What's the deal with the ones running empty but won't pick up passengers?

I have noticed that the ones who stop are generally those with lights on the top.

A friend of mine commented on being unable to get a baht bus to stop mid-afternoon on 2nd Road for a simple, straight shot from Pattaya Land to Central Festival. At least a dozen, mostly empty songtaews ignored him before an almost full one stopped for him.

They are what the Thais call ghost taxis, someone has died in one and so it is bad luck to take anymore passengers, but, the driver must continue driving around looking for ghost passengers for 90 days.

They are what the Thais call ghost taxis, someone has died in one and so it is bad luck to take anymore passengers, but, the driver must continue driving around looking for ghost passengers for 90 days.

Cant the guy just put a spirit house in the Baht bus.

Ghost will go into in Spirit house.

Now go get a Shaman, not cheap (10,000 going rate )

After Shaman has done his stuff.

You can remove spirit house from baht bus

with no fear of bad luck, left in baht bus

All is back to normal.

Don't forget lob, bad spirit house in first bin found.

or side of the road with the rest of them.

Jobs a good'un.

I find that Fanta houses are better

They are what the Thais call ghost taxis, someone has died in one and so it is bad luck to take anymore passengers, but, the driver must continue driving around looking for ghost passengers for 90 days.

Cant the guy just put a spirit house in the Baht bus.

Ghost will go into in Spirit house.

Now go get a Shaman, not cheap (10,000 going rate )

After Shaman has done his stuff.

You can remove spirit house from baht bus

with no fear of bad luck, left in baht bus

All is back to normal.

Don't forget lob, bad spirit house in first bin found.

or side of the road with the rest of them.

Jobs a good'un.

Spirit houses are not permitted on the buses, the incense sticks that are lighted to decorate them are a fire hazard.

Looking for the big score. Rather than running with one or two passengers paying 10 baht, they are on the prowl for people who will charter the taxi.

Yes, but when they are looking for a big score, they normally stop next to any farang they see, even if he has given no indication that he wants to go somewhere.

To reply to the OP, perhaps he is looking for a really big score, i.e. a large group of clueless foreigners who don't know how to use a songthaew as a bus.

I have had the converse situation happen to me several times; an empty songthaew stops beside me and I get in the back without speaking to the driver. He either motions me to get out, or sticks his head out the window to demand where I want to go. When I reply "trong pai" (straight ahead), he then faces a choice between accepting me as a 10 baht passenger, or telling me to get out and heading down the road empty.

Take your lead from the Thai's; they only speak to the driver when they want to use the songthaew as a taxi.

Simpler explanation is that maybe they're on certain medication or chemicals that makes them oblivious to potential passengers on the side of the road

Yes, but when they are looking for a big score, they normally stop next to any farang they see, even if he has given no indication that he wants to go somewhere.

To reply to the OP, perhaps he is looking for a really big score, i.e. a large group of clueless foreigners who don't know how to use a songthaew as a bus.

I have had the converse situation happen to me several times; an empty songthaew stops beside me and I get in the back without speaking to the driver. He either motions me to get out, or sticks his head out the window to demand where I want to go. When I reply "trong pai" (straight ahead), he then faces a choice between accepting me as a 10 baht passenger, or telling me to get out and heading down the road empty.

Take your lead from the Thai's; they only speak to the driver when they want to use the songthaew as a taxi.

Not at all. They know the kind of group for which they look and it's not usually the lone foreigner. Charter is definitely on their mind.

They are what the Thais call ghost taxis, someone has died in one and so it is bad luck to take anymore passengers, but, the driver must continue driving around looking for ghost passengers for 90 days.

I like that! Reminds me of the Frankie Lane/Johnny Cash song.

Does your mate know how to properly wave one down? or was he just standing on the roadside hoping?

I have noticed this recently too - everywhere and at all times of the day and night. The ones that do stop are packed to the gunwhales, and maybe 70% of the baht buses on the street are looking for special rides, and hopefully not finding them. It's like the Christmas and New year High Season behavior has extended further into the year than I can ever remember.

It's actually not NEARLY as bad as it was before the RUBLE crash (high season).

Does your mate know how to properly wave one down? or was he just standing on the roadside hoping?

Since when do you need to flag one down? I've had them toot their horn at me even when I'm on the other side of the road walking in the opposite direction.

Depending on the time of day, I think many of them are heading to Bali Hai, to pick up the thousands of Russians coming back from Koh Larn.

If you like you can wave them down with a 1000 baht bill, works every time.

They are what the Thais call ghost taxis, someone has died in one and so it is bad luck to take anymore passengers, but, the driver must continue driving around looking for ghost passengers for 90 days.

Zombie Buses?

Since when do you need to flag one down? I've had them toot their horn at me even when I'm on the other side of the road walking in the opposite direction.

When you want one...

When it is tourist season (about 4 months), the songtaew drivers get on their high horse and look for a family or group of friends to take them to a destination so pass by the individual that wants to pay 10 baht fo r the ride. During tourist season, there are enough newbies here that do not understand they could jump on a public baht-bus and it would be cheaper... or when the newbies want a private baht-bus to take them to a soi/ place that is not on the regular main route (s) the newbie has not idea that he is getting ripped off with the price the driver is demanding. After March, the songtaew driver will be willing to become a public songtaew again. It can be a real pain in the arse when one wants to hop on a public baht-bus for a few blocks and the blue pick-up truck is packed with 8 people inside and a couple visitors standing on the rear step.

They are what the Thais call ghost taxis, someone has died in one and so it is bad luck to take anymore passengers, but, the driver must continue driving around looking for ghost passengers for 90 days.

Zombie Buses?

Elementary my dear Watson.

Does your mate know how to properly wave one down? or was he just standing on the roadside hoping?

A new wrinkle: A smartly dressed couple waved down a couple of them. Each time when they started to get in the back the a.h. drove away. No doubt he was hoping they would ask about fares.