Pattaya

[fallen11]

Originally Posted by gjlow

That’s what I thought. However when I just gave the driver 10 baht he requested for 20 baht. The amount is small so not an issue. If you happen to be with a Thai friend, get her to help pay and it will be 10 baht.

sorry last night i got really drunk there and lost my money, leaving only a 5 baht coin in my wallet. I took the 10 baht bus back but paid only my last 5 baht to the driver. I showed him my whole wallet to prove i have absolutely no money left with me. His face was disgusted but he let me off.
maybe he made you pay 20 baht to compensate his loss on me.

i kept half my money in hotel la so still have money just not on me at that night.

[Libero]

Hope you only lost money from your wallet, and nothing else.

Earlier this year, a kind Walking Street cleaner aunty found and wanted to return a wallet and all its contents to the owner.

https://www.pattayamail.com/news/pat...g-owner-486270

Funny thing is that the photo showing her stuff has some interesting finds, 师大student ID, TWD, THB, HKD, AUD, MYR, USD, INR... hmm what an international woman of mystery 555

[naemlo]

Originally Posted by daviddavid

The baht bus is 10 baht even for tourist. However if you ask the driver for the price, some drivers would take advantage and quote 20 baht thinking you do not know. Not a big deal but just for awareness

After more than 10 yrs... still 10thb. Hard for driver.

[Citizens]

Originally Posted by daviddavid

The baht bus is 10 baht even for tourist. However if you ask the driver for the price, some drivers would take advantage and quote 20 baht thinking you do not know. Not a big deal but just for awareness

Actually whether 10 baht or 20 baht depends on your pickup / dropoff points.

First let me explain how the baht bus system works. Each bus has a fixed route and one round from starting point to end point is 10 baht. 2 rounds of the circuit is 20 baht.
Now the confusion occurs when your pickup & dropoff points interlap the start/end point of the curcuit.

Eg... for the beach road baht bus.... the start & end point is opposite the Walking St entrance. So if you board at 2nd road and alight at anywhere along beach road up to Walking St is 10 baht as long as it has not passed the start point. But if you alight after the start point... eg at the corner moneychanger.... it will be 20 baht even tho it is only 10m past the start point. Because every trip past the start point is consider as a new circuit (10 baht).
Eg.. you board along Beach road and your journey goes past Walking St and onto 2nd road... then you alight at Central Festival.... it will be 20 baht.

Hopes it clear the confusion on the 10 or 20 baht fare.

[fallen11]

Originally Posted by naemlo

After more than 10 yrs... still 10thb. Hard for driver.

i think during the nights, it gets really profitable for them.
1 trip easily clock > 200 baht. maybe 1 trip per hour including driver rest time and accounting for heavy traffic, from 6pm - 2am = 8 trips = at least 1600 baht revenue before costs. Also thanks to subsidised fuel prices i think.

[Citizens]

Originally Posted by fallen11

i think during the nights, it gets really profitable for them.
1 trip easily clock > 200 baht. maybe 1 trip per hour including driver rest time and accounting for heavy traffic, from 6pm - 2am = 8 trips = at least 1600 baht revenue before costs. Also thanks to subsidised fuel prices i think.

It's a hard life for them..... I know a family where both husband & wife take turns to drive their baht bus 24/7..... and sometimes even the father chips in to cover some hours.

[fallen11]

Originally Posted by Citizens

It's a hard life for them..... I know a family where both husband & wife take turns to drive their baht bus 24/7..... and sometimes even the father chips in to cover some hours.

i think they are actually hired drivers who make a fixed salary or they have to pay some fixed fees to the transport company / agency to drive the route.

[Citizens]

Originally Posted by fallen11

i think they are actually hired drivers who make a fixed salary or they have to pay some fixed fees to the transport company / agency to drive the route.

Initially the husband drove a rented baht bus... with the wife covering if he needs to rest.... then they decided to buy one themselves as it meant more money for themselves even after paying all the necessary fees.
As the husband was a mechanic in his younger days.... maintainance of the bus is not a problem.


An interesting note is that the wife has never driven a bus before she became a baht bus driver. Apparently as long as you have a valid driver license and above 20.... anyone can apply for a baht bus permit. You just need to attend a 2-day course where you will be driving a bus on a circuit.... no need to drive on public road. You need to be able to do 3 things during the test.
1. Reverse park the bus
2. Navigste a roundabout.
3. Complete an "S" slalom without knocking over the pylons.

Now that I know this info...... so scary to think that the baht bus I ride on may have an inexperienced driver driving it.