Baht Bus

[Guest MonkeySee]

Several months ago, when gas prices were so high, I heard a rumor that the baht buses in Pattaya were going to raise their prices. I guess that was just a rumor because I did not see anything in writing. I have not heard anymore of that rumor. I suppose the ten baht fare is going to be around for a while. Have you heard differently?

[Gaybutton]

At the moment there is no indication that fares are about to be raised.

[Guest Astrrro]

Several months ago, when gas prices were so high, I heard a rumor that the baht buses in Pattaya were going to raise their prices. I guess that was just a rumor because I did not see anything in writing. I have not heard anymore of that rumor. I suppose the ten baht fare is going to be around for a while. Have you heard differently?

 

Baht bus prices were raised in the summer from 5 baht to 10 baht for Thais. The price remained the same, 10 baht, for farangs. The "rumor" I heard is that perhaps prices might be reversed back to 5 baht for Thais.

 

[Guest laurence]

Has anyone knowledge of current prices for gasoline and diesel fuel?

[Guest MonkeySee]

Has anyone knowledge of current prices for gasoline and diesel fuel?

I noticed the whiskey bottles full of gasoline that the mom and pop places sell are anywhere between 20 to 25 baht. I do not remember what a litre of gas is selling at the pump. I will make it a point to check it out.

 

[Guest laurence]

The price of gasoline has dropped from $4/gal to as low as $1.40 in the US although diesel fuel is about $1 more per gallon then gasoline. I was wondering if this is the same in Thailand?

[mahjongguy]

It's not useful to discuss actual prices unless you are familiar with the full range of products here. There are biofuel blends at good prices but they may or may not be compatible with one's vehicle.

 

Anyway, the answer is yes, prices have fallen dramatically. The ordinary 91 that I use went up to 40 baht per liter and is now back to 24.

[Gaybutton]

Has anyone knowledge of current prices for gasoline and diesel fuel?

I wrote down a few prices this morning.

 

Price per liter:

 

Diesel - 16.something

 

Gasahol 95 - 16.86

 

Gasahol 91 - 16.09

 

Gasoline 91 - 21.36

 

Sorry, I didn't see the price for gasoline 95.

[Guest laurence]

Thanks guys! The bf has a diesel pick up truck so it is a relief to see that prices have dropped.

 

[2lz2p]

Pattaya One News online has gas prices posted in upper left frame.

Pattayaone News

[Gaybutton]

Pattaya One News online has gas prices posted in upper left frame.

As many times as I've read Pattaya One, I never even noticed that until your post.

 

Ok, here are the prices, courtesy of PATTAYA ONE:

 

[colmx]

Hi Guys

Just wondering what you are all currently paying for:

Baht Bus from:

1. South Pattaya-Jomtien

2. South Pattaya - Soi 7

3. South Pattaya - Big C in north Pattaya

 

I usually pay 20 for all of the above - some of the Pattaya guides say it should be 30 to Jomtien, other say 10 should be paid on all journeys...

 

What do you guys think?

[Gaybutton]

Just wondering what you are all currently paying for:

Baht Bus from:

On any of these routes the standard fare is 10 baht for farang, no matter whether you ride just a block or two or the entire route. Now I understand the Thais are also paying 10 baht, but I haven't checked that out.

 

In any case, as long as you simply hop on a baht bus and ride the standard route, then 10 baht is the fare. The price only goes up if you negotiate with the driver to take you somewhere other than his standard route.

[Guest Geezer]

My practice conforms to GB’s post. The exception being that occasionally, if I am the only passenger on a songteow to Jomtien, my munificence leads me to give the driver twenty baht.

[Guest lvdkeyes]

I live in Jomtien and I pay 10 baht to go as far as TOPS on Pattaya Klang. If I go to Big-C I pay 20 baht. If I go from Carrefour to S. Pattaya I pay 10 baht then another 10 baht to go to Jomtien.

[colmx]

Hi Guys

As suspected I have been overpaying!

After seeing a few Baht bus drivers get nasty with customers (one time involving an iron bar!). I have always tended to err on the side of caution when it comes to paying baht bus drivers...

 

Will give the 10 baht payment a trial and see how it goes...

 

If anyone hears of an Irish guy being beaten to ribbons by a baht bus driver - it's probably me!

[Guest lvdkeyes]

Will give the 10 baht payment a trial and see how it goes...

Just hand the driver the appropriate fare and say "Krap" and walk away.

[Guest Geezer]

“Just hand the driver the appropriate fare and say "Krap" and walk away. “

 

 

If you suspect the driver may wish to remonstrate with you, walk away to the REAR (the direction from which the songteow came). That renders further intercourse with the driver more difficult, and therefore a bit less likely.

 

 

BUT, if he is insistent, give him the extra ten baht. It’s better for you to lose ten baht and a little face, than the driver to lose an argument and a lot of face. That could become quite involved.

[Guest lvdkeyes]

“Just hand the driver the appropriate fare and say "Krap" and walk away. “

If you suspect the driver may wish to remonstrate with you, walk away to the REAR (the direction from which the songteow came). That renders further intercourse with the driver more difficult, and therefore a bit less likely.

BUT, if he is insistent, give him the extra ten baht. It’s better for you to lose ten baht and a little face, than the driver to lose an argument and a lot of face. That could become quite involved.

If you give the driver the fair and "appropriate" amount you should not have any altercation. I find the vast majority of baht bus drivers to be very reasonable in their expectations.

[Guest Geezer]

“If you give the driver the fair and "appropriate" amount you should not have any altercation. I find the vast majority of baht bus drivers to be very reasonable in their expectations.”

 

I agree, but there are exceptions.

 

Last evening I flagged a songteow in front of Wat Chai on South Pattaya Road. It was bound for the “T” intersection with Second Road one block farther along. At that point one must turn south toward Jomtien, or north toward North Pattaya. When flagging here one points in the direction one wishes to go. Songteows not going that way pass on by; those who are stop for you.

 

Another farang and I signaled unambiguously that we wished to go north. A songteow stopped, we boarded; and after one block it turned south!. We rang to stop, and after traveling a block in the wrong direction, it did.

 

Now, what to do? Despite two obvious “north” signals the driver had stopped for us, in hopes of collecting two fares for taking green farangs a block in the wrong direction. The ten baht fare was trivial, but one doesn’t wish to encourage such chicanery. Neither does one want a piece of rebar upside the head.

 

Given the fact that there were ten other songteows and drivers parked there, I gave the driver five baht for making me walk an extra block (as well as pay 10 baht for another songteow), and walked back north. The other passenger also gave the driver something; I didn’t stick around to ask how much.

 

I hope, had the driver insisted on five baht more, I would have had the good sense to give it to him. You don’t want to make a songteow driver angry. All that being said however, most drivers will do their best to take care of you.

 

One evening when several ladyboys (who have a reputation as pick- pockets among other nefarious occupations) boarded my songteow, the driver stopped and asked me to get in the front with him. I thanked him, and gave a tip in gratitude.

[2lz2p]

I live in Jomtien and I pay 10 baht to go as far as TOPS on Pattaya Klang. If I go to Big-C I pay 20 baht. If I go from Carrefour to S. Pattaya I pay 10 baht then another 10 baht to go to Jomtien.

 

Generally the same for me - Jomtien to Pattaya Klang, I pay 10 Baht - anything after, I pay 20 Baht. That being said, I was paying the same price when I first visited a little over 25 years ago. Considering the drastic increase in fuel prices and the cost of living since then - as well as the substantial increase in the number of baht buses - being a Baht bus driver back then has to have been more lucrative than it is today.

 

Also, as a general rule, I have found most baht bus drivers to be fine. Unfortunately, it is a few that give the rest a bad name. What really tans my hide (an American colloquial expression), is the drivers that stop (empty) and when you go to the back (instead of to the front so they can ask where you are going and then "negotiate" the fare for an exclusive hire) suddenly take off. The first time that happened to me, I had just grabbed the rail and had to let go quickly or I would have been sprawled in the street. So now, I hesitate a bit before climbing in, which has saved me a similar experience as it seems about 25% will take off. Then there is the ones that after you climb in, go a short distance, then stop, get out, and ask where you are going (again to negotiate a much higher fare). Those, I just hop off, pay them nothing, and catch another baht bus.

 

 

 

[Guest Geezer]

“What really tans my hide (an American colloquial expression), is the drivers that stop (empty) and when you go to the back (instead of to the front so they can ask where you are going and then "negotiate" the fare for an exclusive hire) suddenly take off…”

 

Yes! Forgive me for repeating what 2lz2p just wrote, but it deserves repetition.

 

I read the same valuable advice on a message board years ago, and oh, the hassles it has saved. Unless you intend to charter a Songteow, never tell the driver where you wish to go, or even ask him where he is going. When you want to get off he will claim you chartered the songteow. Who knows, with the language problems he may actually believe that was your intention. As you have not agreed on a price beforehand, you must pay what he asks.