Baht Bus Prices

[christianpfc]

Another thing you could try on the baht buses - ask the driver if you can sit up front with him instead of riding in the back. I don't know how many drivers will allow it, but it can't hurt to ask.

I vaguely remember, either their assistant sits there or they have their money or other belongings on the front seat.

Drivers preying on newbies: I happened once to me that the songtheo without passengers stopped, I walked to the back and the songtheo abruptly drove off before I could reach the back. Later I read that this is common practice if the driver is looking for a newbie to come to negotiate fare at the front door.

I pay all my taxi and songtheo in correct amount, often for drinks in gogo bars as well, no time wasted waiting for change and no short-changing.

Why are usually mobile phones stolen? I guess the resale value for a stolen phone is much lower then the average content of a wallet.

In Bangkok, songtheos usually cost 7 or 8 Baht and the price is usually displayed. And the lines are fixed; unlike Pattaya where from South Pattaya Road to North Pattaya bus station, you might have to change (and pay again) if the sontheo turns into Central Pattaya or Naklua Road.

[Gaybutton]

I vaguely remember, either their assistant sits there or they have their money or other belongings on the front seat.

Most drivers I see are alone. Sometimes they have a wife or someone with them, but not very often. No matter who is with them and no matter what they have on the seat, if you offer them some extra money, chances are very good they'll make room for you. And now that Songkran is about to start in Pattaya, I have a feeling you'll soon see front seats occupied by farang as well as the driver.

I pay all my taxi and songtheo in correct amount, often for drinks in gogo bars as well, no time wasted waiting for change and no short-changing.

Why are usually mobile phones stolen? I guess the resale value for a stolen phone is much lower then the average content of a wallet.

And for someone I know, along with no wasted time and no short-changing, no tipping either . . .

As for why they steal mobile phones, their usual victims are tourists, especially if it's the wee hours and the tourist is drunk, because they're much easier prey, and because they're much more likely to be carrying a high end mobile phone. A high end phone can yield several thousand baht for them. If they can't pawn them, they'll often try to sell them to other Thais or just keep them for themselves.

If you're carrying a smartphone, it's a good idea to install a lost phone app. If you're lucky, when you go to the police station to report the theft they might be able to easily trace the phone's location. I've read news items that some theft victims were able to use the app to help the police pinpoint the phone's location and the thief was arrested less than an hour after the incident. And where do they most often find the thief? In a pawn shop - in the process of trying to quickly sell the phone for whatever amount of money they can get.

I don't know why, but I almost never read about a pawn shop owner being arrested for accepting stolen property, even when they're caught red-handed accepting stolen property.

[a447]

I can't see the value in stealing a mobile phone. As they are usually locked with a password they are basically useless.

I've taken the baht bus 4 times this trip and only paid 10 baht per trip.

[Gaybutton]

I can't see the value in stealing a mobile phone.

I can't either, but does that matter? Apparently they see the value. If it was useless to them, they wouldn't be stealing them. Maybe they know people capable of unlocking the phone if it is locked.

Whether there's anything in it for them or not, they're still out there stealing them.

I'm curious - when you've taken the baht bus, about how much distance did you ride?

[Jun]

I can't see the value in stealing a mobile phone. As they are usually locked with a password they are basically useless.
I've taken the baht bus 4 times this trip and only paid 10 baht per trip.

There must be some value in stealing the phone for them to continue doing it.
Presumably they can crack the password, or maybe the phones get broken for spares.

[Bangkokian]

I can't see the value in stealing a mobile phone. As they are usually locked with a password they are basically useless.
I've taken the baht bus 4 times this trip and only paid 10 baht per trip.

There must be some value in stealing the phone for them to continue doing it.
Presumably they can crack the password, or maybe the phones get broken for spares.

Yes possibly sell them straight to unscrupulous dealers at Tuk Com or Pantip who would have no problem in cracking them.

[Gaybutton]

Here's the latest pickpocket story. It wasn't on a baht bus, but be assured - the pickpockets are out there. Be careful. Don't become a victim.

Of course, the idea that this 'victim' just happened to be standing outside, carrying that much money, and two lady-boys just happened to pull up while he was out there, and they just happened to make off without him noticing he had been pickpocketed - for some strange reason his story, while it may be true, sounds a lot more like trying to set up a scenario for insurance fraud to me. I hope there were CCTV cameras, ones that actually work, that can prove whether he was telling the truth about these ladyboys or making up the whole thing. Even if he really was pickpocketed, did he actually lose the amount of cash he claims to have lost? Why am I having a problem swallowing his story . . . ?
____________________________________________________________________

Ladyboy Pickpockets Strike Again

10 April, 2016

In the early hours of Saturday morning detectives at Pattaya City Police Station received a complaint from an Indian man regarding an incident outside of the Bella Express Hotel on Pattaya Klang.

Mr Naveen Bansal, 25, claimed to be waiting for friends outside the hotel when two ladyboys pulled up on a motorcycle and approached him. He told police that the ladyboys tried to befriend him and after a brief conversation they said their goodbyes and parted company.

The Indian man told Lieutenant Gewwalesiri that he then checked his bag and noticed that all his money, approximately 1,200 USD, 45,000 Baht and 5,000 Rupees in cash was missing.

Story and photos: http://pattayaone.net/pattaya-news/crim ... ts-strike/

[2lz2p]

The following has been posted on the Pattaya City Expats Club website (Living in Thailand section, Transportation subsection) for several years:

CAUTION: while the majority of Baht Bus drivers will pick you up and drop you off for the expected fare, there are also quite a few unscrupulous drivers that may try to take advantage of you. Here are some things to note:



· Try to always have loose change available to pay the fare as the driver may claim not to be able to change large notes.

· When chartering a baht bus make sure that the destination and the fare are fully and clearly understood.

· When you hail the baht bus, especially if it is empty, to travel along the established route, go to the rear to board - if you approach the driver and mention a destination or ask how much, you are considered to be chartering the Bus, thus will be expected to pay a higher fare - but be careful in boarding when you go directly to the rear as some drivers will abruptly take off since they know you will expect to pay the standard fare - likewise, if empty, after you board, the driver may go a very short distance and then stop to ask you where you are going -- in these cases, the best thing to do is get off the Baht Bus and walk away in the opposite direction of the front of the bus - wait and hail another Baht Bus.

· Try to avoid any altercation with the driver as some have been known to become violent - fortunately, a rare occurrence, but it has happened.

Although I rarely use baht buses any more, I've often wondered how they make much of a living - my first trip to Pattaya was in 1985, the fare was 5 baht for Thais and 10 baht for foreigners on the regular routes. The cost of living here has increased considerably since then, but the fares are still 10 baht. Although the number of riders has increased considerably since then, so have the number of baht buses.

[a447]

GB, I don't go far on the baht bus- usually between the Ambiance Hotel and Central Festival and back again. Or I might go to Jomtien, but that's about all.

[Jun]

Although I rarely use baht buses any more, I've often wondered how they make much of a living

I shouldn't worry about how much of a living they make, because:

Although the number of riders has increased considerably since then, so have the number of baht buses.

If they put fares up, there would be too many of the damn things. I'm just happy to pay the 10 baht, protect my pockets & try to avoid standing on the crumple zone at the back.