Baht buses now banned on Soi Buakhao

[Gaybutton]

And I really don't understand why. Baht buses have been providing transportation on Soi Buakhao long before my first trip to Pattaya. Now, all of a sudden, they're a big problem? They were no particular problem then and as far as I can tell they are no particular problem now. Banning them from Soi Buakhao won't solve any traffic problems, but it will for sure cause plenty of pedestrian problems. Try walking down a sidewalk on Soi Buakhao - if you can find one.

I guess now, after all these years, if you have someplace to go on Soi Buakhao, you're either on a motorbike taxi or walking.

Sometimes I can't help but think some people in a powers-that-be position simply get their jollies by imposing new rules and restrictions, many of which, at least to me, make about zero sense.

This one is the latest on my "I Don't Get It" list . . .
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No More Baht Buses on Soi Buakhao

By Danny Boy

February 17, 2017

Baht Buses banned from Soi Buakhao after new routes finalised

The military again has declared that Pattaya baht buses will run only on designated routes, but this time is backing up its order with the threat of heavier fines and vehicle seizures.

The National Council for Peace and Order’s Banglamung District office announced on Feb. 7 four more routes to bring the area’s count of “official” service lines to seven.

The official routes are now Bali Hai Pier to the Banglamung District office, a wide circle route around Pattaya, North Road to Jomtien Beach and the Baan Charoen Community to Rathpattana and Najomtien. The routes complement existing lines, including the well known Beach Road-Second Road “loop”.

However, while announcing the new service routes, the military at the same time banned baht buses from serving Soi Buakhao, which infuriated locals, both Thai and expat.

The order for the blue pickup truck taxis to run only on designated routes came after a “D-Day” operation Feb. 1 that saw more than 30 vehicles impounded for illegal parking and running off-route. While the National Council for Peace and Order laid out the routes in December, drivers largely ignored the order.

Having seen colleagues fined thousands of baht and had their trucks seized for three days, the baht bus drivers are now more compliant.

The new route system, however, brings an end to Pattaya’s easy system of anywhere transport, particularly for those needing to travel on narrow Soi Buakhao, where baht buses are now prohibited. Residents and expats grumbled loudly, but the street – which has just one lane running each direction – is now less congested.

“Is City Hall determined to drive away the independent tourist,” a Pattaya Mail reader wrote in a recent letter to the editor. “Soi Buakhao is now closed to baht buses. Why?,” he asked “It either forces you to walk in 30 C. heat along pavements too narrow to walk as a couple side-by-side and so uneven that you have to permanently look down to avoid tripping up. Twelve motorcycle taxis will be needed to replace one baht bus.”

The army wants people to call the 1337 Pattaya Contact Center if they spot any baht buses operating on Soi Buakhao or other off-route areas.


The new routes are:

Route 4: Bali Hai Pier to Third Road to Soi Photisan in Naklua to Naklua Road to the Banglamung District Office. The trip back to the pier follows the same route.

Route 5: Baan Charoen Community to Sukhumvit Road to Naklua Road to Beach Road to South Road to Pratamnak Road to Thappraya Road. It continues to Thepprasit Road and back to Sukhumvit and back to Thappraya and Jomtien Beach Road. The route terminates at Soi Chaiyapruek and travels back the way it came.

Route 6: Starts at the South Road and Sukhumvit intersection and travels along Sukhumvit to Naklua Road. It then proceeds down Naklua Road to North Road and Beach Road to South Road. It then returns up South Road to Sukhumvit.

Route 7: Starts on North Road at Sukhumvit and travels to Beach Road, South Road Thappraya and Jomtien Beach. It then turns on Soi Chaiyapruek and proceeds to Sukhumvit and Central Road and terminates at Second Road.

If you understand the descriptions of all of the routes, then you’ve obviously been here too long.

http://pattayaone.news/en/no-baht-busses-soi-buakow/

[Up2u]

If I understand the new routes, Soi Bua Khao will be served by the new route on on 3rd Rd and the buses on 2nd Rd.

http://www.pattayamail.com/news/baht-bu ... ned-164790

[Gaybutton]

Soi Bua Khao will be served by the new route on on 3rd Rd and the buses on 2nd Rd.

That's great - as long as you want to go somewhere parallel to Soi Buakhao rather than somewhere on Soi Buakhao.

It's a long walk from both Second and Third Roads to Soi Buakhao - and not very many intersections in the first place. And sidewalks to get from those roads to Soi Buakhao are scarce too. And then, what are people supposed to do once they get to Soi Buakhao if their destination doesn't happen to be in close proximity to any of the few intersections?

[Undaunted]

I live in South Pattaya, have my own transportation and use Soi Buakhao frequently, today I was on it and it was great, no baht buses short stopping wherever they please on this otherwise 2 lane narrow road, hats off to the Junta on this one.

[Gaybutton]

I live in South Pattaya, have my own transportation

I also have my own transportation, but I'm thinking about the people who don't - and on Soi Buakhao that's a hell of a lot of people. There aren't even enough motorbike taxis to accommodate them all. I guess if they all have to walk now, that suits you just fine since you will no longer be inconvenienced a few seconds by baht buses stopping to pick up and discharge passengers.

Maybe that's the kind of thing that provoked the ban - some VIP had to stop behind a baht bus for 20 seconds . . .

[Undaunted]

that suits you just fine

Suits me just fine! And I wish there was another phone# posted soliciting recommendations, we can start with regulating motorbike rental shops requiring foreigners to have a valid motorbike license, and extending their reach over illegal accommodations.

[mahjongguy]

If you go to Tukcom any afternoon you can see where Soi Buakhao (Pattaya Tai 22) takes the dogleg and connects to South Pattaya Road. You will also see that the dispatch point for the songteows heading up the soi is right there beside the Tuesday/Friday market. There will be 4 to 8 songteows parked nose to tail, blocking that lane entirely. The result is chaos, so bad that most often the police keep barriers up to prevent cars from entering the soi from South Pattaya Road. It is, or was, totally dumb.

In a better world, instead of deleting that route, the government would have moved the dispatch point onto South Pattaya Road across from Tuk Com, and cleared Soi Buakhao of the many many encroachments. There still wouldn't be sidewalks but there would be a decent flow of traffic.

[Gaybutton]

Suits me just fine!

I see.

"Do what you want with the girl, but leave me alone."
- Jack Lemmon (Professor Fate), 'The Great Race'

[Jun]

A sensible direction for traffic in Pattaya would be:

1 Widening pavements & including a good kerb to keep traffic off them.
2 On narrow streets like Soi Bukhao, make it one way.
3 Replace baht buses with proper buses. Probably something with no doors, seating space for 20 plus standing space.
4 Consider a tram system, properly segregated so that it's not blocked by road traffic
5 Introduce Electronic Road Pricing

In reality, Pattaya is more likely to put a man on the moon.

[sugargrandpa]

In reality, Pattaya is more likely to put a man on the moon.

And why not? Bangkok already has a Jupiter.