The arduous bus trip back to Chonburi :D

[MrWorldwide]

Not sure if its just a lack of customers, but many of the girls have gone home over the last couple of weeks - Buriram, Surin and Si Saket seem to be popular destinations. I dont envy them the bus trip, but I laughed when one girl announced solemnly that she would also have to make the trip home to see her mother. Assuming the worst - Udon or further to the northeast - I asked her how long the bus trip would be. '45 minutes - mama live in Chonburi City !'. Honey, I dont know if Thai women get jealous over such things, but I sure as hell would be, roadworks or no roadworks. Yep, nothing like 45 minutes on a bus to really remind you just how far away you are from home and hearth

[chuckd]

My daughter just made a trip from Pattaya to our village in Isaan. It comprised of the following:

1. Scheduled to depart at 19:00 on Wednesday for an overnight bus ride to Udorn, scheduled to arrive 07:00 Thursday morning...12 hours.

2. Bus cancelled for some reason. Bus company wouldn't provide her an explanation.

3. She was next booked for an 07:00 bus from Pattaya to Udorn for Thursday morning.

4. Her 07:00 bus departed around 09:00, finally arriving in Udorn at 20:15 Thursday.

5. The last two buses from Udorn to Nong Bua Lamphu were scheduled to leave at 21:00 but were fully booked with no seats available.

6. She called and I began making arrangements to drive the 110 kilometers to Udorn to pick her up and was leaving the house when she called to tell me she and some young man, who also was unable to get a seat on the Nong Bua Lamphu bus, had found a tuk-tuk that would deliver them to Nong Bua Lamphu for 300 baht each.

7. I approved this transaction and drove to Nong Bua Lamphu where the actual tuk-tuk finally showed up around 22:30.

8. She was wind blown and tired but cheerful anyway.

She said the bus from Pattaya to Udorn was booked solid. Nary an empty seat.

And to think I talked her into riding the bus instead of flying.

[tolsti]

Why would anyone talk someone into taking a bus if there was a flying alternative?

[petercool]

Why would anyone talk someone into taking a bus if there was a flying alternative?

maybe because bus stations are more readily accessible than airports plus overall time spent travelling to, waiting at, then actual travelling can be longer by air than bus at times, and finally cost.

Also, some folks who have never travelled by air before can find it daunting to consider.

[MrWorldwide]

110km in a tuk-tuk ? Seriously ?

Mate, I commend you for refusing to spoil your daughter but that's just punishing. I've been to Udon Thani a couple of times - the last thing I would want to do when I got off the bus would be to get in a tuk-tuk. Thanks for the heads-up on the buses though - I suspected they might be running into capacity issues with the sheer number of people who transit between Isaan and Pattaya.

[Soutpeel]

Why would anyone talk someone into taking a bus if there was a flying alternative?

of course or even bought his daughter a car...

[Ghoulst Writer]

they are just getting in some quick rest and no recreation before songkran

[petercool]

There seem to be a few exodus patterns - harvest seasons where everyone in the family is called to help, major festivals and (for younger ones) days when school exams or grades need physical presence.

[samsensam]

'it's so faaaaar!' (lazy, moaning, unenthusiastic voice)

[NanLaew]

Why would anyone talk someone into taking a bus if there was a flying alternative?

maybe because bus stations are more readily accessible than airports plus overall time spent travelling to, waiting at, then actual travelling can be longer by air than bus at times, and finally cost.

Also, some folks who have never travelled by air before can find it daunting to consider.

Cost.

[NanLaew]

they are just getting in some quick rest and no recreation before songkran

For bar starlets and chrome pole molesters, that's just about right. The bars have been very quiet after the non-event of a 'high season', they are mostly taking a break and will be back in April.

School holidays too so many single mums go home to give the grandparents and/or aunties a break.

[tolsti]

So you put cost before life?.... Wow, I'm so glad my Dad didn't do that!

[Ghoulst Writer]

chrome pole molesters

[paddyjenkins]

they are just getting in some quick rest and no recreation before songkran

For bar starlets and chrome pole molesters, that's just about right. The bars have been very quiet after the non-event of a 'high season', they are mostly taking a break and will be back in April.

School holidays too so many single mums go home to give the grandparents and/or aunties a break.

Im surprised to hear its quiet, because the hotels seem to be heavily booked and far more expensive than last year.

[lonewolf99]

Cost ...of the Bus ?... Not sure about that.

NOK Air do flights for under a thousand Baht to far flung "Udorn" and the like. Mostly from Don Muang.

Bus to Airport from Jomtien, 134 Baht. 1 hr 40 mins. Free Shuttle to Don Muang, 1 hour. check in and wait - maybe 2 hours ? Flight to Udorn? 1 hour and a bit. 1,000 baht. Bus to remote village 2 hours from Udorn? 100 baht. Total time and outlay....7 to 8 hours and maybe 300 to 400 baht more than a skanky bus driven by some madman doped up on Ya Ba so he can stay awake on dangerous roads in the middle of the night.....and also hopefully trying to avoid other madman doing the same....

As our American friend's say 'Do the Math' singular? and weigh up the dangers.

I have never been to Udorn but I am sure it is nice.? Probably has bare assed kids and chickens running about in the dust...

[NanLaew]

they are just getting in some quick rest and no recreation before songkran

For bar starlets and chrome pole molesters, that's just about right. The bars have been very quiet after the non-event of a 'high season', they are mostly taking a break and will be back in April.

School holidays too so many single mums go home to give the grandparents and/or aunties a break.

Im surprised to hear its quiet, because the hotels seem to be heavily booked and far more expensive than last year.

What hotels seem to be fully booked and more expensive?

I have three hotels ( 4 and 5 star) that I use frequently (and thus on their mail shot list) advising me of up to 35% off rack rates and one is even throwing in a free breakfast.

Edited March 9, 2015 by NanLaew

[paddyjenkins]

they are just getting in some quick rest and no recreation before songkran

For bar starlets and chrome pole molesters, that's just about right. The bars have been very quiet after the non-event of a 'high season', they are mostly taking a break and will be back in April.

School holidays too so many single mums go home to give the grandparents and/or aunties a break.

Im surprised to hear its quiet, because the hotels seem to be heavily booked and far more expensive than last year.

What hotels seem to be fully booked and more expensive?

I have three hotels ( 4 and 5 star) that I use frequently (and thus on their mail shot list) advising me of up to 35% off rack rates and one is even throwing in a free breakfast.

The rack prices aren't relevant, maybe last year the rack price might have been double with a 80% discount....its called marketing. All that matters is the actual price. All the hotels i look at are 30% to 50% higher than the same time last year. Edited March 9, 2015 by paddyjenkins

[Soutpeel]

All the hotels i look at are 30% to 50% higher than the same time last year.

Thus confirming there are less punters around, as Thai economics 101 states, in "lean" times put your prices up to make up for the shortfall

[MrWorldwide]

Not sure what's going on - I'm seeing more people on the street than last week/fortnight and definitely more punters prepared to actually sit down and buy a beer (as opposed to the gawker brigade in WS), but its still a very pale imitation of high season in the 'city block' centred on Central Festival. I still see the buses roaring down Third Road with Chinese folk aboard - clearly some hotels are still doing well.

[chuckd]

Well, I see all the super nice TVF members are on this thread to spread their joy and cheer.

When she usually comes up she takes the bus from Pattaya to Wang Saphung, which is 40 kilometers from our home up here. The cost is 1100 baht round trip and everybody is happy.

This particular trip, I asked her to get a bus to Udorn, (where she could watch the little naked children and chickens running around the streets), because I had to be in Udorn on her day of arrival anyway.

Our plan was fine until the bus company cancelled her bus at the last minute and the next available bus wasn't until the following morning.

Not wanting to spend the night at the bus station in Pattaya, she went home to the 3 mililon baht house I bought her and spent the night in her own home, admiring her chanote.

I had to be in Udorn anyway so had to make the trip whether she arrived or not. It is a 220 kilometer round trip for me to Udorn.

Her bus was late leaving Pattaya so she was late arriving in Udorn. The last two buses in Udorn going to Nong Bua Lamphu were fully booked so she looked for other alternate means of transport.

She found transport saying he wanted 300 baht per person to drive them to NBL, which seemed reasonable to me.

I then drove the 40 kilometers from my home here to NBL to meet her. When she arrived in a tuk-tuk, it was something of a surprise but she arrived safely.

Perhaps a little background music will help sooth the savage beast. She is 22 years old, has lived 9 years with me In Saudi Arabia, flying back and forth three times yearly, has a car, motorbike, two refrigerators and the aforementioned house with chanote.

She is hardly a deprived child.

My attempt in writing the trip details is to show that when these girls make a trip up-country to see their families, it isn't always as simple as getting in the limo and telling your driver where you want to go...as so many of you do.

Too many of you need to lighten up and get a life. If you can't, please see my signature beneath this post.

Edit in: She doesn't work in a bar so the more depraved minds can relax on that as well.

Edited March 9, 2015 by chuckd

[MrWorldwide]

Jesus, chuck - might be time to consider taking some of your own advice. My comment was simply that 110km would be a very long way in a tuk-tuk - clearly she survived and all is well. Lets move on, shall we ?

[infinity11]

i have seen people hop on a motor bike to go 1/2 down the block to 7

same thing?

Edited March 10, 2015 by infinity11

[tlcwaterfall]

Well, I see all the super nice TVF members are on this thread to spread their joy and cheer.

When she usually comes up she takes the bus from Pattaya to Wang Saphung, which is 40 kilometers from our home up here. The cost is 1100 baht round trip and everybody is happy.

This particular trip, I asked her to get a bus to Udorn, (where she could watch the little naked children and chickens running around the streets), because I had to be in Udorn on her day of arrival anyway.

Our plan was fine until the bus company cancelled her bus at the last minute and the next available bus wasn't until the following morning.

Not wanting to spend the night at the bus station in Pattaya, she went home to the 3 mililon baht house I bought her and spent the night in her own home, admiring her chanote.

I had to be in Udorn anyway so had to make the trip whether she arrived or not. It is a 220 kilometer round trip for me to Udorn.

Her bus was late leaving Pattaya so she was late arriving in Udorn. The last two buses in Udorn going to Nong Bua Lamphu were fully booked so she looked for other alternate means of transport.

She found transport saying he wanted 300 baht per person to drive them to NBL, which seemed reasonable to me.

I then drove the 40 kilometers from my home here to NBL to meet her. When she arrived in a tuk-tuk, it was something of a surprise but she arrived safely.

Perhaps a little background music will help sooth the savage beast. She is 22 years old, has lived 9 years with me In Saudi Arabia, flying back and forth three times yearly, has a car, motorbike, two refrigerators and the aforementioned house with chanote.

She is hardly a deprived child.

My attempt in writing the trip details is to show that when these girls make a trip up-country to see their families, it isn't always as simple as getting in the limo and telling your driver where you want to go...as so many of you do.

Too many of you need to lighten up and get a life. If you can't, please see my signature beneath this post.

Edit in: She doesn't work in a bar so the more depraved minds can relax on that as well.

Great and very long post explaining your actions and how kind you are to her.

But you still made her travel a very long way by bus which is both dangerous and tiring. Why did you not simply give her some money and let her fly up to Udon?

I would never allow my daughter to take that journey by bus. Reason is I love her too much to place her life in danger and i would have been at the airport to pick her up as well.

[chuckd]

Deleted by me. Tired of responding to trolls.

Edited March 11, 2015 by chuckd

[balo]

Well, I see all the super nice TVF members are on this thread to spread their joy and cheer.

When she usually comes up she takes the bus from Pattaya to Wang Saphung, which is 40 kilometers from our home up here. The cost is 1100 baht round trip and everybody is happy.

This particular trip, I asked her to get a bus to Udorn, (where she could watch the little naked children and chickens running around the streets), because I had to be in Udorn on her day of arrival anyway.

Our plan was fine until the bus company cancelled her bus at the last minute and the next available bus wasn't until the following morning.

Not wanting to spend the night at the bus station in Pattaya, she went home to the 3 mililon baht house I bought her and spent the night in her own home, admiring her chanote.

I had to be in Udorn anyway so had to make the trip whether she arrived or not. It is a 220 kilometer round trip for me to Udorn.

Her bus was late leaving Pattaya so she was late arriving in Udorn. The last two buses in Udorn going to Nong Bua Lamphu were fully booked so she looked for other alternate means of transport.

She found transport saying he wanted 300 baht per person to drive them to NBL, which seemed reasonable to me.

I then drove the 40 kilometers from my home here to NBL to meet her. When she arrived in a tuk-tuk, it was something of a surprise but she arrived safely.

Perhaps a little background music will help sooth the savage beast. She is 22 years old, has lived 9 years with me In Saudi Arabia, flying back and forth three times yearly, has a car, motorbike, two refrigerators and the aforementioned house with chanote.

She is hardly a deprived child.

My attempt in writing the trip details is to show that when these girls make a trip up-country to see their families, it isn't always as simple as getting in the limo and telling your driver where you want to go...as so many of you do.

Too many of you need to lighten up and get a life. If you can't, please see my signature beneath this post.

Edit in: She doesn't work in a bar so the more depraved minds can relax on that as well.

Great and very long post explaining your actions and how kind you are to her.

But you still made her travel a very long way by bus which is both dangerous and tiring. Why did you not simply give her some money and let her fly up to Udon?

I would never allow my daughter to take that journey by bus. Reason is I love her too much to place her life in danger and i would have been at the airport to pick her up as well.

Buses are actually much safer than vans , if it's more convinient for her to travel by bus than a plane, what's the problem ? I took an overnight VIP bus from Pattaya to Chiang Mai once, it was affordable and I was not in a hurry and enjoyed the ride.