Mini bus/van to places outside Bangkok

[christianpfc]

Mini bus/van to places outside Bangkok

I asked a Thai friend how he got to Nakhon Nayok (about 1h northeast of Bangkok), and he wrote there are mini vans from Victory Monument every two hours. As writing emails with him is not very productive (he wrote he will explain to me when we meet), I ask here about details.

I remember these minibuses/(mini)vans (whatтАЩs the correct name in English and in Thai?) from my last holiday in Bangkok. They look similar to this one:

http://www.eslteachersboard.com/webbbs/images/classifieds/pic6303.jpg

but have another label and obviously belong to the public transport system in Bangkok. I never went with one as I donтАЩt know how to use them. Can anyone give an instruction or a website of an operator (for timetable and prices)?

Do they look the same (and is the mode of operations the same) for destinations in Bangkok and out of Bangkok?

I searched on the internet, all I found was this link http://www.siamhotels.com/guides-en.html (click at the bottom: Vans @ Victory Monument) which has point of departure, destination, time and price, but which is obviously not the operator of this service. Here an extract:



Ratchawithi
Kanchanaburi & Lat Ya, 7:00am-7:30pm, every 60 min, Bht 140
Lopburi, 5:00am-8:00pm, every 20 min, Bht 110
Nakhon Nayok, 5:30am-8:00pm, every 60 min, Bht 100
Nakhon Ratchasima, 6:00am-8:00pm, every 60 min,190
Pak Thong Chai, 6:00am-8:00pm, every 60 min, Bht 190
Petchaburi, 4:30am-8:00pm, every 30 min, Bht 120
Cha Am, 4:30am-8:00pm, every 30 min, Bht 160
Hua Hin, :30am-8:00pm, every 30 min, Bht180

Points for departure seem to be spread all around Victory Monument (which makes sense if they depart on the right side of the road in the right direction, but you have to know where exactly), compare this map I found on the internet:

http://www.reggaeguesthouse.com/images/map_bangkok_minivan_victory_monument_to_rayong.jpg

Are there any other points where you can take a mini van/bus to destinations outside Bangkok?

Another interesting link, but still not answering my questions, is here:

http://thaitransit.blogspot.com/2008/11 ... o-bus.html (http://thaitransit.blogspot.com/2008/11/mega-victory-monument-metro-bus.html)

check it out if you have a bus or railway fetish! Loads of information about public transport systems in Thailand.

Are these mini vans/buses operated by one big company or many small companies, like this one which obviously operates only between Bangkok and Pattaya: http://pannipapattayatour.com/en-pannip ... ngkok.html (http://pannipapattayatour.com/en-pannipa-minibus-bangkok.html)

you can take one of these vans to pattaya ive done it a few times .. but they have been involved in accidents where the driver has fallen asleep ... so i now prefer to ride a proper bus as i think/hope the drivers have a set of rules that mean they cant drive until they drop ... when i used one in the past it cost the same'ish to get to pattaya 150 baht..
all you have to do is go to the pick up point and pay then get on the next available van .simples

[pong]

name in Thai: rot tour=tuah. English: pretty obvious. AQs I am now in mmy fianl time in KYL/MY-no Thai script on this computer.
There are dozens and dozens more-for both In of BKK and outside. For major routes, like incl NNk-often various different ones from different points-much more often as just ev 2 hrs. Big advantage is they (should) set you down at any required point on destination-provided you can make irt clear where that is-in Thai!
There are both licensed and unlicensed-the licensed ones have the same set of nrs at the side that the big buses have-these denote the countrywide route-nr system. Now they mostly also have an orange sticker in front with ekasarn BoKoSo= that famous govmt. bus company (which it is not).
Around the Vict.Monum-the best known place for them- there are at least 50+ different routes-many just stop-load and off-you really have to know where to stand and look for what! To places like NNk-along the canal-there may be 3-4 different ones going into different sois along the canals there. NkNk is so spread out that just saying to go there lands you some 5-6 kms away from the place you want.
On the forum of 2bangkok.com- then ''other means of transport''- you'' find a link to a recent BKK-post artcile with maps listing about half of them-thus this means that yes, there are dozens more. They very often change without any notice.
Oh-and you clearly did not adapt to Thai way of thinking: asking about www? MAD! These do not exist. Maybe try your luck via crazybusthailand.com- if you can read Thai and you can hook up with a gay busconductor.
The other ways to get there is the big bus to Prachin-Aran (nr 920/921) from the supergiant Mochit2 busstation- or the very frequent lccal AC-bus from rangsit/Future (nrs loike 1013/1014)-this route may still be flooded partly.

[loke]

I dont see any points in taking a minibus when you can travel to all the places from Ekkamai Bus station in air con buses, and hopefull safer drivers.

If the bus have an accident you will not die but the passangers in the minibus will , as we know all the accidents happening in Bangkok area.

WELL I go with Bus to pattaya for 113 baht , departure every 30 minute s.

[gaymandenmark]

no reason to take a mini van, they are in fact not comfortable compared to the normal buses. Cheaper can sometimes be better. Some of them are even crazy in their driving. I have seen a lot of accidents with them. They are not a part of the public service transport system.
But if you want to try, just walk around the victory monument and you will find some in your direkction. You can even ask your hotel to be picked up by a minivan, I did that one time from BKK to Koh Chang.

[christianpfc]

I dont see any points in taking a minibus when you can travel to all the places from Ekkamai Bus station in air con buses, and hopefull safer drivers.

If the bus have an accident you will not die but the passangers in the minibus will , as we know all the accidents happening in Bangkok area.

WELL I go with Bus to pattaya for 113 baht , departure every 30 minute s.

Now that you say it, I have been using the bus from Ekkamai to Pattaya all the time and the service is great! Cheap, no appointment needed, just come any time, buy ticket and wait for the next bus.

So I will probably try to get to Nakhon Nayok with a regular bus as well (and Ekkamai is closer to Nakhon Nayok, this will save time especially in Bangkok traffic).

This seems to be the map from Bangkokpost pong was writing about:

http://www.bangkokpost.com/media/content/20101007/189742.jpg

http://www.bangkokpost.com/media/content/20101007/189744.jpg

http://www.bangkokpost.com/media/content/20101007/189745.jpg

[Jellybean]

Hi Christianpfc

The Thai for mini bus is rot-tuu and you may be interested to learn that the Thai for Victory Monument is a-nu-saa-wa-rii-chai.

IтАЩve used the mini-bus from Victory Monument to Hua Hin many times before I plucked up the courage to drive. Using a mini-bus can be a frightening experience as some of the drivers can be very reckless and seem to enjoy tail-gating and intimidating the vehicle in front. When I am driving I prefer to let the mini-buses overtake me as I find it too stressful to have to put up with their dangerous and intimidating behaviour behind me.

I would also echo what some of the other members have said and would recommend the use an air-conditioned bus (rot-ee in Thai. Buses without air-con are called rot-mee or rot-bat. Touring coaches are called rot-thua) as I believe they are a cheaper and safer option which may, possibly, be of interest to you.

Buses to the north leave from Mo Chit bus terminal and, as you already know, buses to Pattaya leave from Ekkamai bus terminal.

[pong]

Oh what a limited view these posters have. They can only think of PTY.
There are NO buses to NkNk from Ekamai-this lousy, dirty busstation-to be moved out as planned for many years-has only buses to the east, incl Patters.
AS I told above in 1st post- the big buses to NkNk leave from MOCHIT2-and do not end in NkNk but go on to Prachin or Aran (I know pretty well-having once workd for over 1 yr in Aran-long, long ago). You do not even have to go in+out MOchit-as they also pick up north of Chatuchak park (in normal times- floods may prevent it now).
That these vans are less comfy etc -partly true-but in fact they have replaced most of the former 2nd cl buses -leaving no choice to many people. Plus this is the usual farang parrotting of fears they have never ever encountered themselves. And again: do not simply aim for NkNk-you will end up many a km from the place you want and get stranded. Most likely this guy advised about the vans, as they would set down close to his home/place.

[Smiles]

Much of the info in the posts here is correct.
Mini bus service is NOT a government-owned business. Mini buses are private, and there are many different companies, all competing.
As said above, they can be very crowded and very uncomfortable. Seats are often well-used, and they feel that way. Drivers vary, but many are speed demons and don't give a tinkers damn whther they scare the hell out of the passengers. We've often been driving along the highway to Hua Hin at 110 KPH and been passed by a mini bus as if we were standing still. We've seen, more than once, a mini bus wrapped around a tree on the side of the road or stuck down in the drainage area between the four lanes. Obviously these horror observations are in the minority, but in general they say to me "not so safe".

A VIP bus is the better option (compared to a mini van). In general, I would never advise a new visitor to Thailand to take mini buses.

[loke]

Yes so many deadly accidents with minibuses , also recently , with farangs involved.

I dont see any point to gamble with my life and health , even if Pong suggest I should try it.

[cameroncat]

I've noticed over the years that the thai boys prefer to travel to Pattaya etc. by Mini-van. They seem to consider it "higher class" than riding the bus. Because you can grab them at the bus station, I think some Farangs mistakenly think they are operated by the government or by the bus lines. I'm with you guys, the bus is more comfortable (you get a whole seat, not squished 4 across), and the bus is safer and a bit cheaper. Also the Bus has a bathroom, something those of you with 50+ year old bladders will appreciate :) The only advantage of taking the vans to Pattaya is that they will drop you off near your hotel. The bus drops you off at the bus station and you have to use a crowded Baht bus to get to your hotel.

[Smiles]

" ... Also the Bus has a bathroom ... "
True. But Cameron, I wouldn't touch the door handle on one, even with your dick . . . much less go inside and actually use it.
The last bus I used (in November, a rather snazzy 'VIP' no less) had as a so-called 'hong nam' the tiniest, most disgusting dungeon I've ever had the pleasure of introducing Mr Happy to in many a moon.
Filthy on even the level of a glory hole aficionado, the toilet was, shall we say, 'un-flushed' for what I would guess to be three or four years, and beside it resided a plastic bucket . . . of which even a WW-One gas mask plus heavy duty rubber gloves would not suffice for me move it so I could actually pee.
So I held it . . . painfully, all the way to the outskirts of flooded Bangkok, where the still, slimy black water down below the motorway looked far more inviting than the fetid stew of unknowables residing in that bucket.

Happy travellin' :crazy: