Baht Bus Follies

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I'll let it speak for itself. The following article appears in today's PATTAYA MAIL:

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Baht Bus Chief Says Fares Set in Accordance with Land Transport Department Guidelines

 

Says foreign tourist fares are higher because of currency differences

 

Vimolrat Singnikorn

 

Songtaew operators maintain a fare pricing structure in accordance with the Department of Land Transport and are not able to arbitrarily raise fares because of rising fuel costs or any other reason, says the head of the association representing the operators.

 

Currently there are 700 songtaews (baht buses) in Pattaya.

 

The Pattaya Transport Cooperative held its annual ordinary meeting recently, with Mayor Niran Watthanasartsathorn presenting the official opening speech and Chamnan Chantarachart of the Chonburi Transport Cooperative and Chamlong Sukprom, president of the Pattaya Transport Cooperative on hand to welcome members to the Grand Sole Hotel.

 

The Pattaya Transport Cooperative is a songtaew service that transports passengers on fixed routes throughout Pattaya. It was founded 29 years ago in 1977, and at present there are 700 member vehicles.

 

Asked about the likelihood of oil prices affecting passenger fares, Chamlong said that fares are fixed by the Department of Land Transport. If any passenger takes a songtaew and the trip is not worth it for the driver because of the lack of passengers to make up transport costs, the passenger will be transferred to a vehicle carrying more passengers and which is traveling the intended route at no additional charge.

 

Chamlong also said that foreign tourist fares are higher than normal fares because the value of the Thai baht and foreign currencies are different and that most tourist cities have the same pricing strategies. However, the fare differences are not that varied, the lowest maximum difference being 10 baht for short distances and the highest 20 baht over long distances.

 

Local and foreign passengers who believe they are being overcharged can submit complaints to the cooperative by calling 0 38423 554, and full action will be taken to preserve the good image of Pattaya tourism.

During the meeting, plaques were presented to Visut Mitavin and Vichien Buaplee who returned a bag containing valuables to a passenger.

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Chamlong also said that foreign tourist fares are higher than normal fares because the value of the Thai baht and foreign currencies are different and that most tourist cities have the same pricing strategies.

 

I know it's an exercise in futility, but I'm trying to make at least some sense out of this part of the article. Can someone out there explain what possible difference the value of foreign currencies makes to the price of a baht bus ride? The last time I checked, you still pay for the ride with Thai baht. I believe ten baht is still ten baht, isn't it? If there was any logic to that statement at all, then considering the American dollar is the weakest it's been in years against the Thai baht, then anyone who can show an American passport ought to be getting a cheaper fare.

 

Am I missing something here?

 

Also, his statement about 'most' tourist cities doing the same thing . . . I'd like to know which tourist cities he's referring to. I've been to an awful lot of tourist cities in my time and the fares for transportation were the same for everybody, no matter where the tourists came from. The only exception to that I ever hear about is when an unsuspecting Japanese tourist goes to New York, gets into a taxi driven by a cabbie wearing a diaper on his head, and the cabbie tries to charge him $500 for the ride. Other than that, the idea that this is typical of most tourist 'cities 'is news to me.

 

Even if this actually is typical of most tourist cities, that doesn't make it a right thing to do. It's a wrong thing to do and just because other cities might be doing it, that doesn't make it something Pattaya ought to be doing, especially as a matter of stated policy.

 

He is arguing to permit discrimination based upon values of currency. His argument that other cities do the same thing, an argument for which I see no evidence, to my mind is as absurd as the child argument, "He did it too . . ."

 

Sorry Mr. Chamlong, but your logic is about the most ridiculous example of Thai logic I've encountered in quite some time. I see absolutely nothing in your logic that is going to convince anybody that baht bus fares for foreigners ought to be greater than fares the locals pay for precisely the same ride.