Beat up by a baht bus driver ... are they above the law?

[Jingthing]

He would not know but most tourists don't speak any Thai.

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[Satcommlee]

Did you make him lose face? Was this in front of other Thai people?

Doesn't matter how much, but loss of face is very often violent.

Sorry to hear about your problem BTW

[darrendsd]

He would not know but most tourists don't speak any Thai.

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A lot of people will try to learn a few words before they arrive in a new country and try to pick up a little more whilst they are on Holiday

Edited December 3, 2013 by darrendsd

[jimmybcool]

Well, TV is supposed to be a helpful place where we can share information. The OP is holding out. I spend a lot of time in Pattaya and ride the baht buses regularly. For 10 years now.

So far the only disputes I have had were once or twice when the fare jumped from 5 to 10 baht. Caught me unawares. I actually only paid the 5 baht both times and the driver glared and left. After investigation I discovered the new fare (and yes, even for thais) was 10 baht and began paying that.

Only other issue was when I jumped on one in Jomtien and got off in Soi 4 in Pattaya. He wanted 20 baht. I figured that was fair go since I rode a long ways and paid that.

Point of all this is I want to know if the fares have changed yet again before I get back. And did the issue come from a longer than ride than within Pattaya itself. Really, I feel this is an obligation on the OP to respond to this.

[threelegcowboy]

Jing,

I had almost simular experience 2 times. Baht bus stops to let off Thai passenger. I got on without driver permission. Driver drives wreckless. I get off and complain and drive says <deleted> and also middle finger.

Baht bus stops to let off Thai passenger. I got on without driver permission. Driver drives wreckless. I ring bell while bus is stopped to insure driver will not move. He then starts up fast and almost throws me out the back. I fell flat inside the bus, I could have fallen hard outside the bus. Then he gets out and starts yelling and threating, I paid and left.

I take it when you get on without permission they may get pissed if they intended not to pick you up in first place.

[thrilled]

I talk to the songthew driver before I get in.I say 10-sip baht,if he says ok I get in.when I get out I give him 10 baht.If he says he wants 20 baht,I'm 61 years old.To me that's small change,I'm going to give him 20 baht.I'm getting to old to argue over small change.Definitely don't need A confrontation.I'm in his country I'm not going to argue.

[marinediscoking]

Sorry to hear your troubles jt. I think it is clear you should have gone to the police, however it is really not worth the time in the end as the maximum he would be fined would be 1,000 for fighting. They won't even bring him in without pressure. If you took a reporter from one of the local papers to the police station with you, this story would make the front page. However who wants to have ones photo splashed on the front page for something minor like this.

Seeing your posts over the years about bath buses, I am surprised you have not had more incidents. I have seen drivers get punched by other drivers when they picked up passengers without waiting their turn the que.

I only take taxis or bath buses when i have no other choice, thats why i prefer to drive a scooter. Just chalk it up to part of living here and move on.

[paddyjenkins]

It was a simple fare dispute. Nothing extra. No rude or loud words from me. Did not throw the coin at him. He accepted it but then demanded more. Cheers.

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was it an unusually long ride, like from jomtien to north pattaya?

[beechguy]

I don't feel angry. More like shaken up and also lucky I was able to walk away from it though still sore physically.

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Well if you hurry back to the U.S. you can get signed up for Obamacare, heard they don't disqualify you for pre-existing conditions.

Edited December 3, 2013 by beechguy

[balo]

I will not be surprised if the baht bus fare will increase to 20 baht when this high season is over. More drivers will ask for 20 and more tourists and expats will accept the raise. I t will happen sooner or later.

[sustento]

I was going to suggest that the OP move elsewhere in Thailand but I suspect that it would make no difference....

[evadgib]

An increasing number of residents have dashcams and/or access to static CCTV footage.

It's about time we devised a way where footage of this nature that has been captured by 3rd parties can be made available in some way so that victims can access it purely by entering a few key phrases ie "Car accident, Big C, Pattaya, 2pm <date>".

How about a sticky in each regional page along the line of "Post you footage here" or "Did anyone see <XY orZ> on <date>?".

There must be a way to do this anonymously for those that don't want to be identified in either direction, inc for example youtube with restricted access by the publisher.

Anyone care to offer any further ideas along the same lines?

Edited December 3, 2013 by evadgib

[Jingthing]

No the standard fare is still 10 baht. I encountered a mad driver. They are not rare but not the majority. I ride the system without incident 99% percent plus of the time.

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[jimmybcool]

No the standard fare is still 10 baht. I encountered a mad driver. They are not rare but not the majority. I ride the system without incident 99% percent plus of the time.

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Well unless you came from Jomtien it sounds like you had a driver yabba'ed out and looking for trouble.

I hate the baht buses. Used to be great. Used to be able to get anywhere really fast and they weren't as weird as they are now. Today the traffic alone probably drives them mad.

[Jingthing]

I think the suggestion of speaking to the driver before boarding a standard bus ride is extremely bad.

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[anon8]

You can even file case in tourist court.

In all honestly, do not be scared of he might do, he will not do anything.

That would be the right thing to do, no doubt.

But if I was Jt, I would leave it at that and try to forget.

You say the driver will not do anything to retaliate. Maybe he wont, but maybe he will, if a farang f*cks with his livelyhood, there is no telling what lenght he may go to get 'even'

I think many drivers know each other, I often see them chatting at the pick up place at the school, and opposite corner going towards dolfin round.

I take baht bus several times a day, and im starting to remember drivers faces, so do they, with people who ride frequently.

I understand Jt uses baht bus very often, commuting Jomtien to Pattaya

Jt, pls dont do a thing about this assault. You lose, we always lose here.

I would advise you to give driver the extra 10, if he keeps demanding, to the point of assaulting you. I know he has no right to demand the extra 10 baht, it is extortion. But thats how it is here.

Give him the extra coin, if he demands, and stay healthy, my friend!

[anon8]

I was going to suggest that the OP move elsewhere in Thailand but I suspect that it would make no difference....

Why would OP have to move anywhere?

Do you think he did anythinh wrong? Did you read the 1st post of the thread?

I think you didnt, so I lay it out for you in simple words.. .Baht bus driver attacked him, Op was physically hurt, OP is victim of assault.

And your twisted logic tells you he needs to move!?

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[anon8]

Did anybody come to your aid or witness the dispute?

Come to aid a foreigner while he is having altercation with a Thai? None of us would, we all wish to remain healthy.

Witnesses, probably. But they didnt see a thing.

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[anon8]

So it was a 10bht ''rip off'' PLUS something you will not discuss.

 

Perhaps the 10 bht top up is to do with the something you will not reveal ?

transam,

One of us here was beat up in the middle of a day in Pattaya. Yet you attempt light humour about how small was the amount, that almost sent one of our guys to a hospital.

What difference is there, if the assault took place over 10 baht, or 10.000 baht, it is still extortion.

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[anon8]

How would he know if you were a Expat or a tourist?

Even a local blind man here can tell a tourist from a resident.

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[slipperylobster]

Agreeing on fare before entering the vehicle, and having exact change sometimes helps. Once, I had more beer than I should have (OK more than once) and jumped on the back of a Tuk Tuk. The man had no idea where my street was, so I tried to guide him (my Thai directional abilities are left, right and full speed ahead). For some reason, I could not find my small street, so I let him take me to an expensive hotel, hoping a security guard could explain directions to him. The driver jumped out and grabbed my arm violently. Much to my surprise, the staff at the hotel invited me in and told the driver to wait. He waited about two hours until I got my wits about me and, as the dawn was breaking, I was able to easily point out directions to my house a few blocks away. I gave him 200 for waiting. He was probably worried I would run off and not come out of the hotel. He was smiling when I did. Not all drivers understand english, but they are fast to offer you a ride. Misunderstood directions, and a perception that they are being cheated, may lead to aggressive behavior. Perhaps encounters with previous farang passengers puts them in a guarded state of mind.

[slipperylobster]

You can even file case in tourist court.

In all honestly, do not be scared of he might do, he will not do anything.

That would be the right thing to do, no doubt.

But if I was Jt, I would leave it at that and try to forget.

You say the driver will not do anything to retaliate. Maybe he wont, but maybe he will, if a farang f*cks with his livelyhood, there is no telling what lenght he may go to get 'even'

I think many drivers know each other, I often see them chatting at the pick up place at the school, and opposite corner going towards dolfin round.

I take baht bus several times a day, and im starting to remember drivers faces, so do they, with people who ride frequently.

I understand Jt uses baht bus very often, commuting Jomtien to Pattaya

Jt, pls dont do a thing about this assault. You lose, we always lose here.

I would advise you to give driver the extra 10, if he keeps demanding, to the point of assaulting you. I know he has no right to demand the extra 10 baht, it is extortion. But thats how it is here.

Give him the extra coin, if he demands, and stay healthy, my friend!

Have to smile a bit, my buddy picked up a lady freelancer in a club and 3 days later she had convinced him to put 600,000 baht down on a car for himself, which she guaranteed. He did not know he could put it in his name, she arranged everything and put it in her name. They shared the car, and she had a key. One month later, he started figuring out she was hustling him. She had somebody pickup the car from the hotel parking lot about a week ago. The hotel said there is no video, as it is erased weekly. He now has a lawyer who is moving it to court.

Off topic, except for the fact that now he argues over 10 baht on the tuk tuks he has to ride. I feel his pain, but...quite seriously...10 baht?

[slipperylobster]

Your prices are actually lower in Pattaya...as I remember. Songtaews with 10 to 20 baht, and Tuk Tuks were like Taxis, they would take whatever they felt they could get, and then demand more. In Udon, I have fifty baht in my hand, they ask for a hundred. We usually settle mid way. Much cheaper to have your own scooter.

[anon8]

 

Off topic, except for the fact that now he argues over 10 baht on the tuk tuks he has to ride. I feel his pain, but...quite seriously...10 baht?

 

I get what you say, your friend was taken for a ride, and it cost him considerable amount. But your friend is victim of a common scam, he wasnt extorted.

Being extorted in the middle of a day, feels like you are taken for a fool. It is not a good feeling. I fully understand Op resisting to give in. I would too.

But I would try to sense the moment, after which things will likely become violent, and I would pay the amount that is extorted from me.

This is Thailand, and it has its rules.

If anything similar would ever happen to me in eurolands, some bus driver trying to assault me, it wouldnt be me being assault victim.

But this isnt euroland, so I turn into a pathetic, submissive sheep for 6 months of the year, that Im here.

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[sms747]

Your prices are actually lower in Pattaya...as I remember. Songtaews with 10 to 20 baht, and Tuk Tuks were like Taxis, they would take whatever they felt they could get, and then demand more. In Udon, I have fifty baht in my hand, they ask for a hundred. We usually settle mid way. Much cheaper to have your own scooter.

Songtaews in bkk are 7 baht and 10 after 10 PM most places

[mataleo]

What law?

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[mataleo]

 

You can even file case in tourist court.

In all honestly, do not be scared of he might do, he will not do anything.

 

That would be the right thing to do, no doubt.

But if I was Jt, I would leave it at that and try to forget.

You say the driver will not do anything to retaliate. Maybe he wont, but maybe he will, if a farang f*cks with his livelyhood, there is no telling what lenght he may go to get 'even'

I think many drivers know each other, I often see them chatting at the pick up place at the school, and opposite corner going towards dolfin round.

I take baht bus several times a day, and im starting to remember drivers faces, so do they, with people who ride frequently.

I understand Jt uses baht bus very often, commuting Jomtien to Pattaya

Jt, pls dont do a thing about this assault. You lose, we always lose here.

I would advise you to give driver the extra 10, if he keeps demanding, to the point of assaulting you. I know he has no right to demand the extra 10 baht, it is extortion. But thats how it is here.

Give him the extra coin, if he demands, and stay healthy, my friend!

 

 

Have to smile a bit, my buddy picked up a lady freelancer in a club and 3 days later she had convinced him to put 600,000 baht down on a car for himself, which she guaranteed. He did not know he could put it in his name, she arranged everything and put it in her name. They shared the car, and she had a key. One month later, he started figuring out she was hustling him. She had somebody pickup the car from the hotel parking lot about a week ago.  The hotel said there is no video, as it is erased weekly. He now has a lawyer who is moving it to court.

 

Off topic, except for the fact that now he argues over 10 baht on the tuk tuks he has to ride. I feel his pain, but...quite seriously...10 baht?

 

Ur friend is an idiot pure and simple

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[KittenKong]

Only other issue was when I jumped on one in Jomtien and got off in Soi 4 in Pattaya. He wanted 20 baht. I figured that was fair go since I rode a long ways and paid that.

20B is indeed the correct fare for that trip. The same 20B also takes you as far as Naklua.

I have been riding bahtbuses here for over 35 years and have never had any issues at all. Never paid more than the correct fare either.

[OMGImInPattaya]

Normal 10 baht bus ride. I paid 10. He demanded 20. I only said mai chi sip and walked away. Then he left his truck and ran towards me striking me multiple times. Yes of course I should have paid 20 on demand and I usually would have because anytime you get into a dispute with a driver you risk violence. That's all the details I will give. I realize there are some mean spirited people here and Thai apologists who are quick to blame the victim but sorry I was violently attacked and there is NO excuse for that.

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No one is being a Thai apologist! From the facts as you describe them, the attack was totally unjustified and I'm incredulous that you let it go unreported! Unless of course it was a 20 baht trip, but you seem certain it wasn't, or somehow you antagonised or insulted him in the way you handed over the fare and spoke to him.

Maybe he's homophobic. Are you very flamboyant in your presentation or do you pass as straight? Do you often ride with a same-sex partner/friend? Did you recognize him? Were you wearing a yellow shirt...mist BB drivers are probably reds like the taxi drivers...maybe that set him off.

[paddyjenkins]

are we ever going to learn where this baht bus ride was from and where to, just to rule out the possibility that it was an unusually long ride.

im getting pretty sick of this question being ignored by the OP, i've asked politely 3 times, so have others.