Enduring the long distance VIP Bus Journey.

**Chittychangchang** · 03-04-2016, 03:03 AM

In spite of the fact, that long distance VIP coaches in Thailand are faster than trains, they are not so fast, as they can be. Average 300 miles distance in such a coach will last about 9-10 hours. The main reason is too many stops. Even, if your route will consist of 2-3 stops in small towns, you also stop at rest zones and in petrol stations. But the main and the special reason of the inconvenience in Thai coaches is that in all long distance coaches in Thailand it is too cold. It is the Thai habit to cool down in hot and humid climate. Thai people do not like hot, so they decided to make all air-conditioned places as cold as they can be. In 99% of cases when you catch a cold in Thailand, it will be in air-conditioned places, and especially in coaches. Imagine your trip about 8-10 hours in the bus with the temperature averaging 13 to 17o Celsius.
Chilly recirculated air and inter mingled with periods of humid hot air mess with the bodies immune system.

Take with you any of warm clothes (coat and jumper)
Take anything, that you can use to cover yourself with (sleeping bag,mossie net,pillow scarf or a shawl)
Be sure, before travelling by bus, that the company has blankets in the bus
An XL hoody will be very useful (you can protect your eye's from the glare of passengers smartphones and enable you to sleep with comfort)pulled over one's face.

Take socks and never travel in Thai long distance coaches with bare feet or just sandals and in shorts.

However, flippers may be advisable in the toilet.
Another essential for the experienced VIP endurance traveller should be three large bottle's of Chang beer and maybe a sedative if you have a travelling companion to watch over your belongings.
Also if you are storing suitcases etc in the hold then a large padlock for your belongings as drivers and their mate's have been known for rifling passengers property.

Enjoy your inexpensive experience of travelling via the VIP bus in Thailand.......and don't forget the Chang

**taxexile** · 03-04-2016, 03:41 AM

And dont forget to write your will before the journey.

**Bettyboo** · 03-04-2016, 03:56 AM

Where did you buy those socks?

**fishlocker** · 03-04-2016, 06:02 AM

Nice stuff Chitty the pics that is. I once rented a driver and van to haul the family from VTE to Pakse. Well the family did I just picked up the tab. Never again. Almost scared me straight. Reminds me of the song by Three dog night, Momma told me not to come. The specific line is"I seen so many things I ain't never seen before just put out the lights I don't want to see no more."

The fish eye had thought it had seen it all floundering in the brew town,Chicago Chitown, ect. Nope. As Zeppelin said " I don't want to go by car, I don't want to go by rail, I'm gonna crawl." Much safer and it keeps me out of trees.

Another fish story for another time. Safe travels my friend. Stay out of trees, fish.

**katie23** · 03-04-2016, 07:58 AM

I used a similar VIP bus last year - took bus 99 which leaves from Lumpini Park and goes to the Aranyaprathet border. A travel blogger called it the "casino bus" because it brings Thais to the casinos in Cambodia. Bus 99 left at 9 am (there's a bus which leaves at 6 or 6:30 am but I didn't want to take that, too early) and arrived at the border market ~12:30. The bus was a double-decker and seats were nice & comfy. In contrast from the OP's post, the A/C wasn't working properly and it was warm in the bus. Bus fare was 200 B. Most (or all) of the passengers were middle-aged Thais. The bus wasn't full, so I had no seatmate, which was nice. I took a seat on the 2nd level for the views. There was also a toilet in the bus, which wasn't too bad. Sorry, no pics of that, as it was a bit tough to maneuver, being a girl. lol Maybe I should buy one of those funnel-like thingies for my travels.

Around 15 min from the border, the bus stopped at an official looking building and the conductor (a woman) got all the passports of the Thais. (Is that where they get a day pass?) I asked her if that was where we had to get off to get our passports stamped. She couldn't speak English, and fortunately, another woman (who spoke English) heard and said, no, it wasn't the place. She would tell me when it's time. So I thanked her and sat again.

When we got to the border market, all the Thais started alighting from the bus. The kind woman told me to go down with them. Then told me to return to the bus at "three and a half o' clock" to get back to BKK. I told her that I didn't intend to go to BKK, that I was to go to Cambodia. So she told me, "go 2nd floor, Thai ppl 1st floor". I just followed the flow of ppl, and true enough, there was a sign for foreigners to go to the 2nd floor for stamping.

After the stamping, I walked down the stretch of road leading to the Cambodian side. There were very long lines for the visa-on-arrival. Many ppl approached me, asking if I wanted a visa. I just shook my head and said, no, I didn't need a visa. Then they asked, "where you come from?" So I told them, and they just waved me off to the Cambo side.

That was my first land border crossing - it was very hot, being midday, but it was interesting. The border crossing (Cambo to Saigon) was a bit different, but that's for another story.

In my brief journey, I found that ordinary Cambodians spoke better English than their Thai counterparts. But some were same-same but different.

End of long post. 55

**PeeCoffee** · 03-04-2016, 01:34 PM

Travels of a lifetime. Keep on your good path, Katie and thank you for your posts. You help make many of us feel a tad more youthful.

**Kurgen** · 03-04-2016, 03:31 PM

Originally Posted by Chittychangchang

In 99% of cases when you catch a cold in Thailand, it will be in air-conditioned places, and especially in coaches.

you don't catch a cold from being cold, it's a virus passed from another person, I think.

**Gazza** · 03-04-2016, 06:13 PM

^
Colds are your bodies reaction to temperature changes. A Flu is caught from a virus in the air.

**Gazza** · 03-04-2016, 06:48 PM

I use the coaches every 3 months doing border runs and don't really have a problem with them except if they're VIP. The VIP overnight buses that I only get to and from Savannakhet once a year are horrible. The seats are made for short-assed Thais not tall farangs and too uncomfortable for me sleeping reclined.

Last November I had to go to Khon Kaen to visit someone in hospital and went by Nakhon Chai Air. It was non-stop and took about 6 hours.
Never again. Because it didn't stop I couldn't have a ciggie or stretch my legs for the whole journey. Crappy farang movie that was all talk and no action and was turned off by the staff after about 45 mins regardless whether any passengers was watching it or not.

A few hours into the journey I was offered a foam carton of cold rice with cold pork and a bottle of warm water. Only a 6 hour trip but it felt like a 14 hour long haul flight and time seemed to slow down the nearer we got to Khon Kaen. Me and my daughter flew back to BKk in what seemed like a twinkling of an eye.

When I do border runs, which I usually do at Mae Sot, I'll sometimes get a first class coach with stops at 3 towns and a food stop. I've traveled a few times on the second class coaches but these stop at damn near any place with a population over 500. Not too bad if you're not in a hurry.

**VocalNeal** · 03-04-2016, 08:42 PM

Originally Posted by Gazza

^
Colds are your bodies reaction to temperature changes. A Flu is caught from a virus in the air.

The common cold is a viral infection

According to the Mayo Clinic.

**VocalNeal** · 03-04-2016, 08:45 PM

Yeh National Express or Greyhound are much better

**terry57** · 03-04-2016, 08:58 PM

^
Can't get ya PM mate, Filth have shut down my PM box.

Carrier pigeon may do it.

**Dapper** · 03-04-2016, 09:57 PM

Originally Posted by Chittychangchang

WeeIP

Fixed that for you mate

**thaimeme** · 03-04-2016, 10:02 PM

Originally Posted by VocalNeal

Yeh National Express or Greyhound are much better

Naturally....

**cdnski12** · 04-04-2016, 11:06 PM

I've been on a few long distance Buses in Thailand. BKK=>Chiang Mai 2X, Chiang Mai => Udon Thani, Udon => Khon Kaen 2X, Udon => Pattaya 4X. None were very comfortable. I only take day buses. Nite buses too scary. Wildest ride I was ever on was in Vietnam Hoi An => Da Nang. That was an overnight bus. A nightmare. Very scary. We passed scooters going up & down hill thru the mountains. I fly as much as possible now.

**greasystick** · 05-04-2016, 09:27 AM

Last time I did the trip from Hoi An to Da nang it took me about 45 mins on a scooter. Went the other way from Da Nang to get a Banh Mi Thit from the amazing Mdm Phongs in Hoi An and yep, 45 mins on a scooter.

If it took all night in a bus that would be horrific!! :-)

**Dragonfly94** · 05-04-2016, 10:25 PM

Don't ever get the yellow bus from Hua Hin and Rayong to Mukdahan, they are the worst. Been on them 3 times and twice the bloody things broke down

**greasystick** · 07-04-2016, 01:24 PM

Spent close to 5.5 hours doing the 3hr bus trip on a blue bus from Ekkamai to Ban Phe. I learned my lesson right there....

**DJ Pat** · 07-04-2016, 02:15 PM

Frst time I took the bus to Pattaya I got on the slow one by mistake, and they changed a wheel a sri Racha, so my first experience of coach travel in Thailand wasn't great.

And of course it didn't turn into Pattaya bus station, and I got dropped a way further down Sukhumvit and a bike took me back at high speed. That was also my first ever bike taxi ride. I hand my arms draped round his waist crapping myself.

I learned later that arms round the waist was a no-no on those things..dunno why.

**Dillinger** · 07-04-2016, 02:41 PM

Originally Posted by DJ Pat

I learned later that arms round the waist was a no-no on those things..dunno why.

He could be mid-wank like the taxi drivers

**Chittychangchang** · 13-09-2016, 05:48 AM

Pimp my ride VIP bus ...

**bobo746** · 13-09-2016, 06:05 AM

Couldn't fit any more spot lights on the front of that ?

**billy the kid** · 14-09-2016, 07:02 PM

^ out of body experience if those horns are blasted in vicinity.

**baldrick** · 14-09-2016, 07:16 PM

Originally Posted by bobo746

Couldn't fit any more spot lights on the front of that ?

the amount that actually work is probably zero

is that speakers around the number plate?

**DJ Pat** · 15-09-2016, 09:25 AM

Originally Posted by VocalNeal

Yeh National Express or Greyhound are much better

No....National Express are da bomb compared to this lot

You ain't lived until you've been on a megabus...moving the cheapskates in their masses..

Terrified for their safety, the drivers always stop for 2-3 cigarette breaks during an 8hr trip. Imagine a busload of nicotine deprived scousers. All the drivers I've seen stopped anyway for a cigarette, so next time request a driver that smokes

But don't even think of smoking one of those fake ones on board

M6 Toll Megabus coach stopped by armed police - BBC News

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