I've been using Bell for years, and I give them credit for improving their service. Used to be arrangements had to be made in Thai, so I'd dial them on my hp and hand it over to the hotel clerk to do the talking. Now there is always someone who speaks some English there to talk to the farang. Even the drivers are courteous these days.
I like that they pick you up, no having to fret about the taxi getting stuck in traffic and missing the bus.

What I don't like is that it's popular with the Indians -- on nearly every trip there is bunch of drunken yokels, their first trip outside of their country, all loud and bothersome, knocking down more beers. One time a bunch of them were harassing the bus's hostess, I could see she was pissed off but she just bit her tongue. Another time a load of them got on at the airport already drunk and loaded up with more cans. I'd like to see Bell in initiate a no-alcohol rule.

Maybe if US companies stop outsourcing to Indian call centers there will be less of them who could afford to go to Thailand.

I've used the Bell Bus, both to and from the airport. My last last trip from the airport, I just made the last Bell Bus to Pattaya. At the Pattay Bus station, there is another min van that takes customerts on to theur respective hotels for no additional charge-but not for Lance. Since the clerk hadn't written my final destination down, the driver flatly refused to drop me on third Rd or even let me on the bus. I was polite and never pushed it but I can believe the OP's story. Sometimes Thais will bend over backwards to be helpfull and other times they will go out of their way to make problems. TIT

does someone knows:

Is there a bus at the airport going to Pattaya at 19:30 , busnumber 389 ?
experiences?

and is there another later one ?

I don't know if you are asking about only bus number 389, but if you scroll up to post 41, you can see there is a bus at 2100 from the airport to Pattaya.

(In case of future schedule changes see: http://www.airportpattayabus.com/Coachschedule.html for current times.)

They need your final destination in Pattaya in advance. However, if you are clever, just say you are going to one of the destiantions in Pattaya nearest to you on the whiteboard display, then get off.

UPDATE: January 31st 2010

Bell Bus Service from airport.

You must now pre-book the Bell bus if traveling from BKK airport. In the past I would just turn up at the Bell-Bus area and add my name to the passenger list, this is no longer the case.

You must pre-book by telephone or on their website.

And it's no good arguing with the Bell man/woman on duty at ground level, they will just ignore you or send you to the 'government' Pattaya bus booking area.