ChristianPFC Posted April 21, 2017 Share Posted April 21, 2017 Why do vans stop at petrol stations during the ride? (Technically not a petrol stop, as they all run on LPG.) Whenever I travel by van between Bangkok and Pattaya, it stops for petrol. Going to Pattaya, the stop takes 15 minutes and is 30 minutes before reaching Pattaya. Does the LPG in the tank not last longer? Do they need the fare paid by the passengers to pay for the LPG? Is it just poor planning, wasting passengers' time, not to do it before or after the trip? Is there only on LPG petrol station between Bangkok and Pattaya (actually two, one for each direction)? I find it annoying and a waste of time, 15 passengers x 15 minutes = 3.75 man-hours, half a working day! I certainly need neither a cigarette (I'm a non-smoker anyway) nor a toilet nor a food break between Bangkok and Pattaya. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ladada Posted April 21, 2017 Share Posted April 21, 2017 Taxis to pattaya/hua hin arranged by 4/5* hotels in bkk do this too, despite telling the desk - tell the guy to fill up first .. It's very annoying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
honoluludave Posted April 22, 2017 Share Posted April 22, 2017 I think it has something to do with the size of the tank. Father in law took us to Hua Hin and he had to stop twice to fill up Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boycie Posted April 22, 2017 Share Posted April 22, 2017 3 minutes ago, honoluludave said: I think it has something to do with the size of the tank. Father in law took us to Hua Hin and he had to stop twice to fill up Did he pick you up with an empty tank and then wanted his tank full again just before he dropped you off? How much did he charge you Otherwise, i'd be looking for a leak Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joeyg Posted April 22, 2017 Share Posted April 22, 2017 I believe their offering a chance to see if the toilet doors open inwards or not... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joeyg Posted April 22, 2017 Share Posted April 22, 2017 1 minute ago, Boycie said: Did he pick you up with an empty tank and then wanted his tank full again just before he dropped you off? How much did he charge you Otherwise, i'd be looking for a leak I think they're stopping so you can "take a leak" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malt25 Posted April 22, 2017 Share Posted April 22, 2017 If you take a suicide van to or from Pattaya, stopping en route is the least of your worries. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gracas Posted April 22, 2017 Share Posted April 22, 2017 Taxis in BKK just on a local trip will stop to fill up, never understood why this could not be done when there is no passenger. But I'm sure there is a reason. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoshowJones Posted April 22, 2017 Share Posted April 22, 2017 Yes, it is ridiculous, but this is Thailand, land of stupidity. even the big buses from Ekamai and Morchit have started stopping not long before they reach Pattaya bus station to fuel up. I have now stopped using them because of this, and now take the train to Swampy, then get a bus to Pattaya, yes it is a little more expensive, and takes a little longer, but I'm not in a hurry anyway. To me it is about the principle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoshowJones Posted April 22, 2017 Share Posted April 22, 2017 7 minutes ago, Gracas said: Taxis in BKK just on a local trip will stop to fill up, never understood why this could not be done when there is no passenger. But I'm sure there is a reason. Only one reason. This is Thailand. Never make anything simple if you can make it harder. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patmalone Posted April 22, 2017 Share Posted April 22, 2017 More fuel means more weight and less fuel economy, that's why they go very fast to get their quicker therefore using less fuel. 55555+ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Svante Posted April 22, 2017 Share Posted April 22, 2017 26 minutes ago, Gracas said: Taxis in BKK just on a local trip will stop to fill up, never understood why this could not be done when there is no passenger. But I'm sure there is a reason. They fill up with the meter ticking, meaning they make money while filling up! Buses and vans are most likely getting paid by the station to bring customers for their shops. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamie2009 Posted April 22, 2017 Share Posted April 22, 2017 I got the bus on Thursday Ekamai to Pattaya, three and a half hours, the Bus Stewardess said we stop for for 20 minutes at the Filling Station, it was less than 20 minutes from Pattaya, but invariably we had too wait to round up the stranglers so it was longer than 20 minutes. i have done this journey recently, 2 hours non stop but in general two and a half hours. This was the first time I have seen a Stewardess on the bus, she was telling everyone too put their seat belts on, 5000 baht fine she said if you get caught. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
metisdead Posted April 22, 2017 Share Posted April 22, 2017 A post using ALL CAPS has been removed, please turn off your All Caps button when posting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foexie Posted April 22, 2017 Share Posted April 22, 2017 I think in normal circumstances in a car those tanks can do only 300 max 400 km. A full minibus consumes even more gas so maybe they cant make it in 1 trip. Secondly the faster the gas is being used the faster the regulator freezes up and the engine will just stop. So i guess this is the main reason. They stop so the regulator can de-ice again so they will not stall in the middle of the road. It can sound strange but in warm countries you get more condenced water what can freeze faster. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wump Posted April 22, 2017 Share Posted April 22, 2017 (edited) 47 minutes ago, Svante said: They fill up with the meter ticking, meaning they make money while filling up! Buses and vans are most likely getting paid by the station to bring customers for their shops. Might be true in tourist trap stops but not when they fill up at PTT megastations where there is just chain restaurants, a 7-11 and free toilets. I guess it comes down to poor planning, the driver needing a break/smoke or penny-pinching for using the very cheapest LPG station (waited a full hour at the station on the way from Rayong to Pattaya). The gas tank shouldn't be too much of a factor as they easily hold 50-60 liters, enough for 400-500 kms. Regarding your first sentence: Drivers are typically paid by the distance traveled, not by the hour. Why else would they drive like lunatics? Edited April 22, 2017 by wump Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wump Posted April 22, 2017 Share Posted April 22, 2017 8 minutes ago, Foexie said: [...] Secondly the faster the gas is being used the faster the regulator freezes up and the engine will just stop. So i guess this is the main reason. They stop so the regulator can de-ice again so they will not stall in the middle of the road. It can sound strange but in warm countries you get more condenced water what can freeze faster. This is utter rubbish. We have LPG in two cars in Germany and even in minus 20 degrees there is no freezing, no matter how far you go. Mind you, these cars switch back to petrol if doing more than 170 kph but I have never seen a minivan doing more than 130-140 kph in Thailand so shouldn't be an issue. Additionally, it's boiling hot over here so tell me, how would anything start freezing?! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Dwyer Posted April 22, 2017 Share Posted April 22, 2017 it was less than 20 minutes from Pattaya, but invariably we had too wait to round up the stranglers so it was longer than 20 minutes.Only the " stranglers " !What about the guys with the guns and knives ?( sorry, couldn't resist ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
impulse Posted April 22, 2017 Share Posted April 22, 2017 Years ago, I was in a company van in China and stopped in for fuel. I discretely watched the pump and the guy bought about $25 worth of diesel, and got a chopped, formal receipt for around $32 (with a kickback to the attendant), which he submitted for reimbursement. Another variation on the scheme when we went to company debit cards was to charge $32 on the card, and give the driver $5 cash with the attendant keeping his $2 cut. Over the years, I found that there were some gas stations that played the game, and others that didn't. I doubt that BKK taxis turn in receipts, but any van driver working for a company could pick up a few bucks if he knows the right stations to fuel up at. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoBrainer Posted April 22, 2017 Share Posted April 22, 2017 CNG/NGV vehicles don't have much range, except maybe busses. I have not seen what the tank setup is on a gas powered bus. If you look at the 18 wheel trucks, you often see 8 to 10 large tanks stacked up behind the cab. The gas is very cheap, probably around 150 Baht for one way to Pattaya in a taxi, but the tank will barely make it and if it's a bit less than full, will run out before you get there. They do have a gasoline tank as well, but that costs about 5 times as much to run on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wump Posted April 22, 2017 Share Posted April 22, 2017 2 minutes ago, NoBrainer said: They do have a gasoline tank as well, but that costs about 5 times as much to run on. Really? LPG is like 13 (?) Baht a litre while petrol is about 26-27 Baht a litre. Additionally, you use about 20-25% more per litre on LPG as its energy density is smaller. So please, get your facts straight before posting... it's about 60% more expensive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamie2009 Posted April 22, 2017 Share Posted April 22, 2017 29 minutes ago, Andrew Dwyer said: Only the " stranglers " ! What about the guys with the guns and knives ? ( sorry, couldn't resist ) B***** predictive text ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beats56 Posted April 22, 2017 Share Posted April 22, 2017 54 minutes ago, metisdead said: A post using ALL CAPS has been removed, please turn off your All Caps button when posting. Why don't people know this by now? It's been protocol for the last 20 years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nitnoymoy Posted April 22, 2017 Share Posted April 22, 2017 most minibus are running on CNG which available everywhere bkk as local taxis run on it, but it is only available in 5 filling stations around outskirts of Pattaya the range of these vehicles is around 200 km per full tank,so they need to refill each journey at least once Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
themerg Posted April 22, 2017 Share Posted April 22, 2017 Don't act stupid for me, OK rest, food,toilet, move feet, energy drinks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clear Sky Posted April 22, 2017 Share Posted April 22, 2017 2 hours ago, jamie2009 said: I got the bus on Thursday Ekamai to Pattaya, three and a half hours, the Bus Stewardess said we stop for for 20 minutes at the Filling Station, it was less than 20 minutes from Pattaya, but invariably we had too wait to round up the stranglers so it was longer than 20 minutes. i have done this journey recently, 2 hours non stop but in general two and a half hours. This was the first time I have seen a Stewardess on the bus, she was telling everyone too put their seat belts on, 5000 baht fine she said if you get caught. "...we had too wait to round up the stranglers..." Note to self- don't take the prison bus in an attempt to save money. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lungnorm Posted April 22, 2017 Share Posted April 22, 2017 Stop revive survive!!! have you never heard that before. Its called a mental break. Stretch your legs and refresh a bit, quash the fatigue a bit. May save accidents. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kannot Posted April 22, 2017 Share Posted April 22, 2017 5 hours ago, malt25 said: If you take a suicide van to or from Pattaya, stopping en route is the least of your worries. That would depend on "how quick" it stopped 120kph-0kph in 1 second might make u wince a bit Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DSJPC Posted April 22, 2017 Share Posted April 22, 2017 YOU are not EVERYONE!!!...get a life! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joeyg Posted April 22, 2017 Share Posted April 22, 2017 4 hours ago, Foexie said: I think in normal circumstances in a car those tanks can do only 300 max 400 km. A full minibus consumes even more gas so maybe they cant make it in 1 trip. Secondly the faster the gas is being used the faster the regulator freezes up and the engine will just stop. So i guess this is the main reason. They stop so the regulator can de-ice again so they will not stall in the middle of the road. It can sound strange but in warm countries you get more condenced water what can freeze faster. Really... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now