Bus Trip Woe's in Bangkok June 14th 2012

What should have been but wasn't..

Just because I made an assumption, Again....

Getting use to the Bangkok bus system can be a frustrating business as was documented back in a March blog. First timers will find a distinct lack of good reliable information with various sources giving varying versions of which bus to catch for the same destination. The only consolation to a screwed up day is that it wont have cost much, especially if the bus was one of those red rattletraps.

Today's destination, the Chatachuk park, with a plan to take Bus 3 since its one I've used several times already - quite handy as it picks up just along from Thammersat. Its often along within 30 minutes or so, but today it hasn't turned up, yet. 40, 50 minutes and no number 3 bus. I've seen the number 33 bus in the Chatuchuk park area, and there are plenty passing here, so its quite reasonable to expect this bus to get me there - right! But assumptions like this haven't exactly worked in the past, so lets see.

Bus 33, another rattletrap, blue this time but does have a roof fan at least. Different bus, new route as it pulls away and heads north on Samsen Road. Its been an hour, we'r somewhere in the Northern suburbs, Northanburi the road sign indicates. Heading into rural districts now and its quite clear all is not going to plan. Ok, perhaps its the long way round then. Its actually turning into a nice ride - rural settings with traditional Thai houses on stilts next to canals. Bus 3 would have been at the park 30 minutes ago, oh well! 1 hour 30 minutes and I'm the only passenger left as 33 pulls into its final stop before heading back again. I somehow had an inkling this would happen some 20 minutes ago and had aborted any hope of getting to the park today. So, one bus number shares two completely different routes!

Another 33 bus is about to head back, and its air-con this time hence the 18 baht ticket price. 20 minutes into the journey and they motion me to get off. I dont know why, they cant speak any English but insist I need another bus. Ok, I'll just get on the next 33 bus then. But that plan failed since the next 33 sailed on by - this is getting just a bit annoying now. Not only am I kicked off for no reason that I can fathom, but I have to pay again, thats if I can get a bus to stop, at where ever this is - somewhere in the Northern suburbs.

My luck has to change soon. I can see buses stopping up the road so perhaps I should wait there. Buses come and go, no 33 though and everything in writing is in Thai so no idea where any of these buses are going anyway - all very frustrating. Taxi is a very last resort, but starts to look likely. Luck at last, a bus with its route in English and places I recognise too. Bus 32, somewhere in the northern suburbs will get me back, 6.50 baht and its a red rattletrap, but I'm glad of it!

A 30 minutes journey to the park ended in a 4 hour afternoon outing - And the morale of this story, making assumptions on anything to do with bus's in Bangkok will probably lead to something rather unexpected.