tourist buses in Pattaya are now beyond a joke

[Asiantravel]

As I was travelling up Soi Phettrakul this morning at about 9 AM I was absolutely stunned at the number of buses that were trying to turn right from North Pattaya Road into Soi Phettrakul so they could then travel a short distance to the back of the enormous red coloured souvenirs warehouse /shop fronting North Pattaya Road.

As I sat there just a few minutes I must have counted about 20 buses which of course were unable to be quickly accommodated in the rear car park (see the picture below). They just kept coming and coming! So many at a time that in fact some were unable to complete their turn into Soi Phettrakul which resulted in a real dog’s breakfast of a traffic snarl up as some were stuck midway through their turn blocking North Pattaya Road.

This is surely becoming intolerable? This is obviously the new face of Pattaya and we have to get used to it but it doesn’t mean that there can’t be solutions to make things easier for other motorists? I mean it’s obvious that the situation is gonna keep getting worse.

Then I started thinking of the technology which is available now to help the traffic flow through better control of all these buses. Maybe they could use some kind of GPS system to space their arrival out a bit more or at the very least how many of these bus drivers have mobile phones to coordinate their arrival better? There must be a better system of arrival and departure and this also applies along Beach Road when they pick up and unload Chinese passengers in the afternoons.

Beach Road was reduced to just one lane the other day because of double parking of coaches that is until a policeman rode by on his motorbike and made one of the buses drive much further down to clear one of the lanes.

Or does anyone have any other solutions?

Edited April 25, 2015 by Asiantravel

[Brit_Doggie]

Yep the chinese are taking over much income for thailand.

[KittenKong]

It is indeed quite absurd. It affects Jomtien also as many buses use Jomtien 2nd Road/Thepprasit/Pratumnak as an access route to Pattaya, or as a giant parking lot.

[onemorechang]

Is it the same zero dollar holidays for the Chinese like a few years back or is it different now ?

are they spending a lot of cash in town ?

or a quick look and back off to the next town or BKK the next day ?

anyone know ?

And very true Jomtien is a parking lot for the bad attitude bus drivers and there busses

seeing them do u turns on second road jomtien, what a bunch of dangerous %!-&S.

[tolsti]

Is it the same zero dollar holidays for the Chinese like a few years back or is it different now ?

are they spending a lot of cash in town ?

or a quick look and back off to the next town or BKK the next day ?

anyone know ?

And very true Jomtien is a parking lot for the bad attitude bus drivers and there busses

seeing them do u turns on second road jomtien, what a bunch of dangerous %!-&S.

It is exactly the same ....zero baht tours... Noses pressed up against windows... Eat here, piss here, shit here, buy lots here. Go to sleep, start 0730 tomorrow.... Same again. The Chairman would be proud of the control that Capitalism has on his faithful Edited April 25, 2015 by tolsti

[MrWorldwide]

Its a similar oversupply to what we see with the baht buses - many of the tour buses I see belting down 3rd road are (at best) half full. Similar scene played out this morning on Beach Road - tour bus after tour bus taking wide turns onto Pattaya Klang - but I've made the point in several threads that anything resembling a high season this year was a shadow of previous years, with or without the Chinese tour groups. Like it or not, whatever they do spend the economy here needs it : its just interesting that they are almost completely ignored by the same locals who are still desperately trying to sell me everything from flowers to massages to fake watches.

As for the tour bus companies, I assume that while oil is cheap they'll keep burning it - pathetic, but that seems to be the way things work in a country where labor costs are such a small fraction of overall fixed costs. A week or so and they'll be in the rear vision mirror for me, but I dont hold out too much hope re Pattaya traffic in general.

[Asiantravel]

Is it the same zero dollar holidays for the Chinese like a few years back or is it different now ?

are they spending a lot of cash in town ?

or a quick look and back off to the next town or BKK the next day ?

anyone know ?

And very true Jomtien is a parking lot for the bad attitude bus drivers and there busses

seeing them do u turns on second road jomtien, what a bunch of dangerous %!-&S.

It is exactly the same ....zero baht tours... Noses pressed up against windows... Eat here, piss here, shit here, buy lots here. Go to sleep, start 0730 tomorrow.... Same again. The Chairman would be proud of the control that Capitalism has on his faithful

..........and with an inability to even allow just a 1 metre wide space for people to walk through when they all congregate waiting for these buses. I mean Beach Road walkway is very wide in some places and yet they still occupy the b****dy whole area and even seem somewhat surprised when someone is trying to get through

Edited April 25, 2015 by Asiantravel

[toenail]

Like I have said, the white buses (that have recentlly blossomed in the past few years in Pattaya) are either connected to those in City Hall or the Pattaya Mafia. I am serious. I walk a lot in Pattaya so have the experience of waiting for a gap between the traffic flow to cross Pattaya Nua, Beach Rd, or 2nd Road and these monsters are racing down the streets not realizing they're in the city limits. (You know a driver's attitude in a developing country behind a wheel, it's "I am bigger so you better get off the road" attitude) and when you see new tourists run across the streets, these #%@ bus drivers don't get the clue to slow down. They are white rockets on the major streets, speeding and not slowing down. Police just turn their heads while they issue 200 baht tickets to the motorbike drivers. In the morning the white buses double park on Beach Road - can do anything they want. If you look through the huge front windows and get a glimpse of some of these drivers, I wonder if they even have the proper license. I am sure there have been pedistirans hit by these white rockets on wheels but it will not be reported in the newpapers. We expats who live/work in the city add this kind off negligence as more proof how the city does not care about enforcing laws. That Pattaya city hall is great for organizing social events and concerts but unable to do what a true municipal government does, and that is enforce laws, building codes, and be concerned about tourist's safety.

[i claudius]

It can only get worse ,the other morning I counted about 30 buses in Pattaya nua,all with a few Chinese tourists being either taken to eat,to the jewellery place or the one that sells all the tourist Crap,it was a bloomin nightmare ,and when they are off the bus they just wander around in the road ,anywhere and as for spending money,they are like the tour groups that used to go to Spain ,all inclusive ,no need to spend anything.Things can only get worse.

[manarak]

agree about the tour buses, they clog the streets!

they should be banned from beach road and second road.

[Pattaya28]

Call 1337 City Hall and report the issue.

My wife, at my insistence, reported a continual similar coach-blocking situation on Pratamak Rd.which was creating unbelievable traffic jams on a daily basis.

The coach drivers could not give a monkey what havoc they cause.

My wife reported this to City Hall around 10 AM.

And to my amazement, that same day police were there preventing the coaches blocking 2-way traffic flow.

This lasted 4-5 days. Police then moved on, and the blocking then restarted. My wife called City Hall again, and again the police moved in and prevented the blocking.

I also believe that matters can be reported on the City Hall website

[emilymat]

I live out by the lake and try and avoid Pattaya at all times now.

However, with the construction of the underpass, and the buses to which you refer, going into Makro on Nua once a week is like a military exercise which I have to plan. What time, what route etc. etc. ?.

I remember going to that buffet every now and again by the 'Big Eye'. Did it for years but I packed it in a year ago, with all that congestion and diesel fumes. Funnily enough, it was forbidden to have a quiet cigarette after a meal, whilst looking at the huge buses belching out smoke some 10 yards away.

[watcharacters]

Thailand is a big country and once it becomes other than what I want, I'll start looking for other places to live.

[TobyOliver]

There all piled up down the Jomtien road to, the 2 lane road has now become 1 lane

[Rogergreybeard]

Marfia run,drivers give the finger and say F u their untouchable

[Rogergreybeard]

Marfia run,drivers give the finger and say F u their untouchable

[ToddinChonburi]

There depot is on the dark side next to the rail road tracks, going towards 36 or north they are on the left or west side.

[Anthony5]

There depot is on the dark side next to the rail road tracks, going towards 36 or north they are on the left or west side.

That's the depot from Pegas, not from the white buses without name.

[siam2007]

Yep the chinese are taking over much income for thailand.

not really.

they are taking over much income of a few unscrupulous Thai businessmen only.

the regular Thai population though is just annoyed of the animal-like behaviour of those noisy ignorant hordes with no respect of local custom

[Pattaya28]

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Yep the chinese are taking over much income for thailand.

not really.

they are taking over much income of a few unscrupulous Thai businessmen only.

the regular Thai population though is just annoyed of the animal-like behaviour of those noisy ignorant hordes with no respect of local custom alt=whistling.gif>

Local Custom / The Norm is this kind of behaviour nowadays. Things are changing rapidly here in Pattaya. Thais do what they want when they want, regardless of havoc they cause. This is "The Norm".

[manarak]

Today was particularly horrible, I don't remember seeing so much buses in Pattaya EVER.

They went as far as almost to the Thappraya/Thepprasit insection in Jomtien to park the buses, on third road was parked full, including all the red zones.

Center Pattaya was undrivable, this needs to stop.

To be fair, I don't think these buses transport only Chinese, I guess a lot of Thais are on tour too.

Edited April 26, 2015 by manarak

[toenail]

There depot is on the dark side next to the rail road tracks, going towards 36 or north they are on the left or west side.

mmmm- those white mafia owned white buses would make a great target for paint ball at night.

[emilymat]

Today was particularly horrible, I don't remember seeing so much buses in Pattaya EVER.

They went as far as almost to the Thappraya/Thepprasit insection in Jomtien to park the buses, on third road was parked full, including all the red zones.

Center Pattaya was undrivable, this needs to stop.

To be fair, I don't think these buses transport only Chinese, I guess a lot of Thais are on tour too.

I agree with you completely.

As I said in an earlier post, going into Pattaya for shopping - even once a week - can be a nightmare.

Obviously, not switching off my English mentality, I decided to go down early this morning, figuring it would be quieter on a Sunday................ Chronic, even only going to Pattaya Nua.

I'm honestly glad I'm leaving after 7 years here, as things will only get worse and worse.

[Shurup]

Then I started thinking of the technology which is available now to help the traffic flow through better control of all these buses. Maybe they could use some kind of GPS system to

Maybe just few of these strategically placed around the city would help?

Then fine the F****rs.

[MrWorldwide]

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Yep the chinese are taking over much income for thailand.

not really.

they are taking over much income of a few unscrupulous Thai businessmen only.

the regular Thai population though is just annoyed of the animal-like behaviour of those noisy ignorant hordes with no respect of local custom alt=whistling.gif>

Local Custom / The Norm is this kind of behaviour nowadays. Things are changing rapidly here in Pattaya. Thais do what they want when they want, regardless of havoc they cause. This is "The Norm".

But who do we have to thank for that ? Does your average Thai on a 125cc scooter really want to be sharing the roads with so many of these behemoths ?

'The Norm' as you put it is simply the result of centuries (or in Pattaya's case, decades) of graft and corruption coming home to roost. I dont think things are changing rapidly at all - I think this will go on for as long as money talks, and has done for many years, esp when you have spineless officials and cops who couldnt give a flying freak about public amenity or the safety issues these tour bus drivers exacerbate. Thailand has many positive aspects - I still believe that - but at this level it's a classic 'Screw everyone else - I'm making money here' society. Nothing will change until Thai people demand change, and historically that hasnt gone down so well with the elites, but that's probably a whole other thread (or a thousand other threads ).

[morrobay]

Marfia run,drivers give the finger and say F u their untouchable

They are not "mafia" just low life reckless jerks like most all the other bus and minivan drivers in this country.

And what if the increase of these tour buses stays on the same trajectory as of in the last year ??

Like Ive said before city hall has lost control of big touring business.

Edited April 27, 2015 by morrobay

[pattjock]

These busses bring nothing to Pattaya apart from trouble and great profits to a few well connected people.

They cause massive air pollution.

When in traffic they cause costly delays and frustration by causing traffic jams. A lot of accidents have been caused by these busses.

When parked they block traffic as they are frequently illegally parked. If they are legally parked they take up much needed parking space from the people who live here.

These heavy vehicles cause damage to the already poor roads.

The traffic problems and delays these busses cause scare away many future tourists that would have stayed in Pattaya for more than a few hours and who would have spent a lot more money in Pattaya than all these Chinese day trippers.

What needs to be done?

Obviously the police have to severely clamp down on and control where these busses are driving, stopping and parking. Good luck with this as all they seem to do is to check for helmet use and stop traffic when a VIP is driving by.

No buss should be allowed west of Sukhumvit road without paying 10,000 to 20,000 Baht for a day pass. This money should be used to sort out the poor road system and lack of parking.

In the future there should be a bus terminal near Sukhumvit where half size busses could pick up people and ferry them to a few select tourist destinations. These busses should not be allowed to park, they should be a shuttle service moving as soon as they are full.

[Chwooly]

This is completely ridiculous, just came down sukhumvit and they had it blocked so they could let a bunch of buses leave what ever venue they had been at. Nothing will change until enough people get hurt and killed.

Edited April 27, 2015 by Chwooly

[Jingthing]

When the hordes de-bus, they often gather on the streets and take over large areas of the sidewalk for long periods of time and pedestrians are forced to either push them or go in the street.

[GaryB1263]

Thailand is a big country and once it becomes other than what I want, I'll start looking for other places to live.

I heard some expats are moving to Cambodia for that very reason.

I think everyone agrees with the OP.