online about this and a bunch of long time expats don't know this is a testament to how f'ed up the transport is on this island.

[NamKangMan]

I always understood that Pattaya (and Krabi too) had what are referred to as songteaws (meaning "2 rows" as in 2 rows of benches in the back) and the correct term for the blue ones here in Phuket was baht bus, but I guess they call the Pattya ones baht buses too which doesn't make sense as they aren't buses at all, but pickup trucks. As mentioned, the ones in Rawai are similar in design to the Pattaya ones, ie pickup trucks with two rows of benches in the back. The Kata, Karon, Patong blue buses and Phuket Town pink buses definitely can't be called songteaws. They have 3 rows of benches. I probably should have said "local bus" to avoid any unwarranted expectation raising.

Pattaya Songteaws

Phuket Baht Buses:

With "3 rows" instead of "2 rows" - I suppose they could be called "samteaws." :)

[pagallim]

I just noticed in my second Phuket baht bus pic the smaller truck behind says "Phuket - Chalong" so maybe that is the answer. Perhaps the Rawai-Phuket bus takes one of the Chao Fas and the Phuket - Chalong bus takes the other.

You know, the fact that nothing can be found online about this and a bunch of long time expats don't know this is a testament to how f'ed up the transport is on this island.

I was on the road south on Chaofa West this morning circa 0800, and there was a pick up type bus with a destination of "Chalong Bay" heading south. What I did notice is apart from the 2 bench seats on the outer side, there was a narrow centre bench in the middle. Cosy.

[Jimi007]

I just noticed in my second Phuket baht bus pic the smaller truck behind says "Phuket - Chalong" so maybe that is the answer. Perhaps the Rawai-Phuket bus takes one of the Chao Fas and the Phuket - Chalong bus takes the other.

You know, the fact that nothing can be found online about this and a bunch of long time expats don't know this is a testament to how f'ed up the transport is on this island.

Well that's because everyone has to have a motorbike or truck or both since we have lived here! There weren't any taxis around other than a sign in a bar that said: Taxi, "call Sombat," at least in Rawai when I moved here. But I agree with the last line of your post...