Baht bus chief confirms bus station taxis still charging 20 baht

[Rimmer]

Baht bus chief confirms bus station taxis still charging 20 baht

PATTAYA:--The director of the Pattaya Baht Bus Cooperative said that taxi fares from the North Pattaya bus terminal to Beach Road have not increased and that a trip to Walking Street remains 20 baht.

Tawatch Fuekboonak confirmed the 20-baht fare to Pattaya and 30-baht to Jomtien Beach Road July 9 following a letter to Pattaya Mail editor that alleged drivers at the Rung Ruang terminal on North Road were now demanding 50 baht for any destination on Beach Road.

Tawatch said the only case in which fares are 50 baht are higher are when passengers negotiate directly with drivers to be taken to off-route hotels and destinations.

Kithipong Limjitaworn, a baht bus driver who said he has been working the bus station for five years, said he other drivers he knows still charge 20 baht. Only special requests cost more and are negotiated between passenger and driver.

In any case, Tawatch asserted, “The fares concerned cannot be described as expensive whatsoever. Because of the current economy, gas prices and daily expenses, (the fares) are fair for both parties.”

He noted that regular baht buses still charge just 10 baht for set routes.

Tawatch urged anyone finding drivers charging more to write down the truck number and contact the Pattaya Baht Bus Cooperative at 038-423-554. Drivers can be fined 500-2,000 baht and referred to the Department of Land Transport for sanctions.

- See more at: http://www.pattayamail.com/localnews/baht-bus-chief-confirms-bus-station-taxis-still-charging-20-baht-49006#sthash.ZrnNXdH4.dpuf

-- Pattaya Mail 2015-07-17

[Basil B]

Oh Boy...

His drivers must be pocketing the difference.

[DoctorG]

They have always demanded 50b to go anywhere in town from bus station.

[kg1947]

Oh Boy...

His drivers must be pocketing the difference.

Somebody must be joking - right. ?? or completely out of touch with reality .....

[Jingthing]

Couldn't make this stuff up!

[brewsterbudgen]

It was 20 baht for years but recently drivers have been asking for 30 baht. It would be nice if it has reverted to 20 baht again, although 30 baht is a fair price to Walking Street.

[Pattaya28]

The "Chief" can confirm away all he likes

Very little meaning !!

[avidflyer]

Its been, I think, 11 years since there was the increase from 5 to 10 baht. Everything else around here has about doubled. 15 baht seems about right.

[masuk]

NEGOTIATE? more like ransom.

I was offered a baht bus trip to my hotel for 400baht. The driver refused to go below 300baht, and said 'you pay or you walk'.

It was on the exact same route that cost me 10baht the rest of the week.

Those buses park inside the bus depot, fill up with passengers and are far from the normal fare.

[atyclb]

apparently they do actually make the standard price 50 bat, perhaps related to lot less passengers.

[little mary sunshine]

Freaken thief drivers overcharging.

[ehw200]

WELL 2 months ago I was stuck at Pattaya Klang and shukimvit...after midnight

And short on cash

I was looking a a very lengthy walk to get to my car at Toyota

An old bat bus came by and actually stopped and picked me up

Thru lack of Thai on my part he thought

I wanted to go to north road

He said 20 baht...I tried to pay more which he refused

Now he understood I was going further

He dropped me off 1 block short of where

They turn around

I tried.to.pay him again and again he refused the.money...made a left and headed for home

I was and am so thankful to this Thai

Gentleman for helping me out

I was now facing a 10 to 15 minute walk

My only problem was getting past the dogs

Which I somehow managed

Point here is that there are some very good Thai baht bus drivers out there

I will never forget this small kindness

From this driver

[Fullstop]

WELL 2 months ago I was stuck at Pattaya Klang and shukimvit...after midnight

And short on cash

I was looking a a very lengthy walk to get to my car at Toyota

An old bat bus came by and actually stopped and picked me up

Thru lack of Thai on my part he thought

I wanted to go to north road

He said 20 baht...I tried to pay more which he refused

Now he understood I was going further

He dropped me off 1 block short of where

They turn around

I tried.to.pay him again and again he refused the.money...made a left and headed for home

I was and am so thankful to this Thai

Gentleman for helping me out

I was now facing a 10 to 15 minute walk

My only problem was getting past the dogs

Which I somehow managed

Point here is that there are some very good Thai baht bus drivers out there

I will never forget this small kindness

From this driver

You left the bit off at the end where you woke up from your dream.

[brewsterbudgen]

Its been, I think, 11 years since there was the increase from 5 to 10 baht. Everything else around here has about doubled. 15 baht seems about right.

This thread is about the baht bus from the bus station on Pattaya North which has had an advertised fare of 20 baht (as far as Walking Street) for as long as I've been using it, which is about 10 years.

[patekatek]

Cost me 40 baht 5 weeks ago. He stuck several Japanese tourists on the same baht bus 60 baht each. If the baht bus chief want's to get serious, have a sign posted where the baht buses park indicated the fare of 20 baht.

[HarrySeaman]

The only way I have ever gotten from the bus station to Jomtiem for 30 Bt is by walking across the street from the bus station to catch a baht bus. It usually takes three baht buses to get to there.

Man must have his head buried in the sand if he thinks the baht buses at the bus station will only charge 30 Bt.

[brewsterbudgen]

Cost me 40 baht 5 weeks ago. He stuck several Japanese tourists on the same baht bus 60 baht each. If the baht bus chief want's to get serious, have a sign posted where the baht buses park indicated the fare of 20 baht.

There's a LED display at the bus station, in both Thai and English, that shows the fare as 20 baht to Pattaya and 30 baht to Jomtien. You can just about make it out in this photo.

[Asiantravel]

" gas prices "

are down ?

[sharpjwe]

the tariff should be clearly written down.

and if the prices are fair so be it.

if not they should follow inflation and costs .

the bad thing is the constant ripping off that give thailand a bad name

[wabothai]

Seems like the man is lying, or not worthy the job he has.

[jacko45k]

They have always demanded 50b to go anywhere in town from bus station.

Mr Tawatch says it ain't so!

[bushwacker]

This has to be a joke. I go to Patts regularly and every time I am quoted 400-600 baht. I walk out of the station and the baht buses and motor cycle taxis all try to get my business for about 400-500 baht. I end up crossing the street and walking down the road a few blocks and then flag down a baht bus for 10b. Once the driver took me along beach road up to 2nd road and then told me to get out because my 10b was finished up in his mind. I got out and got on another bus for 10b and finished my journey at soi Dianna. The guy in charge either does not have a clue what is going on or is BSing to save face. After 15 trips I have not seen his scenario. The drivers look at you and quickly determine if they can make an easy few baht from the stupid tourists!

[chrisinth]

This has to be a joke. I go to Patts regularly and every time I am quoted 400-600 baht. I walk out of the station and the baht buses and motor cycle taxis all try to get my business for about 400-500 baht. I end up crossing the street and walking down the road a few blocks and then flag down a baht bus for 10b. Once the driver took me along beach road up to 2nd road and then told me to get out because my 10b was finished up in his mind. I got out and got on another bus for 10b and finished my journey at soi Dianna. The guy in charge either does not have a clue what is going on or is BSing to save face. After 15 trips I have not seen his scenario. The drivers look at you and quickly determine if they can make an easy few baht from the stupid tourists!

The problem seems to be that people actually talk to the baht bus drivers.

Get into the baht bus, get off close to your destination, pay the cost and walk away.

As soon as you start talking to the drivers, this is taken to be a private contract in their eyes. Name a hotel, even if it is on the route they will be taking anyway, you leave yourself open to the interpretation of a private contract.

If that is too difficult, walk across the road and get a regular baht bus, you may have to change/get another one, but you will have shown them.............

10 or 20 baht is 10 or 20 baht at the end of the day.

Edited July 18, 2015 by chrisinth

[brewsterbudgen]

At the bus station you get on the bus, wait for it to fill up and then, normally, the driver collects the fares before it departs. 20 (or sometimes 30) baht as far as Walking Street; more if you want to be taken directly to your hotel off the route. It's really quite simple.

[Pattaya46]

Get into the baht bus, get off close to your destination, pay the cost and walk away.

Payment is at the station, before the bahtbus drive from it. At least still like that 3 weeks ago.

If that is too difficult, walk across the road and get a regular baht bus, you may have to change/get another one, but you will have shown them.............

Good luck with that. Very few bahtbus driving here,

and as they just quit their station they are usually full and will not stop there, even for you

[Jingthing]

Curious if GrabTaxi will accept bookings at that station or would they avoid due to TURF CONFLICT with the baht "bus" drivers?

[Skeptic7]

this is an outright lie and coverup. all the song taews at the bus station charge B50 now to Beach Road. used to be B20 for a long time, then went to B30 a couple years ago. now they all charge B50, whether one has luggage or not. this man is either lying or he is inept and incapable of doing his job. more likely both considering he is Thai.

try getting a metered taxi in Pattaya. even though each and every taxi says "Taxi Meter" on top of the car, not one meter has ever been used in Pattaya. even so, i'm sure the Taxi Chief would tell the media that metered taxis are readily available...just look around! as Trink used to say nearly every week in his column, The Nite Owl, in the Bangkok Post...T.I.T. (This Is Thailand)

Edited July 18, 2015 by Rimmer
Wierd fonts

[chrisinth]

Get into the baht bus, get off close to your destination, pay the cost and walk away.

Payment is at the station, before the bahtbus drive from it. At least still like that 3 weeks ago.

If that is too difficult, walk across the road and get a regular baht bus, you may have to change/get another one, but you will have shown them.............

Good luck with that. Very few bahtbus driving here,

and as they just quit their station they are usually full and will not stop there, even for you

"Payment is at the station, before the bahtbus drive from it"

OK, sorry P46, have to admit I haven't been to the bus station for many a year, I didn't realize it was a pay before boarding deal.

My comments were based on my experience with the regular baht busses. However, the advice stays the same, don't talk to the driver mentioning specific destinations!!

[balo]

It depends when you arrive from Bangkok , if it's early or late in the evening. I have paid anything from 20 to 50 baht to beach road, Next time I will just hand over 20 baht and show them a picture of their boss if they want more money.

[javel]

Before they used to charge 20 baht when you went off at Beach Road.

Now they charge 50 baht before they leave the bus station.

(obviously to avoid problems getting the 50 at Beach Road.)

When this happened to me, I left the bus together with a couple more people, which led the bus to wait another 10 minutes to fill up before leaving. (they don't leave with less than 14 People)

Thats about the same time I had to wait to get a 10 baht regular baht-bus outside in the street. But its a gamble the bath buses in Nua is not plentiful, and don't wait directly across from the bus station.