Baht Bus Safety

[Terence Returns]

I have completed two visits to Pattaya and have met with nothing but friendliness. And certainly I have never felt threatened. So I am full of praise for the place as a safe haven. That said, I did lose some money on my last visit. Too embarrassed to say how much but it was a lot as I had just been to the money exchange to take advantage of a good rate and the loss hurt.

 

But that aside, I am still puzzling over how I lost it and wonder if this scenario rings any bells with anyone (having one or two posts already referring to theft on baht buses.

 

I got on a Baht Bus on Bakhow about 7pm, noticed it was unusually crowded and felt something odd about how the people were spread around, including two guys standing at the back but my money was deep in my pocket (I thought) and I was not alarmed, even when one or two of the people moved oddly backwards and forwards and then got off. And I was a little baffled by the time we reached Beach Rd and everyone had got off except for four girls had become increasingly friendly to me since we reached Central, especially the fat one opposite, who insisted on shaking my hand, telling me she was married and - possibly the punch line - from Cambodia.

 

Could they be a gang of culprits that anyone has encountered before? I can't be sure I lost the money on the bus and I perhaps lost it later somehow.

 

Thanks, T/

[general_dread]

i never get on a crowded baht bus, wait for an empty one, tell us how they nicked your cash please.

 

later GD

[leeds]

if the fat one had loads red lippo shes been at it ages caught her last time.best keep hands in pockets

[praf974]

my wallet is attached to a chain attached to my shorts .. if they want the wallet they have to take the lot!

[glenjean]

MY Baht Bus Rules.

 

1. First thing....I never get onto a baht bus that is parked. I always get on a bus that is moving in my direction and stops for me.

2. I never speak to, talk to, answer or engage with the drivers who ask you... Where U Go ? or try to speak with you.

Catching the baht bus does not require you to speak to or talk to anyone.

3. I never get on a crowded Bus.

4. I always "Try to"..... sit in the first seat on the right or leftside closes to getting off, close to the back of the bus. This way I only have to protect one side of my body.

5. If the bus starts to get crowded I get off.

6. I always have the correct money to pay. I make sure I have coins.

7. I do not speak, talk to or interact with the driver when I pay him or her.

8. If at anytime anyone gets on the bus and sits unusually close to me. I immediately get off.

9. If for example I am going from 2nd road anywhere in South Pattaya to North Pattaya (Big C area)

I do not talk to anyone trying to find out if the baht bus will go all the way or turn onto central road.

I just get on any bus that is not crowded and if it happens to turn onto central road, i just get off immediately after it turns onto central and walk back and catch another bus

that is going to the north Pattaya area.

10. At night be extra careful and follow the rules above

11. Whenever a ladyboy or ladyboys or any combination of ladyboy and others get ona baht bus, I immediately get off..... period... end of story.

12. This is a most important rule also....... There is always another baht bus going in your direction less than 30 seconds away.

 

 

This may seem to be a lot of rules and a bit obsessive and a lot to remmeber, however once anyone has experience in Pattaya they will have already developed their own security "STYLE" or ways to catch Baht buses and these thingshave become normal and second nature to them.

 

These rules have served me well.

 

If anyone can add to this please do. I am sure that there is other safety measures that i have not thought of.

Stay safe and secure.

[Chezney]

When u paid the driver did u not realise your money was gone?

 

I always wear jean when I'm out and about as they are hard to pickpocket.

[hazze]

:(

Sorry to hear that mate.

 

One thing I do that may help a little.

Try and seperate your money into big and small notes. Keep the 500 and 1,000 notes in your right pocket and the rest in your left.

If you feel threatened, just protect the right side. Let them do what they want with the left.

Trying to keep your eyes on both sides and left and right pocket leaves you more vulnerable.

 

Then again, maybe i've just been lucky.

[LongPlay]

Follow Glenjean's recommendations and you should be fine. And truly, it is not hard. The statement that if you feel even slightly worried, just get off and pay. The 30 seconds point is well taken.

 

The only adder I would have is do not get on a baht bus that is empty after dark. Get one with a person or two, and if they get off and you will be alone, get off with them. I have heard of some rather ugly bus rides into gang land if you are alone. And they roll fast enough that you would not want to just jump off. If you ever see them roll through places where they should stop, and you are alone, you need to make the plan for an exit, even if it means a few bruises or scrapes.

 

Good luck, but the baht bus system is good, just need to keep your brains engaged. And stay as sober as you can, because falling down drunk, is asking to be fleeced in Pattaya.

[Joe 90]

was robbed once on baht bus by a mixed group thai guys and girls they engage in chat to distract now mostly use my bike but if I must use I sit at first seat n/s or stand at the back and ignore any interaction pity the way this mode of transport is abused I suspect some drivers are in on the act

[Terence Returns]

Thanks for the feedback. All makes sense. And of course I often follow many of the rules suggested and have never had any problem, Indeed, my rides have been so hassle free that the buses are one of the many bonuses of my visits. If anything, I have been enjoying them so much that I am becoming maybe a little cavalier, so again thanks for all the reminders that the buses are at times best approached with care.

 

Now at the risk of going on too long, let me give you a few more of the gruesome details of that fateful evening, including circumstances which made the money loss almost look like fate paying me back.

 

Essentially I was with my Thai fiance - that's another story (lovely girl but not in love with me) - staying in a room which did NOT have its own safe (will never do that again!!!) and things were a bit edgy between us because I had somehow managed to meet a new girl, someone better suited to me. Still the fiance and I had had a great afternoon by the pool, topped off by a bit of gold shopping, and me changing my £££s into BT.

 

Only hitch was I was due to meet the new GF for an hour or two somewhere on Beach - she was new to Pattaya and had not a clue about the layout - so I was a bit rushed when I left fiance in the room with the gold and the majority of my new Bt to put in the reception safe and was thinking more about connecting with GF friend than I was about any safety rules for the bus. Indeed, when I got on and squeezed itn my seat I immediately got stuck into a text message to GF trying to pinpoint our meeting place.

 

I was still aware of the people around me but no doubt not very attentive given that I was texting. But my shorts pockets are deep and things should have been alright but carrying two loads of money, one for the night out in the usual left pocket and the other heftier bit in my unfamiliar right pocket, I was maybe not thinking clearly or being as protective as I normally would be.

 

Text finished I tried to settle down but very possibly the damage had been done by then - certainly there was considerable scrambling about and at least two of the guys at the back who seemed to have been talking to people on the bus did get off and I was finally left with the four friendly "Cambodian" girls.

 

Now I am still not sure that the money was already gone. I know I sound witless but as I say my pockets were deep and I was focused on meeting new GF!!! Perhaps I still had the cash and lost it later. And at times I even think I left it all in the room and said fiance borrowed it. I just don't know anything for sure. But certainly your feedback - particularly the details about the fatter lady - makes me think that it did disappear on the bus and that these bastards are damn deft. Also very pleased with themselves, having got me at a very good time, despite it being daylight and me being sober!!!

 

Punishment for being a a no-good two timer???? Oh, I hope not.

[Jumbo]

My Pal from UK was thrilled when a really fab Lady Boy snuggled up to him last night on a Baht Bus.

You guessed...she got his wallet and jumped off!

[upena]

Related?

http://www.pattayaone.net/news/2009/june/news_29_06_52.shtml

[maxmax32]

Never had any trouble on a baht bus, not at night not in the morning after the night. Sometimes they asked my where I am headed and I just said "nono, just sip baht". That usually solved it. Otherwise I just went to the next one.

But indeed, if a couple of thai guys or ladyboys would come up (never happened to me) I would probably escape as well, just to be sure.

[BITTERBLUE]

Hi Guys,

 

The golden rule is never travel on your own on a Baht Bus and many of the other common sense statements would fit anywhere in the world when it comes to looking after yourself and your belongings.

 

Fortunately problems are very rare but i always find if there are a few of you they are less likely to target you.

 

Sorry to hear about your story...........apart from the Thai tangle your involved in of course!

 

 

Blue

[Terence Returns]

Wow, Upena, thanks.

 

Yessiree!! That news story sounds awfully familiar.

Will study the girls photo more closely and see if I recognise anyone.

 

I still feel stupid because I can't be sure that the cash was nicked on the bus, although that seems like the likely place as I was well behaved the rest of the night and there was something unusual about the passengers. So I think for now I will assume that it was taken on the bus and the whole purpose of this topic is to save problems for one or two people in the future by making them more alert to the danger son a bus, which as I have confessed I had lapsed into thinking was a safe place.

 

Oh, no it ain't, not always!!! T/

[BangkokBangher]

Hi Guys,

 

The golden rule is never travel on your own on a Baht Bus and many of the other common sense statements would fit anywhere in the world when it comes to looking after yourself and your belongings.

 

Fortunately problems are very rare but i always find if there are a few of you they are less likely to target you.

 

Sorry to hear about your story...........apart from the Thai tangle your involved in of course!

 

 

Blue

 

So how the heck am i meant to get about around Pattaya, or up & down to Jomtien if staying there? ............hire a body guard to accompany me everywhere perhaps? ?

Been on hundreds of baht buses alone, often 3 or 4am.

In the daytime if the bus is already full, get in the front if his Mrs/GF/baby/dog/bro/sis etc. isn't with him/her.

 

Some of you seem a little paranoid. Go ride some Jeepneys in the Philippines.

[coolman]

I never go out with more than 5000 baht and when i change money i go as close to th hotel as possible and then to the safe??

[Berko]

Watch out for a 40-ish chubby woman in tandem with a 11-ish small girl (who on closer inspection actually has the face of a 16 year old). The old bird can communicate with the 'kid' with coughs - very clever. I have seen 'em operate and even had the old bint trying to undue the pocket zip on my cargo shorts. They both went totally ape-shit when I got off and told an old falang to move away from them.

[fastphil]

I was in Pattaya last month, I was with my Thai girlfriend, we got on a Baht bus on Pattaya 2nd road, near Mike shopping mall, we were on our way to soi 7, not long after 4 young girls got on, one sat next to me, one sat next to my girlfriend and the other two sat opposite us, these girls were in their early teens, I'm not good at guessing ages but I would say they were around 12-14 years old, one of them was very fat! Nothing unusual happened and we got off at soi 7, we stopped at a bar near the top of soi 7 and we had 1 drink, I went to pay the bill and found that I had no money in one of my pockets, the trousers I was wearing has 2 security pockets, and I use these pockets and put maybe 3,000 Baht in each pocket, but I usually put any smaller notes in a standard cargo pocket, unfortunately that night I had a lot of small notes, I think 1 five hundred note, 4 one hundred notes and some 20's, so I lost about 1,000 Baht all together! I didn't report it to anyone but from now on I'll be more careful, I'm sure I will recognize the girls again!

[sneakers]

Hey Glenjean are fkin serious! You must be getting off every couple of sois. Stupid; the must stupid thread i've read. Here' my rule #13. Someone sticks his hand in your pocket---break it off!

[lantern]

Picked up this tip from one of the other boards. Seemingly a tip from an ex pickpocket.

 

Put your wallet in the front pocket with the opening "face down"

Then twist the pocket through 180 degrees. Or 360 if possible.

There is no way you will lose it this way.

[ArcticCat]

Don't carry more money than you can afford to lose.

 

Don't hit the currency exchange and then jump on a baht bus right next to it. That's where the pickpockets will watch for victims. If they can see which pocket you placed your wad, their job just got a lot easier.

 

Be aware of your surroundings. Whenever someone tries to talk to you or touch you on a baht bus, be suspicious. Especially if you've had a few drinks. You think you know all their tricks? Well, they know all of yours.

 

Lastly, don't be so afraid that it ruins your holiday.

[fishdeamon]

my wallet is attached to a chain attached to my shorts .. if they want the wallet they have to take the lot!

That wont really help.

 

About 9 months ago I was on my way to big C north pattaya. And somehwere along 2nd road a gang got on the bus. I thought htey were rude becuase they told people to move and sort of moved around. One of them was really fat and was eating sticky rice from a bamboo stick. She sat down next to me and like put the bambo stick in my face i was discusted by her and everything and looked away. When i reached big C I was buying some food and when i took up my wallet to pay all my money was gone. fortunatly it was only 3000 baht. I am happy they didnt take my entire wallet so i lost my atm cards and stuff.

 

I still can figure out how they did it without me noticing.

 

About 6 months later i see the fat one one arrested on pattaya people =)

[sjekie]

Sorry to hear that you got ripped of.

My advise is split your money small bills in the wallet that you use for paying for drinks or food

big bills in a pocket that you can seal so that its very difficult to get out and last but not least put a empty wallet

in your backpocket so if the want to rip you off the will take that and you dont loose any money.

[Terence Returns]

Thanks again for the comments and support. I don't want to add too much more here but I think it useful to summarise a few things.

 

1. Of course one needs to be vigilant at all times but, equally, one does not want to become overly frightened. Most of us most of the time have only good things to report. Certainly in my two visits - one for 6 weeks, one for 4 weeks - I have never had a problem besides this mini-disaster

 

2. I particularly draw attention to this potential problem on baht buses obviously, because it is all too easy to treat them casually. At least I did.

 

3. Like fish deamon above, I am mystified by the pickpockets' dexterity and I still can not figure out how they did it. My pocket did not have a zip but it was deep and it seems impossible that anyone could get a hand in and take something out without me noticing but obviously these people can.

 

4. Historically, bad things like this seem to happen when there is a peculiar set of circumstances that make it doubly surprising. So, like nearly everyone else, I don't usually carry much money day to day. But this day was different. One, I had brought cash from England and figured the rate that day was as good as it would get so changed more than I normally would. Two, the Exchange place was out of 1000 notes so I was stuck with double the number of 500s, making a thick noticeable wad. Three, I was staying in a hotel with no safe in the room, only a bag that you had to leave in safe at reception - not convenient at all - and while I put most of the 500s in the bag, I kept much more than usual, dividing it between two pockets, something I had never done before and something which made me a little less organised. Four, I was running late and a bit distracted when I caught the bus. If any one of these factors had been different, no problem. I just ran into these thieves at the worse possible time. Such is life..

 

5. Lest all this chat makes one nervous about Pattaya, I can confess that I live in Soho, London and barely a night goes by without me hearing / seeing worse problems so let's get back on the Sois and just have fun. T/