Getting local buses to Bangkok Southern Bus Terminal.

How to go to Bangkok Southern Bus Terminal(Bor-kor-Sor Sai Tai Mai) by local buses.

This is the cheapest option to travel extensively and stretch your budget.
Every local buses heading to Sai Tai Mai has to pass through the Somdet Phra Pin Klao Road Bridge across the Chao Phraya River.So ensure you wait for the bus at the right direction as some came inbound whereas you are heading out.But don't worry,just say 'Sai Tai Mai'when you hopped into the bus.

Bus 19:Sanam Luang near the Grand Palace
Bus 28:Morchit (Northern Bus Terminal)-Chatuchak Park-Victory Monument.
Bus 30:Thammasat University Sanam Luang
Bus 40:Ekkamai(Eastern Bus Station)-ThongLor-Nana-Asoke-Ploencit-Hualampong-Yaowarat(Chinatown)
Bus 79:Democarcy Monument
Bus 124:Thammasat University Sanam Luang 
Bus 146:Future Park Mall bang Khae
Bus 149:Ekkamai-Klong Toei-Lumpini-Embassy Australia
Bus 159:MorChit-Victory Monument-HuaLampong(Train station)-Yaaworat(Chinatown)-Democray Monument-sanam Luang
Bus 170:Morchit(Northern Bus terminal)
Bus 174:The Mall Ramkamhaeng
Bus 201:Victory-Democracy-Sanam Luang-Ratchadamnoen Road
Bus 511:On Nut-Ekkamai-Nana-Thonglor-Ploenchit-Central World-Panthip Plaza-Democray
Bus 542:Victory Monument-Suan Chitralada
Bus 507:Paknam-On Nut-Samsen-Rama IV Road-across the road from Hua Lampong Train Sation-Yaowarat(Chinatown)-Grand Palace

Bangkok-Pattalung-Hatyai-Padang Besar.

Padang Besar is near the Malaysian border which is nearest to the jetty to Langkawi Island.

The following rows of ticketing booth were at the section near an escalator to the upper level food court,

Bang Phli Yai-Bang Pakang-Amata Chaloem Thai-Chon Buri

 

Big C Nakhon Pathom-Nong Pho-Bang Phae-Ban Singh

Bangkok-Kamphaeng Saen-Dan Chang-Ban Rai

Nong Mom-Sriracha-laem Chabang

Bangkok-Sri Prachan-Sam chuk-Tha Chang

Bangkok-Kui Buri-Prachuap Khiri Khan

Bangkok-Cha'am-Hua Hin-Pranburi

















Bangkok-Phetchaburi






















Bangkok-Pattaya




















Bangkok-Rayong




















Bangkok-Bang Sapan
This is a government bus--blue stripes lining.


Also available Buses To: Kanchanaburi---Baht110 (2hours)
Buy ticket near the open air entrance platform.

Took this bus to Betong near the Malaysia Border.
My plan was to head for Haadyai but since the bus only leave at 4:00pm took this Yala-Betong Route at 2:30pm instead.
This is a private company bus with the orange body.

YALA SITUATION:many security barriers along the  stretch with army personnells in full gear manning the area including schools.

BETONG:songteaw(jeepney) to immigration border 30Baht standard rate.
Malaysian bus Betong to Ipoh waiting inside the border,time 11:30am Fares:RM19.00 stopped at new Ipoh bus terminal and continue to old bus terminal.
Bus name:Perak Roadways Bhd,maroon colour bus Daily bus schedule:From Ipoh 08:00 and 10:00am ,return from Betong border 12:30noon and 15:30hrs only.
Travelers heading for Cameron Highlands will have to get buses at the old terminal beside the Ipoh Railway Station.

Bangkok-Chumphon Bus with the bus drivers and conductors dressed in uniform similar to airline flight staff.

The fares Bangkok-Betong was Baht745 and from this travel experience,realized that passengers could disembark at any point along the travel route.Foreigners required to present passport while booking.
Stations where they stop to pick passengers to fill empty seats:HuaHin,Chumphon,Hatyai.
At Haadyai stopover which was bout 6:00am the next day most of the passengers disembark.Just wonder why the counter in Bangkok reluctant to sell me this option and require me to wait for the 4:00pm departure bus.Bangkok To Haadyai fares is Baht747

Thai Transport Company also has long distance cross border route to

1)Vientiane(Laos)-depart20:00 return18:00 10 hours(Baht900)
2)Pakse (Laos)-depart 21:00 return:16:00  11half hour(Baht900)

Bangkok Southern Bus Terminal timetable

Bangkok Southern Bus Terminal is locally called "Sai Tai Mai" (สายใต้ใหม่)

The bus terminal distances are:
1)Pratunam(14km)
2)Khao San Road(10km)
3)Victory Monument(13km)
4)Silom(18km)
5)Sukhumvit(18km)
6)Yaowarat-Chinatown(13km)
7)Don Mueang (30km)
8)Survanabhumi Int'l Airport(42km)
9)Paknam(23km)

The shopping mall beside the terminal is known as SC Plaza and travelers need to go by escalator to the 3rd floor where the ticketing booth of various companies were located.

The SC Plaza has been recently refurbished and hardly can one loiter around to spend an overnight within the vicinity.

The first ticketing counter that you'll see at the first corner is operated by the Thai Transport Company Limited(Call Center Number:1490)
Bus Ticket Online

There were about eight categories of  buses from high premium(24 seater) to the low end(55 seater)
Long distance buses in Thailand are very comfortable with their efficient drivers and service orientated bus conductors.Buses were most mostly new and being replaced upon expiry of  certain time period of service.
One important note here is you need to carry along a neck rest  as the ergonmics of the bus seat support more for the head.

 VIP.-1st: class- 24 seats.with reclination 135 degrees.
 Food and soft drink included.

VIP.-1st class lower+upper floor  32 seats 135 degrees.reclination.
Food and drink included,


Aircond 1st class 32 seats.125 degrees. reclination 
Food and drink  included.


Aircond  1st class  40 seats. reclination 125 degrees
 Food and drink included.

Aircond upper +lower floor 40 seats. reclination 125 degrees.

 Air-conditioned first floor (second floor): 50 seats. reclineation 125 degrees.
. 
 Aircond , 55 seats.reclineation 125 degrees.

Air, 2nd. class 46 seats. and  32 seats. with reclineation 125 degrees..

Night at That Luang Festival

That Luang Festival coincide with the full moon night of 12th lunar month on Wednesday,the 28th Novemebr 2012.
The next full moon will be on Sunday the 17th November 2013 and travelers to Chiangmai can witness the Yi Peng Festival while in Bangkok will be the Loy Krathong Festival.

That Luang Festival is a very grand Buddhist celebration in Vientiane,Laos PDR and the surrounding That Luang Park will also host the traditional trade fairs.food fairs as well as musical and cultural stage shows.

 The statue of King Setthathirat before the main entrance of the sixteenth century old Pha That Luang was quite an attraction with many visitors never missed having a photographic session here.
The late King Sai was the architect behind the construction of the grand stupa.










Main entrance arch into the  Pha That Luang.
On the eve of the festival,huge crowds of Buddhist devotees were already gathering to perform their annual pilgrimage.









Interestingly the securities personnel manning all entry and exit point to the sacred Pha That Luang Temple were Lao university students ensuring that the crowds behave orderly and do not carry any harmful belongings.This include body search as well.

That Luang Park is quite a huge compound and during the festival days,the place was specifically used as a Trade Fair ground.

 Scene similar to a night market but this is the biggest so far in Vientiane.









 Crowds near the garment section.
Garments in Laos is currently the single biggest manufactured export of the country supported by close to a hundred garment factories spread across the country.
Laos joined the World Trade Organization (W.T.O) in early 2013
sourcing:
1)PV Garment Co Ltd
2)Vision Manufacturing Co.
3)Shinawatra Garments Laos Co ltd
4) Hi-Tech Apparel Co Ltd
5) Midori Anzen

 Akhom Trading Company,an import and export business entity exhibiting some of the locally manufactured products.

The annual event trade fair  at That Luang is in collaboration with the Lao International Trade and Convention Center.








Lao Telecom ,the main mobile phone operator in Laos operated a classic  booth at the That Luang Festival Trade Fair giving out free gifts to visitors.
International access code to Laos is +856.
Area code for Vientiane is 021.
When calling to landlines,the first digit 0 is omitted whereas mobile lines code 020  is inclusive.

 

Shinawatra Garments Laos Co. Ltd.

Shinawatra Garments Laos Co. Ltd.

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