Had the worst travel day of my life in Bangkok last month

It started when my overnight bus from Chiang Mai showed up two hours late, then broke down outside Ayutthaya at like 3am. I ended up stranded with no AC and a bunch of locals who didn't speak English, waiting for a replacement that never came. Finally got a shared taxi with three strangers, paid double what I planned, and rolled into Bangkok at noon instead of 7am. Has anyone else had a bus just completely ditch them like that?

2 comments

2 Comments

sam_anderson26d ago

Ayutthaya is actually about an hour north of Bangkok, not really "outside" it. I know that sounds nitpicky, but you'd be surprised how many people confuse the geography. The bus breaking down in that heat with no AC sounds absolutely brutal, especially at 3am. Those overnight buses from Chiang Mai are usually reliable, but when they go wrong they really go wrong. Did you end up getting any kind of refund or voucher from the company for the delay? Seems like they should at least cover part of that taxi fare since their bus left you stranded.

felix_coleman8726d ago

Honestly I think the bigger issue is how these companies get away with NO backup plan for breakdowns on night routes. If you're running a bus at 3am through rural Thailand you should have a service vehicle nearby or at least a deal with a local mechanic. The fact that they just left you on the side of the road with a "good luck" attitude is way worse than the geography mixup.