zanemay Posted November 16, 2002 Report Share Posted November 16, 2002 Even though I stay here a long time there is a lot more that I don?t know than I do know. Here are a couple of small mysteries: 1) How does the baht bus system work? There are so many of them here in Pattaya and I have been the only passenger so many times. Other baht busses are driving around empty. When they do have passengers, the fares are extremely low. This makes me think that they must be getting a special price on fuel. Are they subsidized? Based on what I see, I would guess that the buses (actually small trucks with two benches in the back covered by a roof) are individually owned by the operators. I don?t know how the operators qualify for licenses. How do they? Some of the "buses" are lovely, with great detailing. Others are falling-apart pieces of junk. How can they make money? PS: Is it really legal for a baht bus driver to pull up to a store and buy a large bottle of beer? This amazes me!! 2) Who are the motorbike taxi drivers? What does one have to do to get an operator?s vest? They work out of certain "pools," yes? They wait in groups. There are boards where they cue up by hanging a card with their vest number. Is anyone making any money out there? PS: One night I came out my hotel. One moto taxi driver was treating another who had been in an accident. His face was very bloody and he was laid out on a table. The other guy way daubing his face with newspaper. On the table, in the fullest view, was a large bottle of Singha beer! TIT!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
khunsanuk Posted November 16, 2002 Report Share Posted November 16, 2002 Hi, Don't know about the bhat busses, but this is what I know about the motorbike guys. They buy the vests from someone (no clue who), and depending on the location the amounts can go quite high. I have heard figures as high as 70,000 Baht. The numbers are to keep track of whose turn it is to drive the next passenger. Do they make money? Yes, I think that some of these guys can make quite a bit of money (depending on location of course). Say 20-30 trips a day at an average of, say, 30 Baht would earn them 600-900 Baht a day, or 18-27K a month. Sanuk! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 16, 2002 Report Share Posted November 16, 2002 I'll take on the Pattaya Baht busses. 1) How does the baht bus system work? .....Are they subsidized? Subsidized? No way. Is there price fixing? Hell yes. If you think the baht busses are cheap in Pattaya try going to a place with few farang. Just south to Rayong will do. From Rayong: 7 baht for the 15 km ride to Mataput, 15B for the 25 km ride to Ban Pe. The reason there are so many song taews with few riders in Pattaya is that the price is fixed artificially *HIGH*. For those that don't know: In Pattaya fares for standard routes within town are 5 baht for Thai, 10 baht for farang (or thai with farang). One of the few blantant injustices that you just have to live with, unless you want to argue about it everytime. As for how they work in general: Everywhere in Thailand you can ask a tong taew driver if he's going where you want to go - if so, get on and pay the standard fare. If not wait for another one that is, or negotate with the driver. Half the drivers will try to overcharge you in Pattaya for special routes. Negotiate. Or better yet just tell them to fuck off, and wave down the next one. Should'nt be a whole lot more than a cab ride in BKK. I don?t know how the operators qualify for licenses. How do they? They pay their annual fees. How can they make money? See above. Outside pattaya they do fine charging much less. I'll let you do the math yourself and remember 500B profit a day is pretty good, maintainence is very cheap, and they're often bought on long payment plans. PS: Is it really legal for a baht bus driver to pull up to a store and buy a large bottle of beer? This amazes me!! What's legal got to do with it? This is Thailand! Hey, in Oklahoma, USA, and several other states, they have drive up liquour stores! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pattaya127 Posted November 16, 2002 Report Share Posted November 16, 2002 Is it really legal for a baht bus driver to pull up to a store and buy a large bottle of beer? This amazes me!! ------------------------------------ they do it in San Francisco! Well, not beer, but they'll stop, at least they used to. i remember, i thought the same thing as you then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pattaya127 Posted November 16, 2002 Report Share Posted November 16, 2002 The other guy way daubing his face with newspaper. On the table, in the fullest view, was a large bottle of Singha beer! -------------------------------- yep, whiskey would have been better. always good therapy to get smashed after a near-fatal accident ::. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stumpy Posted November 16, 2002 Report Share Posted November 16, 2002 Hi, I believe the drivers rent the baht bus for their shift, I have heard the figure of 400 baht mentioned before. I disagree that the fee is 5 baht for Thai and 10 for farang. I have seen Thai's get hassled for 10 bahts and I have seen many farangs, me included, pay 5 baht. There was the notice that appeared that stated the fare was not over 10 baht. I suspect what they really meant was the regular fare IS 10 baht but ultimately you can only go by what it actually says. The fare has been 5 baht for years and years now and I'm not surprised that they do try for an increase on the Pattaya 'premium' route. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bakkabon Posted November 17, 2002 Report Share Posted November 17, 2002 could you please tell me the flag fare for a taxi in BKK you know ! when you first jump in the cab what does he start the metre on 10 baht 20 baht ???????????? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Straycat Posted November 17, 2002 Report Share Posted November 17, 2002 Regular cab starts at 35 baht. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 17, 2002 Report Share Posted November 17, 2002 I disagree that the fee is 5 baht for Thai and 10 for farang. I have seen Thai's get hassled for 10 bahts and I have seen many farangs, me included, pay 5 baht. No doubt - every driver is different. I agree, the official fare is 5 baht. In my experience though I rarely see Thai's get hassled for paying 5. I regulary, though not all the time, get hassled when I try to do the same. At the air-con bus station they used to have a sign with prices to different destinations for the baht busses. In English it just said BEACH 20B. In Thai it broke this down to north pattaya 10B, central pattaya 10B, south pattaya 20B, and jomtien 20B. I took this bus to a hotel on north pattaya rd, about one Km away. Gave the driver 20B for me any my GF. He got out and said "40 baht". I told him in Thai that to north and central pattaya the sign said 10B. Him with very angry face: "40 baht" I tried talking to him some more, but all he would say was "you give me 40 Baht" and looked like he was about to practice some muay thai on me. So I decided to be a good farang and pay the farang rate. Thank buddah most situations in Thailand are not like this. I remember 4 or 5 years ago there were stickers on many of the baht busses saying that the fair for the regular route is 5 baht. Most of these were scrathed out, peeled off, or otherwise obscured to keep people in the dark. There was the notice that appeared that stated the fare was not over 10 baht. I suspect what they really meant was the regular fare IS 10 baht but ultimately you can only go by what it actually says I suspect the bus drivers, hating to have farang know the correct fare, but being required to have a fare sticker, lobbied hard to have this obscure language included so they could charge the split rate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daeng bireley Posted November 17, 2002 Report Share Posted November 17, 2002 The vests are bought from the local authority, depending on the area could be police or near an army base could be army or air force etc. 30000 baht is a common figure,of course this can paid off. Often the people running the motorcycle queue finance the bikes as well. Iin the papers there are stories about gunbattles and fights over control of queues fairly regularly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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