Thread: Renewing a passport in Bangkok

Originally Posted by Mendip

FFS

Ya gotta admit Mendy...that pic is funny as hell. I lost a bit of my beer up my schnaze when I opened up the thread.

Additionally Mendy, honestly, why in the world would you take a bus from home to BKK and back home. You have a driver ( well gardener) and a nice Van. Some times I just shake my head a bit. Even here from Lampang I have hired a driver to take me to BKK and back. 1400 bht and I enjoy a nice private AC van that will stop anywhere I want to eat or get coffee and I would not have to eat Chicken Guts or bus roadside stop food.

Originally Posted by Stumpy

Additionally Mendy, honestly, why in the world would you take a bus from home to BKK and back home. You have a driver ( well gardener) and a nice Van. Some times I just shake my head a bit. Even here from Lampang I have hired a driver to take me to BKK and back. 1400 bht and I enjoy a nice private AC van that will stop anywhere I want to eat or get coffee and I would not have to eat Chicken Guts or bus roadside stop food.

I think I have said before but here it is again, Stumpy you just don't get it do you?
That is, how a "common" man thinks.
I also need to go to Bangkok to renew my Passport and the Missus needs to get a document verified at the Embassy as well. So I suggested we go down to Bangkok on the bus. Her reaction was no fukkin way we will get a driver to take us. So either you don't get it or you think like a Thai woman.

Originally Posted by ootai

I think I have said before but here it is again, Stumpy you just don't get it do you?
That is, how a "common" man thinks.
I also need to go to Bangkok to renew my Passport and the Missus needs to get a document verified at the Embassy as well. So I suggested we go down to Bangkok on the bus. Her reaction was no fukkin way we will get a driver to take us. So either you don't get it or you think like a Thai woman.

Apparently I don't ootai. I mean it's not rocket science and it's not like you have to chisel out a big wad of money to take that trip in comfort. I did a bus trip from Korat to Lampang once out of simple curiosity. That will never ever happen again. 10 stops, terrible loud Thai lakorns on the VIP bus, Kid crying, women yapping, fuk that. In the end I think your wife might just be a bit smarter than you.

My wife wouldn't do a bus trip either not when a hired van service isn't much more and you can bring a cooler with beverages versus that 5bht snack and bottle water you stuff in the webbing in the seat in front of you.

Originally Posted by Stumpy

Additionally Mendy, honestly, why in the world would you take a bus from home to BKK and back home. You have a driver ( well gardener) and a nice Van. Some times I just shake my head a bit. Even here from Lampang I have hired a driver to take me to BKK and back. 1400 bht and I enjoy a nice private AC van that will stop anywhere I want to eat or get coffee and I would not have to eat Chicken Guts or bus roadside stop food.

Could be that the van is the main family transport, and the wife/gardener transports daughter to/from school every day. From Mendy's previous description of school runs and traffic, the school isn't at the bottom of the road. Difficult to justify buying a second vehicle when Mendy is away working so often.

That said, I agree completely on your own transport scenario. People think I'm crazy driving each year from Phuket to Kanchanaburi and back, instead of flying then taxi/bus from Bangkok. That just doesn't work for me, I need to stop when I want and also have the convenience of my own car whilst there.

Fooked if I'm ever getting on a Thai bus again.

Though do understand that they offer better defensive armor for the battlefield, compared to a thinly protected van with a large canister of TNT vapor under your seat.

So it could be a safety thing.


It could also be that Mendy surpasses the van safety limit of 3500Kg.

Originally Posted by Edmond

It could also be that Mendy surpasses the van safety limit of 3500Kg.

Ooh err.

Harsh.

Originally Posted by PAG

That said, I agree completely on your own transport scenario. People think I'm crazy driving each year from Phuket to Kanchanaburi and back, instead of flying then taxi/bus from Bangkok. That just doesn't work for me, I need to stop when I want and also have the convenience of my own car whilst there.

Typically PAG when I travel down to Chonburi then to Rayong and back home I prefer to drive myself for all the reasons you mentioned. I like stopping when I want, I like my music and can make calls hands free and do not have to try speak quietly. Plus I go from point A to point B and do not have to land or stop somewhere and wait for someone to pick me up to drive further being busses here do not stop at your place.

I do agree on the Mendy Van for other purposes but still has me shaking my head why not hire a guy? They're not expensive. The bus ride is always 2 to 4 hours longer then the straight shot and who wants to worry about a seating arrangement and hope that some person doesn't sit by you who decides to play Thai TV shows all night or watch YT vids. Its clearly his choice though and I respect that but just seems odd to do all that when you can enjoy some comfort for a few bucks more. When I first landed here, I did all those "Magic" bus trips and they were fun with a big group of friends, Now....Forget it.

Bladdy hell...

Firstly, it's a four to five hour trip from home to Sukhumvit, which would mean taking the gardener away from other stuff for around 10 hours... with dogs and chickens to feed, garden to tend to and kids to take to/fom school, that just can never happen. And why would it?

A taxi between Korat and Bangkok is now around 2600 Baht to 3000 Baht minimum... a van, if I ever decide to require a whole van to myself (and no, I don't weigh 3.5 tonnes), would be 5,000 to 6,000 Baht. But why on earth would I do that?

OK, if I really want my own personal space or am in a hurry, or am going directly to the airport I will take a taxi. And that will often be on expenses. I'm not tight, but why throw it away?

I don't know what decade you last took a bus Stumpy, but now they have aircon, Wifi, phone chargers, reclining seats (way more comfortable than in any 'van' I've ever sat in) and the Lakorn music is optional... just don't plug in to the channel if you don't like it. The buses stop briefly maybe 1 or 2 times during the trip for speed checks and I can go for 4 hours with no coffee or meal stop, no problem. At Bangkok the buses also stop at Don Muang before arriving at Morchit and at Korat they stop at the Mall before arriving at the bus station. This adds maybe 3 minutes to the journey.

For me the bus is great... comfortable, cheap (234 Baht vs maybe 6,000 Baht for the same length journey) and comfortable. I think you must be mad to take a van to Bangkok, tbh. Maybe take a taxi if you're in a rush or heading straight to Swampy. Taxi versus bus? Maybe I would prefer a taxi at times but van versus bus... bus every time. I hate those bloody vans.

Originally Posted by Stumpy

Mendy, honestly, why in the world would you take a bus from home to BKK and back home.

Because he's a penny pinching tightwad?.

If you're doing Bangkok properly, surely you should be needing a piss stop every 20 minutes on the way back?

Originally Posted by Stumpy

I did a bus trip from Korat to Lampang once out of simple curiosity. In the end I think your wife might just be a bit smarter than you.

See there you go again not understanding. I have never had the pleasure or otherwise of making a bus trip anywhere here and want to check it off my bucket list. Once I have tried it I might then feel qualified to state my opinion on whether it is as bad as people make out.

My missus may very well be smarter than me, no she must be, as she has an opinion on everything and she is always right just ask her.

I did check with Mendy to make sure they had toilets on the bus otherwise I would most likely have to wear Pampas.

Same thing re taking the train from Korat to Bangkok, I have read Mendy's account of the trip but would still like to make the trip just so I can say I have experienced it.

Originally Posted by ootai

I have read Mendy's account of the trip but would still like to make the trip just so I can say I have experienced it.

Have you not read the many many many accounts of those buses going off mountain sides, through central reservations, over the sides of bridges or the brakes continuously failing and the last thing most trapped burning to death passengers witness is the bus driver fleeing the scene?

Bon Voyage

^ Far out numbered by the number of vans doing so.

Pick a good bus company, sit back, relax.

Why in the world would you take two personal 8 seater vans at 25 to 30 times the cost to travel to Bangkok and back?

Originally Posted by Joe 90

Up at the crack of Dawn or Dave

I know which I'd recommend

PS Mendy Plan B

Row ashore on an inflatable candy and get a free hotel

I'll get you a Roskilly's at that ice cream kiosk by the Cobb do you prefer a 99 or a 69?

From my experience a 99 now costs about £3.50.

How much for a 69 in Lyme these days?

Originally Posted by Mendip

Why in the world would you take two personal 8 seater vans at 25 to 30 times the cost to travel to Bangkok and back?

I'd imagine the same reason he'd be dining in some swanky steakhouse and banging coyotes instead of eating chicken offal off a stick and waiting until the bar closes to avoid the barfine and take back that squelcher whose been in and out of that beer bar all night?
Just a stab in the dark

Originally Posted by Mendip

lected text

Dynamic pricing, discount for long TD members

Originally Posted by Mendip

How much for a 69 in Lyme these days?

Dynamic pricing, discount for long TD members

Nobody over 5ft 8 can use those damn vans.

Originally Posted by Mendip

Why in the world would you take two personal 8 seater vans at 25 to 30 times the cost to travel to Bangkok and back?

Being honest Mendy.... I guess because I can. Now in fairness on my van use, I use the driver I have used for years for work but no longer have on contract so my cost is significantly reduced and his van is extremely comfortable with captain chairs and drink holders and as Dil said if you are gonna do a run to BKK, you got to do it proper and stopping every 30 or 40 is part of it..

That said though I didn't mean to start a ruckus, just a question on why would you do a bus trip and I think you like them and they are comfortable for you. I have been on a numerous VIP busses in the past and they were long hauls. Overnight runs and they are not to bad I suppose but I am still not hopping in a bus again. Those overnight treks are just dreadful, I do not care about WiFi as I am not on a minute use phone service and the AC is always a hit and miss. For me its being crammed in a bus with people eating godawful food, talking, snoring then someone uses the head in the back and you get a big whiff of the toilet smell. Then the stops and people on and off. They are not relaxing at all.

Originally Posted by Reg Dingle

'd imagine the same reason he'd be dining in some swanky steakhouse and banging coyotes instead of eating chicken offal off a stick and waiting until the bar closes to avoid the barfine and take back that squelcher whose been in and out of that beer bar all night?

Well we reach an age Dil where saving money on certain things just doesn't make sense, especially when it comes to comfort and convenience. I have been through the days of sleeping in cheap dirty hotels in BKK, cheap Villas on beaches and islands where you know they do not really wash and clean the bedding and the toilet waste pours out the back. Why put oneself through that when you do not have too. And yes I typically eat a nicer places when I travel and would never eat animal guts on a stick anywhere (but never did before, same with deep fried bugs and shit). When in BKK there are so many little alley way places to enjoy nice food in an clean environment and its only a few bucks a plate. I guess having lived here, the novelty of trying to save every baht are long gone. Probably why I no longer drink Thai goat piss albeit I never really drank it much anyway.... . Sure its cheap but.............cheap is cheap for a reason...no?

Originally Posted by cyrille

Nobody over 5ft 8 can use those damn vans.

Ever sat in an Alphgard?...... Man on man are those the ticket. A Thai colleague and I just discussed buying the other day after sitting in one at a car show. We were sitting in the back relaxing thinking MAN!!!. However I want to be a passenger so that would mean I would need a full time driver.

Originally Posted by Joe 90

I used to find the Thai bus experience great fun on my two week holiday there twenty years ago.

I particularly thought it great value being a cheap Charlie at the time.
The staff were very considerate going into the toilet and spraying air freshener every time someone paid a visit.
Being awoken by a loud speaker informing everyone to vacate the bus at Motorway service station for a midnight feast of rice was always refreshing .
Then the bus drivers mate who had that welcoming glazed look in his eyes as he repacked your baggage for you in the hold.

Thai buses Rock!

Totally agree on all of that and I shared many of the same experiences. Good effort mate

Originally Posted by Mendip

Bladdy hell...

Firstly, it's a four to five hour trip from home to Sukhumvit, which would mean taking the gardener away from other stuff for around 10 hours... with dogs and chickens to feed, garden to tend to and kids to take to/fom school, that just can never happen. And why would it?

A taxi between Korat and Bangkok is now around 2600 Baht to 3000 Baht minimum... a van, if I ever decide to require a whole van to myself (and no, I don't weigh 3.5 tonnes), would be 5,000 to 6,000 Baht. But why on earth would I do that?

OK, if I really want my own personal space or am in a hurry, or am going directly to the airport I will take a taxi. And that will often be on expenses. I'm not tight, but why throw it away?

I don't know what decade you last took a bus Stumpy, but now they have aircon, Wifi, phone chargers, reclining seats (way more comfortable than in any 'van' I've ever sat in) and the Lakorn music is optional... just don't plug in to the channel if you don't like it. The buses stop briefly maybe 1 or 2 times during the trip for speed checks and I can go for 4 hours with no coffee or meal stop, no problem. At Bangkok the buses also stop at Don Muang before arriving at Morchit and at Korat they stop at the Mall before arriving at the bus station. This adds maybe 3 minutes to the journey.

For me the bus is great... comfortable, cheap (234 Baht vs maybe 6,000 Baht for the same length journey) and comfortable. I think you must be mad to take a van to Bangkok, tbh. Maybe take a taxi if you're in a rush or heading straight to Swampy. Taxi versus bus? Maybe I would prefer a taxi at times but van versus bus... bus every time. I hate those bloody vans.

I'm with you.

I've never had any problems with the big buses in Thailand; they're always cheap, comfortable and reliable.

In fact, the only gripe I have is that they seem to be phasing them out for these smaller ones:



The preference is always the train if time isn't a concern, but the buses are perfectly fine. It's those bloody minivans doing 150km an hour with everyone packed in like sardines that are the problem.