Baht bus madness

[mcfish]

I'm staying in soi 12 jomtien beach to evaluate the area for a move from Bangkok. I like living here and often go to Pattaya several times a week for some entertainment how ever getting there via a white knuckle baht bus ride has forced me to re think a move here.

Eg this morning on jomtien beach road at 8am the baht bus was hitting 80 km, red lining the thing and overtaking 2 or 3 cars at a time only to slam on the brakes at the sight of a group of Russians and then redling again. The worst part though is coming down the hill from jomtien to Pattaya with a full load at blistering speed, simply insane! just a good nudge from a car at that speed with a full load would be catastrophic

This insane speeding is so the greedy driver can scoop up as many people as possible before the bus behind him catches up

Baht bus rant over

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[Pattaya28]

Yes. Every sector here is governed by "greed" 1 way or another.

Did you video the journey with licence number and send to City Hall ?

And as we keep reading, Pattaya City Hall wants to take care of its "tourist safety"

That might have been a good start.

[mcfish]

No but it happens all the time so I think I will film the trip like you say

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[lonewolf99]

Hit the buzzer HARD......get off pay 10 baht and wait for a saner driver to come along. I have had his happen several times when some nut case driver takes off like a F1 loony.

there are about 300 thousand million gazzilion baht busses I think ? At the last count.

Stay calm. Voting with your feet is the best and safest method.

[Youaredoomed]

Well the bottom line is more passengers = more money. No doubt these 'tactics' have paid well for him in the past. I doubt he'll change his successful ways' for some 'tourist' (in his eyes).

Good luck with any future move. It's a cracking place. I'm envious.

[mcfish]

Thanks agree it's a great place. The biggest problem is the downhill run to Pattaya, they all do at least to 40-60 kmph with many getting over 80kmph especially when it's a full load so they can dump them on second Rd asap and empty up the tray. I often shake my head in disbelief when I see thai workers jammed into a pickup at speed , so what's the difference? I'm doing exactly the same lol

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[Awohalitsiktoli]

Thanks agree it's a great place. The biggest problem is the downhill run to Pattaya, they all do at least to 40-60 kmph with many getting over 80kmph especially when it's a full load so they can dump them on second Rd asap and empty up the tray. I often shake my head in disbelief when I see thai workers jammed into a pickup at speed , so what's the difference? I'm doing exactly the same lol

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Those drivers are the worst in the world. I take the "blue bhat bus" back and forth between Pattaya-Jomtien and often the driver is speeding like a maniac. The police needs to crack down on them, along with many other things. And, as an aside, this time of the year the drivers are horrible in terms of stopping for people. They seem to be trolling for a "sucker." That also needs to stop. The City needs an efficient, affordable bus line, similar to what is commonplace all over the world.

[jerrylew]

Looking at this another way, you do not see many baht buses causing big accidents. The baht buses causes traffic and slows down other speeding vehicles. They are also very inexpensive. Therefore, I only see baht buses as an asset.

[JHolmesJr]

When travelling from Bankok to pattaya in the Bell Tours bus….there's a clear sign that hangs above the driver saying please let us know if the driver was speeding or driving reckless, with a no to call.

If baht buses reported to some central authority and this could be enforced, thats one way of trying to resolve this.

[balo]

Thanks agree it's a great place. The biggest problem is the downhill run to Pattaya, they all do at least to 40-60 kmph with many getting over 80kmph especially when it's a full load so they can dump them on second Rd asap and empty up the tray. I often shake my head in disbelief when I see thai workers jammed into a pickup at speed , so what's the difference? I'm doing exactly the same lol

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Buy a small car , you can get a used one for around 100000 baht, and then forget about the crazy baht bus drivers. I drive a car even for short trips, just try to avoid the rush hours.

[RajendarMangalagiri]

No but it happens all the time so I think I will film the trip like you say

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Frankly unbeilevable narration/report.

[PattayaPhom]

What seems like 80kmh in a Baht Bus is probably only about 50....

[Pete Beale]

What seems like 80kmh in a Baht Bus is probably only about 50....

Almost exactly 50.....mph

[prakhonchai nick]

Hit the buzzer HARD......get off pay 10 baht and wait for a saner driver to come along. I have had his happen several times when some nut case driver takes off like a F1 loony.

there are about 300 thousand million gazzilion baht busses I think ? At the last count.

Stay calm. Voting with your feet is the best and safest method.

Hit the buzzer HARD......Yes. Get off....YES, but pay the bastard..WHY? He tried to kill you!

[DoctorG]

Hit the buzzer HARD......get off pay 10 baht and wait for a saner driver to come along. I have had his happen several times when some nut case driver takes off like a F1 loony.

there are about 300 thousand million gazzilion baht busses I think ? At the last count.

Stay calm. Voting with your feet is the best and safest method.

Hit the buzzer HARD......Yes. Get off....YES, but pay the bastard..WHY? He tried to kill you!

If you don't pay, he will try to kill you

[jacko45k]

I know many will say it is more dangerous, but I would prefer to have my own motorcycle/ scooter for getting back and forth.

Party nights excluded.

[Eneukman]

I've covered that route in a baht bus many times - sometimes up front beside the driver and they generally don't go above around 40 km / hr. I've also driven that route many times and unless it's early morning very much doubt that it's possible to drive at 80 km / hr on that stretch of road - 60 km / hr yes.

Alan

[Searat7]

An equally annoying problem is the overloading of the baht buses. They refuse to leave South Pattaya for Jomtien unless 6 people are sitting on each side (which is uncomfortable) plus a few standing on the back which I refuse to do. I have seen as many as 15 passengers on these vehicles which is too many. There should be legal limits.

[Tolley]

You are better off living in central Pattaya somewhere.

The hassle of commuting by baht bus from Jomtien just aint worth it.

Alternatively buy a motor scooter.

[ggt]

Readily available and inexpensive transportation is one of the positives of living in Thailand...

All forms of transportation have their potential for danger...buses maim and kill scores of tourists every year...

It is not much better doing your own driving...

Jaw clinching rides are part of the culture...enjoy...

[Jingthing]

An equally annoying problem is the overloading of the baht buses. They refuse to leave South Pattaya for Jomtien unless 6 people are sitting on each side (which is uncomfortable) plus a few standing on the back which I refuse to do. I have seen as many as 15 passengers on these vehicles which is too many. There should be legal limits.

Yeah, of course, but here is my proposal. Some people are gonna shout FOUL but someday the fares are going to go up and here might be a fairer way to do that.

Raise the fare to 20 baht and enforce load limits and route completion rules.

Get a smart card system going where the fares are 15 baht on the smart card and of course all drivers need a reader.

An investment no doubt but paid for well because tourists and infrequent riders will mostly just pay the 20 cash and locals will mostly buy the smart cards.

I think the main reason fares haven't gone up yet is they because they know an instant DOUBLE fare to 20 would cause a lot of screaming, and 15 baht is an awkward number compared to 10.

[IAMHERE]

I empathize.

However, very seldom have I read or heard of an accident by these guys that resulted in injury or death. Of course sooner or later a terrible accident will happen but sooner or later your gonna get a starfish and not even be fishing.

You'd think there would be people dying weekly but it doesn't seem to happen. I don't even recall seeing a lot of bent fenders.

[Pinot]

I wish Phuket had Baht busses. Instead there are thousands of <deleted> tuk tuks.

And amatuer motorbike drivers. Bloody bandages everywhere.

[MZurf]

An equally annoying problem is the overloading of the baht buses. They refuse to leave South Pattaya for Jomtien unless 6 people are sitting on each side (which is uncomfortable) plus a few standing on the back which I refuse to do. I have seen as many as 15 passengers on these vehicles which is too many. There should be legal limits.

Yeah, of course, but here is my proposal. Some people are gonna shout FOUL but someday the fares are going to go up and here might be a fairer way to do that.

Raise the fare to 20 baht and enforce load limits and route completion rules.

Get a smart card system going where the fares are 15 baht on the smart card and of course all drivers need a reader.

An investment no doubt but paid for well because tourists and infrequent riders will mostly just pay the 20 cash and locals will mostly buy the smart cards.

I think the main reason fares haven't gone up yet is they because they know an instant DOUBLE fare to 20 would cause a lot of screaming, and 15 baht is an awkward number compared to 10.

"Raise the fare to 20 baht and enforce load limits and route completion rules. "

Enforce? TIT, JT...

[Tolley]

I empathize.

However, very seldom have I read or heard of an accident by these guys that resulted in injury or death. Of course sooner or later a terrible accident will happen but sooner or later your gonna get a starfish and not even be fishing.

You'd think there would be people dying weekly but it doesn't seem to happen. I don't even recall seeing a lot of bent fenders.

Indeed don't recall many bad accidents with fatalities or severe injuries over the years despite the erratic madcap driving.

[avidflyer]

I agree with JT. There hasn't been a fare increase in over (about) 12 years. Yes, its not a silver bullet, but it's a start down a path that's bound to come.

[dotpoom]

I have to say that has not been my experience that this is common practice with the Baht Busses. Rather the opposite, I can find them very frustrating if I am behind one in my car....they usually just crawl along touting for fares. The only time I see what you describe (as in most other countries) is when the driver is "handing over" the taxi to the next driver when his shift has finished is trying to squeeze in one more run before he does so.

[morrobay]

When you make a post like this it is not worth much unless you give the number of the baht bus.

Also 1584 is number for complaints. And have a Thai do the talking for you

[Smudge]

Having been here a little over a month now and made the commute often I have seen these 'Cannonballers' on a few occasions. In one case the driver didnt slow for one of the larger bumps toward to the north end of Jomtien beach road (not sure if its a speed bump or just bad construction! ), poor chap hanging on the back felt the full force of the crossbar on his head. Although looking pissed off and in obvious pain he stayed on the bus to Pattaya!

I have been in the unfortunate, or fortunate depending how you look at it, position of being a passenger in a Land Rover where the driver had lost control, flipped it and rolled it down the side of a hill. I didn't have a seat belt on and was lucky enough to squeeze out through the window only being slightly winded and having various body aches over the next week or so.

Clearly Land Rovers arent made of soggy paper like Baht buses but when it all goes wrong, I'd rather be in the bus than on a motorbike!

[Minnehaha]

Hit the buzzer HARD......get off pay 10 baht and wait for a saner driver to come along. I have had his happen several times when some nut case driver takes off like a F1 loony.

there are about 300 thousand million gazzilion baht busses I think ? At the last count.

Stay calm. Voting with your feet is the best and safest method.

for 25 years this strategy has proved effective in EVERY situation. Baht bus, taxi, motorcycle,etc.

I once got off a coach bus (VIP but not the Nakorn Chai Air) somewhere in Chainat ... on a dark road ... and did it by politely and persistently asking the staff girl ... and then the driver to stop the bus, as I MUST get off and get my bag. I explained I made a mistake and just saw my destination. They let me get out quietly.

only a few Bkk taxi drivers on yaa baa (or whatever) have protested - one even drove faster! That time it was my Thai wife who was 3 months pregnant who was freaking out.

In all cases, I was polite, and paid, and smiled, and maybe saved my life.

Points are:

- there are always options

- always be polite and smile and you can get what you want in Thailand (or at least so often it seems like always )