coach conumdrum

[prk888]

I try not to enter central Pattaya too often so cant comment – thankfully we live just outside on the southeastern darkside

I experience that southern suburban Pattaya is now being inundated/deluged/suffocated/smothered with coaches – empty, half empty, or full …………… coaches everywhere, roaming, cruising, pushing. forcing, and parking …………. and now at night parking wherever they can find a space on side sois if the burgeoning coach parks are full.

What to do? Should anything be done to better control? What can be done? What will be done? What will be the outcome? Or will we just suffocate or drown under their weight of numbers?

[prk888]

photos of beach road so far get 6000 views and 60 replies yet comments about the 1000's (and growing) of polluting coaches drowning/suffocating our city are just ignored. Go figure!

[thaibeachlovers]

Nothing will be done. That is the way it ( doesn't ) work here. TiT.

will we just suffocate or drown under their weight of numbers?

Yes

[Mobi]

I'm with the OP on this.

Along with a few other things, this is one of the major changes in Pattaya in recent years that are 'in my face' every time I have to drive down-town.

Sometimes there are as many as ten of these monsters in a row - all hogging the road or parked in 'no parking' areas, and are nearly always 99% empty.

I guess in any kind of 'civilised' town with a local mayor and council who really cared about the local residents, some regulations could be brought it to control the activities and driving routes/parking of these unwieldy, dangerous buses, but the sad truth is, that the 'puyais' probably get a 'cut' of the action and they couldn't give two hoots about the safety or convenience of residents - especially us foreigners.

Nothing will be done - it can only get worse, as will the recent 'improvements' to Beach Road, which I predicted would end up in a total mess as soon as the rains came. (and was 'dumped on' from great height by certain ThaiVisa members who thought it was all going to be fine and dandy).

Try to understand that nothing ever gets done in Thailand for the benefit of the public. It only happens because someone, somewhere is making a a 'nice little earner' out of it - if not, it will never get done.

Why do you think they are building this horrendously expensive underpass in Central Pattaya, rather than a much cheaper overpass? Because there is a lot more corruption potential in underpasses - you wait - this project will take years and years and several contractors will 'disappear' with successive budgets as the engineering problems mount. It will be a gravy train for the 'chosen few' for many years to come.

Thank God I am on the Darkside.

[KittenKong]

Sometimes there are as many as ten of these monsters in a row - all hogging the road or parked in 'no parking' areas, and are nearly always 99% empty.

There is a reason. The coaches start off full with tour groups going to the various attractions in town. They drop off the tourists at the venues and, because there is nowhere to park nearby, they head off empty to places like 2nd Road or the road up Pratumnak etc where they park and wait for a phone call telling them to go and pick up their group again.

Hard to know what they can do as long as the tourist attractions are in the town centre and have inadequate parking.

[thaibeachlovers]

Sometimes there are as many as ten of these monsters in a row - all hogging the road or parked in 'no parking' areas, and are nearly always 99% empty.

There is a reason. The coaches start off full with tour groups going to the various attractions in town. They drop off the tourists at the venues and, because there is nowhere to park nearby, they head off empty to places like 2nd Road or the road up Pratumnak etc where they park and wait for a phone call telling them to go and pick up their group again.

Hard to know what they can do as long as the tourist attractions are in the town centre and have inadequate parking.

That's easy. Ban tour buses on Second and Beach, and make the tour companies hire baht buses to transfer customers from where there is bus parking to the "attractions". We all know there are too many baht buses anyway, and that would help a bit for the drivers.

Of course it will never happen.

[Mobi]

Sometimes there are as many as ten of these monsters in a row - all hogging the road or parked in 'no parking' areas, and are nearly always 99% empty.

There is a reason. The coaches start off full with tour groups going to the various attractions in town. They drop off the tourists at the venues and, because there is nowhere to park nearby, they head off empty to places like 2nd Road or the road up Pratumnak etc where they park and wait for a phone call telling them to go and pick up their group again.

Hard to know what they can do as long as the tourist attractions are in the town centre and have inadequate parking.

That's easy. Ban tour buses on Second and Beach, and make the tour companies hire baht buses to transfer customers from where there is bus parking to the "attractions". We all know there are too many baht buses anyway, and that would help a bit for the drivers.

Of course it will never happen.

If Pattaya was located in the west, the local authorities, in conjunction with the local police, would draw up a plan whereby certain areas were set aside for coaches to pick up and drop passengers, and that coach parks were set up away from the beach front where they could wait when not being utilised, possibly paying a small fee for the convenience.

And then the cops would clamp down on any illegal parking or dropping off / picking up passengers outside of the designated areas.

I would also suggest that a council in the west might well ban private vehicles from Beach Road, and set up car parks, where 'park and ride' facilities would be available - another job for the empty baht buses, but ideally, these should be replaced by mini-buses or small coaches.

I know, I know, it ain't the west and the only reason you're all here is to enjoy the third world atmosphere, non-existent infrastructure and benefit from the endemic corruption.

Well you got it - enjoy it

[thaibeachlovers]

Sometimes there are as many as ten of these monsters in a row - all hogging the road or parked in 'no parking' areas, and are nearly always 99% empty.

There is a reason. The coaches start off full with tour groups going to the various attractions in town. They drop off the tourists at the venues and, because there is nowhere to park nearby, they head off empty to places like 2nd Road or the road up Pratumnak etc where they park and wait for a phone call telling them to go and pick up their group again.

Hard to know what they can do as long as the tourist attractions are in the town centre and have inadequate parking.

That's easy. Ban tour buses on Second and Beach, and make the tour companies hire baht buses to transfer customers from where there is bus parking to the "attractions". We all know there are too many baht buses anyway, and that would help a bit for the drivers.

Of course it will never happen.

If Pattaya was located in the west, the local authorities, in conjunction with the local police, would draw up a plan whereby certain areas were set aside for coaches to pick up and drop passengers, and that coach parks were set up away from the beach front where they could wait when not being utilised, possibly paying a small fee for the convenience.

And then the cops would clamp down on any illegal parking or dropping off / picking up passengers outside of the designated areas.

I would also suggest that a council in the west might well ban private vehicles from Beach Road, and set up car parks, where 'park and ride' facilities would be available - another job for the empty baht buses, but ideally, these should be replaced by mini-buses or small coaches.

I know, I know, it ain't the west and the only reason you're all here is to enjoy the third world atmosphere, non-existent infrastructure and benefit from the endemic corruption.

Well you got it - enjoy it

You seem more trusting in western councils to do the right thing than I.

When I visited Brighton in the UK, I was appalled at the way cars were allowed to destroy the area around the palace. Up to me I'd have banned through traffic. Same in Cong, Ireland. Cars have ruined what should be a peaceful village.

Typical though, as cars rule in the west, and damn the environment.

BTW, if Pattaya was in the west, it would not be the place most of us want it to be. Western laws would soon shut down all the bars etc and take the sanuk out of it.

[ARGUSEYE]

In soi Gor Pai, pretty much off the beaten track for chinese tour operators you would think, are now three hotels accepting Chinese tour groups, with the accompanying "Sunlong" tour busses.

Plus the Lk group builds a 400 room hotel there for the Chinese market.

That little Soi can't take that extra tour bus traffic!!

[thaibeachlovers]

In soi Gor Pai, pretty much off the beaten track for chinese tour operators you would think, are now three hotels accepting Chinese tour groups, with the accompanying "Sunlong" tour busses.

Plus the Lk group builds a 400 room hotel there for the Chinese market.

That little Soi can't take that extra tour bus traffic!!

Since when did Thai officialdom give a rat's bottom as to whether the roads can take the traffic.

Where I live, they allowed a new 7/11 to be built on the street with no parking, so of course everyone parks on the street, including dirty big delivery trucks. No one cares.

[morrobay]

I have a post on this subject : #158 in the [is Pattaya Really On The Bones Of Its Arse At The Moment.] The tour buses , minivans and jerks who drive them that camp out in the Sois leaving garbage and sesspools are part of the overall lowering of quality of life in Pattaya. Its only going downhill from here.

The city has lost control over the touring business. Im amazed that these 4 star hotels are still getting any business.

[prk888]

for what it's worth .............. sitting in roadside café at Ban Amphur traffic lights on Sukhumvit from 4.15pm to 5.25 pm tonight and counted 135+/- coaches driving past going north. Most of them occupied. An amazing number in my opinion in just over 1 hour and certainly indicative of more infrastructure troubles ahead. Watch this space.

[thaibeachlovers]

I have a post on this subject : #158 in the [is Pattaya Really On The Bones Of Its Arse At The Moment.] The tour buses , minivans and jerks who drive them that camp out in the Sois leaving garbage and sesspools are part of the overall lowering of quality of life in Pattaya. Its only going downhill from here.

The city has lost control over the touring business. Im amazed that these 4 star hotels are still getting any business.

IMO anyone that built a 4* hotel in Pattaya deserves to go out of business for stupidity. Anyone with half a brain cell has known for at least 20 years that the infrastructure in Pattaya is insufficient to allow traffic using big hotels.

Even when they built number 3 road through uninhabited fields they only made 2 lanes each way with no parking. Mind boggling idiocy.

[jimmybkk]

Come on guys, wakey wakey...! It is allowed because it centralizes tourist $$$'s, and puts heaps of $$$'s into the pockets of the tour operators. The fact that they have to break loads of by-laws to operate the way they do is a bonus. It's a dream come true for those who protect & serve...

[joepattaya1961]

My 5 pennies: Over the last 15 years or so, Pattaya was a destination for mainly individual travelers. They booked direct or through booking-sites as booking.com, agoda.com or any other online booking-site.

Due to the crisis which started in 2008 and the political unrest over the last years, more and more individual travellers found other destinations and hotels and resorts had to find other sources to get their lay-out filled up.

The best (although not the most profitable) solutions are tour-operators and group-tour-organizers and one of the negative sides of those operators are the buses they transport their clientele with.

They're pain but it won't make sense to park those buses outside Pattaya at a remote area. This would imply, that every morning Pattaya will be gridlocked by buses going to pick up their passengers.

[Anthony5]

You seem more trusting in western councils to do the right thing than I.

When I visited Brighton in the UK, I was appalled at the way cars were allowed to destroy the area around the palace. Up to me I'd have banned through traffic. Same in Cong, Ireland. Cars have ruined what should be a peaceful village.

Typical though, as cars rule in the west, and damn the environment.

BTW, if Pattaya was in the west, it would not be the place most of us want it to be. Western laws would soon shut down all the bars etc and take the sanuk out of it.

I remember more than 25 years ago when you would travel to Spain, when you reached a tourist city there would be a traffic sign that buses were not allowed to enter the city boundaries.

They all had to park at designated parking lots at the ring road, and transport their passenger in smaller vehicles into the town.

[crazygreg44]

that's why the numbers of inpatients in hosptials of Pattaya and also elsewhere in the country, who are suffering from lung problems and asthma, is on an alarmingly constant rise.

In BKK and Pattaya, the pollution from the cars and smoking, fuming , badly maintained diesel Songtheows, and in upcountry it's the everyday use of barbecues combined with the constantly ongoing burning of trash, plastic, food leftovers and worn out shoes.

I thought General P would step up meaures against all this, but I have probably got to bury all my hopes

[morrobay]

My 5 pennies: Over the last 15 years or so, Pattaya was a destination for mainly individual travelers. They booked direct or through booking-sites as booking.com, agoda.com or any other online booking-site.

Due to the crisis which started in 2008 and the political unrest over the last years, more and more individual travellers found other destinations and hotels and resorts had to find other sources to get their lay-out filled up.

The best (although not the most profitable) solutions are tour-operators and group-tour-organizers and one of the negative sides of those operators are the buses they transport their clientele with.

They're pain but it won't make sense to park those buses outside Pattaya at a remote area. This would imply, that every morning Pattaya will be gridlocked by buses going to pick up their passengers.

This high seasons 'individual travelers' are the sorriest load of visitors I have ever seen here. The lowest class ever.

Ill take the touring masses over what Ive been putting up with for the last week.

The locals along the beach are worse too. So you are suggesting that this taking over and running roughshod in Pattaya by big touring business was invited ?

Maybe its been good for some businesses that are in the loop.

But in my opinion it is the end of any plan for high quality tourism here.And from the looks tourism quality is actually going downhill.

[prk888]

to add to the insanity we were held up in Pattaya Klang yesterday about 6.00pm and watched a coach doing what must have been a 12-point (or maybe 15-point!) turn. Clearly a change of mind (if he had one). Driver seemed totally oblivious to reversing danger & chaos caused

[emilymat]

I just wish someone would build a hypermarket on the dark side. Then I wouldn't have to go in to Pattaya except, say, once a month to pay bills etc.

Currently, I drive in on Saturday morning early, and get out as fast as I can.

It's just awful at most times.

[Mobi]

to add to the insanity we were held up in Pattaya Klang yesterday about 6.00pm and watched a coach doing what must have been a 12-point (or maybe 15-point!) turn. Clearly a change of mind (if he had one). Driver seemed totally oblivious to reversing danger & chaos caused

As has been said by many on Thai visa throughout the years,'They don't care'.

It's sad but usually true...

[emilymat]

to add to the insanity we were held up in Pattaya Klang yesterday about 6.00pm and watched a coach doing what must have been a 12-point (or maybe 15-point!) turn. Clearly a change of mind (if he had one). Driver seemed totally oblivious to reversing danger & chaos caused

As has been said by many on Thai visa throughout the years,'They don't care'.

It's sad but usually true...

I would hazard a guess on this one.

There is a little slip road between Klang and Sukhumvit at the top. It has a coach pickup station there, where my wife boards the bus to go up north.

Now, these coaches originate in Rayong and I have often wondered how they get into the slip road. since the cops stopped them parking on the main road.

The only way I can see is for them to turn left into Klang and then do a U turn.

[prk888]

the situation definitely has worsened since I posted this 4 months ago. And it's not just the new tunnel roadworks.to blame. Here on the darkside coaches just park at night wherever and at their will. And as the other thread states small sois are smothered.

A major major problem and it's growing sadly.

Could TV (or any other organisation) be a conduit for comments to the Mayor or other local authorities? Any suggestions?

[ToddinChonburi]

I was enjoying lunch with the GF just north of the winery. 20 of those buses went buzzing by half empty on there way to the Temple.

Nice kinda quiet little place to eat with good Green Curry and stuffed chicken wings.