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Beating The Taxi Fares


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#1 Chalongian

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Posted 2010-10-30 21:34:21

Hi all, I've been doing my sums and I recon I spend approx  between 11,000 - 20,000 bahts a month on taxis and tuk tuks, I live in chalong but go out in Patong about 3 or 4 times per week.  A typical night will cost 900 - 1000 in taxi fares so even if i just went out 3 times a week and paid the 900 per round trip, which is a taxi  there for 400 and a tuk tuk back for 500, on a 4 week month is 10,800. A  5 week month, tuk tuks both ways at 1000 per trip and 4 nights out a week is 20,000 a month...more than my rent!. That is an insane amount to be spending on Taxis! If I was in Phuket full time It would be worth my while renting a room in Patong alongside one of the locals for 5000 a month or less, just for party night use and then travel there and back with my motorbike as i don't like to drink and drive, but as i work away thats not an option either, unless its possible to get one on a monthly basis only. So my question is, does anyone know of a cheap room available for monthly short term lets or a cheap room / guesthouse in Patong? This will also save me the hassle of driving a girl back to Patong the next day if I pick up there which is usually the case!  Or is anyone else in the same situation and wants to start sharing cabs when going out or coming back on a weekend? Or does anyone have any better ideas (that don't involve not  going to Patong)?? Looking forward to seeing your responses, Thanks!




#2 onnut

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Posted 2010-10-30 21:59:40

Why not move to Patong instead? You should be able to find a reasonably priced comfortable place there. if you are going 4 times a week anyway.

#3 Chalongian

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Posted 2010-10-30 22:30:11

View Postonnut, on 2010-10-30 21:59:40, said:

Why not move to Patong instead? You should be able to find a reasonably priced comfortable place there. if you are going 4 times a week anyway.
I dont really like the place itself. Its an overcrowded, dirty rip off, but thats where the clubs and nightlife are.  Chalongs pretty central for everywhere I wanna be the rest of the time and Its just a much nicer place to be. Also I probably would have to spend whatever I saved on taxi fares to get the same sort of place in Patong as I have here.

#4 onnut

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Posted 2010-10-30 23:04:44

View PostChalongian, on 2010-10-30 22:30:11, said:

View Postonnut, on 2010-10-30 21:59:40, said:

Why not move to Patong instead? You should be able to find a reasonably priced comfortable place there. if you are going 4 times a week anyway.
I dont really like the place itself. Its an overcrowded, dirty rip off, but thats where the clubs and nightlife are.  Chalongs pretty central for everywhere I wanna be the rest of the time and Its just a much nicer place to be. Also I probably would have to spend whatever I saved on taxi fares to get the same sort of place in Patong as I have here.
Ok, understood. I have never heard of anyone being done for drinking and riding a push bike. :lol: very cheap and will keep you fit.

either that or get a regular girl who lives in Patong and stay around hers when there!

#5 LivinLOS

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Posted 2010-10-31 07:44:47

View Postonnut, on 2010-10-30 23:04:44, said:

Ok, understood. I have never heard of anyone being done for drinking and riding a push bike. :lol: very cheap and will keep you fit.

either that or get a regular girl who lives in Patong and stay around hers when there!
Riding a pushbke back from Patong to Chalong at 4am ?? With a bird on the back ??

Is that really the suggestion  :lol:

#6 chiang mai

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Posted 2010-10-31 07:53:29

Work out a deal with a local guesthouse owner and stay overnight, somewhere on Nanai I would guess, a room two nights a week should be cheaper than the equivalent taxi fares - the better idea might be to move there though.

#7 BKKdreaming

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Posted 2010-10-31 08:47:19

never been there but is there a local city bus between the 2 places ?

BK

#8 LivinLOS

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Posted 2010-10-31 08:54:24

View PostBKKdreaming, on 2010-10-31 08:47:19, said:

never been there but is there a local city bus between the 2 places ?
Ahh yes.. That old chestnut...

#9 markg

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Posted 2010-10-31 09:21:43

View PostBKKdreaming, on 2010-10-31 08:47:19, said:

never been there but is there a local city bus between the 2 places ?
Yeah, get the friendly and cheap night-bus service. It leaves from the bus stop next to the train station...........................

Seriously, get a room. There are stacks of very reasonable, clean and safe guest house/small hotel rooms for 500b a night. Ride to Patong, take an overnight bag, score the chick of that night's dreams, send her on her way the next morning. Wash and brush up and then ride safely and soberly, home. That saves you 500 baht a trip.
And with that saving..........you could almost afford her friend too.!

Even during Songkran i managed to snag a room in Patong for 600b a night. It makes sensible sense.

#10 chiang mai

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Posted 2010-10-31 09:27:38

View PostBKKdreaming, on 2010-10-31 08:47:19, said:

never been there but is there a local city bus between the 2 places ?

BK
There is a bus service that runs between Patong and Phuket Town via Central, open air travel and not very frequent but it's cheap day time travel - unsure about Patong/Chalong though.

#11 napalm

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Posted 2010-10-31 09:53:20

I'll come and pick you up. but (if you have good taste)  the girl stays with me...deal ?  :D

#12 BKKdreaming

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Posted 2010-10-31 10:02:22

View Postchiang mai, on 2010-10-31 09:27:38, said:

View PostBKKdreaming, on 2010-10-31 08:47:19, said:

never been there but is there a local city bus between the 2 places ?

BK
There is a bus service that runs between Patong and Phuket Town via Central, open air travel and not very frequent but it's cheap day time travel - unsure about Patong/Chalong though.
Thanks , thats a REAL answer because like I said I was never there......

Cheers

BK

#13 Chalongian

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Posted 2010-10-31 15:48:40

View Postmarkg, on 2010-10-31 09:21:43, said:

View PostBKKdreaming, on 2010-10-31 08:47:19, said:

never been there but is there a local city bus between the 2 places ?
Yeah, get the friendly and cheap night-bus service. It leaves from the bus stop next to the train station...........................

Seriously, get a room. There are stacks of very reasonable, clean and safe guest house/small hotel rooms for 500b a night. Ride to Patong, take an overnight bag, score the chick of that night's dreams, send her on her way the next morning. Wash and brush up and then ride safely and soberly, home. That saves you 500 baht a trip.
And with that saving..........you could almost afford her friend too.!

Even during Songkran i managed to snag a room in Patong for 600b a night. It makes sensible sense.
Yeah  thats pretty much my plan, but high season is fast approaching or has already started and it may not be that easy, can you recommend any places at 500 or less per night?

#14 Chalongian

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Posted 2010-10-31 15:57:25

View Postnapalm, on 2010-10-31 09:53:20, said:

I'll come and pick you up. but (if you have good taste)  the girl stays with me...deal ?  :D
Well I usually think I have good taste....but there have been quite a few mornings when I woke up nd thought ....WTF, I wish i had traded her for a free ride home!  Or just never picked her up in the first place. Beer Goggles have a lot to answer for!



#15 onnut

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Posted 2010-10-31 16:20:32

View PostLivinLOS, on 2010-10-31 07:44:47, said:

View Postonnut, on 2010-10-30 23:04:44, said:

Ok, understood. I have never heard of anyone being done for drinking and riding a push bike. :lol: very cheap and will keep you fit.

either that or get a regular girl who lives in Patong and stay around hers when there!
Riding a pushbke back from Patong to Chalong at 4am ?? With a bird on the back ??

Is that really the suggestion  :lol:
I should of written Tantem bike, it would not have sounded like a joke then! :whistling:  :lol: imagine picking up a girl and asking her to help peddle :D

#16 Valentine

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Posted 2010-11-01 06:00:53

View PostBKKdreaming, on 2010-10-31 10:02:22, said:

View Postchiang mai, on 2010-10-31 09:27:38, said:

View PostBKKdreaming, on 2010-10-31 08:47:19, said:

never been there but is there a local city bus between the 2 places ?

BK
There is a bus service that runs between Patong and Phuket Town via Central, open air travel and not very frequent but it's cheap day time travel - unsure about Patong/Chalong though.
Thanks , thats a REAL answer because like I said I was never there......

Cheers

BK

There is no direct bus service between Patong & anywhere except to Phuket Town. So if one wishes to use the bus service to Chalong have to change to another one in Phuket Town & then only during daylight hours. This has long been a point of contention hence the many tuk tuk posts.

#17 Peterocket

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Posted 2010-11-01 08:40:36

View PostValentine, on 2010-11-01 06:00:53, said:

There is no direct bus service between Patong & anywhere except to Phuket Town. So if one wishes to use the bus service to Chalong have to change to another one in Phuket Town & then only during daylight hours. This has long been a point of contention hence the many tuk tuk posts.
So is the bus from Patong to Kamala, Surin, Cherntalay (and vice versa) etc that runs every hour not direct?

#18 Valentine

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Posted 2010-11-01 09:38:57

View PostPeterocket, on 2010-11-01 08:40:36, said:

View PostValentine, on 2010-11-01 06:00:53, said:

There is no direct bus service between Patong & anywhere except to Phuket Town. So if one wishes to use the bus service to Chalong have to change to another one in Phuket Town & then only during daylight hours. This has long been a point of contention hence the many tuk tuk posts.
So is the bus from Patong to Kamala, Surin, Cherntalay (and vice versa) etc that runs every hour not direct?
Does it do a circuit through & around Patong before proceeding or is it a bus that comes from Phuket Town & passes through the north end of Patong on its way to Kamala etc?

#19 chiang mai

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Posted 2010-11-01 09:41:13

View PostPeterocket, on 2010-11-01 08:40:36, said:

View PostValentine, on 2010-11-01 06:00:53, said:

There is no direct bus service between Patong & anywhere except to Phuket Town. So if one wishes to use the bus service to Chalong have to change to another one in Phuket Town & then only during daylight hours. This has long been a point of contention hence the many tuk tuk posts.
So is the bus from Patong to Kamala, Surin, Cherntalay (and vice versa) etc that runs every hour not direct?
Ah, yet another piece of the Patong bus service jig saw puzzle fights it's way through the chatter to the surface and it's voice is heard! OP, since we now have buses running North and East out of Patong there's a glimmer of hope that we may yet find one for you that runs South, I'm pretty certain I've seen daytime buses running from Patong to Karon Beach as I've driven down to the gym each day so I'll make the effort today to go out and see if I can find the definitive answer to that question, who knows, we may even find there is one and that it starts it journey near the railway station!  :)

#20 LivinginKata

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Posted 2010-11-01 11:34:26

Sure you see buses travelling between Patong and Karon, but none are offering a public bus service.

#21 chiang mai

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Posted 2010-11-01 12:15:07

And the correct answer is:

Public buses run from Phuket Town to Karon via Chalong but terminate in Karon. It seems that the OP could take a bus from Chalong to Phuket Town (or perhaps to Central Festival) and then catch a bus to Patong. Buses on these routes run during day time hours about once an hour, according to the Tourist Assist desk at the Hilton Hotel.

#22 evanson

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Posted 2010-11-01 13:50:02

View Postonnut, on 2010-10-30 21:59:40, said:

Why not move to Patong instead? You should be able to find a reasonably priced comfortable place there. if you are going 4 times a week anyway.
I agree. The OP wants a 'quiet' life in Chalong' whislt bemoaning the fact the expensive trips to Patong to find his 'for the night ho? :blink:

Rent a flophouse in Patong. or get a 'live in' in Chalong. 'Bout the same anyway :whistling:

#23 TCW

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Posted 2010-11-01 14:13:59

View PostLivinLOS, on 2010-10-31 07:44:47, said:

View Postonnut, on 2010-10-30 23:04:44, said:

Ok, understood. I have never heard of anyone being done for drinking and riding a push bike. :lol: very cheap and will keep you fit.

either that or get a regular girl who lives in Patong and stay around hers when there!
Riding a pushbke back from Patong to Chalong at 4am ?? With a bird on the back ??

Is that really the suggestion  :lol:
:lol: Maybe hitch hiking might be the better 'Girl-friendly" option!

#24 Chalongian

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Posted 2010-11-01 16:18:37

View Postevanson, on 2010-11-01 13:50:02, said:

View Postonnut, on 2010-10-30 21:59:40, said:

Why not move to Patong instead? You should be able to find a reasonably priced comfortable place there. if you are going 4 times a week anyway.
I agree. The OP wants a 'quiet' life in Chalong' whislt bemoaning the fact the expensive trips to Patong to find his 'for the night ho? :blink:

Rent a flophouse in Patong. or get a 'live in' in Chalong. 'Bout the same anyway :whistling:
Whats wrong with wanting the quiet life and not being hassled by tailors, t.shirt, watch, dvd, massage and all the other shite 24/7.  One of the main things about living over here is having a nice chilled out place to live, and being able to wake up and take a dip in the pool every day . For what I pay here I would be in a shitty  no pool apartment in Patong.  I also wanna be near to Kata and friendship beach, which I am!
Further more, Im not only In Patong looking for my 'for the night ho' there are plenty of birds and bars all over the place in Chalong, Rawai, Kata, Nai harn all much easier to get too.  I just prefer going to Nightlubs, and bars like scruffy Murphys, so more often than not I end up with a bird from Patong.
Anyway,  I don't want no live in, but I would rent a flophouse, the question In my OP was ....does anyone know of a cheap room or guesthouse in patong???? So far people have replied about bus routes through Kamala during the daytime, Imaginary train stations, picking me up but taking my wench,  and riding home on a Tandem lol
can anyone recommend somewhere?

#25 steelepulse

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Posted 2010-11-01 18:10:44

I'm sure there's a few of the newer shophouse type guesthouses that would be more than  happy to cut a deal with you. Why not ride around and ask?



 


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