Darkside advice needed

[lookforzeros]

I have to make some visits to Soi Mu Ban Phu Thara, coming from Thepprasit and returning around sunset. Unfortunately at that time, the GF has the scooter, so I'm usually reliant on my feet or baht buses.

 

Is it realistic to consider walking back the whole length of Khao Talo after sunset? A bit of internet research suggests that I'd be a nice target for both muggers and angry dogs. Is Khao Talo really that bad?

 

Any advice on getting from Soi Mu Ban Phu Thara to Thepprasit at dusk would be much appreciated!

 

 

[onemorechang]

Get a motor cycle taxi 100 baht your home. loads around.

You can walk it early evening no problem.   i have done it.

but you will get soi dogs, and its a bit mad on foot at the train tracks.

with crazy traffic and no foot path.

unlikely to get mugged but you never know.

best get the motor cycle taxi 

[Merylhighground]

Agree totally with OMC about a motor bike taxi, though Suk can be a bit hairy in rush hour on the back of a bike (or is at least for me).

Soi Khao Talo isn't all that bad though I wouldn't fancy it on foot in the dark given some of the driving along there at times.....If you don't mind shelling out and get lucky, a vacant baht Bus may take you back in more safety for around 150-200B (depending on the driver). 

[BruceMangosteen]

No problem with muggers that early. They don't come out until at least 11 PM when the Thai bars start cranking up. 

[BruceMangosteen]

Some helpful posts....get a taxi or charter a song tow...but no one has suggested telling the GF you need the scooter and she should find her own way to work? or renting a second scooter for a month?? Brilliant ideas I'm sure you hadn't thought of. 

[BruceMangosteen]

As Mike Tyson said..."I used to mug people for fun". It isn't fun early in the evening. 

[lookforzeros]

Thanks everyone. Sounds like a motorbike taxi is the way to go, then.

 

@BruceMangosteen thanks for the suggestion, but the gf is actually making her way back from work at that time.

[elgordo38]

9 hours ago, onemorechang said:

Get a motor cycle taxi 100 baht your home. loads around.

You can walk it early evening no problem.   i have done it.

but you will get soi dogs, and its a bit mad on foot at the train tracks.

with crazy traffic and no foot path.

unlikely to get mugged but you never know.

best get the motor cycle taxi 

If your walking make sure you wear a name tag with your address on it. It seems the poster has avoided most of the pitfalls in life the kind that leave indelible impressions on our thinking processes. The world can be your oyster young fellow but just don't get shucked.

[Kabula]

You can get mugged anytime, day or night, especially in a retreating economy.

 

Be aware of who is behind you at all times.  At night be aware muggers hide in the darkest places and at the end of Sois, under pedestrian crossovers, and between buildings near a walkway.

 

Carry a weapon/s, a knife with a 4" blade, or a telescopic baton, or pepper spray.

 

They are illegal, but the fine is only 100 THB, for each, plus  confiscation by the police  if searched.

.

If the above weapons are used in self defense and the Police are called, they will not fine you, nor take the weapons. Good idea to have witnesses names, and cell numbers.

 

I confirmed the above with the Thai Police and the Tourist Police.

 

Walking alone in the dark is not recommended unless you can protect yourself.

 

Everyone should have self defense training, especially women.

 

Strike to shock and hurt and run!

[barkly313]

Actually, the area from Moobaan Phutara to the top of KhaoTalo  is quite dangerous after sunset, although getting better since the recent road upgrade & an overabundance of lights installed, and also walking would be difficult right now as that part of road is not yet resurfaced, under construction. You get a lot of mad teenagers using this road as a racetrack, probably fuelled on yabba or laokhao, & the temptation for them to stop & say 'hello' to a lonely wandering farang would be high.

Couple of months ago this happened on that stretch:

http://news.thaivisa.com/pattaya/woman-shot-as-another-thai-on-thai-armed-robbery-is-reported/147559/

The report isn't entirely accurate as they say the railway road- it wasn't, it was the road past Phutara & Tara Patana school that the OP appears to refer to, called Pattanakarn Road & the robbery was almost directly opposite MooBaan Phutara.

So I'd also strongly suggest a motorbike taxi after dark, just for that part of road, once you are in khaoTalo, no probs.

[Sooo Upto Me]

1 hour ago, lookforzeros said:

Thanks everyone. Sounds like a motorbike taxi is the way to go, then.

 

@BruceMangosteen thanks for the suggestion, but the gf is actually making her way back from work at that time.

 

 

Best to walk over railway line an get taxi outside Tesco lotus on right. Won't rip u off only 40b up to top of Khatalo. Only 10 min walk from Suk Rd.

[bark]

13 hours ago, onemorechang said:

Get a motor cycle taxi 100 baht your home. loads around.

You can walk it early evening no problem.   i have done it.

but you will get soi dogs, and its a bit mad on foot at the train tracks.

with crazy traffic and no foot path.

unlikely to get mugged but you never know.

best get the motor cycle taxi 

Every night, pick up a hooker, to walk with you.

[onemorechang]

4 minutes ago, bark said:

Every night, pick up a hooker, to walk with you.

 

Good god man !!!!  have seen the state of the ladies up that way

Shocking indeed . 

[tifino]

 

a smart mugger would have trained soi dogs, to act as decoy

[alofthailand]

Pay for a taxi/personal baht bus= 200 baht or get a motorsai taxi. Or walk without fear!  

[dotpoom]

Often wondered why they call the East side the Darkside,,,,always seemed to me to have the same amount of daylight.....perhaps it refers to the street lighting ?

[Merylhighground]

OP it is worth noting that motorbike taxis can be thin on the ground after 6pm or 'lights out'. Many's the time I've lagged a little, found the pod of drivers I saw earlier have popped off and have had to walk it and hope for an opportunistic 'drive by' picking me up.

I like the Darkside. I've spent many a happy afternoon/evening there in the past just wandering around, stumbling on some nice friendly little nooks and crannies. If you get stuck for a ride, nip into a bar and ask them there. The lasses invariably will have a number for a local moto or even stand outside and clap one in for you, especially if you're a good tipper.....

[peterb17]

The road to Phu Tara is a nightmare at the moment- Grab Taxi is really the only option.

[Haunebu]

In a country, where you get cheap and safe transportation everywhere - why consider walking through an area at night that gives you the shivers in the first place? 18 replies - 18 people wasted their valuable time for this... including me, unbelievable!!! 

[KBsinter]

If my memory serves me right Khoa talo is solid shops and once past the

railway is bars bars and bars,where  could you get mugged, by the market

has Soi dogs,can be a problem,as i often walked my Dog by there but I 

cannot recall many muggings,to busy,lol.............

[Ulic]

Buy a second scooter. Lots of used reliable ones available.

It would pay for itself in no time.

[ericthai]

16 hours ago, BruceMangosteen said:

Some helpful posts....get a taxi or charter a song tow...but no one has suggested telling the GF you need the scooter and she should find her own way to work? or renting a second scooter for a month?? Brilliant ideas I'm sure you hadn't thought of. 

Brilliant..hmm...might not be a real good idea to drive a scooter when you been out drinking all night. 

[kbelyeu]

I have lived off Khao Talo for the last year and the only thing I would be concerned about would be spending too much money on beer during the walk.  I've never heard of anyone having issues after dark on this road.

[BruceMangosteen]

6 hours ago, ericthai said:

Brilliant..hmm...might not be a real good idea to drive a scooter when you been out drinking all night. 

 

I missed the part about being drunk, or a drunk. Drunks do in fact seem to get mugged more often, but of course with less to lose as are near broke and have already sold their gold and given the GF all their pension money. Smart muggers either do it for fun or target the individual based on some insight as to the reward for the act. The fact he won't tell his GF to give him the scooter indicates he's not in control of the situation. She is. 

[jacko45k]

Rent another scooter for a week, it will be a few hundred a day!

Walking any distance here is a drag anyhow, with the heat, poor surfaces, street dogs etc, plus yes, you might be a target.

[BruceMangosteen]

9 hours ago, Merylhighground said:

If you get stuck for a ride, nip into a bar and ask them there. The lasses invariably will have a number for a local moto

 

Yes, that number is often referred to as home....and she paid for the darn motorcycle! 

[BruceMangosteen]

53 minutes ago, jacko45k said:

Rent another scooter for a week, it will be a few hundred a day!

Walking any distance here is a drag anyhow, with the heat, poor surfaces, street dogs etc, plus yes, you might be a target.

They had roadblocks set up at all three major roads entering/leaving Pattaya last week, up near Sukhumvit. I noticed yesterday the one on Pattaya Tai was gone. Point being, have some sort of paperwork and DL as roadblocks becoming a real pain in the arse. 

[jacko45k]

1 hour ago, BruceMangosteen said:

They had roadblocks set up at all three major roads entering/leaving Pattaya last week, up near Sukhumvit. I noticed yesterday the one on Pattaya Tai was gone. Point being, have some sort of paperwork and DL as roadblocks becoming a real pain in the arse. 

Went in and out yesterday without any blocks. They are often on the railway line bypass too though. Common at motorway flyover and the 7 or 15 junctions. Not normally a big deal as have all my documents with me.

[joepattaya1961]

It's about 3.5 km to Sukhumvit.....of which 1.5 km to Khao Talo and there you may find the first motorbike taxis. 

 

Use Grab-taxi (car of biike version) and for 250-300 baht they take you home without sweat. 

[bark]

15 hours ago, onemorechang said:

 

Good god man !!!!  have seen the state of the ladies up that way

Shocking indeed . 

Nope. But my idea would be to throw her to the soi dogs, so that you can escape.