Must Read Pattaya - Hua Hin ferry could be a dead duck even before it starts as local authority warns of damaged pier

[smiffyb36]

What am I missing with everyone saying it's dead as the price of 1,200 baht is too high? Less than the cost of petrol to drive there, faster, and if you're considering the bus as a better option you must be a bit mental lol. What have I missed? 

[BSJ]

It may surprise some of you to know that the first time I visited Phattaya was back in 2007.....and the pier at Bali Hi wasn't in very good condition then!

 

Maybe shoddy workmanship and inferior materials were used!  

[bkkcanuck8]

5 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Cruise ships on the Bali Hi pier! Have you ever seen it in real life? That is the mother of all non starters.

 

Passengers: 2345

Bangkok (Laem Chabang), Thailand

I am assuming this is actually Laem Chabang Pattaya since no cruise ship would be able to actually come up to Bangkok directly.... 

 

https://www.ncl.com/in/en/cruises/11-Day-Southeast-Asia-from-Singapore-STAR11SINKOHLCHSGNNHASYXHKG?itineraryCode=STAR11SINKOHLCHSGNNHASYXHKG

 

 

[Mook23]

7 hours ago, Loeilad said:

If I was going to start a ferry service, one of the first things I'd do is make sure I had somewhere to board that ferry.

FARANG. THINK. TOO. MUTT...

[MaxiMaxi]

Ha ha ha.....

but for king and R.F. there is and would be all kind of perfect buildings....and free

Tourists and farangs instead....just the minimum but expensive....

[bkkcanuck8]

5 hours ago, Loeilad said:

There is a railway - and they have in many parts  given it a two track layout............you wouldn't need hi-speed to create a quick and efficient shuttle service first to the airport ad then on to Bkk and Hua Hin. unfortunately no-one seems to have the vision or inclination to  sort this out.

In Thailand the lions share of government funds are used to subsidise road development the the concomitant ills

Talk of hi-speed trains etc are only propaganda ad the reality is that Thailand could if they wanted have a convenient lo-cost rail network that could take the strain off roads etc and  save hundreds of lives but the will isn't there - just as  they love to talk about "express cat Ferries" but avoid the realities of what service is needed and how much that would really cost. Practicalities and action take second place to face.

 

basically anything outside a pickup truck on a motorway is a total fantasy in Thailand.

 

High-speed rail is a pipe dream or a boon doggle...   Thailand does not have the density to warrant spending billions of dollars on that type of construction.   Solid rail is needed for trade more than passengers -- though it could still do double duty.... but that would not be a high speed in reality.... maybe topping out at 140 to 160 km/hr. 

 

During big migrations a lot of the population still would not afford it, preferring to hop in the back of pickups and rideshareing back home from Bangkok to save money on travel.  Tickets for trains tend to be oriented to single passengers.  The price for train tickets I would expect for the investment would end up being about the same as Nok Air specials.... and Nok Air though it does well does not "take the strain off the highways".

[MaxiMaxi]

2 minutes ago, Mook23 said:

FARANG. THINK. TOO. MUTT...

No sorry.....farangs have sinaptic brain connection to think

[bkkcanuck8]

24 minutes ago, smiffyb36 said:

What am I missing with everyone saying it's dead as the price of 1,200 baht is too high? Less than the cost of petrol to drive there, faster, and if you're considering the bus as a better option you must be a bit mental lol. What have I missed? 

 

Per passenger..... it would definitely limit it to foreigners only for the most part.....  and it would likely end up like the express train to the airport.... an afterthought .... after you have already loaded up a taxi and carpooled to Pattaya.

[NeoDinosaw]

9 hours ago, yellowboat said:

Poor supporting infrastructure and an over priced service.  Does anyone know the French and Thai word for "deja vu" ?

 

 

I know the French for it :)    but not the Thai

[anotheruser]

19 hours ago, Deepinthailand said:

Or I can transport 5 people nice and smoothly for less than 500 bht

 

Yes, because the car was free right?

[anotheruser]

 

9 hours ago, impulse said:

 

And the vast majority of people (especially tourists) who don't own cars?   Throw them to the mercy of the kamikaze mini-vans?  Or 8 hours on a scooter around the horn, barred from many roads that could shave hours off the miserable trip?

 

Just because a project doesn't meet my needs or my budget, doesn't mean it's not needed by thousands of others.  

 

In this case, if I lived in HH or Patts, I'd go for it, and leave the driving to the captain.  And I don't even drink.  Another consideration for many who would gladly pay to be able to sip on a frosty cold one or 5 during those long hours instead of being sober behind the wheel or crammed into a careening mini-van with no booze allowed.

 

Yes, very true. Just like the do on the train... oops never mind.

 

 

[Mook23]

1 hour ago, MaxiMaxi said:

No sorry.....farangs have sinaptic brain connection to think

NO. UNDAHSTAAAAAND. ?

[impulse]

6 minutes ago, anotheruser said:

Yes, very true. Just like the do on the train... oops never mind.

 

That's a good point.  If they're charging tourist prices, and offering transportation for the masses, they won't last long.

 

Personally, I think they ought to market these as Booze Cruises a couple of times a week (Fri-Sat?) to see how that goes over.  Maybe get some local beer companies to donate samples for the tourists to try, or at least sell them at sampling prices.  Win-win.  Well, not for me since I don't drink.

[anotheruser]

 

Just now, impulse said:

 

That's a good point.  If they're charging tourist prices, and offering transportation for the masses, they won't last long.

 

Personally, I think they ought to market these as Booze Cruises a couple of times a week (Fri-Sat?) to see how that goes over.  Maybe get some local beer companies to donate samples for the tourists to try, or at least sell them at sampling prices.  Win-win.  Well, not for me since I don't drink.

 

Well it is pretty obvious the powers that be are pretty down on drinking. So even if they could have made it work they would have shot themselves in the foot anyway. 

 

This truly is a win-win situation. The naysayers are proven right, can continue to justify owning a $30,000 Hilux and the tourists can just suffer. 

 

Between this story and Nate apologizing the crusty old geezer brigade must be getting their bottle openers and cracking a cold Leo in celebration of these victories. The amount of glee over a ferry not working is a bit disturbing. lol This is why we can't have nice things...

[Deepinthailand]

2 hours ago, smiffyb36 said:

What am I missing with everyone saying it's dead as the price of 1,200 baht is too high? Less than the cost of petrol to drive there, faster, and if you're considering the bus as a better option you must be a bit mental lol. What have I missed? 

What sort of fuel guzzler have you got could get there and back and still have enough left for a trip to Bangkok and back for 1200. 2.5 diesel pick up.

[MaxiMaxi]

57 minutes ago, Mook23 said:

NO. UNDAHSTAAAAAND. ?

Maipenrai......undahstaaaand..... no unddahstaaaand.....

same same

[ikke]

13 hours ago, JoePai said:

To call people from Hua Hin "low-so" is not very fair - I am sure Pattaya people would welcome them

yeah, they would bring their girls back to their roots.....

[performance]

More great announced super plans by Admin to the government. At 2400 a ticket I can't see to many takers. Your in a 3rd world nation not the Maldives. City Hall can't fix a road let alone a jetty.

[Simons3]

Agree with the pricing being to high, previously they published in a Thai language flyer( which also showed BKK to HuaHin & Pattaya) at 800 Baht, then last week it jumped to 1200 each way, at that rate the Pattaya to Hua Hin Mini bus at 200 baht  is not going to be threatened too much by the service, and one can always grab a few extra hours sleep during the 5 hour trip if one can keep their eyes closed long enough once Mario Andretti takes the wheel! :)

[berybert]

If the pier is dangerous because up to 10,000 people are using it each day, has anyone thought to stop the 10,000 people using it ?

Or will they wait until people are killed.

[kalidescopemind]

What a perfect idea!  The drunken sex tourists from Pattaya meet the Thai farang beaters in HH.   What could go wrong?  lol!

[Loeilad]

13 hours ago, bkkcanuck8 said:

 

High-speed rail is a pipe dream or a boon doggle...   Thailand does not have the density to warrant spending billions of dollars on that type of construction.   Solid rail is needed for trade more than passengers -- though it could still do double duty.... but that would not be a high speed in reality.... maybe topping out at 140 to 160 km/hr. 

 

During big migrations a lot of the population still would not afford it, preferring to hop in the back of pickups and rideshareing back home from Bangkok to save money on travel.  Tickets for trains tend to be oriented to single passengers.  The price for train tickets I would expect for the investment would end up being about the same as Nok Air specials.... and Nok Air though it does well does not "take the strain off the highways".

Train lines carry freight....Thousands of containers and tankers from Laem Chabang the Chinese want access through Thailand and no matter how they dress it up, it is still down to business and freight.

These lines could also benefit  tourism and road traffic if the authorities opened their eyes.....but all they see is the glittering image of a high speed train.

[BlindMagician]

On 11/30/2016 at 7:48 AM, yellowboat said:

Poor supporting infrastructure and an over priced service.  Does anyone know the French and Thai word for "deja vu" ?

Does anyone know the French word for croissant?

[drgoon]

OMB.... erring on the side of caution  

[mettech]

They should make this boat a day cruiser around the island and if no pier well... zodiac boat would do to bring or get people on board.

This might be a way for further business.???

[Stargeezr]

Oh yes  this  is Thailand,  and for Gods sake  do not

repair  or replace  the dock.  just scrap the service,

yup   yup   sounds  just like what this country will do.

[Loeilad]

2 hours ago, BlindMagician said:

Does anyone know the French word for croissant?

it has  a certain je-ne-sai-quoi....but I don't know about that.

[petermik]

On 11/30/2016 at 3:33 AM, petermik said:

As I have recently bought a return ticket for the maiden trip (kindly supplied by one of the nearby deck chair operators) I find this statement misleading and confusing it clearly states on my ticket a departure time of 9.00 am following a blessing from the monks followed by a champagne breakfast once under way......so this report is balderdash.

As my ticket is for the last seat any TVF members considering making an offer to purchase may do so by PM.....initial cost to me was 5000 baht for the return trip

 

TVF members

The offer for my ticket now stands at 22,000 baht,I will leave the sale open until lunchtime (thailand time) tomorrow and the lucky person will be notified soon after...............do NOT miss out on this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity

[AlphMichaels]

On 11/30/2016 at 7:34 AM, monspencer said:

 

Because TiT 

And predictably repetitive.  :-)

 

[ToS2014]

10K peeps a day and not a dime to maintain the....oooppps sorry, my mind just snapped and I now realize where I am.