Baht Bus Etiquette

[kyb789]

Due to the overwhelming number of Baht Buses randomly searching for private hire recently, how does one know if you are flagging down a private hire truck or one doing the circular route? It seems the number of buses doing a circular route has decreased and the number of private hire buses have exploded exponentially.

On 2 occasions now I have flagged down a bus, jumped in the back with no questions asked. After jumping out a few blocks down the road, I find myself with an irate bus driver demanding extortion prices. This especially happens late at night when empty busses are everywhere on the streets.

What do the locals do? How can this mistake be avoided? I have been coming to Pattaya for 10 years and never seen it this bad. Is this the beginning of Phuket?

[bow]

At least the solution is easy.

If it is an ordinary looking baht bus type of vehicle driving along the normal circular route then just pay the normal price and walk away. Do not get into an argument with the driver.

[Jingthing]

Yeah! A baht bus question.

IF you board a bus and they LET you board the bus and you never talked to the driver, you only owe TEN baht.

I am a little surprised by your report because in those scenarios I have never had a driver act like it was a charter fare.

If he did, yes I would toss in the TEN baht and get out of there ASAP because that kind of driver is clearly one of the BAD ones.

[Pattaya28]

Confusing story here. If you flagged a baht bus and it stopped, you jumped on, then jumped off, why would the driver be asking more than 10 baht ? If the baht bus was under charter, firstly he wouldn't stop for you, and secondly, the private group on the bus would gesture you that you're not welcome.

[Jingthing]

In any case, the basic customs have been communicated.

Sometimes unexpected things do happen.

For example drivers just end the show long before you think they should go and then you've got to decide whether you need to pay or not, you usually still do.

[kyb789]

Yeah! A baht bus question.

IF you board a bus and they LET you board the bus and you never talked to the driver, you only owe TEN baht.

I am a little surprised by your report because in those scenarios I have never had a driver act like it was a charter fare.

If he did, yes I would toss in the TEN baht and get out of there ASAP because that kind of driver is clearly one of the BAD ones.

I was just as surprised, after all my years in Pattaya and never experiened a problem. Both times were after midnight when half the traffic is empty baht buses. One guy took the coin and threw it at his windshield. All I did was hand him 10baht. I walked backwards and jumped into the nearest soi as quickly as I could.

[thaibeachlovers]

Yeah! A baht bus question.

IF you board a bus and they LET you board the bus and you never talked to the driver, you only owe TEN baht.

I am a little surprised by your report because in those scenarios I have never had a driver act like it was a charter fare.

If he did, yes I would toss in the TEN baht and get out of there ASAP because that kind of driver is clearly one of the BAD ones.

Yes, that's correct. In every case that I board a bus that is for private hire, the driver will ask me to get off before driving off.

However, given that there are at least 50% too many baht buses, perhaps they are resorting to Phuket tactics to make money.

Everything in Pattaya now seems to be about money- the good days are over.

[Jingthing]

There is no doubt there are a lot of very mentally unstable drivers. Often you can tell just by their driving style that they are twisted individuals.

[thaibeachlovers]

There is no doubt there are a lot of very mentally unstable drivers. Often you can tell just by their driving style that they are twisted individuals.

Driving around all day in Pattaya traffic would make me completely barking, so I can understand that.

I don't drive much in Thailand, but when I do, I am reduced to a gibbering wreck. I've never experienced such terrible driving anywhere else ( not that I've driven in that many countries- only 7 so far )

Edited August 12, 2013 by thaibeachlovers

[Jingthing]

There is no doubt there are a lot of very mentally unstable drivers. Often you can tell just by their driving style that they are twisted individuals.

Driving around all day in Pattaya traffic would make me completely barking, so I can understand that.

I can understand that too but as riders, this can make things volatile sometimes. We can't really know if they were messed up before taking the job and the job attracts a good portion of thuggish types, but it doesn't really matter, that's what we're dealing with as riders. There isn't always black and white in the art of baht bus riding. It's often a case of SITUATIONAL ethics.

Edited August 12, 2013 by Jingthing

[tropo]

Confusing story here. If you flagged a baht bus and it stopped, you jumped on, then jumped off, why would the driver be asking more than 10 baht ? If the baht bus was under charter, firstly he wouldn't stop for you, and secondly, the private group on the bus would gesture you that you're not welcome.

I don't know about that. I was on a chartered baht bus last week and he stopped for customers along the way. It didn't bother me, but the point is they can still stop even if chartered.

[Jingthing]

Also beware of HIJACKINGS.

You're on a regular bus and some rude people charter it out from under you.

Then the bus makes a weird detour without warning.

What do you do?

Again, SITUATIONAL ethics in action.

[tropo]

Also beware of HIJACKINGS.

You're on a regular bus and some rude people charter it out from under you.

Then the bus makes a weird detour without warning.

What do you do?

Again, SITUATIONAL ethics in action.

The driver has the chance of making some quick money, or slow money on his regular route.

This happened to us. We got dropped off down at the entrance to Royal Cliff and had to catch a taxi back up the hill as we had suitcases. The driver did this intentionally expecting us to fork out 100 baht to get back to route as we had no other choice. In the end we did pay 100 baht, but to a taxi meter.

[Jingthing]

It happened to me yesterday.

As soon as the hijacked trucked turned on Pratamnak Hill with his taxi fares, I got out and shouted at him ... I'm not in your taxi. Didn't even go close to the cab, not sure if he expected payment then or not, but NO WAY.

I think usually they expect you to go for the DETOUR ride and they end up going in the direction you were going, but I don't feel like an extra 20 minute sightseeing tour.

I have been on those detour rides with taxi fares (sometimes they've already chartered before you get on) and I've never been stranded. Thanks for the story that sometimes they strand you down there. Not that I'm surprised ... more reason to do what I did yesterday.

Edited August 12, 2013 by Jingthing

[tropo]

It happened to me yesterday.

As soon as the hijacked trucked turned on Pratamnak Hill with his taxi fares, I got out and shouted at him ... I'm not in your taxi. Didn't even go close to the cab, not sure if he expected payment then or not, but NO WAY.

I think usually they expect you to go for the DETOUR ride and they end up going in the direction you were going, but I don't feel like an extra 20 minute sightseeing tour.

I have been on those detour rides with taxi fares (sometimes they've already chartered before you get on) and I've never been stranded. Thanks for the story that sometimes they strand you down there. Not that I'm surprised ... more reason to do what I did yesterday.

After the baht bus stranded us at the Royal Cliff entrance he took off down the hill toward the pier the back way. I expected it was just a detour so we just went along for the ride. It was raining too so perhaps he thought we'd pay out of desperation. This was the only time I was happy to see a taxi meter - it was parked across from the entrance.

[Jingthing]

Thanks again for the warning, Tropo. Even I can still learn new things about the Baht Bus Experience.

[vegasphl]

Very interesting thread and answers.

[brummiebob]

What's it with all the tourist who flag down buses or taxi in front of intersections or entrance and continues to haggle for minutes, blocking traffic, would it hurt to walk 20 meter up or down the road and flag your ride from there.

It's not just Indians or Chinese either, there are some farang tourist that did this too. Come to think of it, there are many things that these tourist wouldn't do back home, traffic wise, and some might even complaint about the Thai's lack of order yet do it themselves. maybe it's the holiday mindset or something.

[thaibeachlovers]

What's it with all the tourist who flag down buses or taxi in front of intersections or entrance and continues to haggle for minutes, blocking traffic, would it hurt to walk 20 meter up or down the road and flag your ride from there.

It's not just Indians or Chinese either, there are some farang tourist that did this too. Come to think of it, there are many things that these tourist wouldn't do back home, traffic wise, and some might even complaint about the Thai's lack of order yet do it themselves. maybe it's the holiday mindset or something.

"Holiday mindset" absolutely.

I think many tourists leave their brains at immigration- how else to explain them leaving passports as security for rental m'bikes and driving around without a helmet, never mind that they have probably never driven m'bikes before and have no insurance for them.