Get around
By songthaew
Apart from a handful of privately operated examples, Pattaya has no tuk-tuks and most ad hoc local transport is undertaken by a flotilla of over 700 dark blue coloured songthaews (pickup trucks converted to buses, also called baht buses or
simply taxis). The official "bus" fare is 5 baht for trips within Pattaya, however foreigners are universally expected to pay 10 baht. Flat fares only apply when operating as a bus; beware the driver of an otherwise empty
songthaew, especially one that's parked up at the roadside, who might presume (or decide on your behalf) that you want to charter - in which case expect a much higher fare of 100 baht or more, depending on your negotiating skills.
Frequency is virtually non-stop, and even at the most unlikely hours, average waiting time is literally no more than a few seconds.
The routes sometimes vary - for example with a left turn (from Beach Road or Second Road) into
Central Pattaya Road; or no left turn at the Dolphin Circle roundabout (where Second Road, Beach Road and North Pattaya Road meet) and going straight on to Naklua (or even a right turn towards the bus station and Sukhumvit). The only way
to know the route for sure is to ask (but don't let the driver mistake your asking as a charter request). Sometimes the driver will just decide to turn down a random soi for no apparent reason, or because he's just been hired as a taxi,
but you'll still be expected to pay your 10 baht if you've ridden for more than a soi or two - however surprises such as these are few and far between.
It's also easy to catch songthaews along South Pattaya Road, Central Pattaya
Road, and North Pattaya Road; in the case of the latter, there's often a songthaew waiting at the Dolphin Circle roundabout (they depart from here at regular intervals, or when full, and the fare to the bus station is 10 baht) and there's
also a free songthaew service to the Carrefour supermarket on North Pattaya Road. If you're heading south, Jomtien bound songthaews wait at the beginning of Pratamnak Road (the continuation of Second Road, from the South Pattaya Road
crossroads), and charge 30 baht; from Naklua you can catch a (white) songthaew out to Sukhumvit Road and on to Si Racha.
The white coloured songthaews ply Sukhumvit Road, going as far as Si Racha and Sattahip (20 baht); full-size
buses to destinations as far away as Trat and even Chiang Mai also stop and pick up passengers on Sukhumvit Road (at the South Pattaya Road, Central Pattaya Road, and North Pattaya Road junctions).
If you're overcharged by a
songthaew driver, note the three digit vehicle number (top left corner of the windscreen, also stencilled on both sides and in the back) and report the problem to:
Pattaya City Manager: dial 038429216
Banglamung District Baht Bus Cooperative: dial 038221271 / 038423554
By local bus
After long delays, a public bus system was test-launched in August 2005. The long-term plan is to operate air-con buses from 06:00 to 02:00 on three set routes (map) with scheduled stops; tickets 30 baht/trip, 90 baht/day, 180 baht/3-day
and 900 baht/month. Brochures with detailed information of the routes and stops are available from the bus drivers, however time/frequency information is lacking. For updates, dial 038757340 /1 or e-mail pbb_bus@yahoo.com. On the new
fliers distributed in March 2006 only the clockwise routes of the red and green lines are given which means that to go from Central Road to Jomtien you first have to go up to Naklua and Wat Kratingrai before going south on Sukhmvit. In
other words the leg along Beach road has been scratched. Not an unfamiliar measure in view of the Songthaew mafia in all Thailand. The single trip has been reduced to 20 baht.
By motorbike taxi Pattaya
The quickest way to get around is by motorcycle (motosai). A moto-taxi will be less expensive than a songthaew charter, but arguably less safe. Roadside moto-taxi stands are scattered throughout town, and waiting drivers usually clap their
hands or sometimes call out to attract the attention of potential passengers; alternatively you can just flag down the next available one that cruises by, as the drivers are easily identified by their coloured vests. Some will even take
two or more passengers; foreigners can expect to pay around 30-40 baht for trips around the inner parts of town.
By taxi Pattaya
Meter-taxis are a common sight in and around Pattaya. All are from Bangkok; their drivers bring passengers from the capital, and then operate locally until a return fare becomes available. There are also some car services and non-metered
taxis that operate on an on-call basis, and minibuses can also be chartered. These services are suited primarily to longer trips outside the core of the town or to another city, and can be arranged through most travel agencies and many
hotels/guesthouses. Expect to pay considerably more than the cost of a songthaew charter, probably in the order of a few hundred baht.
Rentals Pattaya
Insurance
In Pattaya (and in Thailand in general) it's not possible to rent motorcycles with insurance - usually the best strategy is to ensure in advance that the insurance you leave home with is going to cover you; alternatively,
arrange cover with an insurance broker locally in Thailand. Cars can be rented with or without insurance; paying more than the absolute minimum in order to use one of the international franchises (eg Avis, Budget, Hertz - all of which are
well represented in Pattaya - see contact information below) is generally the best way to ensure that the insurance you get is actually worth having.
Your insurance (regardless of source) may not be valid if the police declare that
you were driving illegally (eg you were not carrying your licence/IDP with you) at the time of an accident.
If you rent a vehicle without insurance and it's damaged or stolen, the bottom line is that you will be required to pay in
full the cost of repairing or replacing it.
scams - see also the Stay Safe | Scams section
Most people who hire vehicles in Pattaya have a trouble-free experience, however there is undoubtedly considerable scope for
unscrupulous rental operators to scam unsuspecting travellers. The best way to avoid scams is of course to use a reputable operator - for small motorcycles, the safest bet may be your hotel/guesthouse; for cars, one of the major rental
chains.
Always secure motorcycles with both the steering lock and also with your own lock. The latter helps prevent a scam which sometimes occurs (not only in Pattaya) whereby the owner provides a lock for the customer to use, and
then has someone follow the rented vehicle and later "steal" it, using a set of spare keys. Always report thefts - a "scam" theft vehicle may mysteriously "turn up" as soon as the police (especially the
Tourist Police) become involved.
Another common rental scam involves the owner taking a deposit, and then later refusing to refund it in full on the basis that the customer is responsible for previous damage; the Tourist Police
(dial 1155) may be able to help.
When renting cars, care needs to be taken to avoid paying for poor or bogus insurance - see the "insurance" section, above
fuel
Fuel at large petrol stations is 24-27
baht/litre (as at January 2006). Small kerbside vendors who pump by hand from drums and/or pour from bottles charge a few baht more.
Motorcycles and Scooters Pattaya
Motorbikes can be rented at countless locations,
including many hotels and guesthouses. It's a very popular way to get around for many, but not the safest, especially in the case of visitors with limited previous experience of motorcycling and Thai traffic habits. Also note that a
motorcyclist carrying a shoulder bag, and anything placed in the front basket of a motorcycle, makes an especially easy target for bag-snatchers.
Rates start at around 150 baht/day for recent 100-125cc semi-automatic (foot operated
gearchange, automatic clutch) step-through models, 200 baht/day for fully automatic scooters; larger capacity models can also easily be found, although the rates reflect the risks - around 2500 baht/day for large capacity sport bike such
as a Honda CBR1000RR. In all cases, lower prices will apply if paying up front for more than a week or so. It's common for foreigners to be asked to deposit their passports as security (to avoid this, simply shop around until you find one
of the many places that will accept a photocopy instead); cash deposits are also often required. Bear in mind that both motorcycling accidents and motorbike thefts are common, and that motorcycle rentals do not include insurance.
When motorcycling, wearing a safety helmet is mandatory (for both drivers and passengers) and the police in Pattaya do enforce this. A helmet (or two, on request) is invariably included in the rental, however they are usually ultra-basic
models with very flimsy chin-strap fasteners - if you're intending to travel extensively by motorcycle and you have a good quality helmet at home, it would be a good idea to bring it with you. If supplied a helmet with a chin-cup (many
cheap rental helmets are), slide the cup up the strap out of the way and securely fasten the bare strap directly under the jaw (this is much safer; chin-cups are illegal in many countries). It's also mandatory for motorcyclists to keep
their headlights on at all times (the latest Thai specification models have the headlight permanently on, with no switch to turn it off).
It is common that rental contracts exclude trips more than 50 km away from Pattaya, so it
might be wise to make special arrangements before a long-distance trip.
Take It Easy, Pattaya New Plaza, Second Road; tel. +66-90077804 - has British management; sample prices:
- fully automatic 115cc scooter: 750 baht/4 days,
900 baht/week, 2900 baht/month
- Kawasaki KSR 115cc: 1100 baht/4 days, 1400 baht/week, 4400 baht/month
- Honda XR 250 trail/enduro: 2000 baht/4 days, 2900 baht/week, 10000 baht/month
Cheap Charlies - tel. +66-38720452 (assorted
rentals from 100 baht/day, plus used motorcycle sales)
East Coast Choppers - tel. +66-38303113 (Harley Davidson rentals)
Maipang Motorcycle Rentals - tel. +66-38361090 / +66-38303406
For long-term motorbike rentals, try
"Jans" (tel. +66-38373594) who advertise rates from 2000 baht/month.
Cars and Jeeps
Cars can easily be rented, however this isn't such a practicable way to get around the busiest areas as traffic is often
congested and parking space limited. Prices without insurance start from around 800 baht/day for small cars, and from as little as 600 baht/day for open-top jeeps; cars with insurance start at just under 1000 baht/day, and come down to
around 5600 baht/week or 18000 baht/month.
Avis - tel. +66-38361627 (Dusit Resort) or +66-38428755 (Hard Rock Hotel)
Budget - tel. +66-38710717 (Beach Road)
Chalee Car Rent - tel. +66-38720413 (Third Road)
Hertz - tel.
+66-26542553 (Marriot Resort) / tel. +66-38716693 (Sukhumvit Road)
Holiday Car Rentals - tel. +66-38723814 (Second Road) / tel. +66-38426303 (Third Road)
National - tel. +66-38416125 /6 (Liabchayhard Road)
Q Cars - tel. +66-38231694 (Jomtien)
ATVs
Imac ATV Centre at the Beach Road end of Tipp Plaza, near Mike Shopping Mall - tel. +66-79532173 / +66-98884340 fax. +66-38227064 - has a small fleet of assorted models. Prices start at
1500 baht/day for a 4-stroke 150cc quad with road tyres that can carry two people; rates for larger models (some with off-road tyres) go as high as 3000 baht/day.
Bicycles
Bicycles could, until recently, be rented at
Jomtien - however due to lack of demand the current options are to either bring your own, or buy one
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