Baht Bus

[Pdoggg]

Are you pleased with Pattaya baht bus service?

 

Or do you have a gripe?

 

Although I do have some issues with baht bus drivers and safety, in general I am pleased with the service I get for 10 baht.

 

 

[xyzzy]

My only complaint was this year when I was coming back from Jomtien late at night the buses no longer went past Pattaya Tai (South Road). One time the bus went past Pattaya Tai only to then turn into Soi 13/3. I presume they want to get back in the Jomtien queue near the SE corner of Pattaya Tai and 2nd Road? In years gone by the baht buses from Jomtien continued north on 2nd road at all hours. They still did continue north early in the evening. But late at night I had to get another baht bus north to Soi Diana if I was bringing a girl back with me and/or didn't want to walk.

 

FWIW I only learned trip before last that if you get on baht bus going north on Soi Buakhao there is a 99.9% chance it will turn left (west) on Pattaya Klang (Central Road). When it reaches 2nd Road it will likely go straight and then turn south on Beach Road. But occasionally they will turn north on 2nd Road. Since I was staying almost on Soi Buakhao if I wanted to go to Soi 7-8 or Soi 6, without working up a sweat, I would catch a north bound bus on Soi Buakhao. On one trip to Soi 6 the bus turned north on 2nd Road and I made it all the way for 10B. The other times going to Soi 6 I had to get off at 2nd Road and then catch another bus north on 2nd Road. But it always gets you close to Soi 7-8.   

[dixon cox]

I agree with Xy above.

 

Re: Northbound on Buakhao - The usual route you hope they take often stands a better chance of coming to fruition if there are other passengers on-board, even better if they are Thai. The driver feels more obligated to complete where he's expected to go. A lonely farang doesn't matter.

 

If I'm the only passenger by the time the bus has reached the Buakhao/Klang junction I get edgy as I feel that it's the moment I'm most likely to be shaken off. A few times they've turned right there knowing that's where I don't want to go, so I press the buzzer get off, if he hasn't stopped and gesticulated already. Inevitably it makes a U-turn and heads back south down Buakhao. Or, having turned left he pulls up as we approach 2nd Road and gestures for me to get off there.

 

So much depends on the mood and scruples of the driver. In other words, that's what makes many baht buses so unpredictable. Especially when there's no Thai people on-board who have a level of route expectancy.

 

 

What I hate most about riding on a baht bus is when the bus is flagged down and instead of climbing on-board the people who flagged congregate around the cab, presumably discussing a private hire or commandeering the bus. The passengers sit and wait to see if they have been out bid. I f**king hate that!  Again, if you're a sole farang you might just as well climb off before being told as you're only worth B10 and possess no Thai skills to argue with.  At least have the common courtesy to flag down an empty bus. Most often this display of selfishness is carried out by Russians and Indians, it seems.  If I'm forced to get off I don't pay, I just walk away. This seems to happen less during high season and since the ruble tanked.

 

The baht buses I'd love to figure out are the ones heading east up Pattaya Tai. Do they go straight on or turn left into Buakhao?  That's the question  

 

Quite a few gather close to Wat Tai and get pretty full. I always tend to think they continue straight heading east.

[xyzzy]

Re: Northbound on Buakhao - The usual route you hope they take often stands a better chance of coming to fruition if there are other passengers on-board, even better if they are Thai. The driver feels more obligated to complete where he's expected to go. A lonely farang doesn't matter.

 

If I'm the only passenger by the time the bus has reached the Buakhao/Klang junction I get edgy as I feel that it's the moment I'm most likely to be shaken off.

 

The baht buses I'd love to figure out are the ones heading east up Pattaya Tai. Do they go straight on or turn left into Buakhao?  That's the question  

 

Quite a few gather close to Wat Tai and get pretty full. I always tend to think they continue straight heading east.

 

I've never had a north bound bus on Soi Buakhao turn right at Klang. But that is why I put 99.9% as I figure it happens. I've probably only gone that way 20 times. So I'm sure it will happen sooner or later. I actually first tried that route hoping the bus would turn right as I was going to Big C Extra. But now I use it to go the other way. I'm also not quite sure were the buses going west on Klang before Buakhao come from (whether they turn into Buakhao or not). It seems like they come from Sukhumvit but beyond that I have no idea.

 

As I'm sure you know the buses loading on the NE corner of Tai and 2nd usually continue east. Everything else is a crap shoot. North bound buses on Buakhao late at night are somewhat rare. I've several times walked from Action street to Soi Diana with no north bound buses in sight. So at least late not many are turning into Buakhao.

 

Strangest thing that happened last trip I was on a south bound Buakhao bus that was absolutely packed. It was so full the rear dragged the ground when we turned at Tai. However it turned left at Tai instead of right. The buzzer rang and we all got off. I figure the driver must be ending his shift. But that one sucked for about 14 people.  

[bumblebee]

Remember there was the theory a few years back that all buses with a white stripe along the bottom traveling along Beach road will turn right towards Jomtien when they reach Second road but not all Jomtien bound buses necessarily have a white stripe.  Can anyone shed any further light on this?

[Pdoggg]

 

In the early hours of Saturday, a 21-year-old Uzbekistan man reported being assaulted and allegedly robbed of money and his passport close to the entrance of Walking Street in South Pattaya.

 

Mr. Turev Kamol had spent the night with a friend on Walking Street and was preparing to catch a Baht Bus back to his Hotel in Jomtien. He spoke with one Baht Bus Driver, stationed opposite the Bamboo Bar, and attempted to come to a deal over the price of the journey. Due to communication difficulties the negotiations halted and Mr. Kamol decided to approach another driver.

 

This reportedly angered the first driver who ran after Mr. Kamol and assaulted him with the help of 8 other Thai men. During the assault Mr. Kamol lost his passport and wallet which contained a reported 1,000 US Dollars.

 

Later on Saturday 3 men, one of which claimed to have witnessed the assault, handed in the wallet and passport to Pattaya Police Station but the wallet only contained 2,000 Baht and 116 US Dollars. Mr. Kamol was called back to the station and claimed that one of the three men was involved in the assault on him.

 

Surprisingly and despite this allegation by Mr. Kamol, Police decided not to investigate the claim any further as it was decided that the fact the man returned the wallet and passport was enough to excuse the man from being investigated, despite being identified by the victim.

 

 

Police continue to speak with Mr. Kamol at this time so the case can be brought to a quick and amicable conclusion.

http://pattayaone.net/pattaya-news/221500/uzbekistan-tourist-beaten-robbed-baht-bus-driver-south-pattaya/